"I don't know if I can go out there." Joe admitted after a couple of minutes of silence. He had calmed down completely now the two of them just sat in silence but it was comfortable Demi knowing that he probably needed to think about what he was doing. She looked up at him giving him a warm smile ensuring him that he could.
"You can, you will have to. Do you want me to come with you?"
"Do you think it's a good idea us being friends out in the public? Should we carry on how we used to?" Joe questioned.
"I don't know, it's up to you but at the moment your own cousin thinks you're a jerk without a reason behind it. You need to think about who could be your real potential friends and not fake ones which are in the crowd." Demi answered Joe sighing nodding his head.
"I need a fag." Joe stated standing up again about to leave the room but Demi grabbed his hand stopping him staying completely still.
"You should try and stop smoking too, it's not good for you. When did you start? When you became friends with lose jerks out there?" Demi guessed surprised when he shook his head looking down towards her.
"Gary forced me to smoke when I was thirteen thinking it would be funny, I'm too addicted to stop now." Joe urged running his fingers through his hair.
"It's okay Joe, I'll help you get through this alright. Together." Joe cracked a small smile nodding his head gently kissing her cheek making Demi smile.
"Thank you but I really do need this fag, I'm sorry." Joe replied.
"It's okay, I'll help you cut down at least. We have our next lesson together, I'll meet you there and I'll sit with you." Joe had thanked Demi one last time before they separated. He felt a lot better now for admitting it to Demi. He just hope she kept her promise and didn't tell anyone.
Demi made her way back down to the cafeteria knowing that she would be getting loads of questions from Willa and Nick but she wouldn't tell them anything, she'd keep her promise to Joe. She took her seat back beginning to pick at her salad again without saying another word but she could feel their eyes burn into her.
"I'm not telling you anything." Demi urged.
"Why, what is going on so secretly that you can't tell us?" Willa questioned.
"It's between Joe and me." Demi stated simply.
"Are you dating my cousin?" Demi quickly shook her head gently not able to hold the laugh back taking another bite from her salad.
"I'm just helping him out with something, it's Joe's business if he wants to tell you which I hope he will one day but just give him some space. He's trying to change who he is and you need to at least give him a chance." Demi urged.
"My cousin changing who he is? That doesn't sound like him at all, what's going on? Are you sure you're not dating him and actually changing him yourself?" Nick questioned Demi shaking her head gently. She didn't see why they had the idea they were dating in their heads so much. She didn't see him in that way, she just saw him as a venerable teenage boy who needs some help at home. She'd do anything she could to help him, he wasn't really a bad person. He just becomes that person at school to get away from what was going on at home.
"We're not dating, I'm just being his friend," Demi answered. "I'm going to class, I'll see you in English." Demi wondered away with her tray in her hands. Nick and Willa couldn't help but wonder what was going on. They knew something was because this wasn't like Joe at all but if Demi had said that he would tell them in his own time then they would respect that.
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