You're My Exception

Chapter 4

Just a second before their lips would meet, Demi pulled away. "Joe, I can't do this." She got off of him, and sat on the edge of the couch, looking down. She was ashamed of herself for letting it get too far. She had a boyfriend, for crying out loud! They had just said 'I love you' to each other.

"Demi," he said sitting up. "If this is about when we broke up, I'm sorry. I wish I could take it all-"

"This isn't about that, Joe." She said, still not meeting his gaze.

"Then what is it about?" he looked confused. Nothing in the tabloids let him know that was a man in her life.

"I'm dating someone. I have been...for a year."

"What? Who?" Joe looked at her. She couldn't be serious, could she?

"Sterling Knight." She didn't dare look at him.

"Oh..." It was his turn to look down. He knew Sterling had been crushing on Demi since they met. Sterling avoided him as much as he could.

"Joe," Demi carefully lifted her gaze to him as he did the same. "We never talked about what happened over three years ago."

"What about it?" he mumbled.

"Why?"

"Demi, I thought if something went wrong, we would never be friends again, so-"

"That went well," she rolled her eyes.

"I know that, Demi. Just let me finish. I hurt you really bad, I know. The only thing we had left together was singing on stage at concerts, and even that was taken away from us. I wanted to make it right, I did, but I never got the courage." He looked at the floor.

She sighed. "Maybe you could have if I didn't go to rehab."

"Demi, don't blame yourself. You came back, stronger than ever. I wasn't there for you when you needed me. I knew our friendship was over, but when I saw you the other day, and we were so natural around each other, I thought we could be friends again."

"Joe, we can. I just...what just happened can't happen again. Sterling and I have been together for a year, and he told me he loves me, and I love him."

Joe was silent for a moment, then forced a smile. "Won't happen again. I just got caught in the moment, like...we were teenagers again."

"Me too, I'm sorry." She said.

"No, Dems, I started flirting with you, I'm sorry."

"Joe, it's okay, we're both to blame, but it won't happen again." Demi leaned over and hugged him.

"Never again," he answered, wrapping his arms around her. He didn't want to let this happen. All Joe wanted was to be with Demi. He knew that running into her was fate, but fate could be cruel. For example, fate got them to meet up while she had a boyfriend. He made the 'never again' promise just for her, because he would do anything for her.