Let Them See You (Joey Stamper/Anthem Lights)

Chapter 20

~Joey's P.O.V.~

I couldn't believe who I was looking at. Coming back to Tennessee, I knew there was a chance that I would run into Ariana, but I thought it was very slim.

I didn't even recognize her. She looked nothing how she used to. She cut her hair short, (a.n.- just look at my icon, her length is like kylie jenner's) and she lost a lot of weight.

Her eyes moved to the girl who was standing next to her. I completely forgot that there was a girl standing in front of me.

"Hi. I'm Joey, it's nice to meet you." I said, smiling. I shook her hand and signed her paper.

I did this for the next hour, and everyone had cleared out.

"Did you guys see Ariana? She was here." I said to Alan.

He looked at me like I was crazy, "Are you sure you saw her?"

I nodded, "Yeah. She looked really different though."

"Maybe she's still around." He said.

We walked around the mall and we couldn't find her anywhere. We were passing the food court when I saw her and her friend sitting in starbucks.

"There. That's her." I said, looking at her.

The guys looked in her direction and I could tell they were shocked as to how different she looked.

"Should we go talk to her?" Caleb said.

Alan nodded. We walked in her direction and Alan said, "Hi Ariana."

She looked up, "Hi."

"Can we talk to you?" he said.

She looked at her friend, and she nodded.

She stood up and walked our way.

"How have you been doing?" Alan asked.

"Fine. You?" She said quietly.

"We've been busy. Recording and touring." He said.

"That's good. What are you guys doing here?" She asked.

"We're here for a week for some interviews and shows." He said.

She nodded.

"We'll well let you and Joey talk." Alan said as they walked away.

We sat down at a table nearby.

"Have how you been feeling?" I asked.

"Good." She said, with no emotion whatsoever.

"Come on Ariana. What happened? You completely changed." I blurted out.

She was silent for a moment, "You left Joey. You didn't call. You didn't even write me a letter or something. You don't know what happened that night, you just assumed I went there to party when that wasn't the case at all."

I was astonished at the words that came out of her mouth.

"I went there because she was my friend and I thought she changed. She slipped something in my drink. I know I shouldn't of went, but I did. I'm sorry, okay? You guys were right." She continued.

"You shouldn't be apologizing. I should. I was just scared, I didn't think I could handle being in a relationship with you." I said.

Tears started to form in her eyes. "What happened to you not giving up on me?" She said.

Before I could answer, she added, "You know what Joey? I don't even care anymore. It's clear that I have too many issues for you. Maybe God had this happen for a reason. Right now, I need to focus on Him, and getting better."

And then she said something that shattered my heart.

"I wish I never met you. You turned out to be just like every other guy. Goodbye, Joey." She said, as she walked away from me.

I eventually found the guys. I didn't even feel like talking.

The words kept replaying in my head.

She was right though.

I promised I would never give up on her. I promised I wasn't like the other guys.

We returned back to our tour bus and the first thing I did was get my Bible out and try to figure out what God wanted me to do.

"Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance." 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

When I read this passage, a few things stuck out to me:

Love keeps no record of wrongs.
Love never gives up.
It never loses faith,
And it endures through every circumstance.

I know God put me in Ariana's life for a reason.

I know we're supposed be together.

Ariana was going through probably the hardest time of her life right now, I couldn't let her face this on her own.

This wasn't even about getting back together right now.

I couldn't lead her to focus on me.

I need to lead her to focus on Christ so she can truly recover.

And that's what I was going to do.