Rebound

Chapter 19: Don't Worry

Chapter 19

Don't Worry

Meredith spends the rest of the evening trying to convince me that it's okay and that Joey was completely over Karen when he started to date me. But, it's too late my mind has already taken off with the new facts and now I'm going crazy with a billion more questions.

I could call Joey and talk to him about it, but it doesn't seem like a calling conversation and also I only have one day till I see him. One day and this can all get sorted out.

Once we're back to the apartment I rush to my room and shut the door so I can be in quiet and think. I think back to Brian's words all those weeks ago. He told me to be careful, because he knew that Joey had just gotten out of a break up. I curse myself for not caring more about his words.

I take a deep breath calming myself down and slowing my heart rate before I have a heart attack. I'm overacting, I know I am, but I can't stop myself. I try to clear my mind until tomorrow night when I can finally let loose and talk to Joey about all of this. But, I know it's going to take a lot of my self control to not get pissed off at him.

Seconds turn to minutes and minutes turn to hours and before I know it the night is over and the sun is rising. And then the evening hits. I know that right now the boys are close to being done with unloading Joey's things and that once their done Joey is going to be far too tired to want to talk, but my mind and heart doesn't care. I need answers and I need answers soon or else my head may explode.

I send Joey a text that asks for him to please come over once he's done. Surprisingly, he responds back within a few minutes and says that he's already on his way over with Brian. I grin at that, that's good news. He was already thinking about me. Or he was wanting to spend more time with Brian and not me.

Fuck, screw the pessimist that's deep inside me. I need more of the optimism, where's the Meredith side of me?

When Joey enters the apartment I temporarily forget all about my anger and Karen and go to give him a kiss. The part of my body that spent a week missing him easily takes over my mind before the other pissed off part of my body can.

"Are you excited to be in Chicago?" I ask him once we're alone in my room.

"Yes," he grins and I can tell he's off thinking a million things as well. A part of me wants to be a child and ask him if he's excited to be closer to me, but I don't care about that answer because he'd have to say yes and it would be a fake yes.

"So Joey, I need to talk to you about something," I say while pulling him next to me on my bed. I sit crisscross in front of him and he stares at me intently. I swallow down my fears and begin. "It's about Karen."

That name does something to him. It causes his face to contort into a million different emotions: pain...love...fear... I try to compare it to my name, but I can't. It's not worth the pain to do so.

"What about her?" He turns away from facing me and he suddenly finds the pattern of my quilt very fascinating when he never cared about it before.

"Meredith told me how you guys broke up just two weeks before we started dating..." I trial off and he slowly lifts his head to stare back into my eyes.

"Don't worry about Karen. I told you, I'm over her. I don't like her anymore," Joey gives me a smile and I can't stop myself from leaning forward and placing a gentle kiss on his cheek.

I pull back to look at him, "I know, but—"

Joey suddenly catches me off guard, "I love you."

My heart speeds up to a million miles a second, my fingers curl into a fist and it takes everything in me to not punch him in the gut to show him what those three words feel like to me.

The tears appear in my eyes and Joey stares at me judging my reaction, and I think he mistakenly takes my tears to be a good thing, because my next words shock him.

"Fuck you, leave Joey." I blink my eyes furiously hoping the tears will go away.

"Leave Joey," I growl my words full of venom and spite. I'm boiling over with rage. How dare he.

"I-I don't understand." Oh and now he gets flustered. I finally got my cute Joey moment, but I don't want it.

"How long have you known me Joey?" My voice cracks as everything settles into place. He needs a break, he needed a break a long time ago and didn't allow himself to have one then he dragged me down with him.

"Long enough to know I love you," he stares at me with big brown eyes like a wounded puppy. I slightly pity him, but I shake it away as I replay those last three words.

"No," I shake my head, "You can't possibly love me." I bite my tongue and roll my eyes. I'd shove him out, but I don't have the strength to even breathe let alone place my hands to his chest. His chest where I'm sure his heart is thudding against it so quickly while mine has stopped.

"Do you believe in love at first sight?" His words cause the world to stop.

"Joey, come on. You don't believe in those clichés, do you?" And I know what his response is going to be, because I'm literally spoon feeding him lines, but I think it's because a part of me wants to believe him. Because, doesn't everyone want a taste of their own little fairytale every once in a while?

"I didn't till I met you."
And this is how Joey and I become that classic cliché couple.

Only, I know fairytales in real life don't have a happy ending. However, I like to dream sometimes.

And with Joey beside me dreaming seems easier and better than living in reality.

After a strong embrace with Joey I make sure not to let him leave without talking to him again.

"Can you hold off on the 'L' word for a bit longer though? Even if we are going to say love at first sight is real?" I say staring up at Joey hopeful.

"Love at first is totally real and I know it, but yes. I won't blurt it out on you again." I smile at his answer in approval. "How about when you feel like it's time, you say it first," he suggests.

"That sounds like a better plan," I agree then give him one last kiss goodbye.

----***----

A/N:

Hello!

I hope everyone is having a fantastic day.

I didn't read over this one as good as I normally do so fingers crossed there are no mistakes.

Just a normal day here in my life. Gonna go shopping in a bit. Then come home and watch Harry Potter.

Oh yes that reminds me.

Happy Birthday Harry Potter!!!
And JK Rowling!!