Because of Joe

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Besides my gloomy mood Sebastian was smiling as he made me breakfast. Every time he passed me by to put something on my plate he kissed my head. "Anne smile please." He says stroking my cheek with the back of his fingers. I tried but now after this I had to go home and face Ilani. After a quick shower I changed back in to the now dried dress from yesterday. The gray clouds outside match my mood and I dread walking back home. On the train Sebastian held my hand and worry grew on his face. He kissed my forehead and he leans down but I turned away from him. There was a look of disappointment in his face but I didn't let go of his hand.

"Would you like to stay for a while?" I asked Sebastian as I opened the apartment door. Ilani was no where to be seen.

"Yea. I just want to make sure your alright." He comes in and we both sit down at the counter.

"I don't know what to tell Ilani." I said.

"You can't keep anything from her. She's your best friend." He puts his hand on my face. I gave him a real smile. I heard someone coming down the stairs.

"Anne. Where have you been? I was worried sick." Joe looked so tired. His eyes bloodshot and his stubble darker.

"What are you doing here?"I get up.

"I was hoping you'd come home. Why didn't you answer me? Anne I was scared something happened to you." He touched my arms. I pulled them away.

"You need to leave." I was unfamiliar with my cold voice.

"What are you doing with Sebastian?" He realized Sebastian was behind me. "Did he hurt you?" He took my marked wrist. It was a faint pink now.

"He didn't don't anything." I pried of his hand. Memories from last night flashed by.

"Joe I think you should just leave." Sebastian spoke up for the first time.

"Did you spend the night with him?" Joe's stare could burn metal. He touched my neck and I pushed him away again.

"Don't come near me." I felt tears coming back again. Damn it Anne stay strong.

"What's it matter to you? She's no longer your girlfriend." Sebastian puts his hands on my shoulders.

"Shut up. I'm not talking to you." Joe gives him an icy glare. His gaze softened when he looked at me. "Anne?" He lifts my hand.

"Leave Joe." I muttered. Sebastian spread his fingers over my shoulders. Then down my arms.

"I'm not leaving until you answer my questions." Joe says. I heard Sebastian sigh.

"Alright you want answers. Yes Anne stayed with me because you screwed up. You left her out there in the rain. She was crying and in pain you did nothing." Sebastian's voice was deadly quite. I turned around to keep him from shouting.

"Sebastian please stop." I said. He held my arm. Joe was holding his fist tightly.

"You broke her heart and I couldn't see her like that. You want to know what else?" Sebastian doesn't look down at me.

"Please that's enough." I pleaded.

"We had sex." He said each word making sure it hit Joe straight to his head. I turned to face Joe his face was different.

"You son of a bitch." He says pushing me aside and he punched Sebastian straight in the face. "How dare you?" I was crying trying to pry Joe away. He was stronger than I was. Sebastian punched him back and I heard Ilani and Jojo coming down the stairs. They were probably woken up by the commotion. Sebastian had strength he pushed Joe away before he got punched in the stomach again. I held Sebastian back while Jojo helped pull back Joe.

"JOE JUST LEAVE I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU ANYMORE." I screamed and he wiped the blood from his lip. His eyes pleaded with me but when they fell on Sebastian they burned with rage. Ilani went to me to make sure I was alright. Sebastian's eye was going to be swollen and he had a bloody nose. I blinked away tears. "I need to be alone." I walked away and went to my half of the apartment closing the door. As soon as I got to my room I fell down on the floor crying.

* * *

Ilani came in later that evening and she comforted me. She told me I could take a short break and I broke down crying. I had to tell her everything from the fight we had outside the club and then with Sebastian. She gave me a long hug and I'm always thankful for having her as my best friend.

A month passed before the media found out Joe and I broke up. The fans went crazy and the hateful comments came back that I just decided to just take a break from everything. Sebastian wasn't giving up on me that Ilani told me to just at least give him a chance. I started seeing him and after 4 months I started to erase every single memory I had of Joe. From our first kiss to that first night together. I stopped listening to their album after that one song that was written for me. I break down at night sometimes and I wake Sebastian up. He has to put me back to sleep and he worries a lot about me. I hated to see those gossip articles making up theories about our break up and I rip them to shreds because of the frustration. More months past and that's when I get flowers in the mail. All from Joe I throw them away because I didn't want Sebastian to see them. We started a collection together and it was a men's and women's fashion. The night before the big runway show Sebastian set up for me Ilani came rushing into the kitchen. "Anne!" She had to stop and breathe for a second.

"What? What's happening?" I asked.

"You need to watch this interview of Joe." She holds up her phone.

"No I don't want to talk about him." I start to walk away.

"Please just listen to him." She says. I sighed and took the phone from her.

"Joe after the long months after the break up how are you doing?" The interviewer asked.

"It's hard because it's been painful for destroying something you really wanted." He says.

"So if you were given a chance to get back together. Would you?" The interviewer refrained from saying my name.

"Absolutely. You see this wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for me. I just want to be angry for myself for a mistake I've done. I don't think she could ever forgive me but the truth is I really love her. I was being stupid and I'm human I make mistakes but that was one thing I never wished to happen. So to get everything straight I would go and do everything just to get back with her." He's risked everything. People will start to create stories about how I'm controlling him and he cannot break up with me because we have a child. Something of the sort. Ilani was holding he breath when Joe said that long speech about getting back together with me. I felt a warming tug around my heart. He said that all in front of thousands of people.

"Anne. Joe really loves you. He said it himself that it was a mistake that he wished never happened." She puts her hand on my shoulder. "I might sound really mean right now but...you need to call it quits with Sebastian. Don't think I have no idea. Your only using him for refuge. I'm sorry Anne for saying that and I know your going to be angry with me but I'm only helping. Sebastian will know soon. You still love Joe and he still loves you." Ilani looks over my shoulder as the door opens. Sebastian came in with a bouquet.

"I don't know anymore." I shake my head and I great Sebastian. He kissed me on the cheek and handed me the flowers. "Thanks." I smiled.

"Big day tomorrow." He grins.

"Yup." I hugged him and he picks me up and spins me around so now I faced Ilani. She looked really worried and I buried my face and Sebastian's chest.