When We Collide

Prologue

--Terra--

"So Joe, what are we going to do?" I ask, sitting down beside him on the couch.

"I don't know. Maybe we can make some promises?" He suggests.

"Sounds boring, but whatever." I sigh. Joe is this kind of person. He loves me, but is insecure. He thinks that if I am out of his sights for too long, I may move on.

"Promise me you won't break up with me for someone else." He says right of the bat. I called that.

"You know I won't. We've been dating forever." I laugh.

"That's what I'm afraid of." He admits.

"What?" I reply, confused.

"That we've been dating for a long time. I don't want you finding someone new, fresh. If that makes sense. I love you, I really do. I just don't want it all to go down the trash." He tells me.

"You have no trust in me, do you?" I ask, annoyed.

"I do have trust in you, but not when you're not with me." 

"Joe," I grab his arm and shake him lightly, "there's no need to be afraid. We've been dating for a long time, in a good way." I smile, putting my head on his shoulder.

"Glad to hear that. I just... want to make sure." He replies, putting his hand on my stomach.

"I'm sure, shouldn't that mean you're extra sure?" I question, laughing a bit.

His hand slowly goes down, and I know what he's doing.

"No." I say sternly, moving away from him.

"Why not? We're going off to college!" He exclaims.

"I know! I want my first time to be with the person I stay with for the rest of my life!" I explain, upset.

He stands up now, and leans over me. "Am I not that person? Here you are, promising me that you're not going to find anyone else! If you thought I was that freaking Prince Charming in your eyes, you would do it with me!" He yells, pointing a finger in my face.

"Joe-"

"No! You know what, date whoever the heck you want in college! I am done with you!" He says, throwing his hands up in the air, as he turns to leave.

"Joe please! Don't leave." I plead, on the verge of letting my tears fall.

He sighs and turns toward me, his face red. "Who's the guy? Why won't you just do it with me? I have been with you for 7 years and I haven't got any action! 7 years!" He shouts.

"Is that why you are with me? To get some 'action'?" I say, letting the tears fall and roll down my cheeks.

His face now goes white, 50 Shades of Joe Stevens' Face... "No babe, I am sorry. I am just frustrated... in that way. Please. I love you." He says. He does this all the time. Yells at me and apologizes.

"I'm just not ready right now, please respect that." I respond, calmly.

Joe is always so sweet, unless he gets mad. Then he becomes a psycho.

"Terra, let me explain-"

"No, please leave. I am not a toy. You can't just yell at me and threaten to break up with me because I want to stay a virgin! It's not so hard to ask of someone!" I cry.

"Please don't cry. You don't look as beautiful when you cry. If some guy ever says your beautiful when you're crying, don't listen." He laughs, wrapping his arms around me. He hugs me tighter. He's right. I hear about guys who say that girls look pretty or beautiful when you cry. But in really, you are red-faced, puffy-eyed, disaster.

"Joe?" I ask.

"Yes?" He responds in a quiet voice.

I pull away from the hug, and continue; "Why does it matter now? The day before we go off to college, if we... 'do it'?" 

"I don't know. I just... We're going to be away from each other for a long time. I just want to make sure we're committed." He sighs, rubbing the back of his neck.

"And the way to do that is by... Just never mind. Please leave, it is already 5:00. My Mom is coming home soon and she won't like that fact we were alone in the house. Talk to you tomorrow." I tell him, wanting him to leave.

"I am still coming to drop you off, correct?" He asks.

"Yes. Just go." I smile. 

"Bye, love you." He replies, kissing the top of my head.

"Bye Joe, love you too." I say, as he turns to leave.

It is going to be a 3 hour drive to U.M.O from where I live. How wonderful. If mine and Joe's relationship is going to be like this, I may just end it sooner or later. I mean, I love him but if he can't trust his own girlfriend... Maybe he's not the right guy. Maybe we have been dating too long. 

"Hey sweetheart, I'm home!" Mom calls.

"Hi, when is Dad and Jess going to be home?" I ask.

"Well I had a great day, how was yours?" Mom responds, as I walk into the kitchen.

"Fine, and I am glad you had a good day. So, when is Dad and Jess going to be home?" I repeat my question.

"They're going to be arriving short;y. What do you feel like for dinner? Your last dinner home before college." She forces a smile onto her face.

"Um, something easy yet delicious. Hamburger Helper?" I suggest.

"Jess is going to love you for that." Mom laughs.

"I know, that's another reason I picked it." I reply.

"Mommy, Daddy and I are home!" Jess calls when she opens the door.

"Jess did you seriously just call them 'Mommy' and 'Daddy'?" I ask the 14 year old.

"Yeah sure, why not." She snickers a bit.

"You're so immature." I tell her.

"And you're so... Mature." She attempts at a come back.

"Oh I am so offended," I tell her, wiping a fake tear, "it hurts, right here." I add on, pointing to my heart.

"How bad is the pain? Do you feel light-headed or weak? Because you may be having a heart attack." Jess questions.

"It's so bad, I may die." I play along.

"You may die if you don't clean your room!" Dad calls from upstairs.

"Really Dad?" I whine.

"Yes really. Jess keeps her room spotless, and she's 14." Dad tells me.

"Yeah, yeah." I shrug him off.

"Just because you're 18 doesn't mean I can't ground you." Dad threatens, coming back downstairs.

"Well I'm leaving for college in less than 24 hours, so if you want to ground me until then, go for it." I challenge.

"Terra Sydney Greene, from this moment, I declare you grounded!" Dad says, in a deep and over exaggerated voice.

"No Dad! Why do you do this to me!" I fake cry.

"Because I'm your Dad." He replies, a smile creeping onto his face.

"Jess, Terra, come set the table!" Mom calls.

"What's for dinner?" Jess asks.

"Hamburger Helper!" Mom tells her.

"My favorite." Jess sings a bit.

I am going to miss these three a lot.