killer queen | joe mazzello

11. open wound

"oh, i cannot go in there and break that poor boy's heart, ty." i unlatched the door handle to the starbucks from my grasp and turned around. "i'm just going to go home, okay? okay."

tyler set his hands on my shoulders, dipping his head to come into my direct view. "nope. i am not allowing joe to have to find this out on his own."

"why can't you just tell him?" i fumbled with the ball of my tied up t-shirt, bouncing on the heels of my sneakers.

"because. it's better if it comes from you. after all, your boyfriend is the one she was cheating on him with."

"every time you say it out loud, i die a little more inside." i groaned, turning back around with a little push from tyler.

"gotta get over it eventually considering i will never allow you to get back together with him." tyler held the door open for me and followed me in.

"oh, please. i won't allow myself to get back together with him." i scoffed as i stopped, searching the restaurant for the stranger.

tyler suddenly stepped forward, his arm raised in a wave. i followed suite, looking past him to see joe mozzarella- was it mazzello? i couldn't remember.

"hey, guys!" he stood from his seat, embracing tyler in a hug and awkwardly shaking my outstretched hand. "it's good to see you again, donna."

"oh, the pleasures all mine," i forcefully grinned, taking a seat next to him at the round table.

joe shot me a sweet smile, making my stomach lurch- but definitely not with butterflies.

okay, maybe there were a few butterflies. but, mainly, my breakfast was ready to come up.

"so, what's up?" joe lifted a steaming plastic cup up to his lips and took a small sip.

"you know, why don't i go order mine and tyler's drinks and he can tell you-" i said, standing up to leave the table.

joe laughed lightly, "no need. i ordered your guys' stuff already. tyler told me to."

"oh- uh, um, thank you! thanks! a lot." i fell back into my seat, nervously brushing back chunks of hair behind my ears.

joe pushed a cup towards me and one to tyler. i glanced at tyler, who was staring at me with an amused expression dancing across his features. he winked at me and i rolled my eyes.

luckily, joe was staring down his drink, for whatever reason.

"oh, hey, before you tell me whatever it is you guys want to tell me-" joe suddenly lifted his head and met eyes with me, "i was meaning to ask if you were okay. i saw on your twitter yesterday something about you and aaron breaking up?"

"yeah, about that, actually," i scooted forward in my seat, folding my hands and resting them in my lap, "aaron- uh- cheated on me wit-with-"

i stopped myself as tears welled up in my eyes. oh, fuck feelings.

joe handed me a napkin, a concerned expression covering his normal grin. "oh, geez, i'm sorry for bringing it up. that was a stupid question-"

"no, it's, uh, it's fine. it's just still an open wound, ya know? needs time to heal." i shrugged, offering him a small smile.

he nodded before leaning back in his seat again. i glanced once more to tyler who was giving me a thumbs up.

i fidgeted with the lid on my coffee, my eyes flicking back and forth between joe and my shoes.

"uh, joe, i'm really, really sorry to say what i'm about to say." his face became puzzled, for obvious reasons, as i continued. "but, uh- well, i guess i'll tell you, like, everything just so you get the main point. so, a year again, aaron began dating someone. dating, with quotation marks, because that girl is actually taken, so, uh, i don't know what to call it. but, six months later, he met me on set of your guys' movie, or whatever, and asked me out, or whatever. uh, well, we dated, obviously, for six months, and stuff. but recently- yesterday- tyler and i went to the mall and i saw him- aaron, i mean- kissing said girl. he, like, started dating me because he could only have her part time, because she's in a relationship, and stuff. so, like, essentially, i was the side chick without knowing i was the side chick. and, uh, joe-"

i looked up, well aware of the tears streaming down my face. "the girl aaron's with is your girlfriend."

i sobbed dryly, creating a gross choking sound from my throat. tyler wrapped an arm around my back, squeezing my shoulder reassuringly.

joe, who was paying full attention to my story, furrowed his eyebrows. "what?"

"joe, please don't make me say it again." i sighed, wiping at the tears with the napkin i'd previously used.

"i- what?"

"joe, she's cheating on you." tyler reached over the table with his free hand and squeezed joes.

joe tore his hand away from tyler's and stood up quickly. his chair screeched backwards, nearly toppling to the ground. he scratched the back of his neck, his eyes swimming with confusion and sadness.

"are you- you're sure?" he wiped at his sweaty forehead.

"y-yeah." i slowly stood from my seat, tyler following. "joe, i'm so-"

"no, no," he sobbed into his hand, "no. just- no. it's not- it's not your fault, okay? don't blame this on yourself. it's- it's neither of our faults, okay?"

i nodded solemnly and watched as he waved a hand at us and ran out of the building.