You're My Exception

Chapter 23

"I'm sorry, Sel. You should probably be doing more important things," Demi sighed as she sniffled and wiped her eyes for about the tenth time since she stopped crying.

"No, I'll always be here for you, Demi." Selena replied watching her friend try to clean herself up.

"Joe probably hates me right now, I bet." She focused her eye on the empty cup in front of her.

"He doesn't hate you, Dems. He's most likely just upset and confused. He doesn't know what to do now." Selena explained.

"No, he hates me," Demi argued, laying on the couch. "He was such a good friend to me, and to think I didn't even notice that he still had feelings for me..."

"Joe's a good actor, he makes his act believable," she said. "He respected that you had a boyfriend, and he didn't try to flirt with you at all."

 "I know that now," Demi frowned. "I don't want to loose our friendship like this. He means the world to me."

"Demi, stop avoiding it. You love him." Selena pointed out. "I can see it in the way you two act around each other and without each other."

"But Sterling..." Demi looked at her friend. "He's so sweet and I love him, too."

"You need to set things straight with Joe right now," Selena mentioned. "You shouldn't let him think of this as 'it's over'. I'll drive," she grinned.

"I'm about to board my flight," Joe informed Nick over the phone.

"Take care, Joe. Make sure you don't do anything stupid."

"I'll try," he smiled, then got serious. "Make sure she's safe for me." Yet the unspoken words were there. 'Even though she already has Sterling to do that for her.'

"I will," Nick promised. He hung up and sighed. Maybe this is what Joe needed, a simple vacation from everything. There was a sudden knock on the door as Nick jogged down the stairs to get it. "Selena? Demi?"

"Hey Nick," Selena gave him a smile.

"Hey guys, come in, what's up?" he allowed them to step into the house before closing the door.

"Is Joe here?" Demi asked him quietly.

"I..." Nick sighed, giving her an apologetic look. "He's out right now."

"When's he coming to be back?" Selena piped in.

"Three weeks..."

"What? Why? Is he okay?" Demi immediately set into panic.

"Calm down, Dems," Nick sighed. "He's on a vacation to Hawaii. He just boarded his flight. Maybe this is what Joe needs. A break for reality."

"A break from reality?" Selena questioned. "Great job, Nick. Demi was coming over to talk to him!"

"I'm sorry! How was I supposed to know? You could've called!"

"Wow, I have an idiotic boyfriend," Selena muttered under her breath.

"Did you say boyfriend?" Demi raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention, Nick and I are together now," she sympathetically smiled.

"Finally," Demi smiled back.

"Now what are we going to do?" Nick groaned.

"I...I think to do something," Demi announced. "You'll be alright here, Sel?"

Selena nodded. "Call if you need anything. Where are you going?"

"I need to talk to Sterling." Demi said as she walked out the door. She had finally made up her made up her mind. No more ignoring her feelings for Joe. No more pretending Joe would always be just a friend to her. It was all clear now, right in front of her.