I've Never Cried

Chapter Seventy - "Insane."

"I've Never Cried"

Chapter Seventy

'Insane.'

Joe's POV

We'd hit a snag.

While filling out our online application for our marriage, Demi and I discovered that the chapel we'd planned on going to required a third party. A witness.

Which meant, I needed my brother.

"Just ask him," Demi said. She sat beside me in my car as the both of us stared down the front of my old home. She looked quite beautiful; her highlighted hair tumbling down her shoulders in loose curls, one side pinned neatly by a white flower behind her ear. The locks met the thin strap of her all white sun dress that ended its length just above her sun-tanned knee. I wore all black, in a simple button-up shirt and slacks.

"It's not that simple," I replied with a sigh. "He's pissed at me right now."

"Joe, we don't have any other options."

"Maybe you can ask him?" I suggested, raising my eyebrows at Demi. "He listens better to you, anyway."

"Don't you wanna fix things with him?" She shouted, frustratedly. "He's your brother, dammit. At some point you both have to be adults."

"You've seen Nick and I try to work out a problem, Demi. All due respect, I don't feel like getting married with a black eye and a bloody fist." She scoffed at me, but she knew I was right. "And frankly, if we want to do this today, we don't have time to hash everything out. It's-,"

"Exhausting," she finished, rolling her eyes. "Trust me, I know. I'm just so tired of our decisions being left in everyone else's hands."

"Well this is the last time I'll let that happen," I assured her. "But Dem, if we want to get married today, you're going to have to break the news."

She crossed her arms and pouted, taking a long slow breath. I decided to try and get the better of her, and used a tactic I knew she wouldn't resist.

"Baby," I said, lowering my voice. Then, I took one hand and placed it gently on her bare leg. I watched her eyes fall to my hand before slowly sliding up into my own. Her lips formed a small grin.

"I know what you're doing," she smiled.

I chuckled.

"I'm not doing anything," I lied, sliding my fingers down into the inside of her thigh. She grabbed my hand then, halting my movements.

"Fine," she said, tossing me back my hand humorously. "I'll do it."

We exited the car at the same time, reuniting on the front porch. Demi had become so used to my brother's residence that she didn't knock, and simply walked in through the front door.

"Nick!" She called out. "You here?"

"Yeah," my brother's voice came from upstairs. "Come on up, Dem."

I trailed behind her as she climbed the stairs, only stopping once she'd reached his open bedroom door. She entered, but I decided to stay out in the hall.

"You look nice," he acknowledged upon seeing her.

"Thanks."

"Where's Joe?" I heard Nick ask, only to have Demi nod toward me. His eyes came to me quickly, but he didn't acknowledge me. I wasn't sure what he had been doing, but he stood there in his room shirtless, so I assumed he was preparing for a run.