Lyrics and Love: Say Goodbye (A Jordan Knight Fanfiction)

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Jo couldn't believe her bad luck this year. It felt like the whole world was against her. She'd had her heart broken and she'd been kicked out of college. And now she was being forced to do this stupid tour with her dad. What the fuck!

Why couldn't her dad have been touring with a band she liked? No such luck, instead he's part of the New Kids on the Block's band. She didn't get it, her dad was an amazing guitar player, why was he wasting his talent on a boyband? She'd asked her dad as much when he picked her up at the airport. He said he liked this gig a lot, and she'd better be respectful to everyone on the tour. "Keep your bad fucking attitude to yourself little girl".

"Dad I'm not a fucking little girl anymore. I'm a twenty year old Junior in college. Stop treating me like a child. I'm a grown woman".

James, her dad, laughed at her,"Oh are ya now? You're grown? Do you have a job, can you pay your own way? No. That's what I thought. So you'll be going on the road with me. You'll be setting up and putting away my gear. And you'll tune all the guitars. You'll be working for your dear old dad. And you better be doing it with a smile on your face. I'm your last chance, your mom is fed up with your shit. So while you're with me you best behave yourself. You understand what I'm saying"?

"Yes dad. I understand perfectly." Then she thought about how her mom was ready to just put her out and have nothing to do with her for "embarrassing the family" but it was her dad that wouldn't allow it. "Thank you Daddy. For giving me another chance. I'm sorry if I embarrassed you. That was never my intention." She looked at her dad, with tears in her eyes.

"Joplin, you could never embarrass me. You're my little girl and I love you, no matter what. I don't know everything that happened with that man at school and I'm not sure I want to know it all. But I do know you're not the kind of girl they painted you to be. And I don't think you deserved to get expelled from school."

"Dad, I met a guy, we dated, we fell in love. A year later, everything went to shit. The guy was a professor, he has married, and I was portrayed as a harlet who chased after this good man and seduced him. I just went along with it being my fault.  I was hurt and heartbroken.  My feelings for him were real. I knew he was a professor but I didn't know he was married. I just wanted to get the hell away from him. So I didn't fight anything, I let him tell his story and I didn't disagree. I just said "sure, it's like he says it is" and that was it. I got expelled, he got to go back to work. And now I'm here."

James looked at his daughter and said, "I raised you to be a fighter Joplin. Why didn't you fight for yourself?" She looked at her dad, then her eyes drifted down to her hands in her lap, "Because Daddy, what for? I was in love with this man, he used me and then, to get rid of me he went to my dean. There was nothing left for me to fight for. Daddy can we please stop talking about this now?" He pulled her into his arms and told her it was going to be okay. He kissed the top of her head and picked up her bags.

When they arrived at the arena in Manchester, the stage was already being set up. It was a huge stage. All she could think was, Lots of room for the boybanders to dance around on. Her dad saw the smirk on her face and looked at her with a warning look. He pointed to the area behind the stage, "Go sit down and please stay out of trouble. I'll come get you in a little while." "Okay Daddy. I'll stay out of trouble. Hey do I get one if those passes everyone is wearing? What if I need to go to the bathroom? How will I get back in here?"
"Just go sit down and someone will bring you your pass."

Joplin, she goes by Jo, sat down and propped her feet up on one of the amp crates. She took her Walkman out of her bag, she grabbed her New Jersey tape and put on her headphones. She sat back listening to her second favorite band sing about being born to be someone's baby and it made her think about Professor Asshole. She grabbed her notebook and just started writing. She has no idea how long she sat there but she suddenly felt like she was being watched.

When she looked up from her notebook she found five pairs of eyes looking at her. She took off her headphones and raised her eyebrows to the staring faces, "Yes? Can I help you?" She looked from one face to the next. The younger one with the bluest eyes Jo had ever seen, leaned onto his elbows on the amp crate, "Just enjoying the show." Jo looked at him, a little confused, "What show"?

The guys all laughed, until they saw the angry look on her face. The taller, blonde one held his hands up, "Hey take it easy, we were just enjoying hearing you sing. I'm Donnie by the way. "

Jo took her stuff and put it back into her purse. "Its nice to meet you Donnie, I'm Jo." She got up to go find her dad.

All the guys but one took off towards the stage. "Hi Jo, I'm Jordan. What are you doing just sitting back here by yourself?"

"I'm just waiting on my dad. See ya later, Jordan." She started walking away, but Jordan trailed close behind her, "Who's your dad?"

"He works here, he plays in the New Kids on the Cock's band." Jordan looked at her, his eyes blank. Then a small grin formed on his lips.

"Joplin!!! What did I tell you about being respectful and that damn attitude of yours? Jesus, Jordan I'm so sorry. My daughter can be a bit much sometimes."

Jordan laughed as he turned to look at James, "Hey Jimmy it's okay. I mean hell all the pretty girls can't love us." Jordan ran up to the stage with the other guys.

"Hey Dad! Is that them? The new kids?"

"Yes Joplin that's them, come on, let me introduce you." They walked up on the stage where they were all getting ready for sound check.  "Hey guys, I'd like for you to meet my daughter, Joplin."

"Daddy, it's Jo. No one calls me Joplin."

"Alright, Jo, this is Donnie, Danny, Jon, Joey, and Jordan.  Guys this is my baby girl, she's coming on tour with us, so keep an eye on her for me." All the guys laughed and said "Yes sir, will do." Jordan though expanded on it with, "It would be my pleasure Jimmy!" Jo just rolled her eyes.

Donnie spoke up next, "So we all heard you singing, you're really good. Can you play like your dad?" James looked at Donnie and with a big smile said, "I taught her how to play guitar and piano when she was four. She's amazing." Jo shook her head, "Daddy stop exaggerating. I'm just okay."

Jordan jumped in, "Play something for us. Let us hear you." Jo looks annoyed, "No way. I'm absolutely not going to play. Dad, I'm fucking tired, is there anywhere I can get some sleep. I'm still on Cali time."