Angels and Guardians Pt. 02

Joe looked at her, trying to figure out if he heard her correctly. Her look of shock as she just stared ahead, watching the road confirmed it. Joe smiled. He was horny himself, but still rational as usual. He tried to put her back at ease by being a bit playful at first. "You're welcome to, of course. But, it's getting late."

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry. I don't know why that slipped out." rushed Ashley, red faced.

Joe shook his head at her. "Didn't I say to stop apologizing? Look, it's hard for me to break out of a shell myself. So, this is even harder to say to you. Well, to admit that." Ashley glanced questioningly at Joe's stammering. Fine, he thought. His sister was right. It WAS time to let go. He blew out a puff of air and Ashley knew something big was about to happen. She almost winced when Joe started talking again. "I've had a crush on you since you transferred to our school. Maybe it was your red hair, maybe it was your beautiful brown eyes, but I've been unable to keep you out of my head for long. I know we've been having these kind of chats a lot lately. You're probably thinking that I'm lecturing you. But, I don't know how else to put you at ease around me. I just want you to know, every day of your life, that I have no ulterior motive regarding you. Other than wishing you to be happy. Even if it means pushing you away so you can be happy in someone else's arms. So, back to the original subject. From this point on, if you really want to do things with me, naughty things especially, just start doing them. I wouldn't have, nor will I ever question your reasons or behavior. I'd just know that you're feeling frisky and like me enough to share. There, I said it. Now you know my heart. I just hope this speech doesn't make you think I'm a quack who's been stalking you. I don't want you to be scared off, but I would understand if you were." Joe finished, but grew worried when Ashley didn't speak right away.

Joe was right, Ashley was getting scared, but not of him. Her heart was free-falling and it was nearly impossible to catch. It did grasp a single thought that paused it's precipitous dive into the deep well that seemed to be Joe. "What about Jill?" she asked. "Or Jasmine?" as an afterthought.

Joe took a deep breath and sighed shakily. How could he explain that complex relationship without scaring Ashley off? He knew he couldn't. His pure desire for her happiness made him tell all. Truthfully. "Ashley, I don't know how to explain that. I'll try and hope that you understand and accept it. If you don't, I'll understand your reasons for drifting away." He then related what was said about them in the dream to ease into things. "So, you'll soon see, there is some truth to the dream. I feel in my heart that Jill will be a companion forever. We didn't do well as a couple, exactly. But, she confides in me and I in her. We seek each other's advice and support often. We've done sexy things with each other. Much more so than I have with the other girls, excluding Kim. But, we have never had sex, yet. I say that, because I cannot promise you it wouldn't happen. There is much care and respect between us that one day it may just happen on it's own.

"Jasmine's situation is very similar to Jill's, only she seems to fancy Jill somewhat more than me. If, for some reason she ever lost interest in me, she would always love Jill, and so she sort of comes with the package. Lately, she's taken a real interest in you as well, and was starting to give you the full court press before the fight. Even if you had rejected her advances, she would still care about you very deeply and be ready to do anything for you.

"It's not my intention for this to seem like I'm inviting you to my harem. Though, I know to many others that's exactly what it would look like. But, when I was dating Kim, even though it wasn't serious, Jill and Jasmine kept their distance from my bed. They didn't want to intrude on Kim's 'property' without her permission. They would do the same for you if we decided to start dating. Though, eventually, one or both of them would probably start pressing for your permission."

Ashley worked hard to wrap her mind around this. The branch that her heart grabbed cracked slightly. "Way to tell it like it is, I guess," she kind of grumbled.

"Anything else, and it would hurt you later. I truly don't want that."

That branch cracked a little more. "Tell me about the other girls and your bedroom. Not like what positions. I mean, how often do they see you for 'relief?'" Might as well clear all the air now, she thought.

Joe decided to go for broke and answered, "At one point or another, we've all been naughty with each other. Not very often, but once in a while, one of them would need to get off, and I was happy to accommodate. But they all have boyfriends now, and other than Jasmine and Jill, I haven't 'seen' them in that way since last year." Joe preempted her next question. "Yes, those two have boyfriends, also. Neither are very happy with them right now. In fact, I think both are going to dump the relationships shortly after Homecoming."

That last tidbit shockingly seemed to surprise her more than anything else he said. Her head was ringing all kinds of warning bells and flashing signs to her. Yet, strangely, her heart was utterly at peace. Now, how the hell would she explain any of this to her parents in five years or so? She became aware of Joe's voice somewhere in the distance of her thoughts.

"Do I still have a date next week?" he repeated.

"Oh. Sorry, I was just thinking," she said, snapping out of it.

"Take your time," Joe responded.

"Joe, the weird thing is, I don't think I need any more time. I'm falling for you faster by the second. But, why didn't you tell me any of this before?"

"I didn't want you to think ill of me. You were with Bill until very recently. And, if on the off-chance you did like me, I didn't want to hurt you if a situation later happened with Jill or Jasmine."

Ashley giggled, "I'm not made of glass, Joe. Despite how I've been the last few days, I can handle more than you think."

Joe countered, "Yeah, I know, but I can't help myself from wanting to treat you like the most precious thing on this Earth."

That did it. Ashley's heart tumbled head over heels now, and there was no stopping it. "You put on a great sales pitch."

Joe didn't know what to make of that comment. "I'm not asking for marriage. Not today, at least. I was hoping to just keep that date next week, and see where it takes us."

Ashley looked at him. "I know. What the hell! What's life without a little intrigue and challenge? You've still got a date. Just, please promise me no more sales pressure?" she said as she hit the signal for the upcoming exit.

"What are you doing?" Joe asked.

"This is my exit," she replied.

"No no, keep going."

She did as asked, but looked at him strangely. "What's up?"

"My exit is the next one," he said.

"But if I take you to your house, how will I get home?"

Joe had it with the car discussions. "Please Ashley. The car is yours. Take it. I'm not giving it to you for charity. I'm not giving it to you so that you'll go out with me. There are no strings attached. It's yours because you need it. I know you like it, so please just take it. Pay me back eventually, if you wish so bad. My parents would be thrilled just in knowing that it's being used. So just accept the gift, okay?"

"So, I guess that would be a 'no' on the sales pitches?" she smirked.

Joe was feeling defeated. "I'll agree to anything you ask of me, now and forever. If you want, you can go to your parents' place, and I'll drive home."

Ashley turned off at the next exit and said to Joe, "thanks for the car!"

Chapter 7

Show Time

Joe woke the next morning to something tickling his nose. He opened his eyes and slapped away Jasmine's hand. "What time is it?" he asked.

"Nine. You gotta get up, if you want to have chores done in time," she answered gently. Jasmine caught his quizzical look. "The talent show, remember? We gotta be there by four."

"Well, it only takes two hours to clean the downstairs, so just lay down here and sleep with me a bit longer."

Jasmine shook her head and tugged him up by his hand. "No, silly. I want to get you started on conditioning." Once he was sitting up, she handed him clothes as he dressed grumpily. He got up and went to the bathroom, closing the door behind him. While he was in there, Jasmine made his bed and gathered up last night's dirty clothes he'd thrown on the floor. She checked his pockets and put their contents in precise order on his dresser. She pulled out a pair of socks, and placed them on his running shoes by his bed. Jasmine then combined last night's clothes with the ones in the hamper and took them with her downstairs.

Joe returned from the bathroom to find his bedroom in a familiar state. He smiled at the return of this weekend ritual. Jasmine's dad would drive her to his house every Saturday and Sunday to clean. Her family hit some financial trouble, and she fessed up to Joe about it bothering her one day. He spoke to his parents about it, and they offered her family help. They were too proud to accept the aid, and didn't feel comfortable borrowing any money from his parents. Joe was bored when he cleaned the house by himself, so he offered the idea of hiring Jasmine part time to help him. It was accepted by all parties, and his parents would give her a somewhat heavy-handed check for a part time job. The money she brought home saved their house, and allowed her family to survive until her dad could find work again.

Jasmine, for her part, went above and beyond what was asked of her. Partly because she knew her hourly wage was a bit extreme. But, she did it mostly because she really cared for and loved Joe and his family. On Fall Saturday mornings a little more was added to the routine. She would go in Joe's room and wake him in a variety of manners, depending on how she was feeling that day. He'd be exhausted, especially from game nights, so she'd never see him up before she got to his house. Jasmine would spiff up his room a bit, and prod him along, so they could run and workout together before breakfast and then chores. Today, she planned on resuming that routine. After starting Joe's laundry, she prepped some eggs, bacon, and bread and placed the portions back in the fridge. She would cook them after they finished their workout. "Come on, let's go!" she yelled up to him. "Those legs aren't gonna beef up themselves!"

"Slave driver," he grumbled as he met her in the kitchen. Jasmine flashed him a quick smile while she was pulling her brunette hair into a pony tail.

"Ready?" she asked.

Joe nodded as he grabbed his keys then let her precede him through the door. They stretched in the driveway while Joe related his ride home. Jasmine thought he talked seriously too much around Ashley and told him so. He agreed, admitting that he would get nervous whenever she was around. Jasmine looked at him as they started to trot off. She had known Joe for three years and doubted he could get nervous. As they jogged around the area, Joe said that he really did get nervous around Ashley for some reason. Maybe because he felt she was meant for him, but he worried she couldn't accept his life. Throughout their run, Jasmine would listen to Joe, and she'd offer some counsel. As always, she was wonderfully neutral and provided Joe with an excellent sounding board. Joe realized he really missed this time he spent with her. Maybe Jasmine hadn't drifted away from him as much as he thought.

They returned to the driveway about an hour later. Joe was much more winded than Jasmine. "See? Aren't you glad I'm a slave driver?" gloated Jasmine. He rolled his eyes and told her to enjoy it while she could. Joe unlocked the back door of the large garage to reveal a pro-class mini gym. Two weight machines, a treadmill, stationary bike, massage table and a free-weight station with bench filled the room. A mirror running the length of the wall allowed users to check their form. He and Jasmine did their usual routines on the weight machines, swapping when their workout was complete. Then they spotted for each other's workout at the free-weight station. Joe was disappointed, but not shocked, that he had to reduce his workout level a notch.

When they finished, Joe went upstairs for a shower, while Jasmine cooked breakfast. It was ready when he came back down and they ate together. Joe cleaned up the kitchen when she went up for her own shower. They set about their tasks in cleaning the downstairs, with Joe pushing the vacuum. They reached the last corner of the house early, and sat in the den watching the FSU game. "Is that were you're gonna go after graduation?" Jasmine approached the subject as she curled her feet under her. He replied that he hoped so, and they talked with each other about life after high school.

Her dad came at two o'clock to pick her up. Jasmine gave Joe a hug and kiss and asked, "Are we picking you up later?" Joe said yes, and told her he'd be ready by 3:30. "See ya then," she chirped.

Just after he put on his tie, Joe's parents got home from Denver. He asked how it went, but the look on their faces told him it wasn't well. They told him about the senior managers pressuring them to sell the company to Greedy Electronics. Apparently, Greedy had been working on the management for a while. So, his parents had to stay an extra day to un-brainwash their senior staff. Joe expressed his sorrow for their rough time. He asked if they were going to the show. They replied that they were too tired from the trip. Just then, Jill honked from the driveway. He quickly said his goodbyes, grabbed his guitar and violin cases and headed out the door. He heard his dad yell, "Hey, where's the car?!" as the door closed behind him.

As he jumped in the SUV, he saw Ashley and Jasmine sitting in the middle. Jill, of course, was driving. Joe asked about the others, and Jill told him that their parents were bringing them. What an ironic world, he thought. The four of them were taking themselves to the last show they were involved with. The others' parents cared enough to be with their daughters, just to watch it.

"Well, since we are alone together," Joe started.

Jasmine rolled her eyes. "Here comes Mr. Serious again."

"Fine. I just wanted the air cleared about Ashley and I going to Homecoming."

Jill said, "Jasmine already told me, then Ashley confirmed it when we picked her up."

Ashley broke in, "Joe, I'm telling you what I've already told them. I think this whole thing will work best if we all just acted naturally. We respect each other well enough that I don't think any of us would intentionally hurt anyone. And, I think we all know each other well enough that to understand that they wouldn't. So, let's just let whatever happen, happen. Enjoy the moments, if there are any, and see where our friendships take us."

All nodded and Joe was back at ease.

Jill asked Ashley what her parents said about the car. Ashley related the story about how her dad was waiting up for her and he saw the car. He was furious when she told him Joe gave it to her. Then, he started in on the bruise on her face. She paused, suddenly remembering the blemish. Jasmine told her that she'd fix it before Ashley would get on stage. Ashley felt instantly better, and resumed her story. She told her dad how Bill surprised them outside of the club, and about how she stood up to him. He flinched when she described his attack on her. He was worried about her safety, but she fessed up about Joe's hired guard, and showed her dad the marked cruiser sitting up the street. He got concerned about Joe offering these gifts, and Ashley confided in him that she felt she was falling for Joe. She explained to her dad that Joe was just being sweet, and cared for her. It just happened that he had the money to express it in unusual ways. Ashley was on a roll with the revelations, and didn't care what her dad thought any more. She told him that her necklace was, in fact, given to her by Jill, like she said, but that Joe had bought them for all his close friends...who happened to be the senior cheerleaders. She also told her dad about things Joe does for the others to keep them safe and comfortable. Her dad softened, and wished for her happiness. But, he warned her about falling too fast for a guy, with Bill being the cautionary tale. She promised she would tell him if she ever felt she was in trouble.

"So, why didn't you drive your car?" Joe asked.

"Cause," Ashley said with a huff. "The guitar and violin wouldn't fit."

"Why did you bring them? I'm playing for you, aren't I?"

"It's a surprise. You brought your violin, too. Why was that?"

Joe quipped back, "It's a surprise." They all giggled. "Actually, Jill said that the program states a surprise."

Jasmine cut in, "It does. The program lists Ashley, singing Uninvited last, followed by a surprise. So out with it, Jill. What's the surprise?"

Jill answered, "Well, actually the surprise for the school is Joe. What he does with it is up to him. Sister Kate trusts he'll keep it classy, and told me to let him know he's free to do whatever."

Jasmine sighed. Ashley looked over at her. "What was that for?"

Jasmine replied, "Have you heard Joe play violin?" Ashley shook her head. "Well, all's I can say is, he can make that thing sing. It will hit your soul...then your puss."

Ashley slapped Jasmine's arm lightly. "Does your mind ever not go in the gutter?"

Jill smirked, "Her mind was born in the gutter. I swear it never gets out."

They all laughed at that as Jill backed up to the gym door. They got out and hauled the instruments to the stage. Jill pulled Joe into a small equipment closet. "What? You want a go right now?" he jabbed.

Jill fretted her eyebrows. "No, doofus. I want to hide you for the surprise."

"You want me cramped up here for two hours? I won't be able to walk to the piano, let alone play. Why can't I just mill around backstage?"

Jill rolled her eyes. "Because the other acts will see you and let the surprise out when they go back to their seats. Fine. Come with me." She led him to the girls locker room off the side of the stage. It doubled as the visitor's locker room for basketball and football.

"Um...I'll be seen for sure here. Not to mention it might be problematic that I can see anyone who changes in here."

Jill was frustrated. "No one is going to be changing tonight. The locker rooms are locked. I have a key, so you can hide in here. Just...please Joe?"

He finally agreed, but he knew he would be bored, sitting alone.

Backstage, Jasmine was tending to Ashley's cheek. It didn't hurt nearly as bad now, but the coloring still looked horrible. Jasmine patted her work with glitter, and Ashley went to look in the mirror. Her cheekbone displayed an ornate white star. The star was drawn so it looked like it had small pendants hanging at it's corners. Courser pieces of glitter dotted the center, each corner, and dabbled around the outside edge of the star. The glitter powder was applied very lightly over the whole design, making the whole thing pop and sparkle.

Ashley looked at Jasmine in wonder. "It's perfect!" she whispered, suppressing tears.

Jasmine hugged her. "It's what I see in you. You're gonna knock them dead."

They went out to the gym floor now lined with chairs and 3 aisles. The three girls mingled with the other performers and their families. The conversations were mostly adorations about how each other dressed, and how nervous they were. Jasmine was more settled, since her part was already done. She picked up a program and critiqued her own artwork in her head to pass the time. About fifteen minutes before the start of the program, several groups noticed the local news crew setting up in the back corner. They had been tipped off by the school news geek that Joe would probably make an appearance. Some of the groups of students put the pieces together, and word that Joe was there peculated through the crowd. Everybody eventually took their seats, filling every chair and bleacher in the gym, and the lights were dimmed. Before the lights were out long, the rumor about Joe grew so strong, several in the crowd were chanting, "Bring out Joe! Bring out Joe!" The rest picked up the chant, and it became thunderous. "Bring out Joe! Bring out Joe!" The front curtain raised, and the crowd increased the tempo of the chant when it was not Joe in the spotlight.