Skyway Avenue (Joe/Brooke/Josh)

Nervous didn't even cover it. It wasn't like Joe was just waiting for a friend for a casual meet up; he had actually, somehow, managed to ask Brooke Walters out on a date. Well, kind of, but he was proud of himself nonetheless for it. For a short while, the boy had been stood with his back against the wall of a shop he didn't much care to know about, but the need to move around had been so overwhelming that for almost fifteen minutes he had been pacing back and forth, only a few steps either way, but somehow it calmed him.

Never meet a girl empty handed one of the people in his dormitory had instructed him, though his tone had sounded far more teasing, disbelieving that he actually had somewhere to be than anything else. Joe couldn't blame the boy, in all fairness. Far too much consideration had gone into the occasion; what the hell would he even wear, what would they be doing, how would he greet her? It had then struck the boy, and no matter how cliché he felt for it, a bouquet of enchanted roses were clutched between his fingers. In a similar manner to Brooke's metamorphmagus abilities, the roses would change colour dependent on the overall mood of the room she was in.

"Calm the hell down," the Hufflepuff muttered. "It's just Brooke. She won't be half as anxious as you, I'll bet." He knew he likely looked positively mental for talking to himself, but it was as much consolation as he could receive in that moment. The boy looked down at himself; a navy blue polo shirt and jeans adorning his body. He prayed she didn't think he looked too scruffy; after all, there had been at least four outfit changes and he-... SHUT UP.

After checking herself one last time in the mirror, she nodded to her reflection, watching it copy her. Clothes had never been something she had cared about, but somehow, she had found herself digging through her wardrobe, finally locating a nice blouse. Thank Merlin she hadn't only brought t-shirts, she thought, leaving her dorm behind. She would be a few minutes late, and that made her anxious, for her family saw punctuality as something required and not optional. As she approached the meeting place, her green hair standing out, she saw Joe was already there. Pacing. She giggled to herself, feeling her cheeks beginning to flush once again. Why did that boy have to always be so adorable?

Continuing down the path, her eyes caught sight of flowers, and she stopped short. Joe had bought her flowers? Again, sensations similar to the ones she had felt in the forest when he had kissed her hand arose, and the grin on her face widened. Nobody had ever gotten her flowers before, she thought. Starting up again, she neared him, and when she was almost where he was, she called out, "Joe!" Her tone wasn't as light or as happy as she wanted it to be, because she knew that before she could allow herself the pleasure of going out with him, she had to tell him what had happened with Josh. She could only hope that he would understand. "I have something to tell you," she added, taking another step closer.

Once again, Brooke hadn't failed to impress. He turned around at the sound of her voice and the easiest smile fell onto his features, so pleased he'd somehow found the guts to ask her out because she really was beautiful. He ran a hand through his hair, pushing it out of his eyes as she had done in the forest, having said something about there being no need to hide his face. His heart almost leapt out of his chest as he tried to steady himself, taking a few steps towards the girl in greeting.

There was only one problem.

Everything was always too good to be true.

The face that Joe Astrid never wanted to see appeared (as if from thin air) before him, arrogance radiating off his entire being. The uneasiness came back, making his stomach churn horrendously as he closed his eyes in frustration. The string of words that fell so smoothly from the lips of the blonde made him immediately drop his previous stature, slumping down in on himself as he tried to avoid the sensation of the burning on his cheeks.

How could you do this to me, Brooke? he asked himself. Without a word, he handed the flowers over to the other boy, not even bothering to heave a breath from his lungs. Every cell, every atom in his body was yelling for him to do something. React to Murray in some way. But he simply couldn't do it. Every sense of feeling left him in that moment as he turned away from the pair, fists balled in his pockets. "Have fun," he muttered to the two of them, not bothering to look behind him.

No, he couldn't look, because Joe Astrid was an already broken vase. He'd been pieced back together countless times, never more strongly than when he was with the jubilant Gryffindor, but he knew he would end up fractured as ever once the support system left, his heart, his soul left behind whimpering for someone to save him.

Joe turned to look at her, and the butterflies took flight once again. It was a feeling that she was slowly beginning to get used to. He had pushed his hair away from his face and she giggled again, her cheeks becoming pinker. Was it just her or did he look even better in the daylight?

But along with those wonderful feelings came the nagging of her conscience that she had to tell him what happened after he left. 'Josh kissed me'. No, that would be too harsh. 'I had no choice, he...' No, excuses weren't what her parents had taught her to give. Maybe start with an apology, followed by a step by step recollection? It would be the truth and then she would let Joe decide what he was going to do. Making up her mind in that split second that the truth would be the best thing she could do, she was just about to reach him when she felt someone grab her arm.

"Wha-" she started, trying to pull away. She stopped when she turned to see the one person whom she was starting to actually hate (and this was certainly something, for her parents had raised her to love and accept everybody) standing there. "Haven't you done enough damage?!" she shouted at him in her mind, not daring to say anything aloud.

"Walters. I knew you would come!"

Her eyes darted to Joe as Josh continued, trying to tell him that it wasn't true. That she had no idea what in the world the Slytherin was talking about; it was Joe that she loved, and it was Joe she had accepted a date from. It would be so easy to say, only 3 words, really: "Go away, Josh." Maybe it could be followed by a kick or a hex, too. Her hand automatically reached for where she kept her wand, but she remembered what happened the last time she had done so, and she had caught Josh's look. She knew that the threat of hurting Tristan was still there, and she couldn't bring herself to speak out against him. So her hand stopped its movements and hung there, helpless as she was.

"Ah, Astrid, you got my message to bring flowers. Thank you!"

A tiny noise of disagreement came from Brooke's throat, and she choked it down, forcing herself to keep the angry words at bay. And then that sweet, innocent boy had gone and handed the flowers over to Josh, and again Brooke tried to catch Joe's eye, trying to tell him what she couldn't voice out. Please, Merlin, she begged, let him understand. Instead, he turned away, and she caught the words he muttered, the two syllables crushing her. Watching him walk away, her legs were shouting at her to run after him, but all she could do was watch, tears starting to form. "Joe..." she whispered to herself, unaware that she had done so. She hadn't even had time to tell him what happened at the lake! How could the best experience of her life come with such horrible consequences? It was as if the world had made her their target of choice and everything was out to get her.

But in that moment, she didn't care about herself. Her mind could only manage to conjure up the images of two people: her brother, smiling and laughing in that hospital bed when she had first met him, and the hurt, questioning eyes that belonged to the face of Joe Astrid before he had turned and walked away. Fighting back the tears that were relentless, her vision became blurry and she lowered her head, not able to stand watching Joe walk away. "Why?" she managed to ask, her voice barely a whisper. Because in that moment, that was all she wanted to know.

((OOC: Errr, what was it you said the last time, Jess? I got a tad bit carried away, too, apparently... ))

His explanation didn't clear anything up, and again she wondered why he had chosen her as his target. She knew better than to ask again. It seemed to her that Joe was the one suffering most from this, not her. Perhaps it would be best to break off a relationship until Josh left her alone; her mind offered that possible solution. But she loved him and wanted to be with him. If only she could find a way to tell him that, but of course, Josh's timing was beyond perfect, and she knew she wouldn't have a chance. He had already gone, and she would never be able to get the hurt look on his face out of her mind.

"...You made that happen, Walters. Only you."

And she knew he was right, freezing in place, barely able to breathe. Something at the back of her mind tried to speak up, telling her not to listen to the Slytherin, that it wasn't her fault, but she was past listening to any reasonings. He had kissed her, yes, but she had let him. Sure, if she hadn't, Tristan would have been hurt, but she could have been faster with her wand, protected him. Her brain spun with ideas and contradicting thoughts that sent her into a whirlwind of uncertainty.

Before she could process what was happening, Josh's face was right in front of hers and she felt his lips against hers for the second time. Again the urge to throw up almost overwhelmed her, and she tried her best to hold it down. For a split second, she wondered what he'd do if she actually did empty her stomach into his mouth, and she would have giggled if not for the given situation.

The relief didn't come when he left her lips, not this time. She had already figured out that him parting from her did not mean he was done, but rather, he was pausing for the time being. Staring at the ground, she concentrated on breathing, each breath getting harder than before. She would not let him see her cry, but it was too late, and the tears had already started to fall. Slowly, not pouring out like the last time, but they were still there, glistening on her cheeks.

His instructions were clear, and she could do nothing but nod, her plans of trying to find Joe disappearing in that second. Josh had thought of everything, as though he could read her mind and knew her plans. His next words, although spoken so softly, seemed to her as loud as if he had been shouting. She understood, and it sent a stab of pain and guilt right through her to know that she was not capable of standing up for her family - or herself. He was right. At this very moment, she would do anything he asked of her, and it disgusted her to know that she was a slave to his every whim and fancy. But what was she supposed to do? Nothing, she thought bitterly. Indeed, there was nothing the witch could do but obey, like a dog following its master.

"Off you go, Walters."

At those words, he released her from his presence, and she didn't need to be told twice. Her vision was blurred by the tears, and she started walking blindly in the direction he had motioned to. Stumbling towards the public toilets, she found an empty stall, locking herself inside. It offered her little protection, her mind telling her that if he really wanted to, a simple spell could unlock the door, and she would find herself face to face with Josh once again. But she was past caring, and she sat on the dirty ground, back against the flimsy, plastic door, knees up and head down, crying till she was unable to produce any more tears.