When You Look Me In The Eyes -- Joe Jonas, Ch. 16

Kara's POV

It was so weird not sleeping in the same bed as Joe. I couldn't even really fall asleep. I just kept tossing and turning. When you get used to sleeping next to somebody in the same bed for sometime, you can't go back to sleeping by yourself. It was something about the way I was always cold in the middle of the night and Joe was always so warm. I know he's said before he gets too hot at night and the fact that I'm cool helps him. We completed each other, if that doesn't sound cliche enough. But it was completely true. I know what you're thinking: Why don't you just go sleep in his bed? I felt, though, that I had to get used to sleeping by myself. What was I going to do when he went on tour? Or the nights that his shows ended so late, he didn't get home until 3 in the morning? That was when I realized that our relationship had definitely changed. Not in a bad way. Infact, it was a very very good way. We were taking on more resposibility. And we were doing pretty well. Except that I couldn't frickin sleep. I reached for my headphones on my bedside table. I put them in my ears and tried to fall asleep. Yeah, that did nothing. If anything, it made me want to get up and dance. Which is strange because I was dead tired. I just laid there, with my eyes closed, hoping that I would fall asleep. Then I thought of Joe. He was probably sound asleep in his bed right down the hall from me. Then my phone went off. A text from Joe. I was confused for a second. I opened it:

I smiled. Ha. I wasn't the only one who couldn't sleep. I texted back to him.

I waited a few seconds and then got a response.

I laughed.

Again, I waited a few seconds.

I laughed to myself.

I rested back down. How long could he wait without wanting to sleep next to me? Just then, I heard my door creek open. I looked up and saw Joe standing in the doorway. I smiled.

"I waited as long as I could" he said.

"It's only been like three seconds!" I said. He walked over to me.

"Yeah, I know. I can't believe I waited that long" he said sliding into bed with me. I'm not gonna lie, he was the coolest guy I knew. We got into our normal position, my head on his chest with my arm wrapped around his waist. His head on top of mine. Life's so funny. I couldn't fall asleep to save my life literally ten seconds ago. Yet now, I could fall asleep in a heartbeat.

I woke up the next morning feeling really warm. I realized Kara wasn't next to me to cool me down. I looked around the room. She wasn't there. I got up and walked to the hallway that lead to the living room. Kara was sitting on the couch with her legs crossed in her grey high school sweatpants and a pink t-shirt. She had her hair pulled up and she wearing her school glasses. She never wore them. She thought she looked terrible in them. I didn't see why. They looked amazing on her. She had the laptop on her lap and looked pretty involved in what she was doing. She had coffee already made in the kitchen and had a mug sitting next to her. I walked to the doorway. She looked at me and smiled.

"Morning sunshie" she said, smilingly.

"Morning" I said in a yawn, my eyes still squinted.

"Has anyone ever told you you look adorable waking up in the morning?" she asked.

"Yeah. My mom" I said. She laughed. I walked over to the couch, sat down, and looked at the screen. In big letters, it said "William Paterson University". I looked at her.

"What is this?" I said.

"I want to go to college. I saved enough money from all the years I spent working in the cafe" she said full of excitement.

"You want to go to the William Paterson University? Why that school?" I asked.

"Coz it's the closest. And they have a huge department in biology" she said. Kara has always wanted to be a doctor. She definitely had the skills for it. She's the smartest person I know.

"That sounds great, babe" I said, kissing her cheek. I got up to get some coffee. I walked back over and started reading some more of the website.

"Look, Joe. They have a whole section devoted to medical education" she said.

"I've never seen you this excited about something before".

"Joe, I've always wanted to be a doctor. Ever since I saw my aunt pass away in the hospital". I looked at her. She never told me about this before.

"You saw your aunt die?".

"I was in the room, Joe. After that, I wanted to become a doctor so that, in my own mind, it was like me saving her. That if I was a doctor, I could spare that pain in someone else". She was the most thoughtful girl I had ever known.

"That's beautiful, Kara".

"It's the truth. I saw my aunt die when I was only eight years old. That pain has never gone away. She was always my favorite relative. It hurt being in the same room. I was the last person she ever spoke to". I put my arm around her, rubbing her shoulder.

"What was the last thing she said?". Kara thought for a second.

"We were talking about relationships. I told her that I had gotten into a huge fight with the boy I was absolutely in love with at the time. She told me that I should never give up on love. She was married happily for years and years. She said that love was the only real reason for living in this world" Kara said, trying to hold back tears.

"She was right, sweetie. Love is the most important thing in this world" I said. Kara looked up at me.

"I know that now, thanks to you" she said, kissing me.

"And just so you know, I put on that bubble gum lip gloss before you came out here" she said, smiling. I smiled at her.

"Can I just marry you now?" I said, smiling. She laughed a little.

"In time, baby, in time" she said, going back to the laptop.

"This school is perfect. It's not too far away, the school is in my price range, aaaand they have a special program in medical education. It's like this school is calling me" she went on and on. I smiled even more at her.

"You're so cute. I'm glad you're getting involved in something like this" I said, kissing her cheek. I got up.

"Where are you going?" she asked me.

"I have to take a shower and get ready. I have a band practice today" I said.

"Can I come?" she said.

"Of course babe. Bring the laptop too. Let eveyone in on your plan" I said, leaning down and kissing her lips. After I pulled back, I licked my lips.

"Mmm, I love bubble gum" I said and made my way back to my bathroom to get ready.