Once settled in, Joey spent his time waiting for dinner at the Hales catching up with everyone. Taking a seat on the couch and briefly exchanging pleasantries with Mr. Hale, Joey looked over to Sandi and smiled. “Hey, since I missed the recital, maybe you could show me some of the routines you did!” suggested Joey, feeling a bit guilty having missed it when he had given her his word that he’d show. He could see Sandi’s eyes light up in excitement at the thought of showing Joey some of the routines she had worked so hard on, and ran upstairs to her room, and when she came back, she was wearing something she could really move around in for her demonstration.
“Alright, Joey, you’d better watch the entire thing!” Sandi playfully demanded excitedly as she turned on the music from her phone and got into position. While Roni was busy with her phone and Mr. Hale was zoning out watching something on TV, Sandi danced her heart out for Joey, glancing at him from time to time to make sure he was really watching, which of course he was, just like he always would when she needed an audience. After Joey oohed, aahed, and cheered as if the room had a full audience, Sandi rolled her eyes, bowed, and lightly punched him again as was her custom.
“Oh! One more thing, Joey, you’ll love this!” exclaimed Sandi as she once again ran out of the room. When she came back, she was holding a piece of paper with her school’s logo on it. “I got my report card! My maths grade is way higher now, and I passed my last two tests! Your extra tutoring last month really helped out!” she said enthusiastically.
“Good job, Sandi! I told you math wasn’t so bad as long as you know the tricks” Joey said as he examined the report card. The last few months, Roni had been busy preparing for theatre and bike races with her club and didn’t have time to help out Sandi, so Joey had stepped in to tutor her. She was pretty anxious about the whole thing, but Joey knew just what to say and how to explain things to help Sandi get through it.
Sandi gave Joey a big hug to show her gratitude when Ciara called from upstairs, startling Mr. Hale and making Roni nearly drop her phone from surprise, “JOJO! I NEEED TO SHOW YOU SOMETHING’ !!!”
Chuckling to himself at their reaction, Joey released his hug and went upstairs to Ciara’s room. “What’s up CiCi?” he asked upon entering, seeing that her room was an explosion of toys, clothes, and various art supplies.
“Look! I made some new paintings,” Ciara said, her voice full of enthusiasm as she showed him her art, emphasizing one she had done of a mountain range, “this one even got put on display in the main hall at school!”
“These are so good, CiCi!” Joey said with a great deal of sincerity as he really looked over the paintings she was presenting to him. Despite being only 9, Ciara actually had a knack for painting and drawing that would make most adults jealous. Each painting had a great amount of detail and vivid colors, with the painting of a mountain range standing the most. As he glanced around the room, Joey saw on one of her side tables was a framed drawing that she had done a year ago of her family and Joey, bringing a somber smile to his face as he thinks that will be the best thing to have to help Ciara remember him by after he is shipped off to a Generitech facility and adopted.
“Thank you, JoJo. I spent a lot of time on these both here and at school. I’m really glad you like them” she replied, a warm smile on her face as she watched Joey look through her art.
“I don’t just like them, CiCi, I love them! I might need to frame one of these and put it in my room” gushed Joey as he set the paintings on CiCi’s desk to give her a hug.
Ciara giggled as she returned the hug, “Nuh-uh, JoJo. I’m going to paint something extra special for your birthday, so these ones I’m keeping!”
Joey and Ciara spent a few more minutes together, playing with some toys after they were done looking at Ciara’s art. Eventually, though, Joey needed a break, and went back down stairs and sat down on a chair in the family room right by the bay window, trying to subtly glance outside to make sure the coupe hadn’t come any closer. Roni doesn’t really notice this, having been so sucked into her phone since sitting down when they arrived. “I wonder what she could be thinking,” thought Joey, seeing her smile here and there. She’s been acting odd since the park. “You’d think she’d be struggling to stay composed, but she’s really into whatever is going on with her phone,” he muses seeing her light up at something that comes onto her screen.
Mr. Hale glances between the two and finally addresses Joey to break the silence, “So, Joey, you’re looking pretty haggard. A few late nights for school?” He asks, running his hand through his thinning hair down to stroking his beard.
“Oh uh… well… I’ve been a little under the weather and, well you know my dad… I need to focus on taking over the family business and all that,” Joey replies nervously.
“Right,” sighs Mr. Hale, drumming his fingers on the armrest. “That father of yours… he may be successful but if he keeps grinding you into the ground like this he’ll end up alone in a nice retirement home,” Mr. Hale chuckles to himself, “What did you say to him to make him mad this time?”
“Daaaad! Don’t make him relive it! Joey was barely able to tell me,” whined Roni in an attempt to deflect from the reality of the situation. She quickly glanced from her phone to Joey to make sure he was okay before going back to whatever it was she was so obsessed with.
“Hmm okay dear but… I just want to make sure Joey’s okay,” replied Mr. Hale with a small hint of skepticism. He shifted in his seat and looked Joey in the eye. “You know, you can always talk to us if things get too tough. We’re here for you, son.”
Joey gave a small, appreciative nod. “Thanks, Mr. Hale. It means a lot.”
Before either of the three could continue the conversation, the loud, high-pitched voice of the normally reserved Mrs. Hale rings out from within the kitchen, “RONI! JOEY! COME SET THE TABLE!”
Thankful for the interruption, Joey immediately hops out of the chair and heads to the dining room.
“Roni, come on, you can play candy crush or shadow legend later,” he jokes as he attempts to swipe her phone from her. “Joey! Stop! I play real videogames, you know that! Besides, this is important!” Roni cries with a huff as she covers her phone from him, making sure Joey can’t see what she was doing this whole time.
With a small grin, Joey just shrugs and heads to the kitchen. “Whatever, Roni, you can just sit there playing your secret game. I’ll take care of it. It’s the least I can do for your parents for letting me stay here on such short notice.”
“Son, you don’t need to do that on your own,” Mr. Hale called over his shoulder, “Roni, go help him for Pete’s sake. Your mother asked the BOTH of you, you know.”
“But Daaad! This is really important I swear! Plus Joey’s got it!” whined Roni, using her best cutesy voice to convince her dad. “It’s okay, Mr. Hale! I’ve got it covered,” Joey called back.
As Joey started setting the table, Mrs. Hale came up beside him, giving him a quick side hug. Her blue eyes shone with gratitude.
“You’re such a helpful boy, Joey. Thank you.”
Joey smiled. “It’s no problem, Mrs. Hale. You’ve always been good to me.”
Mrs. Hale placed a hand on his shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze. “You’re family, Joey. We’ll always have your back.”
Joey’s chest tightened at her words. This family had always made him feel welcome, something he didn’t take for granted. As he laid out the rest of the plates, he glanced at Mrs. Hale, who smiled warmly at him before returning to check the oven.
“Whoever helps set the table gets extra dessert,” she added with a wink.
Joey chuckled. “I’ll take you up on that.” For now, the weight on his shoulders felt lighter, and he could enjoy the moment. Joey’s heart swelled with gratitude as he continued setting the table. This family had given him a sense of belonging that he cherished deeply, and he was determined to make the most of every moment he had left with them.
1) Tutoring Sandi, playing with CiCi, He is part of the Family.
2) “the best thing to have to help Ciara remember him by after he is shipped off to a Generitech facility and adopted” He still thinks that’s gonna happen, lol
3) “You’d think she’d be struggling to stay composed, but she’s really into whatever is going on with her phone,” She can’t lose her composure if she wants to claim him now can she?
4) Roni’s running interference like a good friend.
5) “you can just sit there playing your secret game” I don’t think she’s playing a game.
1) he really is. he’s spent a lot of times with the Hales and at their house, especially over the last 2 years or so.
2) lol he doesn’t really have a reason to think otherwise. He’s a bit of a pessimist, almost as much as he is stubborn, so he’s pretty resolute that there’s no way out of what’s gonna happen
4) there’ve been some pretty heated yelling matches between Joey and his father that Joey’s told Roni about that really make her want to keep Joey from reliving the arguments. He’s talked to her parents a little bit, but not to the extent that he has with Roni, and to an extremely lesser extent, Sandi. Ciara isn’t aware of anything, just that he’s fun and likes to talk with her baout her interests
3,5) It could be a game and she’s just really focused, I heard Gaurdian Simulator’s pretty popular lol
2) Perhaps, But I get the feeling that’s not his destiny.
4) that makes sense, they wouldn’t need to know all the details, especially one specific detail.
3,5) LOL! Guardian Simulator is pretty popular, especially with people who can’t afford littles, (which is most people at the current point in the timeline) and littles who want a sense of control. But the mobile version sucks, I recommend you get it on Genribox or wait for it to come out on PC. lol
guardian simulator is a pretty good idea. that might become canon.
You’re welcome to use it. So is C M or any other Fanfiction writer. It’s an idea I thought made sense for the world.