come in with the rain

"And I, I've got you down. I know you by heart. And you don't even know where I start."

It was clear even to a stranger. A person walking down a crowded street could have looked at Bianca and Joe and could have known what somehow eluded Bianca. That while she adored him, he barely even acknowledged she was there.

In restaurants, Bianca would lean in to him, eager to talk, and he would lean back. Joe would take her to sports bars, where he could avoid her under the guise of a football game. Every chance he had, he was checking out other girls.

When they hung out with friends, the two would come together but Joe would always separate from her. He would spend his time chatting with his friends. When Bianca would approach him, he barely looked up and would only grumble a meaningless response.
Even when they were alone, Joe would chatter on about his day or his problems but never ask about hers. When Bianca tried to talk, he would find a way to bring the conversation back around to him or end it all together.

Yet Bianca appeared oblivious. Completely unaware of how little Joe cared. But there was a truth a stranger could never know. Joe cared but didn't know how to show it. He had never been in a relationship and didn't realize there was more to it than just showing up. And Bianca was aware of how Joe treated her. She was trying to be patient but was close to giving up on him.

Maybe a stranger should have pulled Joe aside...