Chapter 2 (Part 2 of 2- Re-Edited)

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I woke up the next day not knowing where I was. I sat straight up and looked around. I remembered Josh, the leather couch, the plasma, and the in home library. I also remembered Josh fell asleep on the couch next to me, but obviously moved to his bed. I walked over to the bed and sat next to him at the head. I gently poked him on his left arm. It was hard. That makes him about… 1,000x hotter.

His eyes fluttered open and I saw he had hazel eyes. They looked cute with his ivory skin. When Josh saw me, a smile spread across his face. I smiled back. I guess that’s beauty of friendship. I mean I wouldn’t know, because I never had a friend. But I guess you know it’s really friendship because of all the bubbly feelings you get inside of you. Or it’s the fact that I like him. I can’t quite figure it out yet.

“You thought I was flabby.” Josh laughed, resting his arms behind his head.

“No, I never really thought about it until-“

“I know,” He cut me off, “I swear.”

“I trust you to tell me. And it’s officially tomorrow so now you have to tell me how you know stuff about me.” I reminded him.

“No, that has to wait until tomorrow.”

“Why?”

He shrugged, “The best for last.”

I shrugged, too, and stared at the stereo.

“You want it on, don’t you?” I could hear practically him smiling.

“No,” I’m such a bad liar, “What I want to know is the secret you’re going to spill today.”

“How about we listen to some music?” He ignored me.

“No… Yesterday you said that you would tell me
something else.” I insisted.

“Oh, alright,” Josh reluctantly said, “Well, my parents died when I was four.”

“Aw, that’s terrible! How?”

“They told me something that if they did, they risked their lives. And unfortunately, they told me and they died. So yeah.”

“What did they say?” I immediately wished I never said it because I knew he’d say that it’s too personal.

But to my surprise, he just said, “That I’m going to tell you tomorrow,” He closed his eyes, “What, you thought that I was going to say that it’s too personal?”

“Well, you should know.”

“True.”

“So is that all?”

“No,” Josh said, opening his eyes again and sighing, “I don’t think my parents are really dead. And there’s this book that I lost that we should find…”

“What’s the book?” I asked.

“You’ll find that out tomorrow, too.”

“Wow, I’m going to find a lot of stuff out tomorrow.”

“Yeah. Well, anyways,” He continued, “They told me that this book will hold the secret to finding them when they go. And you look a lot like my mom. Just wanted to get that cleared.”

Well then. “Is that it?”

“For today.”

I brought to attention that this secret-telling session went by fast.

He shrugged, “Hey, who said it was going to be slow?”

“Hey, let’s listen to music.” I said after a few minutes of boredom passed.

“Sure.” Josh walked over to the stereo and replaced the Katy Perry CD with a Ke$ha CD. After a few buttons were hit, “Blow” pounded through the speakers. We both slumped down onto the leather couch.

“Do I really look like your mom?” I asked, looking at him.

He looked at me. “As far as my memory can tell, yes. I’d have to look at a photo of her to be positive. But so far, I believe you may be part of the key to helping me find my parents.”

“Wow, ok. So can I help?”

“Well, it may be too dangerous for you.”

“Aww, Josh, please?”

“You might be risking your life here.”

“So will you.”

“You have no idea.” He shook his head.

“So, can I?”

“Can you what?” Josh stalled.

“Stop trying to stall. I’m not that dumb.”

Another sigh escaped his mouth. “Yeah, I guess.”

“How enthusiastic.” I rolled my eyes.

“Whatever. Anyways, you will be key to my
survival in this.”

“Hey, what about me?”

“What about you?”

“Won’t I live?”

“Yes, you’ll be half alive. It’ll require that you get lots of rest before and after.”

“What do you mean, half alive?”

“That will be explained tomorrow,” He told me, “Anymore questions?”

I thought for a second, “Nope, I’m good.” At least until tomorrow.

“Good, because no offence, but you ask a lot of questions.”

“How is that offensive?”

“It’s really annoying.”

Yay. I’m annoying.

“Ok, well I’m going to head home now.” I announced, standing up.

Josh shot up off of the couch, “No!”

I looked at him, startled.

“I mean, not yet.”

I was about to ask why, but remembered no more questions.

“I mean, you’re parents aren’t home yet, right? Not until the end of spring break.”

“No. I still want to go home.”

“And why is that?”

“I don’t know…” I said, “Maybe because I don’t want to annoy you with anymore of my questions?”

“No, no. It’s ok. Just don’t go.” Josh calmly sat back down.

“Why not?” Oops, I forgot about the no questions thing…

“I get lonely. And you’re my only friend.”

“Oh.” That was all I could say at the moment.

I sat down next to Josh again.

“I guess that I feel the same way,” I heard myself say, “I always get lonely at home. At least, until you came into my life.”

“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”

“Oh, it’s a total good thing.” I reassured him, “I just wanted to make sure you stay my friend.”

“Why would you think that I wouldn’t be your friend anymore?”

I laughed, “Well, you said I ask too many questions. I didn’t want to annoy you so much that you didn’t want to be my friend anymore.”

He laughed too, “You are really paranoid. But I would never get that way. I mean, I might get mad at you, but never that mad.”

“Good.”

Josh got up and switched the current CD with a Justin Bieber one. I blushed.

“What?” Josh asked.

“Uh, nothing.” I quickly said and turned the other way as my face went from pink to red.

“You like Justin Bieber, don’t you?” He started laughing.

I didn’t say anything back.

We sat on Josh’s comfortable leather couch for a few of Justin Bieber songs until the song “Never Let You Go” came on. I fantasized about what this Justin Bieber looked like. You don’t have to be able to see someone physically to like them; it only matters about their personality. At least, in my world. But with Josh, it’s both ways, because he’s both very attractive and very nice.

“Hey,” I didn’t realize Josh was standing in front of me until he started waving his hand in front of my face, “I asked you something.”

"Huh?"

“Never mind, forget it,” He sat back down.

“No, tell me.”

“I asked if you wanted to dance to this song with me.”

I looked at him and felt my face turn purple.

“It’s a slow song?” I questioned, wondering what was going on inside of his head.

“Yeah, so? Is that your way of saying “no”?”

“I don’t know, you tell me.” I tested him.

Josh stood back up and reached out his hand.

I took his hand and slowly pushed myself up off of the couch with my free arm. Then I warily walked over to the middle of the couch and the T.V. with Josh. He lifted my arms and rested them around his neck and wrapped his arms around my torso, his hands stopping above the small of my back. When I looked up at him, I saw a thick halo of light floating around his head. My eyes had gotten watery from staring at the light for too long, so I looked in front of me. All I could see there was Josh’s brown T-shirt hugging his abs like it was meant for him.

“Thank you.” I heard him say.

“For what?” I asked, confused.

“For being my friend.” He explained.

“Oh… Uh, you’re welcome.” I stuttered, smiling at him.

Josh smiled back, and we continued dancing for a while.

Then I thought of a way to tell Josh that I like him. I was thinking of thinking for him to say “Hi” out loud if he heard my thoughts saying that I like him.

Josh, if you hear me saying that I like you, then say “Hi”, I thought eagerly; maybe a little too eagerly, though.

“Hello?” I said.

“What?” Josh asked.

“Did you hear that?”

“Hear what?”

“Nothing.”

“No really, tell me.” He insisted.

“No, it’s nothing.” I looked down.

“I think it’s your imagination.” He backed up a bit from me and stared into my eyes.

Jerk, I thought.

He just winced when ever I thought that, so I guess that he really didn’t hear me. I was also thinking that he winced on purpose, trying to make myself believe that I was tough…

“Whatever.” I rolled my eyes playfully at him.

Josh went back to slow dancing with me. I don’t know why he wanted too, but I’m pretty happy with it. And he can read my thoughts. It’s loud and clear that he can. He responds to almost all of my thoughts. But oddly enough, he can’t hear the ones that state the fact that I like him. I think it has something to do with whether or not I really want him to know. To be honest, I don’t want him to know yet. He’s my best friend and I don’t want to ruin that. I’d rather we be best friends than boyfriend and girlfriend.

If we broke up then I’m afraid that we wouldn’t be friends anymore and then I’d go back to the lonely loser who has no friends and stalks my not-wanted-to-be-ex-crush. And I doubt he even likes me. If he did, I still don’t want to be his girlfriend- at least for now.

“Are you going to stay the night here again, or
go home?” I heard Josh say.

“I think I’m going to go home.” I decided after a few seconds.

“What? Why?”

“I kind of miss my bed.” I admitted.

“Oh,” Josh sulked a little, “I’ll walk you home tonight. What time?”

“Probably around five? You can hang around with me for a little bit if you wanted to.”

“I guess that could be an option.”

“No, that’s your choice.” I said, trying to do reverse psychology on him.

“It is? I don’t remember saying that.” He said sarcastically.

“Neither do I, but I think I recall you thinking it.”

“I also don’t remember you being able to read my mind.”

“Ah ha!” I stopped dancing and pointed in his face.

“What?” He looked really clueless.

“You admitted to being able to read my mind.”

“No I didn’t but isn’t it kind of obvious?”

“Yeah it is, and I’m kind of getting bored of dancing.” I mentioned, pulling away form him and sitting down on the end of the couch.

“Me, too.”

After we sat on the couch for a few minutes, I decided to ask, “Why did you want to dance with me to that song, even though it was a slow one?”

It took him a few seconds to respond, “Well, I um, I got bored, and I know you like that song, so-“ He started blushing.

“True.” I cut him off so he wouldn’t be any more embarrassed. And he doesn’t look as good when he’s red faced, but he’s still hot.

“I don’t?” I realized I was looking down when I snapped my head to my right to see that Josh spoke these words.

“Didn’t you hear the last part?” I wondered aloud.

“No… What was the last part?”

“Nothing,” I whispered, “Never mind.”

Josh reached over and started combing through my hair with his fingers. Why? I don’t know. But it feels good.

“What are you doing?”

“You slept with a flower in your hair, and now it’s all over the place.” He said, continuing to get the flower out of my hair.

“You could have told me and then I could have went to the bathroom and I could have got it out myself.”

“Well, I thought you liked it,” He smiled wryly.

I sat there open mouthed.

Well, I thought you could only hear thoughts that I think, I thought, confusing myself.

“Well, yeah, but if you noticed, I hesitated at first, then I heard you say it felt good.” Then he started laughing.

Oh.

After he finished getting the rest of the flower out of my silky hair, Josh once again changed the CD, but it was back to Katy Perry. One of her songs that I have never heard of before came on. It started out with a little rap but then went to the song. It was a good song. Once it was over, Josh replayed it.

“E.T.” I looked over to see that Josh had said that.

“Wow. It’s my new favorite song.” I decided out loud.

“So you never heard of the song before?”

“No.”

“Well it’s been around for a while but just got aired on the ra-“ He slapped his right hand over
his mouth.

“On the what?” I wanted to know and I wanted to know now.

“On the, um, racket.”

“What’s a racket?”

“Not the racket. The radio.” He gave in sooner than I thought he would.

“What’s a radio?”

“You don’t listen to the radio?”

“No, we don’t have one. Just a television.”

“Oh. I figured you guys would have one, since
you guys are rich.”

“How much do they cost?”

“5,000.”

“Ouch. Not that rich.” At least not that I know of. I’m not very close to my parents. They don’t tell me a lot of stuff. Except that they’re going on a business trip. But honestly, I don’t know what job they have. Or why they go on a whole bunch of business trips.

“Sure you are.”

“Actually, I’m not quite positive how much money we have.”

“I know.”

“Ok, stop reading my mind!” I yelled.

“Ok, sheesh, sorry.” He scooted over a bit.

After that, we sat talking for a little bit, listening to different CDs, randomly changing them in the middle of a song. We listened to “E.T.” mostly because it was my favorite song, and I insisted on it. We danced, sang along, and just talked until it was 5:00.

“Hey, I have to go home now,” I reminded Josh, “Are you going to come, or what?”

“Well, I’m going to walk you home, aren’t I?” He replied.

“Ok, let’s go.”

We walked outside along the pond and back into the woods. After about five minutes of walking through them, I saw the houses that lined them. Then we hooked a left and walked around the back of the houses until we approached my big, white house. It was old-tutor style (in the charming way) on the outside, but on the inside it was contemporary-modern. My room has purple walls, dark cherry wood flooring, and a large walk in closet. The furniture is dark mahogany wood, which includes a desk, day bed with black iron head board and back board, desk chair, bed side table, dresser, and shelving. I also have hot pink bed and pillow covers, bean bag chair, and rug.

Josh and I trotted around the side of the house and up the cement driveway to the front door. I unlocked it with the key I happened to grab before I left and invited Josh inside. Once we were both safely inside, we took the stairs by two and ended up in my bedroom in under 5 seconds. I plopped down in my bean bag chair and he sat on my bed next to me.

“Welcome to my dwelling,” I said, motioning with my arms.

“It’s a very nice dwelling,” He complimented.

“Oh, thank you.” I replied, “I like yours, too.”

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome. Are you thirsty?” I asked, hoisting myself up with much difficulty.

“Not really, no.”

“Water, milk, or soda?”

“I said I’m not thirsty.”

“Soda it is.”

“You’re not going to take no for an answer, are you?” He asked me.

“Or are you in the mood for milk?”

“No, soda’s fine.”

We both trotted down the steps together and into the large kitchen slash breakfast area. I don’t know why we even have a breakfast table in it, we never use it. Not even for storage. After we got our soft drinks, we sat down at the dining table and drank.

“Hey, since I stayed at your house last night, you should stay here tonight,” I suggested to Josh.

“Um, I’m kind of busy.”

“Come on. Don’t make me act like a chicken again,” I threatened.

“Well, you’re parents won’t-“

“Aw, Josh, really? They aren’t even here.”

“Yeah, but what about the video-“

“Josh, there are no video cameras.”

“How do you know?”

“Because you wouldn’t be here.”

“True, but what if your parents-“

“Blah, blah, blah. My parents are away for two weeks on a stupid business trip,” I pointed out, “And besides, you let me sleep at your place, so you get to sleep at mine.”

“Actually, I didn’t really say you could, you just-“

I blushed a little bit, “See, there’s an even better reason why. And why didn’t you wake me up, then?”

“Because you looked tired and peaceful, and cu-“

“So what? If you didn’t want me to stay over you could of-,” I stopped mid sentence when I finally realized what he was about to say. I cut him off while he was saying I looked cute.

“You thought-“

“Yeah, I did.”

“Baby cute, or…?”

“Baby cute.”

“Oh.” Dang it. Oh well, “I guess that’s a good thing.”

“Why?” Josh asked without me really knowing it.

“Well, if you thought of me that way then things would get really awkward. Then if we started dating then we broke up…” I trailed off.

“Oh, Alicia.”

I snapped back to life. “Did I really just say that out loud?”

“Yes, you did.”

“Then, uh…” I started blushing even more.

“Hey, that’s not going to happen. I don’t feel that way towards you. I like you, but as a
friend. Nothing more.”

“Ok, are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

After we finished our drinks, we went back upstairs into my room and watched reruns of older shows in black and white until it was 10:00. Then I grabbed my dad’s sleeping bag out of the linen closet in the hallway and laid it next to my bed. Next I retrieved some extra pillows out of the spare bedroom next to my room, and put them on top of the sleeping bag. Finally, I decided to sleep on the floor next to him, so I gathered up my sheets and pillows and laid them next to the sleeping bag.

“Hey, it’s all set up,” I told him from across the room.

“Ok. Where are you sleeping?” He asked.

“Next to you.”

“Where’s that?”

“On the floor.”

“Blankets or sleeping bag?”

“You have the sleeping bag and I have the blankets.”

He shrugged and said, “Suits me if it suits you.”

“I’m suited,” I decided.

“Good.”

For the next two hours, Josh and I got out about ten different video and board games, so we played those. By 12:00, we were both out like a light bulb on our makeshift beds. I couldn’t wait for the next day so that Josh could show me the rest of the surprise.

For the third night in a row, I had the same exact dream as the last. I never knew why. Maybe it was telling me something? I don’t know. I don’t know what it means by “Oh, I shouldn’t be here”. What do you mean, I shouldn’t be here? This is my home. Why can’t I be in my room? Not like it’s against the law or anything. At least I’m hoping. I doubt it, or my parents would have told me by now.

Oh well. I’ll figure it out someday. Hopefully.