The Crew

Chapter 4

Josh finally pulled up to a 2 storey brick house with a big driveway and double garage. He got out of his car and showed me where to park next to his. I got out of my car, admiring the view. "Wow, this is bigger than my parents' place," I marvelled. Josh shrugged. "Well technically it's my parents place and I still live here, but they've gone on a month's cruise. Some conference thing. My younger sister also stays here but she's been spending more time at her friends houses so I have the house to myself," he explained as he opened the door. I could pick a hint of loneliness in his voice as he spoke but there was also something else that I couldn't just grasp. Inside the house was more big and homely as I thought it would be. Shiny wooden floorboards, a massive lounge room with leather recliners, wide screen TV, a plush sofa and a traditional wood fireplace. A cosy fluffy rug in the middle of the floor and a nice oak coffee table on top of it. The kitchen was also fancy, pristine, clean, black and white decor with a smooth marble bench top and fancy appliances. The dining room which was adjoined to it, had a long dining table also made from oak and a glass vase in the middle of it. Upstairs was even fancier with wooden floorboards that shone so bright you could see your reflection in it, and pristine white walls with splashes of colour from canvases that hung from it. "My dad is big on architecture and interior design," Josh noted sheepishly as he noticed my look of awe. He led me to his room which was at least twice the size of my old room back home. He even had a small balcony overlooking the backyard. "Wow, I still can't believe you live with your parents.........not that it's a bad thing.........but yeah, my parents practically kicked me out to teach me a lesson about independence," I say, still gaping at how big his room was. Josh laughed. "Yeah well, if you have a big luxurious house like this and people to cook and do washing for you, why move," he replied as he spread his arms out wide, "Well this is my room, or batcave as my sister calls it," he said, rolling his eyes. I looked around in fascination. White walls were littered in black and white sperpia coloured canvases of different places and objects. A crock board hung on one wall above an Apple iMac PC was also littered with photos of people, family, friends most likely. The desk that the PC was situated on was also strewed with photography stuff, books and camera equipment. On another section of wall stood a big black closet with an inbuilt shelf to fit a wide screen TV and Xbox game console. There was the double French doors which led out onto the balcony that faced a backyard full of trees, a Olympic sized pool and trampoline that you could see below. A telescope, mike stand and keyboard was also set up there. I raised my eyes at Josh in question. He pulled a face. "I like to create music in my own spare time," he answered with a shrug. Back inside next to his kingsize bed, stood an oak bedside table with a model of one of the cars from the Fast and Furious franchise. A lamp stood behind it, with little Yoshi turtles on the lampshade. Even more camera stuff was scattered around it. "Wow, need more room for your camera stuff?" I teased with a smirk. Josh looked a bit embarrassed, knowing that he should've cleaned up before inviting a girl into his room. He cleared some stuff off his bed, shoving them into his closet. "Nah, I been either busy or too lazy or too tired," he replied with a husky laugh. He sat on his bed, watching me as I peered through his French doors and into the night sky. "It's so pretty here," I murmured. "So are you," he blurted out as I turned around and our eyes locked. My ears tingled as I blushed and sat down next to him on the bed. The next minute he had me in his arms, and we cuddled and kissed the night away.

The next morning I woke up with a stretch, dazed in an unfamiliar room in an unfamiliar bed until Josh stirred beside me and it dawned on me on what happened that night. "Good morning beautiful," he greeted with a sleepy smile, before pulling me into his arms and kissing me. Giggling, I kissed him back before suddenly realising something. I pulled back, looking at him. "Are we supposed to do this? I mean, we are working together......doesn't this make things weird?" I asked in a tentative tone. Josh burst out laughing, pulling me back into his arms and resting his chin atop my head. "Who's gonna know? I own the business babe, it's not like there's anyone else in charge," he replied with a warm reassuring smile. "And I'm super glad to have my super hot girlfriend working with me." I blushed and giggled. So we were official, after one night. I found myself feeling happy and safe for once. Leaning back into bed, we started making out again until we got interrupted yet again this time by Josh's phone. He groaned and sat up. "Who could be ringing at 7am in the morning?" He muttered as he grabbed his phone off the bedside table. Picking it up, he realised it was Tommy and answered it. As he started talking, I gestured that I was going to go shower and get back into my clothes. 20 minutes later I was dressed, my clothes wrinkled now and the events of last night popped into my head, making my face blush.

As soon as I was dressed, I headed downstairs where he was in the kitchen preparing breakfast for us. "Coffee?" He asked as I sat down at the breakfast bar and nodded. "So what did Tommy want?" I asked, noticing that Josh had a strained, distracted look on his face. Josh poured some coffee into 2 mugs and gave one to me before speaking. "Tommy was making sure if we got home alright last night.............he also mentioned when he woke up this morning to go to work, his car was tagged. As in graffitied on. Don't know for sure who it was, but he definitely knows it was Billy's crew. Tommy heard that Billy knows you were at the meet last night. And Billy knows that you were with me. Billy is not happy about that," Josh replied, avoiding my eyes. My head began to throb and I suddenly felt sick for some reason. Why was Billy so upset that I had been to just one meet? And why was he angry that I was with Josh? I looked up at him and bit my lip. "So.......what are we going to do? I asked quietly. Josh walked over and put his arms around me and kissed me. "It'll be fine. We'll be fine. He's had a grudge with my crew for ages. Don't worry, I'll deal with it. And I promise I'll keep you safe," he responded softly. I rested my head against his chest, his arms so strong, I really did feel safe. Josh was about to say something more when there was a knock at the door and a female voice called out. Josh frowned, pulling away from me. "Be right back babe," he said, heading out to answer the door. 10 minutes later he re-entered the kitchen with an annoyed scowl on his face, followed by a young teenage girl that had his eyes and brown mousy hair. This, I figured, must be his sister. Dressed in short shorts and a ribbed green t-shirt, Lizzie Hollister made her way into the kitchen, still babbling on without realising that Ella was there. "Mum rang the house but got no answer so she called me to come around and check up on you........" Lizzie trailed off as she finally noticed the pretty brunette sitting quietly watching them at the breakfast bench. Lizzie raised a curious eyebrow. "Well hello there, who are you?" She asked, before looking back at her brother with the same curious expression. Josh blushed. "Ella, this is my annoying sister Lizzie. Lizzie, this is my girlfriend Ella," he introduced us. I gave a nervous but friendly smile, showing that I wasn't at all hostile. Lizzie returned the smile with a friendly warm smile and then looked at her brother with a smirk. "Wow Josh, this one is definitely better than the last one you dated. Just make sure you don't mess this one up. Or get her....." Josh covered her mouth with his hand and started dragging her out of the kitchen. "Okay, you've said enough, you need to mind your own business, get whatever you need, then leave," he said tersely as he dragged her out. I bit my lip from laughter. Obviously these two didn't get on so well at the worst of times. A few minutes later Josh came back into the kitchen and took a seat beside me with an exhausted sigh. I chuckled. "Let me guess, difficult teen?" I say in a teasing voice. Josh put his face in his hands and groaned. "Omg yes, sometimes she can be such a nosy pain," he muttered, taking a bite of the piece of toast that I had now put in front of him. "I'm so glad I don't have that problem, my 4 brothers are older than me, all married and really have nothing to do with the family much," I say with a shrug. "I don't see them, hardly ever, and they don't see me. Not that it matters though. It doesn't." I had never really mentioned any family issues to anyone besides Cassie and my other best friend Maddie. This was new to me, I felt like I could tell him anything and not feel uncomfortable, whereas with Billy, "family issues" was usually off limits. Josh looked at me, before suddenly pulling me into his lap and tickled me while I shrieked with laughter. His sister came back downstairs at that moment and poked her head through the kitchen entrance and pulled a face. "Soooooo I'm heading off now, have fun," she said with a grin. Josh waved his hand at her. "See ya when the parents get back!" he called out, as he continued to tickle a giggling Ella.

Once his sister had left, Josh breathed a sigh of relief and gave me a look that I knew and had seen many times before, even last night when we had been making out. Nervously I shook my head and gave a nervous giggle. "I don't think your sister would be happy if she suddenly comes back and finds us in that situation," I say with a knowing look. Josh pouted, then rolled his eyes and laughed. "Oh come on babe, I doubt she'd be back," he replied with a grin. He picked me up and kissed my ear, his breath tickling me and making me laugh as he carried me to the lounge room area. "So what movie would you like to watch?" He asked, as he set me gently down on the plush sofa and picking up a remote control. He switched on the TV and clicked on Netflix as I pointed to the movie Overdrive. He clicked on it and came and sat beside me as I snuggled up to him. Josh smiled as he put his arm around Ella. She really wasn't like other girls he'd met or dated before and that's what he liked about her. He thought about that night where she had scolded him for the "good girls" comment. He thought it was a bit cheeky, but cute. Still smiling, he couldn't think of being anywhere else at that moment, except for being there with her.