The Past Is In The Past(Jolivia)

Chapter 9

-February 2019-

Josh's POV:

"Hey Matt, Liv is not coming, and I don't feel good. You guys have fun though." I leave a audio.

"Alright. If you need something were here =)" He texts me.

To be honest I don't know why I got so mad. I'm just driving harshly to my apartment. It gets on my nerves that Ethan calls me 'Bassett'. Like, I know that's my last name, but it makes him look superior than me. And to top that, Olivia seems like a whole other person. She didn't hug me, and she doesn't call me 'Joshy' at all. It's confusing! Then I get a call from Claire, my younger sister.

"Hi Clai-" I was interrupted.

"Josh! I'm so mad right now, it's really unfair." She said, I knew she was about to cry.

"Okay, first calm down. Aren't you supposed to be in cheer-leading practice right now?" I say, forgetting about my problems.

"Yes! But I'm not!" She complained, I could hear her sniffles.

"Why? what happened?" I ask.

"Jamie, you know, the leader of the cheer-leading squad, kicked me out of the team." She cried.

"Oh." Was all I could say. I can't believe this! She's dreamed of being in the cheer-leading squad, since like, always!

"She's such a-"

"Woah, let's take a pause, and breathe, alright?" I cut her off. "How come?"

"So, there's this drama in my school that happened after homecoming. Let me start from the beginning. We were going to Homecoming. Jaime was going with Parker, Miranda was going with Steven, Abigail was going with Shawn, and I was going with Jack-" She explained.

"You and Jack? As in the 9th grade player, Jack? Claire why would you-" I was about to give her a lecture but she interrupted me.

"I know, but I wanted to go, we didn't even talk, he just drove me there. But the thing is, and we all know, Parker has feelings for me."

"Yeah." I agreed.

"So, Miranda, Abigail, and I were talking at a table, while Jamie was with the guys. Then they started mocking Parker about me. And they came to me and told me if I liked him. I said no, because I didn't-"

"You didn't, you mean you don't?"

"Uh, let me finish first." She told me.

"Claire." I warned her.

"What?" She responded.

"Please tell me you didn't do something stupid." I said. She's my little sister, she's too young to, you know. There was silence. "Claire?" I ask, but I just heard sniffles.

"I'm sorry." She whimpered.

"Claire, it couldn't have been that bad. You're only sixteen." I say that last part shocked.

"It's just that, I was convincing them that I didn't like Parker, but then I kinda realized I did. So Kayce told me to prove that I didn't, so I kissed Jack." She stopped. We were both silent.

"You lost your first kiss with Jack. You said you didn't even talk to him!" I breathe out. Jack is known for having something to do with every girl, my older sisters are included in that too. So I made it my responsibility to not let anything happen between Jack and Claire. I guess I failed. And Claire knew that.

"But then they told me that he didn't count because he was a player, so I kissed Charles, but he's also a player, So, I kissed Aron."

"You kissed three random guys? Claire what's gotten into you?" I say in a loud tone.

"I don't know! I don't know." She responds. "But then when the homecoming party was over Parker told me that he liked me, and he would respect if I didn't like him and he'd move on. And I told him I did like him too, but I wanted to take things slow. So we kissed, and Jaime saw it. Jamie and Parker aren't dating, but she likes him. So she saw that and now she's taking revenge by kicking me off the squad." She ended. Parker is a very respectful guy.

"Claire, what do you want me to say?" I asked.

"I don't know, but dad can't know about this."

"I just thought you'd do better than that. What you did wasn't right, and you know it. And if dad knew he'd probably say the same thing. I just can't believe that you didn't think that your actions have consequences while all that happened." I scolded her

"Oh, so you're saying that I deserve to be kicked out of the squad?"

"No, but you can't just go around kissing the first person you see!" 

"It was all too messy. I was the only sophomore who hadn't had their first kiss yet. Everyone's eyes were on me." She responds.

"But that's what makes you Claire. You're a very intelligent, dedicated, responsible, and a very talented young woman." I comfort her. "And whatever people say shouldn't change who you are, because they don't know who you are, only you do. And you can't live of what people say!"

"It was just too much pressure." She added.

"Yeah, and I get that. My 'friends' weren't the best influence, and I would get in a lot of trouble. As you get older, you start regretting what you did or didn't do in the past. Just try not to do something you'll regret."

"Thanks Josh. I really needed that, all of it." She says calming down.

"That's what I'm here for." I responded with a soft smile, even if she couldn't see it.

"How are you? I'm sorry I totally laid all my problems on you." She asked.

"Well, I'm hanging in there I guess." I respond. Being my sister, she knew something was off, so I told her everything.

"Well, I mean... Her boyfriend came to visit, imagine how she feels. Just give it time, I bet you she'll be back to 'normal' in a couple of days." She assured me.

"Yeah, thanks Claire." I say. She always knows what to say. "You gotta keep me updated on you and Parker."

"I will. I feel like it's going to last honestly." She started. I really wish I was there with her, so I could wipe her tears away and hug her and sing to her.

N/A

just joshy being a protective brother :D