Chloe
You think that it's funny when I'm mad, mad, mad
"Chloe," a voice whispers. A tired moan escapes my lips as I fight to stay asleep.
"Chloe, wake up." Bright lights suddenly flood through my eyelids and my immediate reaction is to think that I'm dying. Then my partially unconscious mind clears and I realize that it's just Josh turning the lights on to wake me up.
I grudgingly allow my eyes to flutter open and they land on my clock sitting on the bedside table. It's one o'clock in the morning. Why the hell is he waking me up?
"I need to tell you something," he says. It seems like there's regret in his words, but I'm not sure if that's real or if I'm still just three-quarters asleep.
"What's wrong babe?" I ask, pushing myself up using my arms and resting against the headboard of the bed.
"Did you just call me babe? You hate that word," Josh questions. I called him babe? I really am tired.
"Why are you waking me up at one o'clock? Did you just finish working?" I ask, surprised at how raspy my voice sounds. He nods his head.
"I have bad news," he blurts out. He moves over so he is right next to me and I rest my head on his shoulder. "You know I love you, right?"
"Last time you said that it was because Kamryn kissed you. What happened this time?" I mumble. I'm still groggy from being awoken and I'm shocked that I'm able to make cohesive statements.
"I'm going to have to miss your gallery opening." I look up at Josh and see his blue eyes are clouded with sadness and regret. I'm sure mine are too, mixed of course with anger and confusion.
"W-what? Why?" I question.
"I'm going to have to work nonstop to get this stupid movie done. We only have until Wednesday to finish it because even though we don't premiere it until Sunday, the theater needs to have the CD copy by Thursday in order to have the film copy made by Saturday and then they need all of Sunday before it shows to set up the film in the projector," he rambles.
"But I thought you were almost done. I thought that you were going to finish it tonight," I say.
I can feel a lump forming in my throat and I know that it carries a sob with it. I'm fighting to keep it down because I don't want to cry. I will not cry myself to sleep two nights in a row.
"We did finish it but then the computer crashed and somehow the last half hour got deleted," he explains.
"Can't they work on it for a few hours without you? Or can't you just work all day Monday and then pull an all-nighter and have all of Tuesday to work on it? I mean, you can still finish it by Wednesday," I suggest.
Josh heaves out a massive sigh. "I'm the only one that has the order of the scenes memorized so they need me there or else the ending is going to be all out of whack. And I tried every possible scenario that would allow me to go, but none of them worked out."
"Oh," I mutter.
"I'm so sorry Chloe. I want to go more than anything in the world. Please don't be mad at me. I can't stand to think that this is hurting you," he whispers.
I'm not necessarily mad at him, but I'm certainly disappointed. I get it that mistakes happen, but it just seems like there should be some way that he can make it. I've been looking forward to opening a gallery ever since Kindergarten and I've always imagined Josh being there with me.
Josh leans over and twists the nob on the lamp that's illuminating the room, causing is to be encased in darkness. I slide back down to my pillow and turn so I'm facing the wall on my side of the room.
I feel Josh's strong arms wrap around my torso and I can feel his body warmth heating me. He lifts his head up and kisses my cheek, murmuring another sorry. I can tell that he too is teary-eyed at the situation.
I shut my eyes tight, trying to will away the tears that I know are on the verge of spilling out and force myself back to sleep. But the tears come quickly and sleep does not come for another hour.
