You were laying in your room talking to Amelie on facetime and feeling beyond grateful to have her back in your life.
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Amelie: “Honey, he worships you. Maybe you just misunderstood.”
You: “You don’t understand. It was just so sketchy.”
Amelie: “Never in a million years would he have had another girl in that room. Maybe last year but the Josh he has been since your accident? Not a chance. Just talk to him, okay?”
You agreed and as soon as you hung up with her you tried to call him. Within two rings, he rejected the call and the second you heard his voicemail, you threw your phone on the ground. Before you could even bend over to reach the spot the phone landed, someone was softly knocking on your bedroom door.
You opened it and the moment you saw Josh, you tried to hide that you'd been crying and moved back to your bed. He looked so confused by your reaction so you worked up the nerve to choke out: “ Did- did you have another girl in your room last night?”
Josh: “What are you talking about?”
You: “P- Please just tell me the truth and I will try to not freak out.”
Josh: “Jesus! What kind of dudes have you dated before? Another girl? Are you crazy?”
You: “I don't understand. Why didn't you want to see me?”
Josh: “I need to tell you something…”
You felt your heart drop into your stomach as you wait for his admission: “The person in my room last night and this morning was your brother.”
Josh took a deep breath and continued: “He absolutely swore me to secrecy and I gave him my word but you are my very best friend and if it will make you trust what I'm saying then I'll tell you everything. I just want us to be okay.”
You: “No, don’t do that. I do trust you. My imagination just got away from me. Just promise me he’s okay.”
Josh: *pulled you into a hug* “He will be."
He wiped your tears and then pulled you back into a tight hug as he whispered against your hair: “I’m never going to want anything else in this world enough to risk losing you.”
He saw the coffee cups and bag of donuts on your dresser and remembered you holding them at his door that morning. He felt awful for pushing you away.
Josh: “Was that for me?”
You: “It’s okay. It’s probably cold now.”
Josh: “Mmmm cold coffee, my favorite.”
You laughed and bent over to steal a bite of his donut right out of his hand.
Josh: “Hey! That one’s mine. You can have the sprinkly one.”
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Your sweet moment was interrupted by your dad yelling for your Mom in a panicked tone so you and Josh rushed downstairs. Your dad turned to you: “Do you have any idea why I just got a call from the insurance company asking to preauthorize Jaden staying a month in a mental facility that specializes in drug and alcohol rehabilitation.”
Josh froze and you looked even more shocked than your parents.
Dad: “What about school? It starts in a week?”
Your mom walked in holding a piece of mail and announced: “Well, I have the answer to that. The school returned the check we sent them with a letter saying Jaden withdrew from school before the deadline so we got a full refund.”
They both turned to you as your Dad glared your direction: “I know you know more than you’re letting on."
Josh stepped up and admitted: “I’m the one who took him. She didn’t know anything.”
Your mom got defensive and argued: “Don’t you think that should have been up to his parents?”
You jumped to his defend Josh and Jaden: “You’ve always pushed him too hard towards crap he didn’t want and took him away from what he loved music-”
Josh held you back and clarified: “No one actually thinks it’s their fault. God knows that dude can do bad enough by himself.”
Mom: “I just don’t understand what happened.”
Josh defused the situation with a safe truth: “He showed up to my dorm and admitted he has been struggling to not drink too much and asked that I take him so I did and I won’t apologize for that.”
Your dad pulled Josh into a hug and agreed: “The best thing we can all do right now is just show Jaden we support him in everything he is trying to do to be happy, starting with getting clean and yes eventually music.”
