Get You Down

Chapter 27-Faithful

Josh's POV
My head was pounding and I didn't remember much from the night before. Somehow I had woken up in Lauren's room, though. The realization of my fight with Jake and Ophelia washed over me when I felt how swollen my nose still was.

"I said good morning, Josh...are you okay?" Lauren said calling me out of my deep thought.

"Huh? Oh yeah...I'm sorry, good morning," I replied nonchalantly. She sat down beside me in bed, and began trying to doctor my nose, gently wiping away the dried blood with a warm, wet washcloth. I winced.

"I tried to take care of this last night, but you weren't having it. You just kept trying to make out to 'forget about Ophelia'..." she said as she kept working diligently.

"I don't remember that.." I said softly. Thinking back, I don't really remember anything after grabbing the alcohol from behind the bar and hiding in the first theater I found. I had been overwhelmed with all of it. Ophelia had gone to so much effort to make my party a surprise and absolutely perfect, and it was all ruined by a mistake. I groaned at the thought.

"Yeah, you were pretty trashed after Jake and Ophelia left. I tried to talk to you about it, but you kept telling me to leave," she said with a smile. "That's why I was so surprised when you called me later that night to come get you."

I had called her of all people? That seemed insane now, but I didn't have many options. Danny and Sammy had taken an Uber there with full intentions of getting drunk. Jake and Ophelia left together and rightfully hated my guts right now. Lauren seems nice enough, but I don't have the same feelings for her that I have for Ophelia.

"Thanks...and sorry for being a dick," I said apologetically. It wasn't her only her fault, and honestly she's the only person that understands right now.

"Don't worry about it, Josh...really, I don't mind," she said with a smile. She had changed out of her dress out of her party dress into a bralette, tiny shorts and a flowy bohemian kimono at some point. I glanced under the blankets to see I was naked. That made sense. I looked around the room and saw my suit from the night before crumpled in the floor and my phone on the nightstand dead. Lauren noticed as I unsuccessfully tried to turn on my phone and tossed me her charger. "Here, you can charge it and pick something to watch while I make some breakfast," she said as she stood to walk back out her bedroom door. I nodded and plugged my phone up before settling on 30 Rock. It always made me laugh.

My phone finally turned on, and began to buzz with missed calls and unread messages. I ignored the calls and read the texts.

Mama-Your dad and I are heading back to Michigan today, we love you!

Francis-Are you good? Danny said he saw you leaving with some girl???

Daniel-Be careful, call me if you need me..

I sent quick replies to let them all know I was fine, and was internally distracted by the fact that none of the messages were from Jake or Ophelia. I was determined to give them space, though, confident they would talk to me eventually.

Lauren walked back in with a big plate of bacon and eggs that we shared while laughing at Liz Lemon. We didn't have to talk, we just enjoyed the company.

After an hour or so, I asked, "Do you mind if I grab a shower?"

She smiled wide and said, "Do you mind if I join you in there?"

I thought about it for a moment and decided there was really no reason to say no. Humans are sexual beings, and I was fairly sure that Ophelia and I were no longer together. I nodded and said, "That would be fun...but in the spirit of honesty—"