Get You Down

Chapter 38-Beloved

Author's note: I realized we haven't had a good Josh chapter in a while, so this is what happened right after the taco lunch date with Ophelia.
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Josh's POV
I watched Ophelia climb into Jake's car, and sighed as they drove away. I didn't have any other plans today, so I headed back in to order a margarita. The waitress was already clearing our table, and was surprised when I stopped her.

"I'm so sorry, but you don't have to do that...I was going to order a margarita or two," I said with a smile as I placed my hand on hers to stop her from taking the chips from the table. She smiled and turned away. After a moment, she looked back at me and nodded as she pushed her glasses back up the bridge of her nose.

"O-okay! I was just going to clear it before shift change.." she said softly as she fidgeted with a pen she had stuck in one of the buns on top of her head. She tucked a small piece of hair behind her ear, and turned to look away slowing me to see the braids that lead from the base of her skull up to her space buns. I smiled, touched her shoulder gently to bring her attention back to me, and handed her a $100 bill.

"This should cover the bill and your tip, right?" I asked and watched her cheeks turn pink.

She nodded and hesitantly said, "Th-thank you..I'm sorry your date went kind of bad.." My jaw fell open before laughter bubbled out.

"What makes you say that?" I asked curiously. Her face dropped and she tried to look away again, but my eyes held her deep blue ones on me. I smiled, and her lips curled into a one to match.

"Did it go well?" She asked, seeing through my confidence easily. I chuckled and looked away from her this time.

"No, but it's kind of a long story.." I began.

She held out her finger and said, "Hold that thought! I'll bring you your margarita and clock out so I can sit with you.." Her voice trailed off, and she looked somewhat embarrassed when she added, "..if that's okay?"

"I would love that!" I beamed. She walked away, but pranced would probably be a better word. She was very small and delicate looking, and appeared to flow through a room. Her fingertips danced along the empty tables she passed and she disappeared into the back.

She returned with two margaritas and sat down across from me. There must have been a locker or something in the back because she had changed from the black pants and white button up shirt she was wearing to a pair of denim overalls covered in multi-colored paint smears over a red bralette with a pair of paint splattered converses.

"So tell me the long story about you and this girl.." she said as she dramatically folded her hands and rested her chin on them. I smiled and launched into the love story of Ophelia and I. I started with how we met, how connected we were, how quickly we fell, and even went into detail about the tour kiss and the Lauren situation.

"Then I was alone on my birthday for the first time ever..so I'm pretty sure she's seeing my brother, but I'm willing to try to win her back.." I finished. She sighed and nodded.

"That was a really long story," she said with a soft laugh that made me smile. "She is really beautiful..so I see why you're so drawn to her.."

The two of us chatted for hours and I ordered us each another margarita or two. We laughed effortlessly, and I had a really fun time with her. As dinner rush started, I realized we had never introduced ourselves really.

"My name is Josh Kiszka, by the way..what's yours?" I asked with a smile as we stood up to leave our table.

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet.." she said in a confident and thoughtful tone.