✺ 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 ✺- Josh Kiszka

Part 30

Monday through Friday went as well as could be expected for a week at public high school. Assignments piling up, tests, the occasional adrenaline rush at two am when I would realize I had a major project due the next day, and the stress-induced, yet alleviating power naps that hit me like a wave the second I fell onto my bed after school.

This week, my mother had been home more frequently as well, hounding me any minute she could about Josh, and when he would be able to come over next.

I had since forewarned Josh about my mother's request to formally meet him, to which, of course, he was pleasantly delighted. He assured me that he was just excited to meet her, as she was my mom, and he thought it would be good to get to know her. I was sure it was just because he wanted to make up for the embarrassing first impression he made the past Sunday night.

I had filled in my mom on most of the details between Josh and me. A little bit about the hike, the 'lake date,' and some about his family. She wasn't too pleased with the number of plans I had made in the past week away from home, especially alone with him, outside of her knowledge, but she listened intently nonetheless.

I could tell she already had taken a liking to him. She had been in a band herself in college, and I assumed she was itching to hear them play.

Violet had eventually called her dad as well–upon my mom's constant nagging– and told him that she would be staying with me for a while. She brushed over the details of Sam but did finally bring him up. Her dad didn't seem to mind, and he surprisingly had a more jovial tone when he spoke–something that he rarely displayed to either of us.

Violet's mood had lifted significantly after the call, relief evident in her features. Probably because this meant she had formal approval to stay with me for a while longer.

We had managed to keep up a decent sleep schedule, only staying up past eleven or twelve on one or two nights when we had all too much to tell one another. Better sleep meant easier days at school as well. No dozing off any chance we could in classes or at the lunch table.

School had also become significantly different with Josh in the past week as well. We still weren't 'official' as Violet would call it, but we had gotten comfortable walking together any chance we got, and occasionally holding hands as we made our way from class to class.

This more romantic gesture earned us many odd looks from our distant friends and other classmates. In their minds, we were an odd display. The two most different people who had barely uttered a sentence to one another weeks ago, now seemed like they had known each other for years. And in an odd way, we kind of had.

I was fine with the funny looks, it never bothered me or Josh to any extent. There was only one person whose glances made me sick to my stomach. Claire and I shared second period together, and I would constantly catch her looking my way during class. It wasn't in a mean, or disdainful way though, it was saddened and almost accepting. Which honestly was worse.

Fourth-period art had been dragging on that Friday, and even though I loved the class, I was dying to get home. Tonight was when Josh would be coming over for dinner with my mom. Violet had also mentioned Sam coming as well, which my mother was more than happy to hear about, as she was very curious about their strange relationship as well.

The bell rang its methodical three dings, and I raced out of the class and to the front corridor where Josh, Violet, Sam, and I had been meeting up recently.

I waited patiently on my phone for the three to arrive, and when I looked up after a minute or so, I saw them walk hastily down towards me, smiles all lining their faces.

I felt one plaster itself on mine as well when Josh beamed down at me with his toothy grin.

"If it's not a bother to you or your mom, Sam and I were planning on going by our house for a second before coming over," Josh stated as we walked to our respective cars parked in the front of our school's lot.