There's No Place Like Home (Marianas Trench / Josh Fiction)

Part 4

It’s hours later and I’m now leaning forward, my elbows firmly attached to the bar of a club I didn’t want to come to, staring down into the drink clutched in my hands. After the restaurant  I was dragged here by the guys I just wanted to go back to my room and wallow in my own disappointment. But of course the 3 of them wouldn’t have it. The music is pretty loud but  unfortunately not loud enough to drown out my own thoughts. Matt is standing beside me his back against the bar, trying to cheer me up, he’s rambling about something that I stopped actually listening to 10 minutes ago. I look up over my shoulder briefly and see Ian is mingling in the crowd, flirting with every pretty girl he can as usual. Mike... actually I have no idea where Mike has got to, probably over by the DJ. I focus back down at the bar top and start picking a fingernail into a scratch in the wood. My head swirling with things I should have said and done this afternoon. Like *Hi! Yeah that would be great, I’m Josh.... What are you doing for the rest of your life?* Okay maybe the last part is a bit much but an afternoon getting to find out who this Isabelle is would have been perfect.  Suddenly I feel a slap on my shoulder, I turn my head to look over at Matt, who is smiling like an Idiot. “FINALLY!” he exclaims yelling over the music. “You weren’t listening were you?” I sigh and shake my head and start to turn back to my drink “SHE’S HERE!” he says loudly in my ear shaking my shoulder again. I look at him cynically waiting for the rest of the joke, but he’s pointing across the room. I turn around and see her walking amongst the tables.  My heart starts to pound in my chest, as I watch her greet various people. She looks so beautiful in her black lace top, blue jeans and boots. *Am I getting one more chance?* I think to myself, my mind racing *Don’t blow it this time.* I turn back to the bar “I’m going to talk to her!” I declare aloud to no one in particular. I gulp down the remainder of my drink, it burns a little on the back of my throat. I take a deep breath and let it out slowly, psyching myself up “Okay, Now I’m ready. Go get her Josh!” I whisper to myself.

I step back from the bar and turn as something smacks me hard in the chest. I look down and see her, I reach my hands out to catch her as she stumbles backwards from the impact. “SHIT! SORRY!” I exclaim as my arm wraps around her waist to steady her again. She smiles looking up at me her head almost against my chest “It’s Okay.” I smile back and think *Man she’s standing really close* until I realize it’s because my arm is still wrapped tightly around her. I quickly pull my arm away and take a step back “Sorry!” I say again hoping she can hear me over the loud music.  She giggles, leaning in and putting her hand on my shoulder as she says in my ear “You said that already.” I think I actually started blushing, from her touch and the feel of her breath as is brushed my cheek.  I could feel my face getting hotter, I was just glad the lights were dim so hopefully she wouldn’t be able to tell. She continued “You’re the guy from the peak today, aren’t you? I just want to say sorry if I upset you this afternoon.” I think I made a weird sound as she removed her hand from my shoulder,  before replying “Oh No... You didn’t. I just needed to go.” That sounded wrong even to me, what was I saying. But thankfully she ignored it “I’m Izzy by the way.” She says introducing herself and extending her hand to me. I shake her hand leaning into her ear “Josh! Nice to meet you. Can I get you a drink?” She nods “Rye and Coke Zero.”  We found a table and sat and talked for the rest of the evening.

The snow continues to get heavier the further we drive into the mountain pass, I slow my speed the road is barely visible in front of me. I really need to start focusing on the road and not zoning out like this. Izzy stirs in her seat. I hear her yawn,  butI don’t want to risk taking my eyes off the ever diminishing road to look at her. “OH My!” she declares “It’s really coming down out there. How long have I been asleep?” I chance a glance down at the clock “About an hour and a half. It’s been snowing like this for the last 20 minutes or so.” “ Where are we?” “Just past Kamloops.”  I reply, my grip on the steering wheel tightening as I feel the car slide a bit on the now covered road. “You sure you’re okay to drive in this? Maybe we should find a place and stay the night, we can get there tomorrow.” She suggests, I shake my head “There’s nowhere to stop and besides I promised you a week on the hill and that’s what you are getting. We may just be a little late getting there.” “Are you sure, driving in this can be mesmerizing.” I chance another glance at her and smile “I’m sure. Trust Me.” She smiles back “I always trust you Josh, I trust you body and soul.” I can’t help but smile broader she was right and she had proven that trust time and time again, and I was proud to say I had never broken that trust. I’d had other girlfriends who never fully trusted me and I knew it, which eventually lead to me cheating. But Izzy was different all I ever wanted to do was make her happy right from that first night talking to her in the club.

We talked for hours that night. I found out her name was Isabelle Moore and she was an only child. Her parents had died in a plane crash when she was 6 so she had been brought up by her Grandmother in Edmonton. She still lived with her, their roles reversed and she was taking care of Grandmother now, at the age of 22. Her dark eyes lighting up as she spoke of her family. She worked part time in a clothing store, but was looking for a career in Graphic Design once she finished University in the coming months.  She was at the resort for the weekend with friends from work, they had told her she needed to “Get a Life” instead of working and studying.  A workaholic like myself, she was perfect for me.  I told her about the band, I wasn’t surprised that she had only vaguely heard about us. We’d only had one album out and were just about to release our second.  We laughed and talked until the lights came up in the club, telling us it was time to get out. I walked her back to her hotel and we made arrangements to see each other the next day. She was going to show me those pointers that she had mentioned in the afternoon. We stood in front of the hotel in silence for a couple of minutes before I said and awkward goodnight. I wanted to kiss her but it was too soon and I nervously offered her a handshake. She  laughed “Good Night.” then kissed my cheek before turning and rushing inside.  I stared at the door she had disappeared into for a moment, as I let the warmth blossom on my cheek where she kissed me. I then turned reluctantly and headed back to my room, and the flood of questions from the guys.