glitch | jack hughes (rewritten)

chapter 72

jack hughes

The minute my brain starts waking up I shoot up in bed without giving the rest of my body a warning and yank my phone off of the charger. I look for a message from my girlfriend and come up empty-handed. "Damn it, Josephine." I mumble, rubbing my palms over my face in pure frustration. I hate to be frustrated with her but I know something is wrong and it bothers me that she's going out of her way to avoid speaking to me.

I wish that I didn't have a small feeling of what could be bothering her but my girlfriend never escapes tabloids so I know as much as the public knows. Josie was in Ireland for her tour and Brendan just so happened to be spotted there as well. I hate to think that he was there to see her and she let him waltz back into her life. 

The idea of Josie cheating on me makes me sick to my stomach so I try not to think about it for too long but it lingers in the back of my mind. I press the base of my hand into my chest where I feel the ache of losing the best thing that has ever happened to me. 

We were supposed to grow old together. I wanted to marry her and if this is all one big misunderstanding then I would still love to stand in front of everyone we love and make it official. I want my girl back.  

"Jack, we got to go in thirty minutes!" My younger brother shouts from the other side of the door. I sigh to myself and swing my legs over the edge of my bed. I look at her thumb ring which I took off before getting in bed last night. I stare at the sterling silver ring and look away from it, leaving it on my bedside table instead of putting it on. 

I don't feel like I should be wearing it anymore. 

I make my way to the bathroom, taking in the darkness of my face. I haven't shaved or slept in a while so I'm growing a beard and I have horrible bags under my eyes. If Josie were here I think she'd like the beard. I know she's been wanting me to grow a mustache but I don't know if it suits me. 

After washing my face and getting ready for practice I look at the ring one more time before leaving without it. "Let's go!" I say, skipping out on breakfast which I never do since I'm an athlete and require tons of protein to keep me going throughout practice and games. Luke finds my lack of anything to eat odd but holds his tongue, following me out of our apartment. 

I get in the driver's seat with a dark expression, not in the mood to talk. "You probably don't care but Josie sang a new song a few nights ago. 'Breaking me down' or something." Luke says, increasing the horrible ache in my chest which slowly starts spreading across my body. I'm not completely sure but I'm pretty sure that's the song that played after Nico played 'Nonsense' in the car. 

The one that was completely depressing and destroyed me to think that she was feeling that way. "Fuck. Can you grab my phone and text her again." I tell my younger brother, handing him my phone. He puts the passcode in which is Josie's birthday, it didn't take everyone long to figure that out. 

His eyes widen at the amount of unread messages and blows a breath past his lips. "Just tell her that I miss her and I want to talk to her soon." I say, knowing very well that my written words won't make it through her blocked-off exterior. I can beg and beg for her to communicate but she won't if she doesn't want to.

Luke turns off my phone and picks his up to call one of his best friends who just so happens to be Josie's younger brother. "Theo! How are you bud?" Luke says loudly, making my heart race at the fact that someone close to Josie picked up the phone. Before Theo has the chance to respond Luke puts the phone on speaker for me to hear. 

"I'm great, I love touring. Josie's about to go on in a few- Josie! Josie! Fuck! Jesus Christ! Bobby!" Theo shouts but his tone is far from scared. He sounds annoyed and frustrated instead. He groans into the phone and says, "Josie, what the fuck? You're on in half an hour." He scolds his older sister making me wish I was there to help.