The Boy I Used To Know ( A Josh Hutcherson FanFic)

Chapter 31

Three days after Annie left the hospital, Josh called to tell her they were off. She cried, of course, and she tried to set things straight, but he firmly said no-- and he hung up.

"Annie dear, I know you're unhappy about it, but you need to eat," Annie's mom told her, as she pushed Annie's plate gently towards her.

Annie stared at it blankly. "Sure, mom," she said standing up to leave the table with the plate in her hand, "I'll finish it in my room." Her mother frowned, knowing it was going to end up cold and untouched at the corner of her bed. 

"Listen, you and Josh... I've known him since he was a little boy, and watching you two grow up to be the fine people you are now, it breaks my heart to see you two destroy each other like this," Annie's mom said.

"Mom--"

"No, Annie. You don't see it, he doesn't see it. And maybe Kayne doesn't see it either. You three are all blinded by each others' problems that you aren't living for yourself anymore. When was the last time you saw Josh paint? Have you been dancing like you used to lately?"

Annie stayed silent. She knew her mother was right. She's been living for somebody else and it has taken a rather huge toll on her.

"Josh is a wonderful young man and as much as I want you two to always be together, you're closing yourself off to the outside world. There will be people out there who will love you for you, not just your loyalty to them."

Annie looked up at her mother and noticed how worn she looked. So different from what she used to look like. It was almost like her mom had gone through all the hurt instead of her. "Is that what it is now, mom? Do you think Josh only loves me for my loyalty?"

"Familiarity. After awhile, Annie, when two people have had a bumpy relationship, they tend to settle. They settle for the ones they're familiar with, it's a safe feeling," she replied.

Annie nodded and continued her way up the stairs to her room. She knew what she had to do now.

***

Annie walked out of the subway station with a half-smile on her face. She was finally in New York, like she always wanted. Like Josh always wanted. It was a foreign city with foreign people speaking about foreign things, and Annie needed just that. She had to break out of Kansas and the clutches of Josh and Kayne and her family. Change is always a good thing, right?

She opened her fist that was tightly clenched since she stepped into the train and read the address one more time.

***

"Hello, I'm Annie Silverman. I'm here for the 2 o'clock meeting with Claudia," Annie said to the receptionist. The lady behind the counter led her to a lounge where Annie spent the next half hour waiting nervously. After two bottles of water and knees so weak from the shaking, the receptionists called for her to walk right into the meeting room. Annie straightened her skirt, took a deep breath and strode right in.

"Annie Silverman, I'm Claudia Jones. Glad to finally meet you in person."

Glad, huh? She was plenty glad too.

***

A month passed since Annie left for New York. Josh didn't want to keep count, but he had the empty chair next to his hospital bed remind him everyday, and the many times he looked for her pictures in his phone at night when he couldn't sleep. He hadn't been sleeping a lot for the past few weeks. Kayne would sometimes wake up too and they would spend the rest of the night in each other's arms, not speaking, just breathing.

With each passing day, it was getting harder for him to sit up and live. He didn't quite care for treatment anymore. He knew he was going to end up in the ground anyway, no point trying to squeeze every last drop of his parents' hard earned money, especially with Lucas around now. The more he resented Lucas, the less his parents came to visit. 

It was simple, according to his mother. Just be nice. But Josh couldn't be bothered. Kayne gave Lucas an even harder time. 

His parents came to visit him a week ago and stayed for an hour. They didn't bring their shiny new toy over, though. That was the last he saw of them. No calls, no texts - not even a note since.

"Hutcherson, wanna go for a walk?" Kayne asked, grabbing his prosthetic from his nightstand. 

"I don't feel like getting sunshine today."

"You never feel like getting sunshine, you tofu. Come on, the weather is real nice today."

"No, you can go, Kayne."

Kayne sighed. He hobbled over to sit with Josh and they sat in silence again. 

"I think maybe it's time," Josh whispered.

"Time for what?"

"I should probably call her. It doesn't feel right."

Kayne looked down. He didn't want to acknowledge it but damn, he knew. He knew from the start that Josh would always choose her, would always go back to her. Sure, they broke up. But the break up was a death sentence to Josh and he should've known better than to have taken the opportunity to leech off someone else's heartbreak.

"It'll never feels right. But you have to accept that she's not going to leave what she's got now just to come back to someone who is... umm, hesitant."

Josh laughed. "Hesitant, huh? Just say it, Kayne. I'm not going to get butthurt, though my butt does hurt from sitting all day."

"You're not going to die."

"You're full of shit."

"Being full of shit is better than being full of guilt."

***

Annie stood up to shake Claudia's hand. 

"Thank you, Mrs. Jones. This means a lot to me," she said with a grin. Claudia smiled back too and just like that, Annie's whole world changed.

She barely remembered the journey back to her apartment. It was a real daze, and when she unlocked the door to her new place, the emptiness was loud enough to make her want to leave. She was here in NYC, where she had always wanted to be since God knows when, but it wasn't the way it was supposed to be. She was supposed to have a nice studio with Josh and a kitchen big enough for the both of them, instead of a bedroom. She was going to make the floors carpeted and Josh wanted a cat. A couple of years ago, it was like they had it all figured out. Now she is here, and he is in a hospital bed with a boy he loves. It was not the way she wanted it, but maybe it was what she needed to get here.

Annie headed to the balcony and stood there, admiring the view for a bit. The city was alive and she knew that somewhere deep within her, something still lived. She was young and there was a planned that she somehow forgot about until Josh took her apart. 

Her day could be better, she thought. Getting a job at the Met, it was a dream come true for her. For Josh too. He had always wanted to work in an art gallery. He wanted his works here. He wanted to live in the city. He wanted her to stay. He wanted all this. Annie couldn't help but let out a sob when she realised it.

She was living for somebody else again, even when she wanted to live for herself.

*******

A/N: Do people still read this, though? Thank you for sticking by, if you are indeed still reading. It's been a year, maybe? So many things have changed now and I'm no longer all that invested in Josh Hutcherson, except for when I'm writing TBIUTK. It's still special. Once again and as usual, do vote, comment and all the good stuff. :) <3