Until Dawn (Josh x OC)

Chapter 22: The Aftermath.

It has been 3 weeks.

3 weeks since I have spoken to josh, it will been a month in a couple of hours, yet it feels like its been a lifetime.

Every night I have cried myself to sleep, being alone and isolated has made me feel even worse.

The truth is that I miss josh so much.

And I have developed this fear that he no longer cares about me, or that he doesn't miss me at all, which is probably the truth after this long.

Sam and mike have been texting me, asking if I was alright and questioning what has happened between me and Josh, but I never told them it all. I felt uncomfortable explaining.

I have ignored so many messages from everybody around me, the only people who have properly been there for me was pete and Hannah. We have all developed a great friendship from this past month, from working there for a long time. They have seen me cry, and they have tried to help me through it.

No matter how much anybody helps, I know I am forever stuck.

Pete always gives me advice to move on, but I find it extremely difficult to imagine myself being in a relationship with another guy.

Although, I guess I have to move on, since josh is no longer apart of my life.

*beep* my phone alerted me off a phone call of pete.

"Lauren, want to come down mine later? I figured we could go get some coffee and come back to mine if you'd like." He suggested sweetly, but I had to decline his caring and kind offer.
"I can't right now, I feel a little ill." I lied, as I apologised repeatedly to him.

"Okay, it's fine, see you next week then, for work." He said as he hung up the phone.

I kept shutting pete off, rejecting every offer he has thrown at me which I feel extremely bad for, since he was such a great guy and I would be lucky to have him. I just still haven't felt comfortable with the idea of dating someone else.

The only positive thing that has come from this month is my new puppy I bought two weeks ago. It is a tiny pug, which has been the only source of happiness for me throughout these hard last couple of weeks.

James has completely stopped all contact, which I found odd, but I was so happy with it.

A sudden loud bark distracted me from my dark thoughts, as I saw Alfie (which was what I had named the puppy) trying to jump up onto the couch next to me.

I smiled as I picked him up and laid him on my lap.

"It's just you and me little guy." I said depressingly, as I sighed loudly.
He was biting onto my finger playfully, as he was barking "You little monster." I muttered as I tickled his stomach, making him wag his tail.

My phone went off again, and I expected it to be pete as I picked it up.
"What do you want pete?"
"Oh..it's mike, sorry." He murmured.
"Oh sorry, what's wrong?" I asked him, feeling concerned.
"It's just..I don't know..we haven't seen you in a long time, and we all miss you Lauren." He said sweetly which made me want to cry.
"We are worrying about you."

"I have just been so busy with work." I lied, as I started to speak nervously.
"Just please come over? I am having this Halloween party thingy, everyone's coming over, invite as many friends as you want. I just want to see you, see if you are okay."

After everything he had just said which was so sweet and caring, I felt like I had to go, out of my guilt, "Uhm..sure I guess, I might bring two people that I'd love to introduce to you." I said more confidently.
"Yeah that would be awesome. I can't wait to see you again, it's been like months." He laughed.
"Yeah..fine flys by I guess."