Dork Diaries: Next Generation

Who Is Josh?

Josh. A most definitely handsome guy who once had my heart.

Josh. A smooth talking charmer that could be on his thousandth bimbo, not thinking even once about me while he's doing whatever with her.

Josh. He could be anywhere in the boonies, and still manage to have a good time. He will most likely just pop up out of nowhere because all of the paparazzi are still on the whole "teen power couple" thing.

Josh. The kid who got off scot free while I was left behind to deal with the press.

Josh. The ex-boyfriend who my current boyfriend wants to know about, and I have no idea where to begin because the beginning was a mess.

"Who is Josh?" he asks. And the question rings in my head a million times before I begin to actually process it. Who is Josh? My first time. A person who I want to leave in my past, yet here he is, once again ruining something wonderful.

I swallow down the frustrated scream threatening to release itself and try to speak.

"Well," I begin, dragging on the "L" in utter nervousness. How do I even start? Taylor is an amazing guy I don't want to lose, but looking at how I hid this from him, that's where this entire situation is leading to.

"Well? Who is he? Should we be worried about him?"

"Yeah, maybe just a little. He's my ex-boyfriend," I say.

"Obviously. Why didn't I know about him before? Is he that bad?" Taylor laughs. In all honesty, I wish I could laugh too, but Josh is just that terrible that none of it is hilarious.

When Taylor sees my all too serious expression, his own smile disappears.

"He- Uh... He has been blackmailing me for the last year."

His eyes widen, just a little, and then worry fills them over.

Josh has a video of us getting wasted at a club where the both of us used great disguises and fake ID's. Of course we had to take off our sunglasses, or we wouldn't be able to see anything. And everyone was too drunk to notice us. Still, Josh is not as famous as me. I'm not trying to sound conceited, but it's true. In the video the doofus recorded, he's unrecognizable, but I'm as free as a bird and as drunk as a panda. Not even my mom or dad knows, and if it gets out, I'm so dead, I might as well disown myself from my family.

I tell this to Taylor, and the entire time his face is stern. It makes me think he's been judging me the entire time or plotting his revenge on Josh. Turns out, it's none of the above.

"You have to tell me things like this, Brandy. No, scratch that. You have to tell your parents or your aunts and uncles... Someone!" he chastises.

"As selfish as this sounds, I kind of like being rich and having parents so..."

"Brandy, I don't know what to do here. Isn't there someone who can get this guy and- I don't know- make sure the video is deleted and never seen?"

Think, Brandy. You have connections with plenty of people, but which person really knows their tech stuff? Oh, God... Her.

I put my head in my hands and groan. "Jessica Bridge."

"Vanessa's mom?"

I nod. She had sent my mother's life haywire when they were in high school. Of course it was my Uncle Theo that was the tech wiz, but Jessica was the one who coaxed him to do it. I know she hates each and every one of us, but maybe I can convince her to help me.

*~*~*~*

"Hi, you must be Jessica," I greet, my hand held out to shake hers.

She looks up from her clipboard and snarls. "And you must be the demon spawn," she says back.

"No, ma'am, that would be your daughter." I clear my throat to calm myself. I can't insult her daughter then ask her for help. "Look, I apologize for any damage that I may have caused, and I really need your assistance with something."

Jessica scoffs like it's the most farfetched thing anyone has ever heard of. "I already work for your mother. What makes you think I'd really want to do anything for you?"

"I can get you fired. Although that would be very rude, so I'll pay you extra for this little task."

She stops her scribbling on her paper. "I'm listening."

"You have to keep it a secret." She nods. "You remember Josh. He got a video of us when we went to a night club. It could ruin my family's rep, and I need you to get rid of it."

"And you can't ask for Theodore's help because..."

"He'll just tell my mother because he's overly responsible."

She presses her lips in a thin line and thinks for thirty seconds before she agrees. "I want cash not a check, got it?" she demands before I leave.

I nod vigorously in excitement. "Yeah, I'll get it to you by tomorrow. Thank you so much!" She just waves me off, and I start my drive to Taylor's with a large smile.

"She actually agreed to do it?" he asks when I told him all about it.

"Well after I blackmailed and bribed her, but she agreed. That's all that matters right now."

"That's just phase one of your entire plan. How is she supposed to get the video if she doesn't have his phone or laptop?"

Oh God, DUH!

I forgot about that. Christ, I thought I had it all thought through, and now I realize I needed Josh. I cringe. I never thought I'd have to say those words again.

"We're gonna have to stage a break up."

"What!?"

I pull out my phone and search through my infinite amount of contacts, surprised that I still have this douchebag's number.

Me: Hey babe I miss you. Wanna go out for lunch tmrw??

Josh: What about the new bf

Me: I'm dumping him anyway. Too boring.

Taylor and I wait for a response after twenty minutes:

Josh: Which school did you go to again?? I'll be there at lunch time

Phase two starts tomorrow.