If This Was A Movie - A Joshifer Fanfiction

Chapter 43

Josh's POV
I begin to pull away from our embrace, but Jen continues to hold me. After another few minutes, though, I realize that she's asleep. I smile to myself and try to pick her up bridal style. It works, though her head is still on my shoulder. Her breaths have slowed and are now even, indicating that she's still fully asleep. I gently brush the hair out of her face that's fallen before walking toward the door, leaving our donuts and coffee on the table. As soon as I open it, the paparazzi go absolutely crazy. The light rain doesn't help much, because both Jen and I are getting slightly wet from the drops. "Josh! Over here!" One yells. Another yells "Jennifer! To the left!" probably not realizing that she's asleep. I laugh to myself at that particular comment. Paparazzi can often be pathetically ignorant.
Jen is heavy in my arms, especially since she's asleep, so it's hard to get to the hotel. I continue to hold her, though, as I push through the paparazzi. I breathe a sigh of relief as the hotel comes into view.
It's soon enough that I've been through the lobby and elevator. I ran fast enough that the rain has only made me a bit wet, and Jen seems to be almost entirely dry. I walk down the hallway and fit the key through the keyhole. The door swings open, but something moves in the corner of my eye. It's gone soon, but I recognize it. I think it was a shadow of someone that I know all too well.
I run into the room and try not to slam the door shut. I gently put Jen down on the bed in the center of the room and put the blankets over her, careful not to wake her. I kiss her forehead and pause to look at her for a moment. She looks like an angel right now, fast asleep and probably dreaming. Her golden blond hair surrounds her face, making her look like a regal queen. Like our nicknames, but hers as queen is much more fitting than mine.
A loud crashing sound from the hallway immediately gets my attention. I whip around and run immediately toward the door. As I would've as a child, I squat down and put my face near the keyhole so I can watch whoever's out there. I get another glimpse of the figure I previously saw.
I open the door quietly, careful not to wake Jen, and burst out into the hallway.
"Show yourself. I know you're here." I say, my voice wavering.
My worst suspicions are confirmed as the figure emerges from the shadows, revealing her face to be the piercingly beautiful face it has always been. But that face is merely a mask to cover up the evil it shelters.
Claudia stares back at me.
"What the fuck are you doing? Have you been following me?" I say, anger tearing at my tone.
She's unresponsive.
"You have to fucking stop. Do whatever bad things you want to me, just get the hell away from Jen. Don't hurt her. Hurt me instead, I don't care. Just leave Jennifer alone." I spit, fiercely protecting Jen.
Claudia laughs.
"Why, I haven't done anything. Merely sharing information to a reporter? Everyone does it. How bad can that be?" She says innocently.
I have to resist the urge to slap her.
"You hurt Jen. I will not forgive you for that. Leave her alone."
She's unresponsive again. I take a step closer to her, my face burning in anger.
"Very protective of Jennifer I see." She mutters.
"Yeah, I am. I am because I fucking love her. I love her. I would defend her with my life and more. I would do anything to garuntee her safety and happiness. Anything. But it's not like you'd know a thing about that; you haven't been in love before." I spit.
I see that I've crossed a line. One that I can't step back over. Her eyes widen in anger, and I know I shouldn't have said that.
"Who are you to judge my love life? Nobody. I loved you, Josh. I loved you a lot. But you never loved me. Your heart was never with mine; your head was always in the clouds, dreaming about how you wish Jennifer loved you. Maybe you were right; maybe we weren't meant to be. But do you know what it's like to be in love with someone who's only pretending to be in love with you? Who doesn't return your feelings? It's absolutely horrible. I thought you of all people would understand that feeling.
"But you don't. And even when I faked my death, you didn't seem to care. You never did. You moved on to Jennifer without a care in the word. Forgetting about me."
I'm speechless. Not out of shock, but out of anger.
"I did love you at one point. A long time ago, but that's the past. I was a mess when you faked your death, Claudia. I cried for days, and it seemed like the only person there for me was Jen. Maybe for you love is some kind of game, but for me it's a real emotion. One that comes and goes. But sometimes two people get it right, and they stick together and never leave one another. Some people are built to fall apart, but some stay together and never leave each other. I never felt true love with you, Claudia. It may hurt to hear, but that's the truth. It didn't feel real; it all felt like some sort of game, and it turns out that's exactly what it was. I feel true love now, with Jen, and I won't let that go. I won't let you ruin it; you can't. The bond of true love isn't easily broken. I have never felt something as honest and beautiful as this, and I think you could feel it one day too. With someone else, of course. Dwelling on what we did or did not have in the past will leave you there; in the past. You'll be stuck wallowing in guilt and regret and you won't have time to even notice love. So please, for your own sake, move on. I did a very long time ago."
Claudia's expression is unreadable. She's concealed her emotions well. "Thank you." She suddenly says, very quiet and raw in stark contrast to our previous anger and yelling. "I won't hurt you anymore." Claudia finishes.
I'm taken aback by this. I meet her eyes for a second and see that real emotion plays in her eyes, and I'm surprised to find tears in them. "Thank you." She repeats quietly, her voice breaking as if she's about to cry. She then turns around and runs away, taking all of the remaining anger I had with her.
Jen's POV
My eyes suddenly open and confusion immediately hits me. Where am I?
I get up and look around. Messy suitcase in the corner, gigantic window view. Back in my hotel room.
I notice that I'm tucked into bed, and I smile to myself because I know that Josh did it.
The clock to my left says that it's only twelve, so I have only been asleep for a few minutes.
I suddenly hear commotion in the hallway, startling me. I immediately spring out of bed and quietly tiptoe to the door, placing my ear against the crack between the door and the wall.
I immediately recognize Josh's voice. "Just leave Jennifer alone."
I'm startled at hearing my name, but then a warm feeling spreads throughout me when I realize that he's defending me.
I then hear an unmistakable laugh. I would know that horrible laugh anywhere. It belongs to Claudia. The warmth immediately fades into a cold feeling that I can't shake off.
Claudia then says something, and I think Josh does too, but it's hard to hear since they're so far down the hall.
"--because I fucking love her. I love her. I would defend her with my life and more. I would do anything to garuntee her safety and happiness. Anything." I hear Josh say. I instantly get an uncontrollably idiotic smile on my face.
The rain outside has picked up and it now pelts down on the window. I roll my eyes. So much for hearing more of their conversation.
It's at least five more minutes before I stop hearing the muffled sound of yelling, and it's replaced by the unmistakable sound of sobbing. But these aren't Josh's sobs, I know that. They are well controlled, but not controlled enough. It must be Claudia.
The sobs come closer to my door and then further away, and finally fade into the distance for good.
I hear footsteps coming down the hallway so, just in case, I run back to the bed and get under the covers. I close my eyes and pretend to sleep just as I hear the door open. It closes softly and quiet footsteps make their way over to me until I feel the presence of a person looking down at me.
"Hey sleepyhead." Josh says softly. I flutter my eyes open. "I'm awake, you know." I say, meeting his eyes. "Yeah, I know, Weirdo." I smile. "Damn it, I love you so much." I say quietly, staring up at him. He returns my gaze. "I love you too."
"I want to marry you someday soon, you know that?" I say, my smile widening. A smile of his own spreads across his face. "Me too."
There's a long, comfortable pause between us before Josh announces he's going to sleep. I nod, but when he begins to walk away, I grab his wrist. "You can sleep here, right?" I question with a hint of a smile on my face. He smiles. "Of course."
He climbs into bed next to me. Before I turn the light out, I glance over at him. He's staring at me, I find. Josh looks exhausted, but the lamplight still highlights his features and makes him look extremely handsome.
I reach over and click the lamp off, so the room is completely dark except for the distant glow of the city's skyline.
I roll over to face Josh and press myself against him, kissing him intently. I feel the fire in me creep up again, this time stronger than before. Warmth and sparks and emotion hit me all at once, making me not want to pull away, by to continue this. To let it go further than a kiss.
But I pull away. "Goodnight. I love you." I whisper. I roll over and face the window. I close my eyes and begin to drift off, but It's not long before I feel arms snake around me. "You don't think I was going to let you go to sleep without me holding you, did you?" Josh questions playfully. I smile and let him rest his head on my shoulder. He takes my left hand, with the ring on it, and holds it in his own. He lightly kisses my neck. "Goodnight. I love you too, future wife."

authors note;
i'm lacking inspiration right now help
buuuut i hope you like this chapter ❤️ feedback is always greatly appreciated 💓
-zoe 🐮