Coward

Chapter Twenty One

Sunny quickly walks inside, leaving me alone with Josh. He gives me a quick thumbs up before disappearing down a hallway. I look up at Josh and smile sheepishly. His brown hair slightly damp and tussled as if he had just gotten out of the shower and towel dried it. His dark brown, almost black eyes narrowed in mistrust.

"Why are you here?" He asks.

I chew on the inside on my cheek, "why were you looking for me?"

He shrugs and looks away from me, "why not?"

I attempt a laugh but I stop when he slides to the floor and leans his head back onto the corridor wall. He sighs and runs his fingers through his hair. He looks up at me, regret in his eyes. "When I first meet you, I thought that you were just another slut."

I look down at him then I decide to slide down opposite him and lean my back against the other wall. Bring my knees to my chest, I hug them. I look up at him and shake my head. I smile sadly, "I am."

He brings his right knee up to his chest and rests his arm on it. Then he carries on as if I hadn't said anything. "I think that Daniel thought I had been the one to drug you but I would never do that," he mumbles. I nod my head in understanding as he continues. "Jeff fucking drugged you. Dad would be rolling over in his grave right now if he knew that I let a girl get date drugged," he whispers.

I look up at him and ask softly, "your dad's dead?"

He nods weakly and mumbles, "yeah he died when I was fifteen." We are silent for a while before he asks, "aren't you going to ask how?"

I smile softly, "I don't want to know how he died, I'd rather know how he lived." Then I quickly add, "but you can tell me how he died if it makes you feel better."

He laughs but shakes his head, "no, I don't like talking about that."

I smile at him, "I understand."

He sighs and closes his eyes, "why can't you just be a bitch, so I can hate you and not feel guilty."

I laugh, "well if it makes you feel better I did sort of know what I was getting into when I went to that neighbourhood."

He shakes his head, "no, I was the one who let you get drugged I should have known that Jeff would try to pull that crap but if you knew what could happen then why did you go?"

"I promised a friend I would," I whisper.

He opens his eyes and looks at me doubtfully, "and what friend is this?"

"Mason," I mutter.

Anger fills his eyes at the mention of his cousins name, "are you still seeing him?"

I shake my head and he relaxes slightly, "why?"

He sighs, "I hate that cunt."

I nod my head, "yeah."

"Did you owe him for something, because any sane person wouldn't do something so fucked up."

I laugh, "yeah actually, I made him a deal. I make a distraction so he can steal his truck back and he could dry out my pot."

He looks up at me, "you grow your own?"

I nod my head, "yeah, I don't trust other people no to chuck some other shit in there to get me hooked."