Crashing Love: A Josh Devine Short Story (Book Five)

Chapter 4: Average, Forgettable Me

Josh groaned as his alarm buzzed incessantly by his ear. He stretched out his arm shutting it off before attempting to roll over to the other side of the bed. He didn’t know why they insisted he get up so damn early in the morning for an evening wedding. It’s not like he was the groom. Or anything more than just another stupid guest here to witness Harry and Giovanna cooing over each other. Probably no one would notice if he wasn’t there considering how many people Gio’s dad had invited. When you could buy and sell England the guest list always got really long.

Josh pulled on his arm realizing that there was a heavy weight on it. He finally pried his sleep coated eyes open to see that somehow in the night he had ended up with Faith curled by his side. She looked peaceful in her sleep tucked up against his chest. He should wake her up, but he didn’t want to. Some insane part of his heart wanted to keep her right there snuggled up to his chest breathing softly as she dreamed. Oh dear Lord he needed to get his head back in shape. He shook her trying to pull his arm loose aggressively.

“Oh,” Faith moaned still half asleep. “Mmmm…Hazza you feel so good.” Hazza? Oh  that was it! He sat up launching her off his chest. Her surprise at the movement forced her to fall hard off the bed and he smiled triumphantly.

“The name is Josh,” he grumbled crossing his arms over his t-shirt clad chest.

“Ouch,” Faith groaned sitting up and holding her back from her spot on the floor next to the bed. “Why the hell am I on the floor? And why are you spouting your name? Do you need to remind yourself every morning?”

“N—No,” Josh fumbled realizing he never seemed to have the upper hand with this woman. “I just—you were dreaming about somebody.” He blushed like a little schoolgirl. Why was he so embarrassed? She was the one having inappropriate dreams about his soon to be married friend. He felt the anger rise back up in him. “Harry is engaged you know.”

“Oh God,” Faith moaned standing up and still rubbing at her lower back. “I guess I had the Harry dream again. Sorry. At least I didn’t have the Zayn dream. That one tends to get a little explicit according to Phil. Something about overzealous moans.” She chuckled not a sense of embarrassment in sight. How could she not be upset in the slightest that he had overheard her?

“So what? You a Zayn girl then if Harry is taken?” Josh asked.

“I care about all of them,” Faith replied walking to the mirror and inspecting herself for bruises from her fall off the bed. “But I’m a fan. We all know that they aren’t going to get together with someone like me.” Josh suddenly missed her crazy self-confidence.

“Why not? Giovanna is a fan, and she is marrying Harry.” Josh didn’t know why he suddenly wanted to have this conversation with her.

“I’m not Gio,” she replied again rubbing at her lower back. “I’m not some high class socialite. I’m just me. Average, forgettable me who will just be a vague recollection to them after this weekend is over.”

“Don’t say that about yourself,” he admonished standing and walking up behind her placing his hands over her own and lightly rubbing her sore lower back. “You aren’t average or forgettable. Once you leave this weekend I think they will all miss you. Me most of all.”

They stood there in silence neither one knowing how to respond. Had he really just said that? Was she really warm and tingly all over thinking about what he just said? She felt an unfamiliar flush rush through her where his hands sat at her lower back.

“I—I should get ready for the day,” she stuttered pulling away in shock. “W—what’s the schedule?”

“Um, we are being split up for guy and girl stuff for the wedding prep I think. If you want I can get you out of it. I don’t want you to be uncomfortable.”