More Than Just Butterflies (Marianas Trench fan fic)

Chapter 21

                ***Josh’s POV

“Em?” I said as I knocked on her door.

“Come in!” She called.

I opened the door to find her lying on her floor in a blanket with her laptop. She was so strange but I loved it.

“What are you doing?” I asked as I closed her door behind me. I sat next to her.

“Just listening to music and wasting my life on the internet. Jake left.” She didn’t look up at me.

She seemed pretty disappointed. “You ok?”

She sighed and rested her head on her arm, still not looking at me. “Not really. I should’ve treated him better. He came all the way here just for me and I just ran away.”

I started playing with her hair, “Jake knows you pretty well. He wasn’t upset that you ran away.”

She lifted her head back up, “Ha! Jake knows me too well.”

“Is that a problem?” I was curious. She didn’t seem the mysterious type.

“No, usually it helps a lot. I’m not great at letting people what I’m feeling or thinking, so having him just know works wonders.”

Hate to say it but I may need to talk to Jake more if that’s the case.

Then she let out a small laugh, “But sometimes it ruins secrets.”

“Oh?” I smirked. “What kinds of secrets?”

She blushed and turned the other way. “Nothing.”

She slipped about something. I always loved when she embarrassed herself. Her getting shy was the cutest thing.

“I’m glad I didn’t have to actually tell him I didn’t love him in the same way he loves me.” She said, sounding kind of distant.

“Was this one of those things he guessed?” I already knew his reasoning; I just wanted to see what she’d tell me. See if he’s right.

“I wouldn’t say he guessed anything. I just knew. I don’t think it was ever a secret that I didn’t see him that way. He just wanted to take a chance to see if he was wrong.” She finally looked up at me. “He’s the bold one of the two of us.”

“Why do you say that?” I asked. She moved to some foreign country where she didn’t know anyone and left everyone she loved behind. That’s pretty bold.

“I would never have the guts to do what he did. It may have something to do with that fact that I’m a bit old school but most of it is me being shy and not wanting to ever make myself vulnerable. Jake on the other hand always puts himself out there, he’s not afraid of anything.”

“When you say ‘old school,’ how old school are we talking?” I asked. “Like chastity belts and dragons?”

“Old school like I would want the guy to make the first move, the guy proposes, no moving in with a guy and no sex before marriage.” She laughed to herself. “I guess I should say no moving in with a guy I’m dating. I kind of moved in with Mike out of necessity and just stayed this way. I don’t typically have to worry about all the other things though because I can’t get a date to save my life.”

She was amused but I thought sometimes she was a bit harsh on herself.

“Aw, Em. I’m sure someone will come along.” And he’s sitting right beside you.

“Nope. It seems like the only guys who ever ask me out are my closest friends so I’m swearing off guys for a while. Just so Ian or Matt won’t ask me out.” She joked.