Backstage Love

Chapter 9

A/N I'm changing PJ to stand for Peyton Jean instead of Paige Jane because i didn't like it haha
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Josh's POV
I try calm down Peyton by keeping her in my arms. To say I have feelings for understatement, when she said she was going to move in with Ben and I, I was extremely happy. I feel her breathing become steadier then what it was.
    "You okay?" I ask trying to be comforting.
"Not really, I just want to go to sleep."
She ends our hug and walks into our spare bedroom. I follow behind her and watch her door close before I say anything.
"Ben I really like PJ." I blurt in a whisper tone just in case she can hear through her doors.
"Really? You barely know her." He says. Okay that sounded a little rude but I'm gonna let it slide.
"I know but she's just adorable with things she does and her smile is so contagious. But I don't want to tell her because I can tell she's been through a lot, more then what she likes to admit."
"Maybe she doesn't want to talk about it."
"Ya think?" I say sarcastically.
"How do you even know if she's ready for a relationship Josh?"
"I'm not saying I want a relationship right now, I want to get to know her more."
"What if she likes someone else?"
"You have a lot of questions today. If she likes someone else then he's one lucky guy to be dating a girl like PJ."
Ben doesn't respond so J continue watching the movie but begin to feel sleepy so i go to my room and quickly fall asleep.
         I wake up to sun shining through my curtains and I can hear faint humming. I open my bedrooms doors to see PJ standing in the kitchen making some breakfast.
       "Morning Peyton."
        "Why'd you call me that?"
         "Felt like it." We both laugh a bit. "Are you doing anything today?"
          "Nope, there's no show tonight so I'm free all day, but I was thinking about going one of the dance classes at the Broadway Dance Center, I don't know though."
         "Why don't I take you around the city but like places you haven't seen Have you been to Brooklyn?"
        "No, I haven't I wanted to go but I was always busy."
        "I'll take you there! Just you and me! And we can both get to know each other better!"
"Okay, sounds good. I'll go get ready."
She goes over to her room and as I'm about to go to mine I see Ben walk out of his room.
"Morning Ben!" I say happily.
"Morning." he responds groggily.
I go to my room and change into some jeans and a long sleeve shirt since a little chilly out side. I walk out to find my pair of shoes by the couch and I start to put them on.
"Where are you going?" Ben asks sitting on the opposite end of the couch.
"I'm taking PJ to Brooklyn and maybe even Times Square cause I think she said one time she's never been there."
"Sounds fun."
As I finish putting on my shoes PJ comes into the living area and puts on her converse.
         "Ready to go?" I ask her.
          "Yep!"
      We leave the apartment and head to the train station to head to Brooklyn. After we get off we grab lunch at a nice little restaurant close to the Brooklyn Bridge.
        "So Peyton, tell me about yourself, like why did you want to become an actor and why don't you like being called Peyton?"
       "Wow you ask some hard hitting questions Joshua. Well, I was in dance classes since I was lit and I did tumbling. Then one of my friends introduced me to the theatre world. And I immediately fell in love with the whole aspect. I did some backstage work too but nothing can beat the feeling of when I'm onstage doing what I love. I still do go by Peyton to some people, like friends from my hometown or my family. But, when I was entering middle school I think, I just decided that I didn't like it so I told people I didn't like that name and to call me PJ, some of best friends called me Peyton but everyone else called me PJ. What about why and how did you get into theatre?"
"Well, I grew up and I did some competition dance. Branches into theatre and fell in love with and now it's my career."
       "That was a little boring." She laughs. I could listen to her laugh all day, it's just so beautiful to listen to.
       The check comes and I instantly swipe it before she gets to it.
      "Josh no you're not paying for me."
       "Really? Cause sure looks like I am."
       "Wow, didn't need the sass."
   I pay with exact change so we can leave right away. We head over to the bridge and I can see her jaw drop out of the corner of my eye. 
       "Holy shit, this is so much prettier than what I thought it was."
        She leaves my side and stands almost directly under it. I take a picture in my phone of her and I admire everything I see in it. Her long wavy brown hair, her dimples, and how her eyes are just a slightly lighter shade of brown than her hair.
        The rest of the day goes by so fast I can't even tell you what we did. Before we get home I stop our walk because I need to tell her that I like her even though it's really soon and we've only known each other for a week, my feelings are dying for her.
     "Josh why'd you stop walking?" she asks.
      "Um, because, uh, Peyton Jean, I r-really like you and I actually don't know what else to say."
     She doesn't respond.
      "PJ?" I ask waving my hand in front of her face.
      "Um," she starts hesitantly, "I, uh, l-like you too, but I also like someone else, and I'm not ready for a relationship right now."
      "That's okay."
      "Thank you for understanding."
      "It's fine."
     We continue walking to the apartment and PJ goes straight to her room, odd. But I'm tired to do I'm going to go to bed to and think about how much fun I had with PJ today and just hope that chooses to have a relationship with me over the other guy.