BFF (A Josh Hutcherson Fanfiction)

1 - Home Sweet New Home

This morning started the same as all of my mornings have started this year. My alarm clock went off at exactly 7:06am because when I was setting it, I got distracted and went past 7:00am exactly and never felt like changing it, so it stuck. I got up, climbed out of bed, and walked to the bathroom across the hall from my room. I jammed my big toe against the trim that has started to come loose around the bottom right hand side of the bathroom door frame. The real estate agent will have to fix that before she puts the house on the market.

Careful to avoid seeing myself in the mirror, I sat down to do my business. When I was finished, I grabbed my tooth brush and loaded it with the last bit of toothpaste I could squeeze from the tube before tossing it in the trashcan next to the sink. I finally snuck a peak at myself as I stuck my tooth brush into my mouth and began to clean my pearly whites.

My eyebrows needed waxing. I had a zit just above my lip. The blue metal of my nose ring stood out even more with the fluorescent light shining on it.

I spit my mouthful of Colgate and rinsed before looking into the mirror again.

For some reason, I thought I would feel different now. At this time yesterday, I was just another high school senior getting ready for the most important day of her life. Today, I am a high school graduate.

Nothing seemed different though. Perhaps my life has been so shitty that a diploma doesn’t mean a thing. I worked hard in school. I worked my ass off, actually, so I could get into a good college and get out of Union, Kentucky. I worked so hard that I was the valedictorian of my class. Probably the only valedictorian in Union High School history with a nose ring and no family or friends in the audience.

That morning may have started the same as all of the others, but it was going to end differently. I had already packed up everything I didn’t need for the night and shoved it into my two suitcases. They were in the trunk of my Honda Accord, left to me by my dear aunt/legal guardian when she died earlier this year. All I had to do was shove the rest of my possessions into my backpack, say goodbye to this damned house, and be on my way. By tomorrow, Kentucky would just be a pin in the map on my wall.

California was my new home.

It wasn’t as easy as you’d think, walking away from this house. When I tossed my backpack onto the passenger’s seat and turned around, I even felt a pang of sadness. I did grow up here, after all. This place was all I had. Pretty soon it would belong to someone else. I hope that when it’s their turn to leave, they don’t leave with the same kinds of memories that I made inside those four green walls.

“Goodbye,” I whispered. The wind blew, causing the trees to rustle. I took that as their parting words, turned around, and got behind the wheel of my car.

***

I’m Jolene and I’m Josh Hutcherson’s best friend.

Before you ask, yes, I was named after the Dolly Parton song. My mom was a huge fan.

Anyway, I’m Josh Hutcherson’s best friend.

Again, before you ask, yes, the Josh Hutcherson. The big shot Hollywood actor who is barely 5’8 yet still managed to get himself cast as Peeta in the Hunger Games.

I’ve known him since we were kids, both growing up in Kentucky. I’m not exactly sure how or when we met, all I know is that he became my best friend at some point during elementary school, before he starred in his first movie and moved to California.

I stayed when he left, but we kept in touch through phone calls, emails, and texts. Even when he was extremely busy with 15 hour days on set, he always checked in. Josh is a sweet guy like that.