BFF (A Josh Hutcherson Fanfiction)

5 - Not a Modern Day Shakespeare

Turns out, I wasn’t overreacting. When I turned on my laptop, a gift from Aunt Megan for my eighteenth birthday, to check my email for information from any of my professors about the classes I’m taking in a few weeks, I saw my body enveloped in Josh’s on the front page of Yahoo!. When I Google Josh’s name, I find the picture on a bunch of other sites as well. The captions aren’t nearly as creative as the one I came up with, but still pretty darn clever.

Seeing Stars! The Hunger Games’ Josh Hutcherson Steps Out With New Girlfriend

THG’s Male Hottie Has a New Leading Lady!

It’s a Starry Night for THG Celeb Josh Hutcherson and New Girlfriend

Did the Hunger Games Star Fall for His Hometown Girl?

BFFs or FWBs? Josh Hutcherson of THG and KY Friend Seen Getting Cozy in California!

I like how every single article I read makes sure to point out that Josh is from The Hunger Games, as if anyone reading the articles needs a reminder that he plays the male lead from the world’s most famous literary trilogy turned film tetralogy.

We do look quite cozy in the picture. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that we make a cute couple. But I do know better.

Thanks to all of the tabloids, I’m officially Josh’s New Girlfriend, even though it’s not true. I wonder if my secret admirer will stop sending me letters now that this rumor is going around…

Josh knocks on my door and actually waits until I tell him to come in, a sign that he’s worried I’m going to be pissed at him about the paparazzi uprising that we caused by being seen together. When he sees my face, he sighs. “I take it you saw the internet.”

I nod.

“My publicist is already sending out press releases saying that we’re just friends,” he says. “But…”

“But the damage is already done,” I finish for him. “Now that people have it in their minds that we’re dating, they’re not going to care if you say we’re just friends. They’ll think you’re just saying that to keep me out of the tabloids or whatever.”

“Yeah, basically. I’m sorry about this, Jo. You even said I should wear a better disguise…”

“No, it’s okay. It’s not your fault that those people follow you around and make up stories about you. You’re just a guy who happens to be good at pretending to be a different very popular guy. I’m not mad.”

He sits down on my bed. “If you don’t want to be seen with me in public anymore, that’s cool…”

“Are you kidding me? I’m not losing the ability to walk outside with my best friend just because a bunch of losers posted that we’re dating. Let ‘em talk! Who cares?”

Josh smiles, looking relieved. “I’m glad you feel that way, because you got another note today.”

I rip the envelope from his hands unable to contain my excitement. Josh doesn’t laugh at me or even crack a double sided smile. He waits patiently for me to open the letter, without saying a word. Sometimes the best thing a friend can do is NOT say anything. Josh is the absolute best friend I could ever ask for.

Forgive me for this, Jolene, but I can’t keep pretending I’m romantic and thoughtful and poetic. Honestly, I had a friend help me write the first three clues, but from now on, it’s all me.

I hope you like sports, because tonight you’re going to an LA Dodgers game. If you’re going to live in California, you have to follow Cali sports. If the Lakers had a game at this time of year, I’d send you there too. That will just have to wait until spring. Maybe we can go together.