Everything Is Blue ❥ Josh x Halsey

Chapter One

I walk into my dorm. A red-haired boy was putting his things away. "Uhm, I think you have the wrong dorm," I say. He looks at me. "No, this is my dorm. They told me I would be in a dorm with a girl. I'm assuming they didn't tell you." He said. I shake my head. "Well, I'm Joshua Dun, but you can call me Josh." He smiles at me. "I'm Ashley Frangipane, but you have to call me Halsey," I say. Josh raises an eyebrow. "I have to?" He asks. "Yes, I don't answer to Ashley," I say. Josh nods. I put my bag on the only other bed left.

"What are you like Halsey? Do you smoke or drink?" Josh asks. "I used to but not anymore. I went to a rehab center about a year ago. I've been a year clean." I say. "I smoke and drink. Don't worry, I'm of age. I'm twenty-two." Josh smiles. It was something about his smile that I wanted to fall in love with, but I didn't. "What are you majoring in?" Josh asks. "Music. I sing and play a little bit of acoustic guitar. What about you?" I ask. "Music, too. I play drums and I sing a little bit, but I'm not good at it." Josh puts a pile of folded shirts into a drawer.

I begin to fold my clothes and put them in empty drawers. "I like your blue hair," Josh says. "Thanks, I like your red hair," I say. Josh smiles. "Thanks," He says. I finish getting everything put away and plop down on my bed. I started humming. "What are you humming?" Josh asks. "A song I'm writing. It's not good, yet. I only have the chorus and a little bit of the instrumentals." I say. "Can I hear?" He asks. "I'm not sure," I say. "Come on, please?" I roll my eyes. "Fine," I say. I grab my guitar. I strum the chords of the song and start to sing.

I'm headed straight for the castle
They wanna make me their queen
And there's an old man sitting on the throne
That's saying that I probably shouldn't be so mean
I'm headed straight for the castle
They've got the kingdom locked up
And there's an old man sitting on the throne
That's saying I should probably keep my pretty mouth shut
Straight for the castle

"That sounds so good!" Josh says. I half-smiled. "Thanks," I say. I rub my guitar with my thumb. "What are those?" Josh gently grabs my arm and looks at my scars. I jerk my hand away. I pull down my sleeve. "Scars. I'm a year clean." I say. "I-I'm sorry for asking," Josh says. "It's fine, I'm better now," I say. There was a long period of silence. "Let's go to the student greet," Josh says. I put my guitar back in its case. We walk to the auditorium. We find seats and sit down. The greet starts shortly after. "There's a party tonight if you want to go," Josh says. "No, I want to stay in the dorm and work on my music," I say. "I'll stay with you," Josh says. I nod. 

The greet ends. Josh and I walk back to our dorm. I put sweats and a sweatshirt in the bathroom. Josh just got back inside after smoking. I could smell the smoke. "Go shower, you smell like smoke," I say. Josh rolls his eyes and goes to take a shower. I grab my guitar and work on my music. Josh comes out of the shower soaking wet. His shirt and shorts were sticking to him. "Did you dry off?" I ask. "The air dries me off," Josh says. "Josh, no," I say. "Halsey, yes," Josh sits on my bed. "Fuck," I say under my breath. "Are you okay?" Josh asks. "No, I'm struggling to come up with lyrics," I say. "Can I see?" Josh asks. "All that's on it is the chorus," I say. "I know you can do this. What's the song called?" Josh asks. "I'm thinking of calling it Castle," I say. Josh nods. I get up. "I need fresh air before I cry," I say

I go outside and lay down in the grass. "Just breathe, Halsey," I say to myself. A tear falls down my face. "What's wrong?" Josh asks. "I'm just stressed. I need something to take the load off." I say. "Want a cigarette?" Josh asks. "I don't know," I say. "Oh shit, I forgot you're clean," Josh says. Josh lights his cigarette, making sure to keep it away from me. The smell of the smoke was new yet old to me. I haven't smelled it so strongly in a year. What if I just take one hit? It won't hurt. I cave into my own thinking. "I'll take one hit," I say. "Are you sure?" Josh asks. I nod. "I'm sure," I say. Josh hands me the cigarette. I take a big hit off of it. The taste was, at first, bad but then it became good. I, unknowingly, took another hit. "Woah, you only said one." Josh took the cigarette away from me. "I didn't know I was doing it a second time until it happened," I say. "There goes you being clean," Josh says. "I guess," I say.

I take the cigarette and take another hit. "Do you just want one for yourself?" He asks. I shake my head. "I'll just share with you," I say. We finish off the cigarette and go inside. I plop on my bed. "There goes being clean," I say. "Was the cigarette at least good?" Josh asks. "Not for my health," I say. "Well, yeah," Josh chuckled. "Does it ever scare you?" I ask. Josh squinted his eyes. "Elaborate," He says. "Smoking. Do you ever get scared that you could die from it?" I ask. "Well, yeah, of course," Josh says. "Does it scare you?" He asks. "No...no, it doesn't. It's like," I pause. "I stopped for my mom. I was proud of myself for stopping because my mom finally let me live with her again. It doesn't scare me because I, before I stopped, smoked ever since I was fifteen. I'm twenty-two now." I say. Josh nods.