Down But Not Out

Chapter 5

Author's Note: So I am really jealous of all the lucky people going to Reading and Leeds festival. I watched a few performances from Reading yesterday on TV, and I was able to watch You Me At Six, who played an 8 song set list, which was totally awesome and at parts had me grinning because of how crazy Josh was. It was so great that I watched it twice. Haha

Anyway, after I post this I will be dedicating this chapter to my dear friend Tanzeela. I love her lots and always manage to run out of credit on my phone because I text her so often. She's worth it though because she's a great friend and an amazing person. Today is her 17th birthday, and I feel really bad that I didn't get her anything and even if I had it would've been hard for me to give it to her since we're not at school anymore. So this is my birthday present to her since I know she does like You Me At Six- although she's not as crazy about them as me. If she does read this I'd like to say, Happy 17th Birthday Tanzy, you're an amazing friend and such a beautiful person and now all of my fans know this!!!

So that's all I want to say. On with the chapter, and I hope you're all liking this so far. Let me know what you think!!

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Josh's POV

I watched the two girls walk out of my shop before I saw Lizzie look back. She turned back to her friend- Summer I think her name was- and I saw her shoulders tense, even through the windows. Shaking my head at myself I took a gulp of coffee before opening up the bag to see that Marie had placed my favourite Panini in there. That girl was a star!

I sat back down on the stool behind the counter and read the magazine that I had bought with me, while I took a bite out of my cheese and ham Panini. For some strange reason my mind kept wandering back to Lizzie. She was an interesting person and I was amazed at how easily she could make me laugh. I know a lot of girls- those being my girlfriend, female friends and ex girlfriends- none of whom could make me laugh so easily. I didn't know Lizzie, and she didn't know me but it was amazing how easy she could joke with me, and I with her. Most of the girls I know wouldn't have been able to do that, some of them couldn't now. I sighed and turned the page over before giving up on reading entirely.

I couldn't place my finger on what made me so interested in her. Maybe it was the way she hid behind her hair- which I thought was a cool colour, and was obviously dyed- or was it the way she acted childish with her friend and didn't care what people thought of her? I didn't know and it pissed me off not knowing.

Even though she was funny I couldn't help but think that embarrassing her was hilarious, because she got embarrassed and felt awkward so easily. It was fun watching her blush, because she looked cute- I wonder if she'd ever blushed as bright as her hair? According to Summer it didn't take much to embarrass Lizzie, maybe I'd put that to the test, since it was obvious they liked coming here. Maybe I would see a lot more of Lizzie then. I hoped so.

My mind wandered back to earlier when she was talking to me while Summer paid for the top she wanted. I hadn't missed the sympathetic smile that Summer had sent Lizzie when she saw her playing with the bracelet on her left wrist and I'd found it interesting how Lizzie had turned away to avoid her friend's gaze so I'd watched her. I saw how tears had filled her eyes when she thought she wasn't being watched, before she'd blinked them away. She looked distant and I knew that I wasn't the only one with something to hide. There was something that was bothering her and I wanted to find out, but of course if I'd asked she wouldn't have told me. I'd felt a strange urge to hug her and tell her she would be fine but that would've been inappropriate.

I sighed and ran a hand through my brown hair which made my beanie flop off my head. I bent down and picked it up but left it on the counter since my head was staring to sweat from wearing it.