Like No Other - Book Two. (Editing)

The Start of Something Good.

JOSH’S POV

It is a cold winter night and the rain is pouring down from the sky. I needed to get out of this place and fast at that. I had seen this picture so many times but no matter how much I tried I couldn’t save her. I failed her night after night. This stranger who had crept into my night and tortured me every night.

‘Speak to me this once!’ I cried to her every night.

‘What is your name please?!’ I had yelled at her.

Her laughter drives me crazy night after night for years now. Waking up in cold sweats, I couldn’t explain what I was going through. This curse and a blessing who stayed with me all night, filling me with laughs and then when finally I felt like she would stay forever, she leaves tearing my heart into a million pieces.

‘Just tell me your name!’ I yell myself out of this nightmare drenched in my own sweat and tears.

My pillows soaked, my heart aching and racing, tears filled my eyes I tried yet once again to understand why I was having this dream but I failed as always. It had started two years ago out of nowhere, and it had tormented me night after night.

Some nights were better though because I didn’t get to see this terrifying image. I had gone through therapy and my therapist was of the opinion that it was as a result of the trauma at home. I was beginning to doubt his diagnosis on my mental state of mind because this had nothing to do with mum and dad or even Crystal. I didn’t know this girl from my dream and yet she left me shaken every time she came to visit me in my dreams. I needed to know her name at least so that I can try to find her in real life and apologize for not protecting her every time she was with me, for not keeping her with me, and for making her leave every time.

I stay awake for the remainder of the night as it had been since I started having this dream. I look at my digital clock resting on my bedside table and it reads 3:12AM. I contemplate calling Cynthia, fighting with my inner self with various reasons not to call her.

‘There is no harm in trying. She is probably not awake’ I mutter to myself as I dialled her number. Deep down in my heart, I wanted her to pick up, to tell me everything was alright. I don’t know why I needed that assurance from Cynthia of all people, considering I just met her but all I know is I needed to hear her voice.

“Joshua? Are you okay?” I hear her say when I was about to give up.

She sounded so worried about me and that made me melt. She didn’t know me, she didn’t have to worry about me but yet she did; for the life of me she did. I didn’t even realise that I was holding the phone too hard and a few tears had escaped my eyes. I wanted to speak to ease her worry but I knew that if I said a word, she would definitely know that something was wrong.

“Please say something Josh, you’re scaring me” her voice was soft and fragile stirring up something inside of me that I didn’t existed.

“Cynthia.” I say to her. I wanted to say more but that was all I could say.

“I am here for you Josh, whatever you need I am here” and that was all I needed to hear before breaking down.

‘I love this girl, I really do’ I say to myself before I fall asleep.

CYNTHIA’S POV

I wake up to the buzzing sound from my alarm clock. I reach out to it to shut it off while getting muffled yells from Joan who was clearly pissed about the disturbance. I groan while sitting up, as my mind flashed back to my conversation with Josh only a few hours ago.

It was weird waking up to a call from him at that hour of the day. He sounded troubled and like he was going through a lot but since he didn’t want to talk about it, I didn’t want to push him.

I really wasn’t expecting him to cry but when he did I knew he wasn’t having it easy. Any time I saw him on campus he always looked so happy and jovial, making everyone around him laugh. Who could have imagined that this happy kid was broken inside? I just want him to talk to someone about it, anybody at all. I then decided that when next I get the opportunity to see him I would ask him to talk with his nana or even his sister if he is uncomfortable talking with his parents. I decide to get up from bed and drag my still sleepy roommate with me.

“Leave me, I want to sleep.” She groans into her pillow.

“It is 7AM get the hell up!” I yell straight into her ear which in turn earns me slap to my head.

“Ouch! Get up, you are not getting out of this!” I say smacking her bum.

“Fine I am up.” She whines sitting up.

After much shenanigans, we finally park our car outside of our lecture hall. Soon after we get to class to meet our friends. I immediately spot Rachael and Kevin having one of their ‘twin fights’, but I was still looking forward to seeing Josh in class. I needed to know if he was going to make it to class or not but most of all I needed to know if he is okay.

“Hi Kev, hi Rachael” I say my hello’s to them.

“Hi Cynthia.” They both say in unison. 

“Is Josh here yet?” I whisper to Kevin. I immediately notice that his smile slowly fades from his face.

“You know Josh like that?” he asks confused.

“Yeah, he is a nice guy and we have become friends.” I tell him wondering why it seemed like a problem to him that I speak to Josh.

“Since when?”

“Since Friday. Is there a problem Kevin?” I ask slowly getting annoyed.

“No there isn’t Cynthia. I was just wondering that is all.” He says with a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes.

“Okay, do you know if he would be coming today?” I ask again.

“No I don’t. I haven’t spoken to him all weekend.” He says and with that he walks back to his seat.

‘What is wrong with Kevin now?’ I think to myself.

I couldn’t help but feel like Rachael knew what was going on that I didn’t know because of the way she was looking at her brother. I would drill her later for more information about what is going on with her brother but for now I would ignore Kevin.

It was 8:26AM and Josh wasn’t in yet. I was slowly getting worried about so I decided to give him a call.

“Cynthia?”

“Hi Josh, you are okay. Thank God you are okay!” I say not been able to hide my relieve.

“I am sorry for worrying you. I woke up late all thanks to you.” He says, chuckling a little which made me smile.

“What did I do?”

“You helped me sleep Cynthia and this is all thanks to you.”

I had no idea that he had problems sleeping. Josh has managed to escape talking about the real issues with him. I could very much sense that something serious was going on in his life but because he didn’t want to talk about it I also pretended not to know anything.

“Well, you are welcome Joshua.” I say with a smile of my own.

“I would be right there in school. Don’t miss me too much Cynthia.” He says in between laughs.

“I already miss you so much, my darling.” I tease back before cutting the call.

‘I like where this is going. I really do’ I think to myself while smiling from ear to ear.