JOSH DUN VS THE WORLD ✓

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN: I STOPPED COUNTING AFTER THE SEVENTH DRINK

YOU'VE DECIDED TO:
STAY IN TYLER'S APARTMENT

Two-Player Mode switched OFF.

+1 heartbreak
-4 months of his life
- 1 boyfriend
+1 alcohol problem

NOTE: due to a game error, you couldn't retrieve your one (1) heart from another player. In order to continue, you must either switch Two-Player Mode back ON or take your heart back yourself.

Josh wakes up in an empty bed, sprawled across the mattress on top of the covers, shivering like mad. He can't swallow without it hurting and his whole body feels like there's a cement block tied to each of his limbs. His head won't stop pounding.

Even though he's awake, he doesn't move. Any minute now, Halsey will barge him and try to make him get up, to which he'll just ignore her and stay in bed, half-conscious and hungover. It's their routine now after she took it upon herself to make sure he doesn't die.

"You can't stay there forever, you'll start to grow roots," Halsey chastises him from the bedroom door, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Try and stop me, Frangipane," he mutters, his hand patting around the bed, looking for the bottle of Smirnoff he fell asleep drinking the night before. "I'm allowed to be depressed."

"Josh, you haven't left this apartment in almost two weeks. The others are worried about you."

"If they were so worried about me, they would've come and visit. Or at least pretend to care. It's bad enough that they don't believe me when I told them what Dallon was."

She laughs. "Yeah, if I hadn't seen it with my own two eyes, I don't think I would've believed you either."

"Whatever, it's not like it matters. Sex Bob-omb is still a part of Mister Sinister Records because I didn't read the fine print that read 'warning: I will steal your boyfriend.'"

"It can't be that bad," Halsey trails off.

"No, it is that bad." Josh He finds the bottle and unscrews the top with his thumb, taking a swing of it and coughing. "Turns out our whole relationship was just a fling and Tyler only dated me because he felt sorry for me. Not surprising, though. I was stupid to think someone like me could end up with someone as amazing as him. It's not like any of my other relationships ended any different."

Halsey sits on the edge of his bed and smacks his thigh.

"Ow! What the hell?"

"Stop being an idiot. You're going to get up and take a shower. Then, I'm taking you to out to the city so you can have social interaction," she says in a matter-of-fact voice.

Josh scoffs and rolls over in bed, facing away from her. He finishes the bottle. "You count as social interaction."

"No I don't. I'm only here because school's out for the summer and I don't want you to die of alcohol poisoning. Come on, now. Up and at 'em."

She grabs his legs and, before he can stop her, hauls him out of bed. Josh reluctantly pushes himself to his feet, his head pulsing. He straightens his back, takes a step forward, and almost blacks out.

When he comes to a moment later, Halsey has him by the shoulders, her face sheet white. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" He scoffs, trying to pull away, but she won't let him.

"Seriously, Josh, you nearly blacked out. How much did you drink last night?"

"I stopped counting after the seventh glass. And the two ecstasy pills."

Her jaw drops. "You took drugs?"

"What? It's not like Hayley was gonna use them since she's loaded up on pain killers."

"Josh, you could die!"

"So what?" He snaps, a lump growing in the back of his throat. "So what if I die? Maybe I deserve to."

"Do you really feel that way?" Halsey asks softly.

"Yeah. Life's one big shitty video game, one I'm apparently meant to lose. I had one chance to make things right, and I blew it."

She lets go of him and folds her arms across her chest. "So what you screwed up? So what if Tyler's under Dallon's charismatic charm? You're a big boy now, suck it up and move on. I did when you broke up with me, and look where we are."

Josh looks away. "That's different. People actually like you. Me? I'm the asshole who doesn't let people close enough to care about. And the one person I did- well, look at me. I'm a damn wreck."

"It happens to the best of us." Halsey glances down at her watch. "Look, I've got to pick Hayley up from the hospital, but I'll be back in a couple hours. You better be showered, dressed and sober when I get back, alright?"

Of course. She has more important things to do than babysit him.

"Yeah, okay. I promise I won't overdose," Josh jokes, but Halsey's expression makes it clear the joke falls flat. "Go on, don't let me hold you."

He starts to walk to the bathroom again, only to be met with a temporary wave of nausea that nearly knocks him on his ass. Halsey jumps forward and grabs his arm so he doesn't fall.

Her touch burns on his skin. He hasn't touched anyone in weeks. Not even in a sexual sense, just in general. Josh can't handle the feeling.

"You sure you're okay?" She asks.

Josh yanks his arm from her grip and rubs where she touched. "Of course I'm not okay. But what the hell am I gonna do, drink until I blackout and lay in bed for two weeks?"

A smile flashes over Halsey's face, but she quickly turns stern again. "If I find you dead with your head in the toilet I'm gonna kill you."

"I'll take redundant statements for 400."