JOSH DUN VS THE WORLD ✓

CHAPTER FORTY: THIS WEEKEND, YOU SAY?

YOU'VE DECIDED TO:
QUIT THE BAND

-1 band
-3 years of his life
+2 mental health issues
+1 overdue rent bill

Halsey, being the optimist that she is, devises a plan with Josh to win Tyler back. She names it Operation Win Tyler Back, because neither of them are creative enough to come up with anything more complex.

At first, Josh hates the idea. He doesn't want anything else to do with him considering the fact that Tyler literally said to his face that he dates him out of boredom. But he can't say no to her, especially after all she's done for him. So, he lets her ride the fantasy train for the next week and a half it takes for him to get sober.

Josh knows that eventually they'll both have to move on. Tyler hasn't returned any of his missed calls and blackout drunk texts, so he's has lost all hope that Tyler will realize how bad of a person Dallon is. He wouldn't even have to continue dating him, knowing Tyler was safe and away from that bastard would be enough for him.

But, of course, Halsey gets an idea. One that not even Josh had thought of.

"Mind control."

Halsey sits up abruptly from Josh's futon, gasping like she's had an epiphany. Their heads had been beside each other as they talked about nothing in particular, their legs hanging off either side of the couch. Josh, who's still groggy working the closing shift the night before, looks up from his phone, not processing her statement.

"What?" He croaks.

"You told me that Dallon was a psychopathic mind-controlling creep," Halsey says with a matter-of-fact tone, as if it was obvious. "If you were being literal about your statement, then that must mean..."

Realization strikes him like a truck, and he sits up too. "Mind control."

"Yup."

"Which means he's been under-"

"-ever since the celebration party. That means you can still get him back!" Halsey squeals.

"Oh, shit." Josh slaps his forehead. "I'm such a fucking idiot. It was so obvious. This whole goddamn time, the answer to his weird behavior was right in front of my face. Tyler told me what Dallon was capable of and I completely forgot."

"Hey, it's okay. Now that we know, all we need to do is confront them and knock Tyler out of it, right?"

"Yeah, but that would mean seeing Tyler again and I don't think my fragile mental state can handle that right now."

"But now you'll know it's not him talking," Halsey counters.

Josh shrugs. "It's still his face. His voice. But, I mean, what other choice do I have? I can't leave him like that."

"Okay, okay, okay, so we need a plan." She scrambles for her phone. "First, we need to get to jump on Dallon so he doesn't know we're onto him. We gotta catch him off guard. Then, we can take Tyler out of the mind control and defeat the final evil ex!"

He stares at Halsey as she types into her notes with a focused expression, the tip of her tongue sticking out between her teeth. She's so beautiful. What is going on in that funny gorgeous head of hers that makes her want to help him get his boyfriend back?

Before he can stop himself, he blurts, "why are you helping me?"

She glances up, smiling in confusion. "What do you mean?" She asks.

"I mean, I've treated you like garbage and you've been nothing but nice. I cheated on you, tossed you away as soon I found Tyler, and made you take care of me when I fell into this post-breakup depression. Why are you so damn nice to me?"

Halsey blinks, looks down, the gears in her brain turning, then looks up with a soft smile. "Because I love you."

Josh huffs, unsure how to take what she said. "Shut up," he mutters, looking away.

"What? It's the truth. I love you. You're the best boyfriend I ever had," she says.

"I was the only boyfriend you ever had."

"Shhhh!" She slaps his arms. "Anyways. You might be kind of an asshole, but you were the first person who I ever had a real connection with. Just because it didn't last doesn't mean what I felt for you is going to fade in a couple weeks. But I got over it."

His stomach churns at what she's implying. "So, you were still in love with me even after I broke up with you, and I didn't even notice." He did to Halsey what Debby did to him.

"Don't go sulking, I swear that I'm better now," she reassures him. "I love you because you're nice and honest and try to do what's best to protect the people that you love."

"Yeah, like I've always made the right choices," he scoffs.

"That doesn't matter. What matters is that you tried, and that's what I love about you. That you try to make things right, even if you think that your actions are futile. You try, so please, keep trying."

Josh knows that she's lying about being over it. He can see it in her eyes. That childish adoration he has for her, something so lovely and pure that he doesn't deserve to be directed towards him. But at least they're still friends. That's more important.

"So, what's the plan?"

A glint of mischief appears in her eye and Halsey lifts her phone to her ear. Josh can't hear the voice on the other end clearly, but knows immediately who it is.

"Hey, how are you, Hayley?" She says, winking at Josh. "We're good. Just out of curiosity, when's your gig with Radio Rebel? This weekend, you say?"

Josh's heart leaps out of his chest. That's too soon, he can't recollect himself that quick. What if they're wrong and Tyler just hates him? What if-

"Yeah, we'll be there." She hangs up. "Saturday, six o'clock at the The Masquerade. Dallon is going to be there, and mostly likely Tyler will be too."

"Holy shit, I didn't actually think you'd be able to do it," he says, dumbfounded.

Halsey beams, falling back into the futon. Josh joins her, and he rests his hand over hers, revolting yet craving the simple affection. To his surprise, she doesn't move it.

He wants to kiss her for some reason, even though he knows it's wrong. Josh doesn't make a move, but that's doesn't matter because he wants to, and that doesn't help with the permanent cement brick of guilt that weighs down in his stomach.