Looking For Space // Josh Kiszka

VIII

This was originally going to be the final chapter however, like many of you, I've had trouble letting Looking For Space go, so it will be continuing on for a bit. 

Chapter IX is also posted because both it and VIII are so short. I had to compensate. 

Hope you enjoy :) 

---

"So you think we'll be okay?" I asked Josh as he laid down a blanket on the grass, in the middle of the same field where we almost got caught trespassing weeks prior. We had agreed to not check our grade on the poem until we were back out under the stars and, that night, it was a clear, midnight-blue sky. Josh said there was no better spot to, hopefully, celebrate than where it had all began and I was inclined to agree with him--the memory of us army-crawling through the grass and dirt was still so vivid.

"Of course we will, darling," he replied. He smoothed out the blanket then waited for me to sit before joining me, opening his backpack and pulling out the same familiar flask.

"What is it this time?" I asked, taking it from him.

"I thought I'd mix it up," Josh replied, grinning at me. "Try it."

I unscrewed the cap and went in for a sip. "Oh god," I coughed. "Gin? You're a monster."

He clapped, laughing. "Is it so bad?"

I smiled, going in for another sip despite the burning, then handed it back to him. "You're such a lunatic."

Josh rested his head on my shoulder. "I thought you found that endearing."

"Don't push your luck."

He chuckled and took a sip of the gin then looked up at the sky. "There's our hero," he said, pointing at Perseus, which I could then finally identify without his help.

"It's the perfect night," I mused, following his gaze, and it was--the sky was totally cloudless and all the stars were able to shine in their utmost glory; a cool breeze floated through the field, shimmying the grass and tickling our faces; and Josh looked as beautiful as ever in the glow of the moon.

"It is," Josh agreed, sighing against me. "Should we check our emails now?"

I sighed too. "Yeah. Hopefully it doesn't ruin the night."

"Come on--you know we did great."

"You're probably right. I just worry," I replied and grabbed my phone out of my backpack, opening up the student email. I was nervous--less nervous about what the grade might mean for my academics, but more nervous because I felt like the poem ended up reflecting, in some ways, the relationship between Josh and I. I knew I was going to take it as a bad omen if we got anything less than near-perfect.

Not that perfection really existed, but Josh was the closest thing to it.

I scrolled through, my eyes landing on the grade. "Well, Josh, you were right," I declared, relief washing over me. "We got an A. 91 percent."

He lifted his head off my shoulder, clapping again before hitting my arm. "What did I tell you?"

The reality finally sunk in--we had done it. We had worked so hard, too--the research, studying of Greek myths, and writing alone had been a feat, especially for two people involuntarily pushed together. I smiled to myself, putting my phone away after looking at the grade one last time.

"I guess it worked out," I said, lying down to look at the stars.

Josh did the same, cozying up next to me. "Steve must've known we'd work well together."

"Or maybe he could tell how much you irritated me," I replied. "And he has a twisted sense of humor."

Josh laughed. "Either way, I'm glad he did what he did."

"Me too," I replied, and I really was. I could remember the overwhelming irritation I felt when Steve announced the pairings--how my face flushed when Josh sat down next to me; the annoyance of having to work so closely with him. But my feelings had gone from disdain to confusion to complete assurance--I liked Josh a lot. More than anyone I'd ever known.

I realized that so much I liked about him were aspects I could have seen before we were even partnered up, I just hadn't been able to. He never shied away from displaying his brilliance, his authenticity--I wanted to curse myself for not seeing him sooner, but I had to be grateful that I ended up seeing him at all.

I felt his hand on my cheek and then he was moving on top of me, laying his other hand over my abdomen as his face inched closer to me. I turned and he nuzzled my shoulder with his forehead, then met my eyes with his dark, shining ones.

Josh pressed his lips to mine, letting them linger for a moment as I reached up and played with his hair. The softest lips--the softest kisses. I still couldn't believe that he was real--that we were real--but there he was, his hand inching toward my heart.

When he pulled away, his eyes lingering on mine, I smiled, then glanced back up at the sky. Spotting something new, I sat up a little and pointed: "Is that Andromeda?"

Josh followed my gaze to the faint blotch in the night sky. "That's definitely the Milky Way," he said, smiling. "So Andromeda is right inside there."

"Wow, we finally saw it," I said quietly, mesmerized by the galaxy beyond our own for another minute before looking at Josh, only to be mesmerized by him. Weeks prior the sight of him vexed me but then I was transfixed; mesmerized; overtaken by him entirely.

I sat up, taking Josh up with me by his hand, and pulled him into a fervent kiss. He moaned quietly as I ran my hands down his waist, slipping them under his shirt, and slid my tongue into his mouth gently. He reciprocated, our tongues dancing together, and he moved his hand up to my heart. I did the same underneath his shirt, pressing my palm flat against his heart, feeling it race under my hand.

"Can you feel my heartbeat?" he asked when he pulled away, his lips already flushed.

I nodded, looking at my hand through his shirt. "Can you feel mine?"

"I can't believe I make your heart race like that, darling," Josh said, going in to kiss me again.

I laughed against his mouth. "What can I say, Starshine?" I replied and moved my mouth down to his neck to plant soft kisses all over his skin. "I'm charmed."