How to Save a Life | Joshifer

Chapter 9: Thinking About Him

When I wake up all I think about is Josh and what he is doing. When I eat breakfast all I think about is Josh's laugh. When I play music I think about how Josh and I have so much in common. When I stare outside the window I hope Josh will come so we can hang out. For the past two days, this is my thought process. It's crazy and I'm starting to annoy myself but I keep thinking about him. I've spending all my time thinking about him.

I wake up to the sound of a honk of a car. My drowsy eyes open and walk my way to my window facing the front yard. Josh waves from the car. My stomach has butterflies. That's strange.... I get dressed. I run down stairs. He gets off the car and sits on the chair on the porch. I walk outside.

"Hey you!" I say. I smile happily. Finally I've been bored these past few days.

"I haven't seen you in awhile" He says looking up at me. I sit on the wooden railing in front of him.

"I have been so bored! You have no idea." I reply swing my feet that don't touch the bottom.

"Woody said it was his day off. So I have a lesson today." He comments. What? No! I have been bored and when he finally comes he has to spend his day with Woody.

"What does he even teach you?" I laugh making it a joke.

"Woody is a column writer for the Newspaper for Union. He's a well-known to certain journalist." He replies.

"Really? I had no idea. He's just like my dad." I say realizing. "So you like writing?"

"Yup. I want to major in journalism. It's the only thing I'm good at." He says sadly.

"Why do you say it like that?" I ask poking his knee with my foot. He looks up at me and says, "It's the ONLY thing I'm good at."

"That's not true," I reply looking into his eyes. We stare at each other for a few minutes and then Woody comes out and retrieves Josh.

What do I do now? I sit outside alone. I grab my guitar and play silly songs and singing the theme song to Pokemon. That's when you know you're completely bored. I fall asleep on the long bench on the porch. 4 hours. They have been in Woody's office for 4 hours learning.

"Hey Jen..." Josh says in my ear. It tickles when his lips whisper. I turn over curling up in a ball.

"Hey it's late come on get up." He shakes me gently.

"No!" I resist like a child.

"Well fine then!" He grabs my waist and throws me on his shoulder. I finally awake fully.

"Hey, this is cool!" I say hanging on his shoulder. He laughs at my stupidity.

He throws me and my bed. And I plop down like a rock. He jumps next to me.

"I've never seen your room before," He says looking around the room.

"Well this it. Not much." I say adjusting myself to sit up.

"I like it," He says picking up a picture of me, my mom, and my dad. "Your family looks so happy."

"Yeah," I say trying to change the subject.

"Anyways. Did you know I don't know your birthday?" He gasps.

"August 15th," I say giggling at the face he made. "How about you?"

"October 12," He says under his breath.

"Awww you're a baby!" I squeeze his cheek. He swats my hand away playfully.

"I am very mature for my age," He says sticking his nose in the air.

"Says the boy who wants to live on Pandora!" I cackle.

"Hey hey! You want to, too!" He says elbowing me. "I get my cast off on Thursday."

"wow, that's great!" I say. I grab his cast and grab a sharpie. I write 'Pandora' on it. He laughs and I look up and smile. I shyly look away when his phone rings.

He answers "Hey.....Dude! What the hell!.....Avan!" The phone call ends.

"Not to be nosy. But what did he do?" I ask.

"I told Avan my parents are leaving Friday to Chicago for the weekend. And he decided that meant 'let's have a party' apparently." He sighs.

"That sounds fun!" I say trying to get him in an okay mood.

"If you say so," He says staring at our shoes. "It's getting late. See you soon."

"Yeah...." I say disappointed. But I don't know why though. My stomach knots up. He leans in and gives me a hug. I hug him back and he walks out. I hear Josh's car start up and see the headlights shine through my window.

I fall asleep. And again once he's gone I start thinking about him again. It's painful. And annoying. How can I stop?

My dreams consist of Max. The day of the party. The scene plays over and over. When he lays on top of me and gives me a hickey. I wake up and can't go back to sleep. I rather not dream of the creep. The hickey hasn't exactly gone away either. So whenever I look in the mirror I just like of Max.

I start to roam around the house. I go downstairs and get a coke and chug it down. I sit on the stool laying my head on the counter. I am so sleepy but I can't go to sleep. I fall off the stool and it hurts but I decide just to lay there.

"Jen!" Josh screams. I finally find sleep and now I'm woken up. It felt like minutes with my eyes closed.

"Jen! Are you okay!" Josh panics. I get up and glare at him angrily.

"I was asleep!" I yell. His face softens from panic.

"You fell asleep on the kitchen floor?" He busts up laughing at me. "How come I always find you asleep in strange places?"

"Because I'm a strange girl?" I reply standing up. "You are here early."

"Woody was looking for you this morning. Oh, I am supposed to help Woody with the patio in the back today. Lessons in return helping him." He explains. He walks outside and Woody follows him. Before we walk outside Woody gives me a 'what the fuck' look. Then I realize why. My hair looks like a cat scratch me. I turn red and I am completely embarrassed. I brush my hair and sit in the living room. I watch Josh work on the patio.

I must look like a stalker. I pretend to read a book called "The Hunger Games", but I keep getting distracted by Josh. He takes off his shirt and my eyes open wide. I breathe in and out slowly. He looks up at me and I flick my eyes away. DAMN! I was caught. I walk outside and sit on the lawn chairs pretending like I don't see anybody. I casually peek above the book and glance at him. Butterflies flutter in my stomach. Am I sick? What's wrong with me?