𝐇𝐈𝐃𝐄| 𝐉.𝐁.

10: Worries

"Mmm." I mumble as I flutter my eyes open.

"Dammit." I hear another voice exclaim in a whisper.

"J-Josh?" I stammer out in a raspy voice.

"Yeah. Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. I was gonna go to the gym for a little." He says.

"Well, aren't you a man now?" I tease and he laughs, shaking his head.

"I've been going to gym since the last day of school. It's help me relieve stress." He huffs, getting out of bed.

"I just listen to music and think about my life choices." I shrug, crossing my legs as I sit up.

"I should try that too." He chuckles.

"You did get a little buff at the end of the year. How come?" I ask, walking over to him, crossing my arms.

"Can't a guy just get buff? It's a scary world out there and you need to defend yourself." He says, changing into a white tank top.

"You mean...from your dad?" I slowly say and his eyes flicker to mine.

Uh, yeah." He clears his throat.

"Today is exactly one year since he got out of rehab." He sighs, tying his blue vans.

"So he started drinking as soon as he got out?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.

"Yep." He huffs, scratching his head.

"Why?"

"It was the day my mom visited to give him the divorce papers." He says and I frown at him.

"J, I'm really sorry about everything. You don't deserve to go through this." I sigh, standing over him.

"Stop apologizing, it's not your fault. You're actually the only thing that's keeping me sane right now, and my mom." He grins, standing up as he looks down at me.

"If you grow any taller, I'm suing you with the money I don't have." I tease and he snorts, shaking his head.

"Then I guess you'll be in imaginary debt." He fires back and my jaw drops as I swat his arm, letting out a laugh.

"Joshua Bassett, the green stalk of the school." I grimace, beaming at the view outside.

"Alexis Williams, the midget of the bunch." He beams back and I shake my head, swatting his arm again.

"God, you're good." I huff in defeat.

"I know." He shrugs.

"Alright well, I'm gonna check on your mom and then head home." I breathe, slipping on my vans.

"I can drive you if you'd like?" He asks, putting his hands in his jean pockets.

"It's fine, I can just walk." I grin, grabbing my bag from the other side of the bed.

"C'mon Lex, let me drive you home. It's too early to walk that far." He asks.

"Josh, stop worrying about me and worry about your mom. I'll be fine, okay?" I say.

"Okay." He nods, giving in.

"Hope things with Kacey work out." I say in a strained voice.

"Thanks. Hope things go well with you and Seb." He clears his throat.

"Shawn." I chuckle, correcting him.

"Right, Shawn." He mutters with a dry laugh.

"You're not getting this back." I say, looking down at his hoodie he lent me last night.

"I know, that's why I didn't ask." He laughs and I grin at him.

I then turn on my heels and head downstairs, finding my own way out.

I take one final glance around his house and I see his mom left for work since I see a note by Josh's bag.

Our almost kiss and then our actual kiss comes into mind and there's goes the queasy feeling in my stomach again.

I shake it off and head out, shutting the door behind me.

I shouldn't be thinking these things.

He likes Kacey and I like Shawn.

That's how it's meant to be.

Right?