Room 241: A Josh Richards Story

36- Beginning of the End

The pizza is still sitting there, untouched, when the phone rings and wakes you up. You realize it's only 7pm so you sit up and answer. After hanging up, you sit in shock for a minute. How is this even possible. When the door opens, the light from the hallway snaps you back to reality. Josh sits next to you as you sit in stunned silence.

Josh: "I'm sorry I missed dinner. I got busy studying and lost track of time."

You curl up against him and instantly forgive him, but also realize that the reason you were so upset isn't that he skipped plans. It was a combination of not saying I love you back. That reason seems so silly now, especially after the phone call.

Your phone vibrates and it's a text from the prosecutor with the date and details he promised to send you. Vinnie has appealed his conviction due to the judge's overly harsh sentence. They are arguing that it was biased and grounds to have the case thrown out. You would have to testify again and hope the next judge agreed with the first. You start to tell him about it:
"It's okay. I just actually had something to tell-"

Josh: *interrupting*
"Can it wait until morning? I'm actually exhausted. I just wanted to come by and say sorry."

You: "You aren't staying the night?"

Josh: "I still have to shower and everything and by the time I'm done, you'll probably be back to sleep. I don't want to bother you. I'll be over after class though if you want."

You: "Oh, ok."

Josh kissed your forehead and grabbed the piece of pizza from your nightstand on his way out.

You fell back to sleep pretty quickly and didn't hear anything else the rest of the night. At some point Charli made it home, because when you woke up she was sprawled out across her bed.

You start to get dressed as you work up the nerve to talk about the court case situation as soon as she wakes up. You turned around and she was stretching awake.

Charli: "Ugh, how is it already morning. I didn't get home until 2am."

You: "Hanging out with Jaden until 2am? That's promising."

Charli: "See this is why I don't want a boyfriend until I get out of college. Just a friend with a one-time benefit is screwing with my sleep schedule."

You: *changing the subject*
"While you were gone, some stuff happened-"

Charli: "Oh jesus. What time is it? I have class in 15 minutes. Crap!!"

You: "Oh damn. Do you think after class we can get lunch and talk?"

Charli: *scrambling to change*
"Actually I have plans with Jaden but maybe later tonight?"

You are trying to not take everyone being so busy personally because it's not like you've told them what's wrong yet. They have every reason to think it's not a big deal yet.

Charli sees your sad look and assumes it's pity for the friendzone she keeps shoving Jaden into:
"I know. I know. But trust me, he's fine with being just friends."

It's been two weeks and everything has gotten so busy. Second semester of college is definitely way harder than the first. Josh is busy studying trying to keep from falling behind and it makes you sad that you don't get to spend as much time together. At least he has been coming to your room to fall asleep at the end of his long day. Waking up in his arms makes all of your stress feel easier to handle. Charli and Jaden have spent nearly every day together after class. She is still completely friendzoning him, but in her defense he hasn't spoken up about the feelings that are so obvious to everyone else.

The court date is quickly approaching and all you want is to talk to someone about it, but you feel guilty about stressing them all out again when they were so great the first time you had to go through this. You decide to give it one last shot and when Jaden is sitting in your room waiting for Charli to get out of class, you decide to bring it up.

You: "I am so not ready for next week."

Jaden: *buried in his phone*
"Huh? Oh crap, Charli texted. I was supposed to meet her outside of her class, not her room. I gotta go."

You sigh alone yet again in your room and decide to try to reach out to your childhood best friend about it. He'd been really understanding about it when you told him about Vinnie getting sentenced. You text him, but don't expect him to answer right away because he works during the day.

He'd never liked Vinnie anyway. He had been his high school bully and you always carried a little guilt about dating him, but he'd reassured you over and over that it was ok. If anything it made things easier on him. You continue the conversation and after telling him about court, the floodgates open and you tell him everything.

He is so supportive and understanding and immediately tells you he is coming to visit. You try to reassure him he doesn't have to do that, but it's too late. He'd booked a flight within minutes and would be here in a few days.