Unexpected

9

"I've been wanting to do that for a long time," Josh murmured, finally breaking away from our kiss. I nodded in agreement leaning up to press another short kiss against his plush lips, unable to stop myself. Now that I'd had a taste of it, I felt like I was addicted, addicted to the feeling of Josh's lips moving against mine and the possessive hand he had curled around my waist.

"As much as I want to keep kissing you and trust me I really do we should head to the gym" Josh said giving my shoulders a little push as he extracted himself from my arms.

"Can I have a hug first?" I asked, feeling vulnerable all of a sudden. I didn't regret kissing Josh, the opposite was true in fact, but I craved some reassurance and knew I'd feel better being enveloped in his spicy scent.

"Of course," Josh said, his arms wrapping around me with me drawn tightly up against his muscled chest. As many times as I'd dreamt of this exact moment, the reality was so much better.

We stood there rocking back and forth a little as his arms applied a steady pressure around my ribcage, making me feel so comfortable and secure for the first time in what felt like years. I didn't know how it was possible for him to make me feel this way, but I knew I would never be able to get enough of it.

"Alright Betzing, we gotta get on the road."

"Aye aye Captain Brueckner," I said mock saluting him after I stole another quick kiss from him.

"Get in the car you menace." He insisted, jogging around to the driver's side before I could continue my assault on him.

"All your life, no, You couldn't be mad about it, You've been sailing, sailing oh, You couldn't be sad about it, And it's been all this time, And you haven't lived without-out it, You are shining, shining it seems though, That your life, you've found it," I sang along with the radio, no longer embarrassed with a newfound confidence in front of Josh. He liked me, really actually liked me and I didn't feel like I had to be someone else to keep his interest. No, for the first time I felt like I could truly be myself in front of someone other than my best friends and family.

"No oh oh oh, But you've never seen the rain, No oh oh oh, But you've never, No, you've never seen the rain, And it gets you down, But that's okay, You've been pushed 'round, You feel the pain—"

"—And when you fall, just lean on me," Josh interrupted in a horrible off-key falsetto. Making eye contact with each other we both burst into laughter, laughing until my stomach actually hurt and I had tears streaming down my face.

It felt amazing to feel so buoyant and light, laughing until it hurt especially after what had happened a little over a week ago. It was so hard to wrap my mind around how lucky I was to have met Josh, and how it was largely owed to him that I was happy again. I felt safe around him and protected and cared for, I felt like he would chase away all the monsters that ever tried to haunt me.

"Do you want to go on a date with me tomorrow night after class?"

"After class?" I wrinkled my nose, not exactly loving the image of me in sweaty gym clothes as what I'd wear on our first date. "I'll be sweaty and gross and not cute,"

"First of all, you're always cute. Secondly, haven't you ever heard of a shower?"

"At the gym?"

"No, on Mars silly." Josh said mockingly. "Of course, at the gym,"

"Okay," I found myself agreeing before I could stop myself. I was too excited at the idea of going on an actual date with Josh that what I looked like came secondary. Besides, God knew I loved a challenge and what was more challenging than trying to get ready in a horribly lit public bathroom for a first date with a guy who was so completely out of my league it was bordering on pathetic.