Step Into the Light

Chapter 8

"Who is he? And what is he to you?"

HARRY'S POV:

Josh choked and spit up the water he was drinking. And Naomi's eyes went wide and actually made eye contact with me.

I jumped from my seat, leaned over the table, and hit Mitch in the head.

"What the hell is wrong with you Mitch?" I say wanting to crawl out of my own skin.

"What? You could cut their tension with a knife!" Mitch says back.

" Mitch just stay out of it! That's their business! You're always so stoic and shit and now is the time you choose to be a fucking fire cracker?" I say truly pissed off by the situation.

"You know we should probably just go. Thank you for-" Jeff starts to finally speaking up.

"Harry don't get too mad at Mitch, he's right. I've actually been wanting to ask Naomi out for a while..." Josh says to me, but by the last sentence he was looking around Mitch and at Naomi.

What the fuck is happening right now?

I think Naomi is actually gonna pass out, or throw up. She looks absolutely floored.

There's a long pause of silence.

I just want this moment to be over.

It looks like she does too.

"Uh I-" she starts to say.

"What can I get you kids to eat? Oh Naomi who are these lovely people? New friends?" I hear Kathy say at my side.

I don't pay attention.

"Naomi are you alright?" I say quietly at her as she stares at Josh.

"Kathy I'll be right back I just umm yeah I'll be right back." She says as she gets up and heads towards the bathroom.

"What did you boys do to my Naomi?" Kathy stares looking at the four of us.

"Well my friend Mitch here was being a douchebag. Then one of the questions lead to her relationship with Josh here. Then that lead to Josh asking her out. And Jeff over here did nothing the entire time." I answer.

"Uh huh..." She nods at me."I see. Well, I'm gonna go see if she's alright while you guys get your shit together.

She walks away leaving it to just be the four of us.

Crickets.

Not a word from any of are lips for what felt like years.

"So.... Are we just gonna sit here in silence? That's cool, I just want to know...." Josh says with an awkward smile.

I don't really get him.

Or like him.

"Honestly for everyone's sake we probably should." Says Jeffrey looking really uncomfortable.

"Yeah we should, but first Mitch needs to apologize to Josh." I say knowing Josh deserves an apology because Mitch lacked basic human decency.

Why is he being so fucking bold today?

"Sorry for having my best friend's back-." Says Mitch in a quiet tone.

"Nevermind with the apology, just shut up." I say rubbing my temples.

"I'm just trying to help you trust me-"

"Maybe I should leave you guys alone, this feels like a private conversation." Josh says speaking up.

"You know what? Yeah that's probably a good idea." Mitch says.

"Yeah... I figured... I'm just gonna go check on Na-" Josh says before getting cut off.

"Actually, maybe you should stay. Get to know each other?" Mitch says to Josh blocking him in his corner seat.

"Why are you being such an ass today?" I say to Mitch.

He gives me a look playing dumb.

"Josh, I'm really sorry my friend here is being such an ass. He's usually not like this. You should go check on Naomi though." I say to Josh trying to make sure he doesn't think we're total assholes.

"Thanks man." Josh says to me with another awkward smile.

He then trys to get up and Mitch gives in. Josh walks to the bathrooms.

"What in the bloody hell was that?!" I whisper yell to Mitch once Josh is out of sight.

"Dude I'm just looking out for you. I know I made myself look like a douchebag but at least we got some straight answers so you don't get your heart broken again." Mitch says going back to his quiet self.

"I'm not going to get my heart broken! We're just becoming friends!"

"Uh huh, next thing you know.... Bam! A song like If I Could Fly." Mitch says with a smirk.

I roll my eyes.

"Will you two shut up? Harry, Mitch is just looking out for you. Mitch, there was a better way to do that." Jeffrey says taking a sip of Naomi's iced tea.

"That was hers." I say to Jeffrey.

"I know, but I think she'll understand considering the shit show I've had to watch since we left the studio. If all I want from this is a sip of iced tea, she'll understand." He says taking a longer gulp.

"So, do you think she'll say yes?" Mitch says looking at me with a serious face.

"I mean probably. She looked like she liked him. Why?" I say back to him in honesty.

" Well dude whether you realize it or not, you have a crush on her. I'm not saying you love her or anything but you do have a crush on her." Mitch says back.

"We barely know each other. We're just becoming friends. That's literally all." I say defending myself.

"Well... You do have a small crush on her... Let's be honest..." Jeffrey chimes in.

"See! Whenever you have a crush on someone, you do this wierd thing where you like stare them down. And you smirk a lot. You definitely have a crush on her." Mitch says with a chuckle.

"Well even if I did, which I don't, she's probably gonna end up going out with Josh. So there we go, case closed."

"Yes, exactly. So don't get your hopes up okay? I mean it could turn your way but don't count on it." Mitch says in a serious manner.

"There is nothing to get my hopes up about." I say back with a smile trying to shut down this conversation.

There is nothing to get my hopes up about... Right?

Out of the corner of my eye I see Josh and Naomi walk out of the bathroom. She calmer and looks a lot happier than when she left. But so does he...

"Hey umm I'm sorry I left-" Naomi says ad they sit down in the booth again. This time, next to each other.

"You're fine. It's Mitch who should be apologizing." I say staring daggers at Mitch.

"Actually Mitch, I was wondering if I could talk to you alone for just a second..." Naomi says looking over at Mitch.

I know he's my friend but I hope she destroys him.

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★