loverboy - josh kiszka

6.

After we left the park, Josh had ended up bringing me with him to get his weed and lottery tickets. I didn't mind just tagging along. We joked and laughed and continued with our usual back and forth.

When he had taken me home, he asked if I wanted to spend the night instead. "And why would I do that?" I had asked, my arms across my chest. "Old times sake" He shrugged. I had shook my head and he stuck his lower lip out, giving me puppy dog eyes. "Josh," I patted his cheek, "That doesn't work on me."

"Fine." He sighed, "Maybe another night." I nodded. "Maybe so. If you're nice."

"Po, I am always nice."

"To me. If you're nice to me."

"Damn it."

I had looked at him and he gave me a huge grin, flashing his bright white teeth.

We said our goodbyes and he waited to drive off until I had made it safely inside. I liked that he did that. It was something normally only Jake did.

That next day I didn't do much of anything. It was a particularly cold day and our heater had been giving us trouble. My mom was still at work so Ivy and I were bundled up under the covers in her room. She had put a Christmas movie on and complained the whole time about how she hated her old box tv.

My phone dinged.

Jake: Hey what u up to

Me: not much hanging with the ivy bean

Jake: Cool:) Wanna come over later?

I looked over at Ivy, wondering if it would make a shit sister if I bailed on her tonight. As if she read my mind, she looked up at me. "You going out?" She asked. I shrugged my shoulders making a face. "I might."

My phone dinged again.

Jake: Ronnie brought some friends over

I smiled down at my phone. They had a sister Veronica, but everyone called her Ronnie. She was in the grade between us and Sam. I liked her a lot, she was hilarious around her brothers. They fed off of each others energy so well.

Ivy was still looking at me and she snuggled her head deeper into the crook of my arm. "Wait until I go to sleep first." She ordered and I nodded, saluting her. "Aye, aye captain." I opened up my phone again and texted Jake back.

Me: after ivy goes to sleep i'll come :)

Jake: Need a ride?

Me: probably if u wanna

Jake: Duh just call me when ur ready

I sent him back a thumbs up and set my phone down. I knew it was probably better to leave after Ivy went to sleep anyways because my mom would be home by then and I didn't like to leave Ivy alone. She said she didn't mind and that she was grown now or something. Yeah, right.

We spent the rest of the afternoon like that and most of the night until finally I noticed her breathing had gotten deeper. I looked down at her only to find her eyes shut and flickering slightly behind her eyelids. I kept her movie on for her and kissed her forehead before crawling out of bed.

I sent Jake a text letting him know that I was going to change and he could head this way. I knew my curls were messy after a full day in bed so I put them in two quick braids before deciding that was the best it was probably gonna get. I figured Ronnie and her friends wouldn't mind what I looked like and I knew no one else cared.

I was waiting outside for Jake when he pulled up and rolled down the window motioning for me to come on. I half expected Josh to be in the passenger seat, but it was only me and Jake this time. He smiled at me as I crawled in, shutting the door behind me.