After the Rain- Josh Kiszka

Chapter 17- Traitorous Tattoos

"I... we've met before, at Flex, about two years ago. I took you home that night." He said, shaking his head as if to clear his thoughts and finally putting the pieces together. 

"I told myself I was crazy! I swore you looked familiar from the day we met at the concert, but I could never place where I had known you from. Do... do you remember me?" He asked, almost pained by the idea that I might not remember him.

I sighed pulling on the first t-shirt and sweatpants I could find before taking his hand in mine. "Yes, Josh, I remember you. Look, I've been wanting to talk to you about this for a very long time, and I came close to telling you yesterday but we got distracted..." I blushed remembering last night's antics as he furrowed his eyebrows and nodded hesitantly. 

His was face riddled with concern and confusion as I motioned for him to sit down on the bed beside me. 

We sat down on the edge of the bed and I took a deep breath before I began.

This is the moment I've feared for the past three months unfolding right before my eyes.

"Listen, there is no easy way for me to say this. I'll explain everything, I swear. I just— I just need you to hear me out okay? And promise me you'll hear me out for everything I need to say." I said my voice beginning to waver, threatening to break with each word.

"I promise, I just don't understand what's got you so upset. I had a great time from what I remember, I really thought we hit it off," He said sweetly, moving his hand to my knee to comfort me.

I was scared that if he knew everything he'd be too overwhelmed. He never asked for any of this, and now all of a sudden he was finding out about it all at once. I had time to come to terms with the consequences of that night, when he had yet to even know of their existence. 

I was also scared that I'd lose what we'd built. I had real feelings for him and it was terrifying. I hadn't had feelings like this for anyone ever, and I wished so badly that it would work out between us, not only for my sake, but also for Lina's. Despite all of this, I knew he deserved to hear the truth, no matter how it was delivered, and no matter how he would react.

"We did," I reassured him. "To be honest, I had never intended on going out that night. It was my mom's birthday, and It had been a month since she had passed away. I had been really upset for the days leading up to it."

"I'm so sorry, Celine, I had no idea." Josh said. I gave him a tight smile to express my gratitude for his sympathy, but I waved him off. This wasn't about me and my grief, I needed to move on with the story.

"Teagan wanted me to give me a distraction for the way I had been feeling, so she dragged me out to Flex. She saw Chris, who she had a crush on all throughout school, on the dance floor so it didn't take long for her to abandon me at the bar," I chuckled. "That's when I saw you from across the way. I mean to be honest, I got butterflies," I felt a blush creep onto my cheeks.

 I needed to be completely honest with him about how I felt if this were to be potentially the last time I see him ever again.

I would be naïve to assume he would stay when this was all said and done.

"I thought you were quite handsome." I continued. "With your big brown eyes and such a warm and charming smile, I couldn't take my eyes off of you." He blushed and gave me a small smile, obviously flattered by the compliment, but kept silent, urging me to continue. 

"And then when you approached me, I was shocked because if the way I had felt had any correlation to the way I looked, it'd be a miracle that anyone would want to talk to me, especially you; but I guess Teagan had helped me get myself together. Then, we talked and danced and I had such a great night, I hadn't thought once about being sad since I had met you, and— and then I— I went home with you." I started to get flustered.