A Newfound Home - Adopted by Josh Dun

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V I C T Ø R I A
Valentine's day.

The stupidest holiday to exist.

Josh made it better by surprising me with chocolate and flowers, but I still had a pure hatred for the holiday.

"And you think you'll be okay here?" Josh and I were doing dishes before he had to leave to go out with Debby.

"I'll be fine. It's not like I haven't been left alone before." He chuckled and the doorbell rang. He went to answer the door.

I followed him and leaned against the rail of the stairs, expecting to greet Debby.

Instead, it was Max.

"Max?" Josh looked back at me and then let him in.

How dare you, Josh?

Max stepped in and smiled at me. "Hi, Tori." I pursed my lips and looked down. I felt someone's hand on my shoulder and looked up.

"I have to get going. You'll be good here?" I nodded and Josh kissed the top, waving to Max and leaving us alone.

"Shouldn't you be with your girlfriend?" I mumbled as I wandered back into the kitchen to finish the dishes.

"What girlfriend?" Max wondered aloud and I kept my focus on the dishes in the sink. "Mikayla. I'm surprised you haven't bragged about your cheerleader girlfriend yet." I set a plate down on the counter.

I felt hands on my waist and I was spun around, facing Max.

"Mikayla's not my girlfriend. She never has and never will. She's not even my type." We locked eyes and my breath got caught in my throat.

"But she told me you two are a couple." I moved my gaze to his hands on my waist and I didn't dare look up.

"She lied. I don't know why, but I promise you, I will never be with her." I nodded and continued to stare down.

"Tori, please look up." I shut my eyes and slowly looked up, opening them to see him staring at me.

He slowly leaned forward until my phone went off, and I awkwardly escaped from his grasp to answer it.

"Hey, I forgot to tell you this. I want the laundry done by the time I get home." I rolled my eyes as I answered Josh's call.

"Yes, sir." I mockingly expressed and heard him laugh. I hung up and looked at Max. "I have to do laundry. You can stay or go, I don't mind."

I wandered to the living room and dragged the basket of clean clothes out of the laundry room into the living room.

Max sat on the chair by the TV and pulled out his phone.

I'm guessing he's staying.

I went back into the laundry and threw dirty clothes into the washer and started it. "Who got these flowers?" I heard max ask.

I walked back into the living and sat on the floor. "Josh got them for me. And chocolate, but I ate it all."

We laughed and I turned on the TV, opened Netflix, and put on a random movie.

I started folding laundry and partially paid attention to the movie. Max was fully immersed.

I smiled to myself and put the folded laundry back into the basket and set it by the stairs, checking on the washer and returning to the living room.

My heart soared as I thought about the fact that Max is still single.