A Newfound Home - Adopted by Josh Dun

Førty-three

V I C T Ø R I A
"Hi!" Lily leaned against the locker next to mine as I was reaching for a book.

It was almost six pm, and I had just finished dress rehearsal for the performance tomorrow.

"What are you still doing here? School ended three hours ago." I shoved my book into my bag and shut my locker.

"I had a meeting with the counselor and then I ended up sitting and watching basketball practice."

We started talking about spring break and she told me her plans with David. "And what about you? Do you and your family have any plans?"

I held onto my bag and pursed my lips. "I'm actually leaving Friday during lunch. My dad's band is going on tour for a couple of months and I'm gonna miss the end of school. I'll be back in the summer."

She nodded and glanced behind me, smiling.

I turned around and Max was standing with a poster board and a bouquet of carnations. The poster said, 'I can think of twenty-one reasons to go to prom with you.' and had the twenty one pilots' symbols all over the poster.

"Tori, will you go to prom with me?" I couldn't believe it.

My heart was torn in two. I wanted to go to prom so badly with Max, but I knew I couldn't.

"I.. I.. can't. I can't." I held onto my bag and rushed out the door, ignoring Max calling for me.

Tears threatened to spill and I blinked them away as I got stuck in my thoughts.

I can't believe he actually asked me, and I rejected him.

By the time I got home, I burst through the door as tears burst from my eyes. Josh was still out, so I had the house to myself.

As I cried, I threw on sweatpants and a tank top and dug through the freezer for my ice cream, sitting on the couch and throwing on a random movie.

This was the only healthy distraction I could come up with.

When Josh got home, he found me curled up in a blanket, trying to dig at the bottom of the container for a chunk of cookie.

"Ice cream, sweats, and a rom-com? Do I gotta break some bones?" He tossed his keys into the bowl by the stairs.

"Can you break mine so I can stay here?" He gave me an odd look and sat next to me, putting his arm on the back of the couch.

I leaned into him and took a huge bite of ice cream.

"Now why do you want me to break your bones?" It sounded funny hearing it from him.

"Max asked me to prom and I'm upset because I can't go." Josh wrapped his arms around me and pressed his cheek to my head.

"I'm really sorry you can't go. If I could change things, I would. Now you have to remember that you'll have two more chances to go."

I set my container of ice cream on the coffee table.

"Yeah, unless you guys decide to go back on tour and force me to go with you." Josh playfully rolled his eyes.

"After this summer, we're taking a long break. And I'm sure by the time we go back on tour, you'll be old enough to be left home alone. Or Debby and I will be married and you two can be here together.

Our conversation was interrupted by the doorbell.

"Is Debby coming over?" I got up and answered the door with Josh following me.

"Hi," it was Max. "Can we talk?" I nodded and opened the door more. He looked up at Josh and back at me. "Alone?"

I walked onto the porch, shutting the door behind me. "Don't be watching us through the window," I said to Josh.