When We Were Young (joshifer)

When We Were Young

Author's Note: I recommend listening to the song When We Were Young by Adele before reading because one it's a great song and two that's what this is based off of. Enjoy! :)

(About five years after Mockingjay Part 2)

I step onto the red carpet at the Oscars, lights flashing everywhere. I smile for the photographers and move on closer to the entrance.

And that's when I see her. Jennifer.

She's wearing this purpley dress and her hair is in loose waves down her back. It's grown out since I last saw her. A laugh escapes me as I look down and see the sparkley heels on her feet and think one thought. She's going to trip. I watch her from down the red carpet as she smiles and poses for the cameras.

I'm hit with a rush of nostalgia as I watch her laugh and say something to the reporter in front of her. 

Everyone has their eyes on her as she continues walking, including me. I'm not close enough to hear her laugh but I can picture it clearly in my head. Everything comes flooding back to me as her laughter rings in my ears. The pranks, the press tours and the countless interviews that I only got through because she was there to make it fun, our adventures with Liam, the days in Hawaii shooting Catching Fire, my best friend. Everything.

She was my best friend. I don't think I've ever gotten so close to someone so quickly. I knew from that first phone call, when she called me and we talked for hours upon hours about ghosts and zombies and so many other things I can't even remember now, that I was going to love her. Not romantically. Or maybe romantically. The thing was, I never knew with Jen. Some days after countless pranks and stupid inappropriate jokes I knew that she was like a sister I never had, but other days when we would hold each other and never want to let go, it was different. All I knew is I loved her.

"Josh!" a reporter calls. "Have you seen your old friend Ms. Lawrence is here?" 

"I haven't seen her yet, hopefully I will," I say and move on. 

Has she seen me? I wonder. Does she even want to talk to me?

What even happened between Jen and I? The details are fuzzy now but I think it was the distance. I had a girlfriend at the time and I was always in Spain. And by the time that was over, Jen and I were just not as close. We fought a bit and I guess we were just too busy to put in the effort to keep up our friendship. It wasn't the same as the days where we'd run in the ocean and pee together. Or the days where I'd scare her in her trailer. God I miss her.

I walk in and take my seat, waiting for the show to start. I chat with the people around me, but it's small talk and all I can think about is my best friend sitting five rows ahead and her laugh.

The show passes in a blur. I didn't win anything, but Jen did. Sure enough she tripped in the heels on the way down from the stage. But typical Jen, she laughs it off.

The show is over and my friends are talking about some after party and they want me to come. Out of the corner of my eye I see a rush of purple go by and I know it's Jennifer.

"I'll be right back," I say and hurry after her. For some reason I'm scared. It's been so long.

I walk up to her, hoping she's still the someone I used to know.

She's about to walk away when I yell, "Jennifer!" And she turns over her shoulder. "Joshy," she says softly. "I- I didn't know you were coming."

"Do- do you have a moment Jen?" I say.

"For you?" She says with a grin. "Not for you asshole!" I can see the laughter in her eyes and she open her arms.

"C'mere Joshy!" She throws her arms around me. "God I missed you so much!"

"You smell like pizza," I say with a laugh.

"Hey!" She pulls away and punches my arm.

"I missed you so much," I tell her.

 "C'mon were going back to my place, I'm having a party and then you're staying over and we're catching up!" She says.

"Fine," I say with a smirk and she throws her arm around my shoulder and mine goes around her waist as we walk out of the building laughing.

And that's when I know nothing has changed, it's just like when we were young.