Living High School to the Fullest (Completed)

Chapter 35: Diner Talk

My stomach turned just thinking about them being together. Even though I knew it was an awful thing to think, I really hoped that the two of them had some sort of fight which was going to end in their break-up. Better yet, let them be broken up already! The thought of having to face a Single Josh was much more bearable than the thought of a Coupled-up Josh.

The thought of a Sarah Josh was the best thought of all of them, though.

Oh boy, I had it bad. Never before had I been in love like this.

It was the day before New Year's. I was lounging in my room, reading, trying my best not to think about Josh – which naturally didn't work since books are made out of paper, and you can make paper balls out of paper, and paper balls reminded me of Josh – when the beeping sound of my phone notified me about having a new text message.

Immediately, my heart started beating faster as it always did lately when it heard that beep, hoping against hope that it would be from him.

         need 2 talk 2 u. urgent. diner @3pm?

This was very strange, to say the least. What need would be there for a talk between the two of us? Immediately, I replied.

        talk about what?

I was holding my phone in my hand, waiting for the reply. As soon as it arrived, I opened it.

        red dell

Panic burned up in my chest. About Josh? Why? Had something happened to him? Before I even was aware of the fact that I had pressed the call button, I heard the dial tone ring, twice.

Then he picked up. "'Lo?"

"Dan, is he okay?" I asked panicked. "Has something happened? An accident? Or –"

"Whoa, chill," Kingsley told me. "Nothing like that. So, can you meet me, or what?"

"Why do we have to meet?" Meeting him meant leaving my bed. "Can't you just tell me now?"

"No," he said firmly. "You in, or what?"

I sighed. If it was about Josh, I had to go. Not going wasn't even an option. "Yeah, I'm in."

"Cool. See you at three."

Three o'clock was still four hours away. Plenty of time to get out of bed, take a shower, try to get some food down, get dressed – maybe I should opt for getting dressed first, then the eating thing – and imagine a zillion scenarios what exactly could be so urgent involving Josh that Dan Kingsley had to talk to me about it of all people.

The most likely one I had come up with: Josh and Kate had broken up already – I really liked that part – because he realized that he was in love with Emma and needed my advice, me being her best friend. Which would suck for Josh, seeing that Em was head over heels in love with Brian.

Time dragged slowly like three-hours-old chewing gum. Eventually, though, it was time to leave. I grabbed my mother's car keys, glad about my parents being at some friends' house, and rushed out. Since there was only one diner in Rome, the parking lot was quite full for this time of the day. I spotted Dan's pick-up truck already parked there.

Wow. I was almost ten minutes early and he was already here? I never would have pegged him for a very punctual person. Then again, Kingsley had me surprised more often than not since I had gotten to know him better.

Inside, I examined all the guests, looking for the familiar figure of Dan Kingsley. Eventually, I saw him sitting in a corner booth right next to the window. But he wasn't alone.

His back was facing me, but the brownish hair with golden streaks, shimmering even in the cold neon light of the lamp above him, was a dead giveaway.

My heart picked up a beat. Or two.

Josh was here? Why? I wasn't ready to see him just like that without a proper warning. Or preparation time. Not to mention a written plan of action.

Kingsley hadn't noticed me yet. I still had a chance to leave. I could leave. Like, right now. Just go. Go! Just for your information, stupid feet, that's your job. Moving.

Yep, that's better. Much more like it. Hey, where are you going? Wait!

"Hey, Sarah," Kingsley greeted me with a tiny smile on his face when he saw me standing right next to their table.

My eyes immediately were pulled over by Josh's presence. "Hey."

Oh, my faulty, faulty memory! He was so much cuter than I remembered him to be!

Taken aback, he stared at me. His hazel eyes were dazed. "Hey," Josh finally said.

Kingsley made room for me on his bench and scooted over. "Come sit."

Fortunately, the rest of my body was on autopilot, following orders, while my mind was almost shooting out sparks because so many thoughts at once were running through it.

He's here.

Good thing I picked my cute sweater to wear.

His hair has grown out again a bit.

That guy in the neighbor booth really shouldn't pick his nose in public.

Why did Josh look different?

"Menu?" Dan shoved it right in front of my face, obstructing my view of the one guy I had been thinking about every single second of the last few days. I blinked. Kingsley actually had done me a favor. The connection was broken. I really shouldn't ogle Josh so selfishly. Plus, now I had something which kept me busy.

Nobody said anything while I was studying the menu. Our waitress popped up at our table not even a minute later and I ended up ordering a soda. The two boys also had only soft drinks in front of them. Even though, knowing Kingsley, I was sure there was food on its way.

There was only so much studying of their glasses I could do before they thought that I had developed a weird sort of fetish. I glanced at Josh again. He seemed to be confused. Okay. I wasn't the only one.

"Dan?" I addressed the boy right next to me. "Why am I here?"

"You two," he waved his pointer from me to Josh and back again. "Talk."

My eyes met Josh's hazel ones. I knew exactly what he was thinking.

"About what?" Josh and I asked at the same time.

Josh grinned a little and added "Jinx."

Okay, I could do this. I could. I definitely could!