Sunkissed | Joshifer

Chapter 21

I wake just as the day breaks in the sky. The room is silent and cold. I bury myself in my sheets, cuddling into their warmth. My parents have already left for work by now and hopefully Josh has left as well. He could've left in the middle of the night, but I doubt he would have, considering the state he was in last night. Anxiety swirls inside my stomach and chest. He could very well still be down the hall. I wonder if he's awake or asleep. Maybe he's lying awake wondering if I'm awake or not. It couldn't hurt to check up on him. No, I can't let curiosity get the best of me. Even if he was awake, there's no chance of us speaking to each other. I made it clear that he has to leave as soon as he wakes up. Hopefully he got that through his head. I peek from under my blankets and grab my phone and the clock reads 8:12 a.m. Just like he promised he would, a text message from Sam appears on my screen. It was sent over an hour and a half ago.

"Breakfast?" I smile down at the message even if the brightness of the screen is blinding me.

"Are you buying?" I reply and await an answer. A few short minutes later, he finally responds.

"As always. Can I be over in 10?" He replies.

"See you then." I drop my phone on the pillow beside me. I stretch out my arms and legs, taking up the extra space on my queen sized mattress.

I sit up and stretch my arms once more before swinging my legs over the side of the bed. I grab my pullover from my desk chair and tug it onto my body. I brush the knots out of my hair and let the soft waves fall over my shoulders. I walk across the carpet and to my bedroom door. I crack it open and look straight down the hall to the room Josh stayed in last night. I tap my fingers against my wooden door, contemplating what to do next. I step outside my room and down to the small staircase, but stop when I reach the bottom. I walk slowly across the wooden flooring, but begin to pick up the pace as I grow nearer. I place my hand on the door handle, but don't turn it. What do I say to him? Will he even care to listen to what I have to say? He's probably hungover anyways. I push down on the door handle. This is my house. I should be allowed to enter any room I please.

I push on the door handle and step in the room. I look to the bed with excitement, but my shoulders fall in disappointment. All I come to find is an empty mattress. The blankets are neatly folded and stacked on a chair in the corner. The pillows sit at the top of the bed. Guess I had nothing to worry about after all. He must've left while I was still asleep. No matter how much it kills me to even think, but I wish he would've been here. It would've given me at least a chance to talk to him again. My fault for getting my hopes up. I shut the door and turn back on my heels towards my room.

As soon as I reach my bedroom, I immediately fall back onto my bed. All his looks aside, Josh isn't the ideal guy that most girls would fall for, yet here I am, thinking about him anyways. I just want to know what he thinks of this. If he's even thinking of me too. It'd be comforting to know that he is, but I don't think convincing myself that he is will truly satisfy my thoughts. I look to the clock on my phone doc. Sam will be here any minute and I'm not even dressed. I haul myself from my bed and over to my closet. I quickly undress and pull on a pair of jean shorts with a simple gray sleeveless shirt. I walk into my bathroom and wash my face. The cold water is so refreshing on my skin. Just as I finish up brushing my teeth, I hear the doorbell followed by a pounding on the door.

"Coming Sam!" I yell as I rinse my toothbrush under the running water of the faucet. I exit the bathroom and begin a frantic search for my purse. Eventually, I find in sitting on the floor beside my desk. I quickly check for my house keys in my purse, grab my phone from my pillow, and head towards the front door. I skip down the steps of the stairs to the living room. I round the corner into the foyer and slip on my sandals. I open the door to greet Sam with a smile.