Good as Gold // Josh Burrage

Chapter Twenty-Nine

On the way to the Sky's request of the day, Lafayette Street and Lafayette Square, I walk next to Josh, wanting to talk with him. "How's your eye?" I start the conversation, referring to the bruise he got after fighting with KP. It's much less swollen than it was yesterday, but there's still a good-sized bruise under his eye.

"It hurts," Josh comments. "But it's healing, I think."

"That was really stupid, you know. To go pick a fight." I stick my hands in my pockets.

"I didn't pick a fight, Indy." He glances at me as we walk. "He hurt you. He was only getting what he deserved."

"But there were other ways to go about it," I insist. "You didn't have to get beat up. It was still stupid."

"Someone had to do something," he mutters.

I sigh. "Just don't do anything stupid like that again. There was no reason for you to go and punch him."

"No reason?" He questions. "I just said that he hurt you, that should be reason enough. I would do it all over again, too, if it meant that you would be safe."

His statement strikes me as surprising. He got beat up for me, and he'd do it again? I shake my head. "You lost your job because of me, Josh. Why would you do it again? It doesn't make sense."

"Doesn't it? Isn't it obvious?" When I shake my head again, he sighs impatiently. "Are you going to make me tell you straight out? If you think about it, the answer isn't too hard to find."

All I can do is shrug. "I don't know."

Josh stops walking just as we reach Lafayette Square, and Marlee, Ben, and Sky spread out, leaving me alone with Josh. He looks at me incredulously. "You don't know?" I shake my head. "It's because-" he falters, running a hand through his hair. "It's because I care about you, Indy. A lot. So much that I would lose my job again for you, actually."

"Which would still be stupid," I mutter.

"Are you hearing what I'm saying?"

I nod. "Yes, I hear you. I just-" I'm cut short when Sky calls out to us to get a picture of him underneath the street sign. I guess we'll talk about it later.

~ * ~ * ~

After a long day of walking around the city, we head back to the hotel. I lean against the wall of the elevator, groaning. "My feet are killing me," I complain, and Marlee nods.

"I can't wait to take a hot shower," she says. Once the elevator reaches our floor, we all get off. Marlee turns to Josh, giving him a hug to say goodbye.

"We'll see you in the morning before we leave," Sky says to Josh before leaving for his room.

I walk with Ben and Josh until they reach their room. Ben tells me goodbye and goes inside, but Josh stops me before I can continue down the hall. "Hang on. I have something for you," he says. I watch curiously as he hands me a bag from the aquarium gift shop.

"What's this?" I open it, letting out a quiet laugh when I pull out the stuffed shark.

"Just a little something to remember the day by." He smiles sweetly. As much as I hate to admit it, I'm going to miss Josh a lot. I'm going to miss the way that only he can get a smile out of me, and the way his face always brightens when I smile in the slightest bit. I'm going to miss the way he treats his friends. The way he treats strangers. His laugh. He's easily one of my best friends on tour, and now he's leaving.

"Thank you." I smile softly, forcing myself out of my thoughts. "You'll be back before long, Josh. I'll make sure of it. Don't get too attached to New York."

"I don't think that will be an issue," he says softly, giving me a smile that makes my heart flutter slightly. "I'll see you tomorrow, Indy."

As soon as he walks through the doorway, I feel a twist in my chest, as though a part of me had walked in there too. I already miss the gentle intensity of his eyes staring into mine. I miss the way his smile lights up a room. I miss his fingers laced together with mine, and the way he made me feel like I was the only girl in the world. He cares about me. I realize that, more than anything right now, all I want are his arms wrapped around me, and to feel his heartbeat in his chest. If it were up to me, I would continue to extinguish how I feel. If I were able to get a hold of myself, to control my emotions, this would have never happened. But here we are. As I step into my hotel room with the stuffed shark in hand, I dread the idea of having to accept these surprising and yet thrilling series of emotions I am experiencing, but I have no choice. I am completely, head-over-heels in love with Josh.   

~~~~~
it's about time, huh?