cliché

chapter 58

Josephine laid on her bed, exhaustion kicking in. She had disappointed Dorothy a couple of times again but Dorothy seemed very understanding and observant. She turned to the side, trying to fall asleep but she just couldn't. It was that blasted Halloween part and Darlington probably even Alicia would be there. She groaned, getting up and taking her jacket from the side of her bed where it laid ideally then her car keys and her lucky pack of smokes. It was funny how, even though old habits die hard Josephine had killed hers fast and the habit returned twice as fast.

She wore a hoodie, then her jacket and some boots. Her phone in her pocket. She felt extremely cold. She sighed as though it pained her joints. Walking down the stairs, she checked the time. It was already 11pm. A good thing Lucy's house wasn't that far away. She sluggishly dragged herself to the bottom stair only to find Anabelle, sobbing with a fun pressed to her ear. Josephine arched her brow as Anabelle put down the phone. "H-he's not going to- to make it through the n-" but she couldn't complete her words as she broke down. Josephine was confused. She wasn't sure how she should feel so. She laughed. Throwing her head back. "Nice one" she said with a smile. "I'm stepping out for a bit" she added swinging her key in her hand. It was definitely just a prank.

Dorothy looked around the whole house for Darlington. The boy was dressed like a freaking pirate and since it was a mascurade party, he had some baby blue mask on. It was hilarious how he had ditched his glasses for contacts that night just to grab Josephine's attention since Dorothy told him she'd be there although he denied it continuously. Even though the party was in full swing and people were dancing and making merry, Darlington stood by the corner rocking himself on his heels. Maybe she wouldn't come after all. A slow song came on and he felt a hand rap around his waist. Maybe he was wrong. She did come. He giggled softly into her touch and let her guide him to the dance floor, the rocked back and forth slowly. "I'm sorry for being such a douche" Darlington said in all honesty as the taller figure guided him around the dance floor, silent. Lyn bit down on her lips. What was she doing? This wasn't right? She had even worn a 6inch heel just to imitate Josephine's height although she was still a few inches short. She guided Darlington through the dance floor and held him closer. He blushed although his heart wasn't racing like it used to.

Alicia smirked from the podium as she watched the two of them. She always knew Darlington was no good. Josephine walked into the dance quietly, ignoring the intoxicated teenagers in the door way as she made her way into the house. A small smile spread across her lips as she saw Darlington in the hands of another. Alicia was on the podium, seeing her best friend like that.... Her smile fell. What she was doing was wrong. Lyn leaned in and Darlington looked up but couldn't see those vibrant gray eyes. Lyn leaned down to his level, planting a small kiss on his lips. Josephine turned around and left without a word, she stood outside the house, take out a smoke stick, lighting it and putting it against her lips.

She took deep breaths of the warm cancer stick to warm up her insides. "Old habits die hard" Josephine turned around to see Alicia there in a beautiful wonderwoman costume. Josephine tipped her cigar at her best friend slightly with a small smile. "How does it feel? Being beaten at your own game?" Alicia questioned as she took slow steps towards Josephine who just took a few back. Alicia got confused, Josephine was never one to be intimidated so her moving back...

"It hurts like hell. I'd let you know that. Good thing I stopped myself from letting you feel it" Josephine said with her signature smirk although it didn't match her hooded eyes. She chuckled a bit as she took another drag of her cigar stick. Her phone buzzed. She didn't want to take it. There was a sudden feeling at her gut as her phone rang again. She clenched her fist. Alicia crossed her arms over her chest and shifted her weight to just one leg. Josephine brought out her phone and decided to decline after seeing the caller ID. Her hands were shaky and Alicia took the opportunity to snatch her phone from her. Alicia answered the call and put it on speaker. The ID read doctor. She looked at Josephine in confusion.

"Ms King. Where are you?" Josephine snatched her phone back, putting it to her ear and removing it from the open speaker. "You're father he - we're losing him. We won't hold out for much longer. You need to be here." Josephine gulped as her eyes widened.... She put the phone down, her cigar falling from her hand as she checked her pocket for her keys. "J-josephine what's wrong?" Alicia asked. It was the first time that Alicia had seen Josephine look scared. She gulped. Running to her car leaving Alicia shocked once again.

Lyn leaned into Darlington this was what she had been waiting for. "You smell different Josephine..." Darlington spoke softly. "You used to smell of bubble gum" he spoke again. And Lyn clenched her teeth. "Be missed you" Darlington spoke again. She should just get this over with. But alas she couldn't do it. She just sighed and Darlington smiled, taking in a deep breath and a step back. "What are you playing at Lyn?" Darlington asked quite frankly like he had already known who it was. Darlington took off his mask and looked her in the eye with a small sad look. "No matter how angry I am at her... Id never hurt her that bad" Darlington said and Lyn just looked down embarrassed.

"Darl!" Dorothy came running to her brother, panting. "What's it Dorothy?" He asked. "Josephine was here just now. Did you guys talk-" she stopped, turning her attention to Lyn. Dorothy glared at her. "Don't tell me she-" Dorothy eyed Lyn carefully. Dorothy sighed, Facing her brother as she spoke. Darlington looked at his forward. It seemed as though the cubler had done an amazing job the more he looked at them. "Goodness you're such an idiot!" Dorothy spoke clearly angry at her brother. "If you miss her just go get her you idiot!" Dorothy spoke, slightly to Darlington's discomfort. He nodded at her.

Dorothy scoffed and went on her merry way to look for Josh. He was with her just a minute ago.

"It's ok father. You'd be alright. Just hold on" Josephine said to her dad who was being operated on. Who was she lying to. If she had just come to the hospital directly, if she hadn't worried about Darlington or Alicia maybe she would have had more time to spend with her father. The man looked at his daughter with tears in his eyes as he whispered the last sweet words he could muster to her and the heart monitor went beeeeeeeeeeeee with no sign of coming back. "No! Do something damit! Doctors! Somebody!" Josephine screamed at the top of her lungs, tears flowing from her eyes. The doctors just looked down. "Time of death, November 1st 2017, 12:08am." One of the doctors called as he removed his gloves. Josephine looked down at her father. No matter how badly she wanted it to stop, the tears didn't stop flowing. Where's Maxwell when you need him?

He'd have held her. Told her it was ok but come to think of it, no one really knew what was going on. Not even the rest of her family members... It was only her, her maid and butler. Josephine held on to her father's cold hands, a bit of blood on her hands as she pleaded for him to come back. He wasn't always there but she knew that he was working to make things easier for her. She knew that he must've blamed himself for a lot. She knew. But  even though he wasn't around.... He was all she had left. She needed him.

The doctors tore her away from her father's corpse after a couple of minutes. Her eyes were puffy and red. She left the hospital, buying a drink as she drove. She went home immediately going to her music room. But her hands were to shaky to hold the drum stick. Her hands were too shaky to hold the cigar stick. She took her father's keys to his favorite Bentley and groaned in frustration.

Darlington caught his breath in front of Josephine's apartment as he knocked the door. "I'm sorry. Ms Josephine is no longer here" the maid said tears in her eyes. Darlington could only think of the worse.