THREE

Chapter 9

Josie's POV

The drive to my place was awkward with neither of us uttering a word. My eyes remain focused on the road, driving us to my apartment with his car. It feels so good to drive again, if only I could get my own car. Dave, my old neighbor when I was still in foster home, taught me how to drive and Owen helped perfect my skills.

Driving, for me, was like an escape from all my worries and anxiety. It made me feel like I had the whole world at the tip of my fingers, like I could control anything at all. Anytime I felt really troubled, Owen would let me take his car for a spin.

Well, that was until his Dad took his keys because he kept sneaking out to parties every night and then. But still, there's no longer time to escape my problems through driving, when I have school, work and my grades to maintain. And now boy issues? What if we had kissed though? Would it have been more awkward than it is in here already? Sigh..

We finally arrive at my apartment, still not breaking the silence between us. I come down quickly and run over to the passenger's side to get the door for him.

"You do know I got shot in my arm right? I can still get the door with this guy here." He says to me for the first time in what seem like years, while waving his hand in my face.

"Oh, yeah. I see that now." I say with a straight face, slamming the door shut again.

Why was I even trying to help in the first place? Ugh!

"That was rude." I hear him say from behind me.
"Whatever."

I get my keys out from by back pocket to open the door, but a cute little sound stops me half way. The sound was really faint but any true lover of such, could definitely recognize it. I search through the nearby bushes, trying to find the little creature.

"Josie? Is everything okay? Did you lose your keys?" Jake yells from behind.

Oh, yeah. He's still there. I almost forgot for a second there. The thought of these cuties usually gets the best of me.

"No, just hold on a minute." I said yelling back at him.

"Aww, don't run little guy. I just wanna help you." Just one more step.

"Yes, I finally got you. No collar? You're probably lonely and hungry huh?" I whisper to it in my arms, walking back to my door.

"Josie, what the hell are you.... is that a cat?" He says, pointing at the little guy.

"It's a kitten, like the baby of a cat? Ever heard of them?"

"Oh shut up, I know. Why do you have a..." He pauses, before continuing his statement, "...you're not planning on taking it inside, are you?"

"Yes I am. It's probably homeless and this is MY house, incase it slipped your mind." I say with extra emphasis on the my.

"Probably? What if it has an owner?" He asks, touching his injured arm a bit. I'm sure he's really hurting. Sigh.

"I don't see a collar and they'll put up missing fliers or something. Let's just go in." I turn to unlock the door, ignoring any other thing he has to say.

"Come on Star, let's get you inside."
"Seriously! Star? You've given it a name already?"
"Why wait?" I say with a soft chuckle as we walk in.

I head straight to the kitchen to give Star some milk.

"Josie." Jake calls from the living room.
"What?" I reply uninterestedly.

"You're not gonna ask if I need anything?"