"Ever since you got a girl you just disappeared" Morgan, one of Josiah's acquaintances said.
"Yeah she must be something, I still haven't seen her" Rylie added
"She's always in the house" Josiah said
"She a homebody, need something like that" Terrance said
"Boy shut up, how you want a homebody and you never be at home?" Morgan said raising an eyebrow.
"Josiah got one, and look at him, he go to more parties than anybody" Terrance said.
"He barely be out the house now, hence Morgan saying he disappeared" Rylie explained
"He out the house now and I just seen his disappeared ass at a party last night" Terrance said
"I'm not out the house as much as I used to be, that's what their talking about" Josiah finally spoke.
"Well when I get a homebody girl imma be a homebody too"
"Yeah right, you still smoke Josiah?" Morgan asked
"I haven't in a while" he said. Josiah had fallen out of his party lifestyle completely after meeting Aubrey and he was realizing he missed it.
"Well you know we hold our smoke session at the same time you should come through" Ryle said
"I'll see" he said before surveying the campus to see Aubrey walking. After the group said their goodbyes he went to the Starbucks Aubrey went into.
"What is that?" Josiah said sitting across from her pointing at the cup.
"Hot chocolate" she lied before taking a sip.
"Let me taste it"
"No"
"Aubrey you're not supposed to be drinking coffee"
"Why does it have to be coffee because I don't want you to drink it?"
"Because it is" he said grabbing it before she could get it back.
"Josiah give it back" She said while he took a sip, confirming it was coffee.
"Please babe" Aubrey whined as he continued drinking her coffee. It was disgusting to him but he wanted her bones to heal. She felt like one coffee wouldn't hurt.
"I said please Josiah, stop it" she pleaded
He gave the empty cup back to her as she sat with her arms crossed. She was extremely upset she didn't get the chance to get more than a sip of her coffee that she needed badly.
"That was gross" he said while she got up to leave, of course he followed her since he found it funny and she didn't.
"Aubrey why are you walking so fast" he asked grabbing her hand.
"That wasn't funny Josiah I really needed that I only got 3 hours of sleep and I spent 3 dollars on it"
"You're not supposed to be drinking it, you can go home and sleep now instead and I will give you your 3 dollars back" he said making her sigh. She knew he was right but she was still a little mad about it.
"This wrist is making you mean I can't wait until you heal" He said. It was hard for Aubrey to have patience while she was in pain, so she had a low tolerance for bs at the moment.
———————————————————————
"You still wanna go to Aspen?" He asked. The two were lying in her bed facing each other like they usually did.
"Do you not want me to go?" She asked. Truth be told she felt uncomfortable going on a trip with 2 girls who disliked her and she knew Josiah felt the awkwardness in it too.
"Did I say that? Did you take your medicine today?" He asked
"Yes I did and if you want me to be there I have to be there remember?" She said smiling
"Well I want you there, I was just asking because you and your broken bones, I don't want you to be in pain the entire time"
"What's the difference if I'm in pain at home than in Aspen?"
"You'll be in your own bed?"
"And I probably won't even feel like this next week, I'll try not to be mean to you anymore" she said
"It's not really mean, you're acting how normal people act. Usually you're abnormally nice which makes how you act now, mean"
"So I'm not being mean to you I'm being normal?"
"It's not your normal though"
"Huh?" She asked
"Just forget about it, here is 5 dollars for that coffee you were about to cry about" he said pulling a 5 out of his pocket
"I was not about to cry, what you did was sooooo aggravating"
"You were, Josiah please give me it back" he said in a whiny tone.
"I don't sound like that, who were those people you were talking to today?" She remembered to ask finally, she wasn't jealous but she was beginning to realize how popular Josiah was.
Josiah kissed her instead of continuing the conversation she looked good to him and couldn't resist. As they continued Aubrey's mind went empty and forgot all about it. It was short lived because the two were interrupted by Leah opening her door.
"Josiah what are you doing, let's go" She said.
The two had plans and he'd completely forgotten. Aubrey rolled her eyes before laying flat on her bed deciding not to say anything.
"I'll be back later okay?" He said
"Ok" she said before sighing
"Are you mad?"
"No I just wish she was like 20 minutes late." She said insinuating that she wished the two got to finish what he started.
"When I come back" he said kissing her once more.
"When will that be?"
"A couple hours, you'll be awake"
"Have fun" she said.
"Have fun pookie bear" Leah mocked once they got outside
"shut up" he said smacking his teeth.
"You know I never got an apology for his she talked to me that day she went to the doctor"
"I got one, we can share it" he said
"Oh please you didn't even talk to me until I apologized to her"
"Because you were terrible towards her, you can ignore one smart remark" he shrugged.
"So I have to like her but she doesn't have to like me?"
"You guys don't have to like each other just be cordial, that's the least you could do especially since Aubrey vouched for you the entire time we fell out"
"She vouched for me?"
"Yes she felt bad for you and tried to guilt me into being your friend again" he said
"Hm" was all she could say.
"Yeah hm, remember that when you feel like saying something rude to her for your entertainment" he said before pulling out of the parking lot.
———————————————————————
Josiah returned home to Aubrey a little drunk high and sleepy. Definitely wasn't going to be able to fulfill the promise he made to her earlier.
"Aubrey" he slurred getting in bed next to her. It was 2 am and she tried staying awake for him but she couldn't.
"Are you okay?" She asked once she woke up. She could see he was totally out if it plus he smelled like a mixture of weed and liquor.
"I'm just a little bit off the influence"
"Under the influence" she corrected.
"Huh?" He said closing his eyes. She knew he was tired but she hated the way he was smelling and wanted him to take a shower.
"Babe get up" she said shaking him a little bit.
"Hmm" he hummed opening his eyes.
"Can you shower for me?" She asked.
"Alright" he said getting up
After his brief shower he put on a pair of underwear from his drawer at her place and laid down not facing her. Aubrey had a slight problem with that so she put her hand on his shoulder, he knew she wanted to cuddle so he did just that.
He said a few inaudible things but Aubrey understood him fully when he said I love you.
Aubrey spent a few minutes panicking about it, then she simply just blamed it on him being drunk and went to bed.
She was the first to wake up so she went in Ravens room to talk to her about what happened last night and what she should do.
"Why are you tiptoeing around?" Raven asked
"Because I don't want to wake Josiah, last night he was drunk and he told me he loves me" she said getting straight to the point.
"Whaaat? are you sure? Did you say anything back?"
"Yes I'm sure, I just went to sleep, and keep it down"
"Well do you love him?"
"Yea but I don't wanna tell him yet"
"Why not?"
"Because it's too soon, I mean we haven't even known each other a year yet but I don't wanna be without him"
"So let me get this straight, he loves you, you love him, but you don't want to tell him because it's too early according to who?" Raven asked raising her eyebrow.
"You're right, should I ask him about it?" She asked
"No just let it flow naturally this time" Raven advised.
"Mm okay, thanks!" Aubrey said going back to her room.
Aubrey suddenly remembered that she asked him something yesterday and he distracted her so that gave her something else to talk about. He was finally awake feeling horrible.
"Josiah who were those people you were talking to yesterday?"
"Friends" he said simply. His head was pounding.
"Then why'd you try to seduce me out of getting the answer?" She asked
"Aubrey don't start, I have a headache and me seducing you had nothing to do with the question so leave it alone."
"Okay no need to get all hostile about it I was just asking a question"
"No, You were trying to make it seem like I was doing stuff I had no business doing"
"I'm sorry if you think I was trying to accuse you of anything but I wasn't honestly" she said
"Can you give me a ibuprofen?" He asked ignoring her apology. He wasn't really mad just annoyed a little.
"You were really messed up last night" she said once she came back with pills and a cup of water.
"Yeah, never again"
"I didn't know you smoked weed"
"It's not something I do often anymore"
"Anymore?" She asked
"Since I started hanging out with you"
"Is that a bad thing?"
"No"
"Do you miss it?"
"Miss what?"
"I don't know all the stuff you were doing before me. You can still do that stuff you know just make some time for me and save the sex for me only" she said.
She didn't want him to feel like he had to only do boring things because she did. Aubrey also felt like it was important they still had their separate lives, she thought it was good that they spent time apart.
"I know Bre, I just prefer being with you, is that hard to believe?"
"Yes" she said sounding unsure of herself.
"You should give yourself more credit Aubrey" he hated his insecure Aubrey was considering how much she had to offer.
"I try"
"We'll work on it" he said kissing her.