Text from Josh: Babe are you okay? -11 pm, 07/10/11
Text from Leo: Hey babe. Yeah, I'm fine. Are you awake? -1 AM, 08/10/11
Text from Josh: I am. How's your grandma? -1:01 AM
Text from Leo: She's stable for now. Rose is with me. -2:00AM
Text from Josh: I'm glad to hear that. Take it easy okay? -2:00AM
Text from Leo: I will Babe. I'm staying the night here. You should get some rest. -2:20AM
Text from Josh: No I'm fine. I'm here if you need me. I love you Leo (: -2:20AM
Text from Leo: I love you to Josh -2:27AM
Text from Leo: My grandma died ... -3:20 AM
Text from Josh: Oh god. I'm sorry to hear that. I'm gonna call -3:20AM
Text from Leo: No. I wanna be alone right now -3:22AM
Text from Josh: I can't leave you alone in this state Leo -3:23AM
Text from Leo: I'm not asking you, Josh. Let me be alone for now, plus Rose is here, so I'm not alone. -3:50 AM
Text from Josh: It'll be okay babe. I'm here if you need me -3:51AM
Text from Leo: It'll be okay? How can you say that! My grandma died. How can that be okay!??!? -3:52 AM
Text from Josh: No.. I didn't mean it like that ... -3:53 AM
Text from Leo: Then what the hell did you mean? -3:55 AM
Text from Josh: Babe. Please calm down. -3:55 AM
Text from Leo: How the fuck can I be calm right now? -3:57 AM
Text from Josh: I'm gonna call. Please answer Leo -3:57AM
Text from Josh: Babe. Please answer. I'm worried about you. -4:13 AM
Text from Leo: Please leave me alone. I need to be alone right now. -4:30 AM
Text from Josh: Alright babe. I love you. Please be safe. -4:30 AM
As I waited for him to message me back I doze off but was then awakened by my phone ringing.
7 AM
"Leo! Oh my gosh. Are you okay? I'm so sorry I upset you. I'm really sorry", I say to him.
"No baby I'm sorry. I shouldn't have taken my anger out you. I'm truly sorry", he says.
"It's okay babe. I'm here", I say to him.
"Josh. I think you're better off without me. I cause you too much pain and I make you worry. If you never met me then you probably be happy right now", he says to me.
"You make me happy Leo. You always have and you always will no matter what", I say to him.
"I love you Josh", he says.
"I love you to Leo. I'll ask Christian to bring me to Produs later. I wanna be the for you", I say to him.
"Oktoberfest is today. Your grade is depending on it babe", he says to me.
"Leo, your more important to me than anything else in the world.", I say to him.
"I won't forgive myself if you fail this class because of me", he says.
"Then we'll fail together", I say to him.
"Alright, babe. You should get some rest.", he says to me.
"So should u strawberry", I say to him.
"Indeed. I'm gonna go lay down now. I really do love you Josh and thank you for everything you've done for me.", he says to me.
"No need for thanks, I love you too babe. Sweet dreams.", I say to him.
As he hung up I dove into bed and immediately fell asleep.
October 8th, 2011
Josh's Apartment: 10:45 AM
I was awoken by a knocking on the door. I immediately get up and answered it.
"Christian and Dante? What are you doing here?", I ask
"Happy Birthday Josh", says them both.
"Oh thank you", I smile.
I completely forgot it was my birthday.
"Oktoberfest is in 6 hours, I brought Dante for backup", says Christian.
"Backup? Nevermind that, Christian, please take me to Produs?", I ask.
"And Oktoberfest?", he asks.
"Leo's grandma died, he's in a bad state... I.. I can't leave him alone right now. I have a bad feeling.", I say to him.
"I'm sorry Josh but I can't do that... I spoke with Leo this morning, his exact words were Josh is gonna ask you to bring him here to Produs, I want you to take him to Oktoberfest, he won't fail because of me. Please don't bring him here. I'm with family at the moment. I'll be okay' that's what he said", says Christian.
"You'd ignore the request of your best friend?", I ask enraged.
"I don't mind being the bad cop. I don't care if you hate me for it, Josh, Leo is right. I'll take you to Produs when Oktoberfest is over", he says.
I immediately run for my phone. I saw 1 missed call from Leo. I quickly called back but it went straight to voicemail...
Leo and Dante then took me to dry run for the play, with Leo dropping out as the main role, Dante filled in, with only a few hours to rehearse. Dante learned Leo's lines. I spent my time calling Leo but all my calls went to voicemail. I had a bad feeling
"Look at how hard your friends are trying Josh. This grade means a lot to them", says Christian.
I completely ignore Christian and looked away. I was so mad at Christian. Christian was right though, he really was. My friends are trying so hard and here I am sulking.
October 8th, 2011
School Grounds: 5:30 PM
The play went by pretty smoothly. Alexandra and Dante had the perfect chemistry for their characters. They both were beautiful and did very well ... with no help from me whatsoever. I tried paying close attention but my mind would fall on Leo. I couldn't focus on anything else.
"Let's go... Please", I say to Christian.
"Josh!", Alexandra's voice calls out.
"Happy Birthday Josh", they all say together smiling.
"Thank you guys.", I reply.
"Very well Josh... I'll take you to Produs", says a mad Christian.
"That won't be necessary", a familiar voice calls out.
I turn around to see Rose.
"Rose? Why are you here? Where's Leo?", I ask puzzled.
"Josh. I have something to tell you", she says choking up.
"What's going on?", I ask her.
"At 7 AM this morning, Leo took his life... He overdosed... The doctors couldn't save him in time", she says sniffling...
"That's not even remotely funny!", I yell at her.
"I wish I was joking Josh... He wrote you a letter", she says while handing me an envelope.
As everyone's eyes widen. I took the letter and burst it open..
"This ... This really is Leo's handwriting!", I reply in shock.
To Be Continued in Chapter 23: Dear Josh.