Joslynn's POV
Before I knew it, it was Monday morning, meaning I had to get up and get ready to take exams. However, I didn't need to be there until 10:30. But, it was already 9:00, meaning I needed to get up and shower. I was careful not to wake up Louis as I crept out of bed and headed to the bathroom.
After I had taken the time to shower, blow dry my hair, wash my face, and put on a little amount of makeup, It was already 10:00. I then quickly changed into a pair of skinny jeans and a long sleeved, blue and white striped t shirt along with some converse. It was warm outside, but I just wanted to feel comfortable and the building is usually cold.
After I changed, I went downstairs to an empty kitchen. My mom had left on her trip quite a few days ago and the boys were all still asleep. I sighed and went and made myself some toast with nutella. While I was waiting for the bread to pop out of the toaster, I leaned against the counter and closed my eyes. I was standing alone for a minute until I felt a pair of arms snake around my waist.
"Good morning!" Louis happily said to me.
His arms were still snaked around my waist and I was blushing the slightest, but I'm not sure why. It was only Louis. Before I could say anything, we heard someone come down the stairs and groan. "Oh my God, you guys need to just get married already." said Harry.
I pulled away from Louis and I blushed. I turned to Louis and I could have sworn he was also blushing. "Shut up, Harry." I said.
"Plus, I'm already happily taken by my little sheep." Louis said, going over and pecking Harry on the cheek.
"Louis, you're mental." laughed Harry. "And I have told you I do not like to be called a sheep!"
"But those curly locks of yours are just like a cute little sheep's." said Louis.
Harry rolled his eyes and I got my toast out of the toaster and started to coat it with nutella. I quickly ate it and at 10:15, I said, "Well, I gotta go, guys. I'll see you all later."
"Wait!" Louis said. I turned around and Louis ran up to the door where I was at with my backpack. "I want to drive you." said Louis with a smile.
I rolled my eyes and handed him the keys. I opened the door and gestured for him to go first while I said, "Onward, my trusty steed!"
Louis galloped away like a horse and I laughed, following him out the door.
------
Before I knew it, my calculus exam had ended and I let out a sigh of relief as I sat down at the lunch table with a turkey sandwich, Sun Chips, and a Dr. Pepper. After a minute, Jacqueline, Eden, and McKenna came to join me at the lunch table.
"How do you think you did on that exam?" asked Eden.
I shrugged my shoulders and said "Probably a B minus at worst."
Eden sighed and said, "I think I failed."
"I'm sure you did fine." McKenna said, rolling her eyes.
After a few more minutes of small talk, someone came and tapped me on the shoulder. I looked up to see Joshua there with a slight smile while holding his lunch tray. "Can I sit here?" he asked.
I smiled up at him and said, "Sure!" but I said it at the same time that Jacqueline said "No."
I turned to Jacqueline and gave her a look that said "Shut up."
She rolled her eyes and said, "Fine."
"So, what's up, Josie?" Joshua asked.
I froze for a minute. Only Louis calls me Josie...and I'd prefer if only Louis did. Even Jacqueline, Eden, and McKenna knew that.
"Did I...say something I shouldn't have?" Joshua asked, noticing my frozen expression.
"Where did you hear that nickname?" I asked.
"I heard that friend of yours who's in the boy band call you that and thought it was cute." he said.
"Well, only Louis can call her Josie." Jacqueline snapped at him.
"I think Josie can speak for herself." said Joshua. "Josie?"
"I-I'd prefer if you didn't call me that. It's just something special Louis does...I hope you don't mind." I said sheepishly.
Joshua nodded his head and said, "I get it. So, Jos..." he looked at me as if he wanted me to approve the name he was calling me. I simply smiled and nodded. He smiled and continued, "How was your day?"
Jacqueline rolled her eyes while Eden and McKenna didn't do anything. I smiled and said, "It's been okay. What about you?"
"Better now that I'm talking to you."
I blushed the tiniest bit and Jacqueline said, "Oh, come on!" while rolling her eyes.
I ignored her comment and said, "You're sweet."
Jacqueline of course rolled her eyes again before her phone beeped. She sighed and looked at it, and as she read her text message, her eyes lit up, she blushed, and she smiled. I smiled a bit and asked, "Who texted?"
"Someone who is ACTUALLY sweet. AKA, Harry." she said.
"Awww. What did he say?" I asked.
"He wants to take me to dinner tonight. Should I say yes?"
"Yes! You two would be so cute together." I said.
Jacqueline sighed and said, "Okay...I'll tell him yes."
I grinned like an idiot before running up and hugging her. "I am so excited! My two best friends are going to date!"
Jacqueline laughed and said, "I never said anything about dating! It's just a...friendly dinner."
"No. It's a date. Then you two are going to become a couple. And then you're going to get married and have little Jacqueline and Harry babies running around." I said.
Jacqueline burst out laughing and said, "We are not!"
"Ohhhkay....whatever you saaaay." I taunted, walking back to my seat across from her.
She rolled her eyes and I asked her, "Where is he taking you?"
"I'm not sure." she said.
"Well, knowing Harry, I'm sure wherever it is, it'll be great." I smiled.
The rest of lunch carried on with the five of us talking. Jacqueline, of course, still shut out Joshua, while I talked to him a lot more. Eden and McKenna weren't rude to him, either, and I actually enjoyed his presence for once. I liked this new Joshua. I trusted this new Joshua a lot more. I'm just glad he actually realizes what he's done wrong. Plus, he already asked someone else to the prom and they said yes. Well, that person was the school slut, Jasmine. But, whatever floats his boat. So, there should be nothing to worry about. Right?
As I was talking to Joshua and laughing, Jacqueline said, "Uhh ohhh...."
"What?" I asked confusedly. I turned around to look in the direction she was looking. And, sure enough, an angry Louis came walking towards our table. Uh oh was right.
Louis reached our table and said a bit annoyed, "Hey, Josie.. Jacqueline.. Eden.. McKenna ............ Joshua."
"Hey, Lou." I said a bit shyly.
"Is this stud bothering you?" Joshua asked me.
"Louis? No...He's my best friend."
"I think you have it backwards, mate. I should be asking her if you're bothering her."
"Louis..." I started to say as Joshua spoke up.
"I haven't done anything to her! You're being over protective! We've been sitting her happily this whole lunch and now you come and ruin it."
"Is that so?" Louis asked as Joshua stood up.
"Louis, Joshua..." I started to say, only to be cut off again.
"You need to let Joslynn live! You don't need to follow her around everywhere and check on her every move! It's really annoying! Her life was probably formed by you! You probably approved who can and can't be her friend, where she can and can't go, and who she can and can't talk to! She is eighteen! She can make her own decisions!"
"I do NOT control every aspect of her life! I just like to watch out for her whenever I don't trust someone she's with!"
Joshua just shook his head and said, "Whatever, man. I think you're confused as to whether you can trust her or me."
I just got up hurriedly, threw away my lunch and quickly came back to the table. "Let's go, Louis." I said.
I grabbed his arm and pulled him away from Joshua, exiting the cafeteria to go home.
We walked out to the parking lot and I got in the passenger seat of my car in a rush. Louis came over to the other side, rested his elbows on the steering wheel, and put his head in his hands. Before I could say or do anything, Louis lifts up his head and says, "I'm sorry, Josie. I just really don't trust this guy."
I let out a sigh as Louis started the car and started to drive back to my house. "Louis, it's okay. Joshua is a nice guy."
"That wasn't the case last week." Louis huffed.
"What, do you not believe me?"
"It's not that I don't believe you, it's-" I cut him off.
"Then what is it, Louis? Because, apparently, I don't understand. I TOLD you he was a nice guy. Why can't you believe me when I say that?"
"Because I believed you when you said he wasn't a nice guy!"
"People change, Louis."
"That's true, but people don't change their entire personality in the course of a few days, Josie! I really don't trust-" I cut him off.
"You don't trust him? Or you don't trust me? Because it seems to me as if you don't trust me around him."
"I trust you, Josie, it's just-"
"It's just what, Louis? If you trusted me, you would let me talk to him."
"I trust you to make good decisions, Josie! I don't trust Joshua because I saw how he acted around you last time! That wasn't okay with me! You're a good person, Josie. Joshua isn't."
"What makes you say that Joshua isn't a good person? You have met him TWICE."
"And you have told me about him countless times and how much of a dick he was! I was only BELIEVING YOU, Josie."
I rolled my eyes and slumped back in my seat. "You know what? Whatever, Louis. If you don't trust me, fine. I might as well stay in my room for the rest of my life and not talk to anyone, just to stay 'safe.'" I put air quotations as I said 'safe.'
Louis let out a loud sigh, "Josie. I really care about you. You are my best friend. I'm just trying to look out for you."
"And you're doing that by overprotecting me." I snapped at him.
Louis let out another sigh and didn't say anything. We both rode in silence until we got back to my house. I usually didn't fight with Louis because he meant so much to me. As I got in the house, some tears started to form. I almost NEVER fight with Lou. Ever. Whenever we do fight, I always end up in tears because just the thought of losing him strikes me so much. I'd be so lost without him, and whenever we fight, I don't have him there with me to tell me everything is going to be okay.
I quickly ran up the stairs and into my room and shut the door. I dropped my backpack on the ground and went straight to my bed. I sat on it and started to cry harder. Why do I fight with Louis? He means so much to me. I don't care what we fight about. I don't care who is right and who is wrong. I just care that I still have my best friend in the end. If I have Louis, everything will be okay. Louis is my rock. He keeps me sane and helps me through everything. When I fight with him, he is gone, and it hurts inside. The thought of losing him pains me more than the fight itself.
Louis's POV
The fight I just had with Josie was really stupid. I treated her like rubbish and I needed to fix it. I thought about it for a few minutes before coming to the conclusion that our friendship was more important and I should have trusted her. I should believe her when she says Joshua is a good guy, but for some reason, I can't. Something about him urks me. But, I needed to do this for the sake of our friendship, which is far more important.
After about ten minutes after we got home, I decided to make my way up to Josie's room to apologize. I finally made my way to Josie's bedroom door when I heard muffled sobs. Oh no. I really screwed up. I hesitated before softly knocking on her door and saying, "Josie?"
There was no response, just the muffled cries, so I sighed and walked in the room. I saw Josie sitting on her bed with her head in her hands crying. "Oh, Josie..." I said, shutting the door and going and sitting next to her on the bed.
I shifted her to where she was sitting in my lap and I put my arms around her. She buried her face in my chest and continued to cry as I rubbed her back. "Shhhh. It's okay." I kept saying to her.
She pulled away from me and before I could say anything she said, "I don't want to fight anymore, Lou."
I smiled a bit and said "I don't want to fight, either. I was just coming up to tell you that I was being stupid and that I do trust you. I'm sorry I acted the way that I did. I just worry for you."
She smiled and sniffled and said, "It's okay, Lou. Our friendship is more important."
I pulled her in for another hug and whispered in her ear, "I agree." I could have sworn she shivered when I said that, but I ignored it.
We spent the next hour sitting there and just talking-something I really missed doing with Josie. No one disturbed us as we simply talked about anything and everything. I really love how open I can be with Josie, and how open she can be with me. I'm entirely thankful for people like her in my life.
---
Joslynn's POV
At about 8:00 PM, the doorbell rang and Louis got up from my spot next to me at the kitchen counter where we were eating and went to answer the door. Louis opened it to see a smiling Jacqueline.
"Hey, Louis!" she said with a smile.
"Hi, love! What are you doing here?"
"Harry is taking her out to eeeeeatttt!" I sang.
"Oh, really, now?"
"Louis, get away from my date!" Harry said, running up behind him. He went and moved in front of Jacqueline and shyly smiled and said, "Hey."
"Hi." she blushed.
"You ready to go?" Jacqueline nodded her head and Harry led her out the door.
Before they could shut the door, Louis screamed "GET SOME!"
I started laughing and he came over and hugged me. Liam then came running down the stairs with Niall and Zayn. "So, Harry has a date?" asked Liam.
"Yup."
"With who?" asked Zayn.
"WAIT! I want to guess!" said Niall. We motioned for him to guess and he said, "Jacqueline."
"Yup." I said.
"Awww that's actually really cute." said Liam.
"I want them to start dating, already." I groaned.
"HAH, you're one talking." said Niall. Liam and Zayn gave him death glares as if he wasn't supposed to say that.
"What do you mean, Nialler?" I asked.
"Nothing..." he said, his eyes getting wide.
"I'll get it out of you sooner or later, Horan." said Louis.
"Okay, so maybe everyone we know thinks you two should date...no big deal." Niall said.
Louis and my eyes went wide. We turned to each other and immediately started laughing. "That's a good one, Nialler." I said.
"Whatever. I can bet you it'll happen sooner or later." said Niall.
I rolled my eyes and went and sat back down at the counter. "Whatever, Nialler. Now, if you guys don't mind, I need to keep studying. I have an AP US History exam tomorrow that I'm sort of freaking out about."
"You'll do fine." said Zayn.
"I really need to do well on this if I want to keep an A in the class." I said.
"Whatever, Miss Good Grades." said Louis.
I rolled my eyes at his comment and continued studying. The boys, except Liam, left me alone to study. I figured Liam would be a trustworthy person to help me study. We sat at the kitchen counter as he quizzed me on vocabulary terms and asked me questions from the study guide. About an hour and a half later, Liam put down my study guide and flash cards and said, "I think you're all set. I think you'll do really well."
I smiled and hugged him and said, "Thanks, Li. You're the best."
We then heard someone running down the stairs, and Louis appeared in jeans, a black zip up jacket, and a beanie. He looked really cute. Wait, what?
"You done studying?" he asked me.
"Yup." I popped the p.
"Good. Because I am taking you out to do something." he smiled.
"Louis, it's already 9:30 and it's supposed to start raining soon."
"It'll only be for a little while, I promise!" he said. I stayed silent for a few seconds and Louis proceeded to say, "Pleeeeease. For me, Josie?"
I sighed and said, "Fine."
"Yay!" Louis screeched while grabbing my hand and running out the door.
I laughed as we started walking down the street, still hand in hand. It was sort of...nice. But, his touch made my hand tingle. I looked down and started blushing. I turned up to Louis and he started blushing as he pulled his hand away. "Sorry." he said with a shy smile.
I smiled back and said, "Don't be."
Louis gave me another smile as he put his arm around my shoulder."So, where are we going? If it's a far walk I'm making you give me a piggy back ride." I said.
Louis laughed and said, "You'll see."
I rolled my eyes and decided not to pry Louis for information. We'd be there soon enough.
Louis and I continued to walk in silence until we reached a very familiar place. When we stopped in front of it, I smiled wide and turned to Louis. "You remember this place?"
He smiled and said, "How could I forget? We only spent every day I was down here when we were younger together."
Louis had brought me to a park we used to play at when we were little. It was our special place. We always managed to have a blast there, but it makes me wonder why he's bringing me here now. "Louis?" I asked, turning to him.
"Yes, love?" he asks in return.
"Why did you bring me here? And why did you bring me now?"
Louis shrugged and said, "I just started thinking about it today...and I knew you've been stressed over your exams, so I wanted to take your mind off of things."
I smiled and said, "You're the best person ever."
Louis hugged me and said, "Well, what are we waiting for?" He grabbed my hand and pulled me over to the swings. I sat down in one and Louis started to push me. "I haven't been on a swing in forever." I told him. Louis slightly chuckled at my excitement and continued to push me.
After about another hour of us just swinging, chasing each other around, and just goofing off, we were lying down in front of the swings, looking at the sky. There were no stars out because it was going to rain soon, but we laid there in a comfortable silence.
I broke the silence when I asked, "If there was a shooting star right now, what would you wish for?"
Louis didn't answer for a minute before saying, "Nothing. I have everything I could ever want. I have a happy family, amazing band mates, amazing fans, and an amazing best friend. What more could I want?" I smiled and he asked me, "What about you?"
To be with you.
Whoaaaa, what?! No. I do not want to be with Louis. He is my best friend. Nothing more.
"Nothing...I have everything I could want, also." I said, unsure if I was lying or not.
Louis smiled a pulled me closer to him as I laid my head on his chest. I could hear the steady beat of his heart as his arms wrapped around me. "I could stay here all night." He whispered to me.
His soft voice in my ear sent shivers down my spine; something that has been occurring a lot lately...I wasn't sure why. I just smiled and said, "Me, too."
We stayed in silence for a few more minutes until we could feel rain drops hitting our skin. However, we still lay there. It was only starting to sprinkle....well, I spoke too soon. Soon enough, it started full on pouring. We were both quick to get up and I said over the rain, "I think we should go back!"
Louis froze for a moment until a smile came on his face. I could only imagine what he's up to...He came over and hugged me and whispered in my ear, "Do you know one thing I've always wanted to do?"
I looked up at him as his soaked hair stuck to his face. "What?" I asked.
"Dance in the rain."
Before I knew it, Louis was leading me out into the deserted road by the park and we started dancing. I had one arm stretched out, holding his hand. We both moved through the rain laughing like idiots, but it was a memorable moment.
As it continued to rain, we continued to dance and Louis spun me every now and then. It was a perfect moment. As we were dancing, I looked into his eyes as his bore back into mine. I managed to get lost in his blue orbs and we stopped dancing. It was like his eyes were the ocean, so crystal clear and blue. His eyelashes had tiny rain drops on them, and his hair was still soaked, but had been pushed to the side. Drops of water ran down his face as we continued to stand in the pouring rain. He looked undeniably perfect. Before I knew it, Louis was leaning in...and I was, too.
We were now forehead to forehead and I could hear and feel the heavy pant of his breath. Just as Louis was about to lean in to close the gap between us, I realized what I was doing. I can't kiss my best friend. It isn't right.
Before he could close the gap, I put my hand on his chest and slightly pushed him away from me. "We..uh..should..um...start heading back...it's already almost midnight...." I said awkwardly, stepping back from my best friend.
"Oh...um...yeah...you're right...we should..." he said back awkwardly.
I took a big breath and nodded my head once. We both turned and started walking back down the sidewalk we came, still in the pouring rain. Of course, now I was cold and wet, and I had no jacket. I brought my arms over my chest to try and keep me warm. Louis must have noticed it, because before I knew it, a jacket was being draped over me.
"Louis, you'll get colder and wetter than you already are if you give me your jacket." I said, trying to give it back to him, but he refused.
"It doesn't matter. I want you to have it." he said with a reassuring smile. I sighed and put it on, so I was slightly protected from the falling rain and the cold. It was really weird to be raining in May in LA of all places.
We walked the fifteen minutes back to my house in silence, and as we got back, I noticed that Harry had gotten home from his date and a lot of the lights were turned off. A few of the boys probably have gone to bed.
I went to my front door and unlocked it, entering my warmer house. I took off Louis's soaked jacket and gave it back to him. "Thanks." I said with a shy smile.
"No problem." He said back. We then both made our way upstairs, and I went straight to my room to take a shower. Louis was probably doing the same.
At about 1:00, I was out of the shower and in pajamas. It had been a long day. I lay in bed, unable to think. I have too many things running through my head. But, the number one think urking me was what happened in the park. It's hard to believe that Louis and I almost kissed...and it's even harder to believe that I...wonder what his lips would feel like against mine...
Louis's POV
It was 1:00 AM, and I couldn't sleep. I didn't want to sleep in Josie's room tonight because of...what happened...I felt awkward.
I was now in Harry's room in the bed next to his. He was lying down, looking at his phone. He was probably texting or on Twitter. Oh, he's smiling. And blushing. He's texting...and I think I know who he's texting.
"So, who are you texting, mate?" I asked him.
"Jacqueline." he said with a smile.
"I'm guessing the date went well?" I asked, smirking a bit.
"It was fantastic!" he beamed.
I just nodded and laid my head back down in its original position-staring at the ceiling.
After about another minute, Harry asked, "Mate, what's troubling you?"
"What do you mean?" I asked, not thinking that it was that noticeable I was lost in my thoughts.
"Well, first, you're not in Joslynn's room. Second, you just spent about two and a half hours out with her. Third, you're staring at a ceiling with a look that means you're either deep in thought or constipated. I'm going with the first one. So, what are you thinking about? Did you and Joslynn get in another fight?"
I sighed and said, "No, I'm not fighting with Josie. But..."
"But...?"
"Something...happened..." I said.
"What kind of something...?"
"I sort of almost...did something...that I'm not sure I should have done or not..."
"What did you sort-of-almost do...?"
"IsortofalmostkissedJosieintherain." I said really fast.
"Whoa, slow down. Repeat that, lad."
I sighed and closed my eyes, saying it slower. "I sort-of-almost kissed Josie in the rain."
There was no response, so I turned to my side to Harry with a shocked expression.
"I'm telling you, you two are perfect for each other."
"No, we're not...we're best friends...that's it." I said.
"Then why would this be troubling you so much if you're positive you're just friends and the 'almost kiss' meant nothing?"
I sighed and said, "I...I don't know."
"Lou, I think you're falling for Joslynn."
"I am not..." I said unconvincingly.
"Are to. Best friends don't 'almost kiss.'" Harry said.
"It was spur of the moment, Harry..." I said as another unconvincing statement.
Harry had a look that said "Okay, but I don't believe you." and he lay back down. "Whatever, mate. But if you ever want to talk, I'm here for you." he said.
I turned to him and smiled. "Thanks, lad."
"No problem. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to go to bed now." Harry said, going and turning out the light.
"Goodnight, Harreh." I said.
"Goodnight, BooBear." he said.
I slightly chuckled before turning my gaze back to the ceiling.
Why do I have a slight feeling that the "almost kiss" was more than just a spur of the moment?