ALYSSA P.O.V:-
A week has passed so fast, the days was almost blurred in my eyes. I focused most of my time in arts. After all I had to work hard in order to achieve a dream of mine, becoming an artist. No one ever said that it was easy. Not that I bothered about it, I just busied myself with art.
The classes were done for the day; I got out of the college's grounds. As I was waiting for my mother to pick me up. She only had asked me in the morning not to take my car instead that she would drop me and pick me up for a change. According to her words, we haven't spent much time with each other. So I couldn't do anything, instead just follow her commands.
The roads were quite deserted as I walked along the road. I waited patiently as I stood on the side of the road. Suddenly, a black Toyota car stopped in front of me, and the window was brought down. I couldn't help but be curious as to who was the driver, because my mom had a white car. It was Josh's car.
Josh called out to me, to sit inside the car.
"My mom is coming to pick me up." I replied with a blank face, not making any movements.
"She's not. She called me up to pick you up and keep you busy for a while, since your parents would be coming late and you don't have your house's keys." Josh answers with a bored expression.
"Get in. I've no time to lose; I'll just leave you at my home." Josh calls out impatiently, as he glances at his mobile screen.
I looked at my mobile, to look for any confirmation that Josh was telling the truth. And there was indeed a message from my mother, to go with Josh and sorry for being late.
I scowled at the text message, and then I sat inside his car without any further fuss. I realized that it was the second time, that we two were alone with each other, and that we were sitting close than I had thought we would be.
I could smell his cologne; it was the same as he used to have. His car was clean, and it was warm although there was awkwardness surrounding us.
"Since, when you and my mother are on talking terms?" I voiced my thoughts out, since I was sure that we completely lost our touch with each other and that included our families.
"In your exhibition, we met in the food courts and I couldn't ignore her. I had to be friendly with her. So here I am stuck with you." He answers a bit roughly, as though he wasn't happy with our situation. As if, I am.
"Fuck! I'm late." He curses as he glances over his phone, when we stopped at a red light.
"Well Alyssa, now you are coming with me where ever I had originally planned to go, because I'm late." Josh gives me a mocked grin, daring me to oppose him.
"Okay," I replied softly, I had no other option. He seemed to be shocked that I was willing to go with him.
He stopped in the same hospital, where he had his operation done. A lot of emotions went over my head- worry, tension, sadness, nostalgic. I was suddenly brought back to that moment, when I had seen the CD. My eyes were almost watery as I recollected those memories. It's been a while, I had been here.
"What are we doing here?" The words come out with lots of difficulty from my mouth. I was afraid for him, if anything was wrong for him. I thought that his tough times were over. Maybe I was mistaken.
I got out of the car, when Josh refused to open his mouth. He didn't put my worries to rest. He just walked towards the hospital, he paused for a while when he realized I was still rooted to the spot.
"Sorry," I called out after breaking out of my trance. I ran to catch up with him.
"It's not about me; I'm coming here to meet someone else." He faces towards me and replies to me. I felt a bit better that he wasn't in any problems.
"Is that Gina?" I asked to no one as I spotted the same lady receptionist, whom I had been meeting for a fortnight.
"Yes, it is." Josh answers puzzled as he glances towards the person I was referring to. He was confused as to how I know.
"I saw in her name tag." I answered off-handedly, glad of my quick thinking. I could see Josh's face becoming normal.
"Good evening, Gina. Is my best friend good?" Josh asks her with a friendly smile. I felt pained as I realized that he had replaced me.
"Yes Josh. She's absolutely great. She's really playful, take care of her." Gina answers with a spark in her eyes and a smile on her face. I felt at home as soon as I glanced at her face, she used to give me those cheerful looks.
She glances at me with a broad smile as she recollects one of her old memory, "I remember you; it's Alyssa, right?" I nodded my head with a smile, so much for pretending as though I didn't know her. She comes out of her desk, and hugs me.
"It's been a while, Dearie. You look beautiful." Gina says to me with a smile as she gives me a glance. I blushed lightly at her compliments.
Josh suddenly asks her, "How do you know Alyssa?"
"Of course, who wouldn't know her? Especially you should..." Gina answers enthusiastically. I shook my head behind of Josh, indicating to her not to give up anything.
"Oh nothing!! I've to get back to my work. It was nice to meet you both." She calls out with a smile.
I couldn't help but have a goofy smile on my face. I remembered her very well; she brought a smile on my face many times.
We went inside an elevator. Josh answered to me, "She's that driver's daughter, I told you about. She's now ten years old and her name's Evelyn. She's having a disease- Polymyositis, she has weakness in her bones and that stuff, and she's here for treatment. I meet her often when her father has to do double shifts, she doesn't have her mother as she passed away. I really like Evelyn and care for her. I visit her at least twice a week."
We stepped inside a room, it was colorful. The walls had cartoon and Disney animations all over it. A girl was leaning on her bed, as she seems to busy drawing over a book.
"Hey Sweetheart!" Josh called out enthusiastically with a smile. I was surprised to hear the word, and then I realized that how I missed the word coming out of his mouth. He didn't indicate those words to me, he called out for her. I was jealous of that small girl, who seemed to attract Josh's attention.
As soon as she heard those words, she looked up from her work with those brown eyes. She called out happily "Joshy, you are back." She jumps out of the bed, as she walks a bit slowly towards Josh due to the disease Josh mentioned me. Josh gave her a huge bear hug. I couldn't help but smile at this affection.
As the girl was spun around by Josh, her laughter was being heard in the air. Josh smiled a genuine grin and a broad one too, as he was happy to be here. Suddenly I felt out of place here.
"Who's she?" The girl asks curiously, as she spotted me and her feet were settled on the ground.
"She's Alyssa, one of my friends." Josh answers her softly.
Just the mention of my name, the girl had a broad grin on her face which she had only for Josh. But now it was for me. "Hi, I'm Evelyn." She hands out her hand for me to shake.
"Nice to meet you, Evelyn," I answered her with a smile matching hers. Just then, Josh ruffled her brown ringlets of hair.
"Joshy, you are gone." Evelyn says with an evil smile.
"You could never do it before, what make this time any different?" Josh just chuckled at her response.
"Ally, would you help me out, pretty please?" She looks at me with puppy dog expression.
"Sure, I will." I replied, still a bit dazed with everything. I felt nervous because it was Josh, but I couldn't refuse her puppy dog expressions. I could understand why Evelyn couldn't reach his hair; she was half of his height.
So I had a smug smirk on my face, "Eve... You just stand on the bed, I'll bring him to you, and then you can ruffle his hair and make it a mess." I whispered in her ears. She had the same grin on her face.
"What are you girls planning now?" Josh looks at us with a curious look.
"Josh," I called out to him, as I walked closer to him with a small smile on my face. As soon as we were close, I brought out the tickle monster and tickled him in his weak spot, his neck. He couldn't help but laugh as he was being tickled. I brought him to the edge of the bed, and Evelyn ruffled his hair so much, it was like a crow's nest. She even put glitter powder over his hair. It was a funny sight; I couldn't help but hold my stomach as I continued to laugh. Evelyn joined me in the laughter, as she looked back at her handiwork.
Josh looks helpless, as he looked at us doubled in laughter. He went to the washroom to clean himself up.
Evelyn mouths at me and raises her fingers, "Three... Two... One... Now..."
Suddenly a loud voice was being heard. Evelyn chuckled, "He screamed that we girls are dead. Don't worry he'll take some time to remove those glitters out of his hair. Thanks Ally." She gives me a high five.
"I know all about you, Josh told me all about you." I was surprised at her words; I went paled at her words. He must have told the bad things about me.
"He praises you non-stop; I have always told him that I wanted to meet you. I was glad to meet you. You never heard it from me; he said that you were beautiful, and that he loves your artworks." She whispers to me with a smile. I shook my head not believing her words, but still formed a goofy grin on my face.
"What are you girls talking about?" Josh asks us curiously, with huge eyes. Evelyn and I looked at each other, and burst out into another chuckles.
"Very funny, this glitter won't come out." He indicates these last words to Evelyn and gives her a stare.
"Well, it's a good look on you." I answered him with a playful grin as I high-fived Evelyn.
"Oh really! Well I know a better look for you." He starts to chase me with an evil grin. I ran backwards, there was not much place to run. Eventually he caught up with me; he gives me the same tickle monster as he tickles over my stomach. I laughed and walked backwards unconsciously. He pushes me close to one of the wall, he stopped his tickle monster. I couldn't help but be engrossed in his alluring brown eyes. He suddenly gives me a evil grin, as he raises some glitter over my head and messes with my hair, and now I was covered with glitter.
Laughter was being heard. We glanced towards the source. Evelyn was holding her stomach, "You... Both... Look... So... Funny..."
Josh and I smiled a playful grin. Josh calls out, "We won't spare you. You are next." This certainly made her quiet, as she looks at us approaching towards her.
"Please don't do this." She pleads at us as she tries to escape from us. We caught her; Josh carried her towards the bed.
"Now," Josh signals at me. I brought out the tickle monster, she couldn't control herself as she kept squirming and chuckling. Josh also tickled at her. I felt a bit bad for the girl; she had two persons tickling at her at the same time. Josh poured the glitter over her hair too. Josh and I couldn't stop laughing at the sight of her.
She runs across the washroom, and glances over the mirror. I could hear a scream and then a chuckle.
She comes over us and she tells me, "We all look funny. Don't we?" I nodded with her.
"But Joshy isn't yet. Come Ally, let's give Joshy a hug." Evelyn says with a smug smirk.
"Okay..." I hesitated as she gives a hug to Josh removing some of her glitters over to Josh.
"Come on." Evelyn calls out impatiently, as she pushes me towards Josh. Josh grabs me firmly with his hands draped around me, as I had lost my balance. It's been a while. I felt the familiar warmth which I had been lacking from past a year. I slowly pulled us away from each other, not looking at his eyes.
"Now, Joshy is as messy as us." Evelyn gives me a high-five with a broad grin.
"For me?" Josh gives out a pout to Evelyn, raises his empty hand. Evelyn pretends to think for a while, and then gives him a High-five too. Josh chuckles for a while. Evelyn sits on his lap; I couldn't help but see Josh in a different light. I thought I wouldn't see the caring, loving Josh. But today, I saw the old Josh back, hundred times better. He was so carefree, and happy. I smiled at them as they continued to fool around. I brushed the glitter off my dress.
"It's time to rest now. How come you look so messy right now?" A nurse says as she enters the room and takes the sight before her.
Sorry Marie, it was my fault." Josh gives a sheepish grin as he realizes the mess the room was in.
"I should have known it was your doings. You are the only one who makes this girl to become naughty." Marie pretends to scold at him, but we could see her amusement.
"And now you have involved another innocent girl to your pranks?" Marie shakes her head.
"She's Alyssa." Evelyn introduces me to her.
Marie looks up from her work, she asks me curiously "Is it Alyssa Stratson?"
"Yes I am." I answered with a small smile and I couldn't really recognize her.
"Remember me; I was this idiotic boy's nurse. You used me to give him junk food and the famous chocolate pastry when he complained of the boring hospital food. You shared with me too, the yummy pastry. How I miss it after you guys left?" Marie suddenly explains me, I remember her very well. Shit, now Josh will know everything.
"So that junk food and the pastry weren't sent by hospital?" Josh asks with a blank look on his face.
"No it wasn't." Marie replies with a weak smile, mouthed 'sorry' to me when she thought no one were looking at her.
I just gave her a smile, 'it's okay' I mouthed to her back.
"So next time, get for me those marshmallows, a chocolate pastry, cheese pizza, coke, nutella, skittles..." Evelyn gives a list to Josh.
"Geez, shall I get you the whole food court?" Josh teases and smiles at Evelyn.
"That would be awesome." Evelyn smiles a broad grin; Josh just shook his head at her list with a smile.
"It's time for her to rest." Marie informs us with a sorry smile.
"Thanks Marie for everything." I whispered in her ears and gave her a hug.
"Me?" Evelyn asks me with a playful grin.
"Of course." I replied as I walked towards her and gave her a hug.
"It was really nice to meet you, Eve." I said to her with a smile on my face.
"Ditto."She replies with a smirk.
"Okay kiddo, we got to go. I'll be back with your list next time, if you are good to the doctors. Marie and Gina will tell me everything." He says to her with a small smile and kisses over her forehead, and ruffles her hair.
"Ugh... That's not fair. You have to bring food and Alyssa next time too." Evelyn says with a sleepy smile as she snuggles inside her blanket.
"Sure, I will." I replied too softly. I might not come with Josh. I would definitely meet this sweet girl. I was surprised when she mentioned my name.
"Let's go." Josh mouthed at me; all of his happiness was gone as he shut the door silently.
I followed him to the elevator. And we were stuck in the elevator, and we were the only
persons in the elevators. The gates were jammed, and it didn't seem to open, the lights went out. The elevator didn't seem to be moving anytime soon. I was scared to the core of my heart. You could hear my heart thumping so loud. I really hate those tiny confined places, and the dark.
Don't even get me started about darkness; I have always been scared of the dark. I feel completely helpless whenever I am in the dark. I can't read any person's lips, and I can't make out who is there like any other persons. It's like nothing exists for me, I even feel like I don't exist anymore. What if some stranger kills me, I wouldn't be able to save myself? Or if some else is in trouble, I wouldn't be able to help them?
Uh.. That's sure which shows you guys, how I am terrified of the dark.
Suddenly a hand grabs my hand, I let out a scream.
"It's me, Josh. I'm here." Josh answers me as he raises his mobile light towards his lips, making the light fall on his face.
"Cool down. Everything is alright." He says to me soothingly as he settles his phone light on the ground and make us sit down on the floors of the elevators.
I stopped shaking, and calmed down. His mobile light was bright in this dark place, it was enough light to see his lips and his face.
"You remembered." I said to him, I was surprised that he still remembers my fear of the dark.
"Of course." He said to me with a smile.
"You are afraid of heights, and fast things." I replied the words which has been stored in my head.
"So you remember it too." Josh smiles a smile.
"Look, I know it was you who spoke to my Dad about my music." Josh says to me with a knowingly expression.
"No..." I lied.
"He told me the first time itself." He answers me, daring me to refuse it.
"Thanks." He replied so faintly, after no response came out of my mouth.
"So, how did Gina and Marie know you? Were you the one who used to give me junkfood and chocolate pastry? And if I recollect it was after my eyesight, I had to take two weeks rest. I used to get it in alternate days, and the remaining days I had some skittles as consolation." Josh puzzled the pieces together.
"So, you were there with me for two whole weeks?" Josh finally said the words, which I had been trying to hide from him so long.
I was there with him, every single day after the operation had been successful. I made myself invincible, his family did come but only during visiting hours and then they would leave.
I used to sit outside of his room at a bench. I used to go over and play with the children when he was resting. I would try to make his time fly fast. I would send some board games and some children to him.
I kept my promise, I never broke it. When he was finally discharged and the doctor told me that he was fine. Then only I did leave for New York.
"So you didn't break your promise." He asked me but it was more like a statement.
"Why didn't you meet me face to face then?" He asked me with a bit of anger, a question after the other, and me being silent to him.
"What's the point? I learned the truth. I saw your CD." I answered harshly; I realized I was too late. I blurted out the truth.
"What CD? And you gave me a beautiful letter." He replies to me sarcastically.
"I am not answering anything. I said more than I should." I replied warily.
"By the way, what's the problem now? You got several new best friends like Kiera." I replied him as I brought my legs close to my body, feeling cold.
"As if you don't. You even got that Ryan following you around." He answers harshly; he removes his coat and hands it to me.
"I don't need it. And Ryan is just a friend of mine. A good one, that's all. I don't care if you believe it or not." I replied off-handedly with a humorless chuckle.
Josh wraps his coat around me. He didn't open his mouth further. I was glad of this silence; I didn't know how long I would last.
Just then the elevators lightened up, and the elevators began moving. We rose to our feet, I handed his coat back and mumbled a thanks.
I doubt that if we would ever be friends again.
We walked out as Josh had to drop me at my home. It was in complete silence though.
Here's another update :) Whoa! Here's a lot of relevations :) So do you think Josh doesn't know anything about a CD? And how did you like Evelyn? A sweet girl, isn't she.. :) And what do you think of Alyssa's secret that she was there with Josh as she had promised? :)
The next chapter will also be really interesting :P
Thanks a ton for those awesome votes :) I'm close to my goal :) Fingers crossed, lol :P
Again another reminder to those readers out there, if you hadn't yet voted for some of the chapters, please do it :) Silent readers, please let me know that you are here and alive, lol :)
Okay, same drill- vote, comment, fan and share this story :)
Have a great day :)
bright_gal :)