in just a short amount of time, the sway boys had managed to pull together a kick ass party that no one was surely going to forget anytime soon. kio and griffin got very fancy decorations including a disco ball for the living room that's definitely staying up even after the party and a whole bucket load of party poppers and silly string. always the mature ones.
josh had made sure everything got set up correctly this morning. he stayed up late with anthony prepping the food. avani had to facetime them at 3am so she could give the seal of approval on their homemade cake that they made for the girls.
bryce didn't hold back with the alcohol either and the dinning room table is covered with cases of alcoholic beverages not to mention addison and dixies cocktails that they perfected earlier. the kitchen was stacked with red solo cups and fishbowls, ready to be filled.
the party was pulling together nicely and it was everything josh wanted it to be and more. their friend jake promised he would dj for them and jaden is performing as well.
people start to arrive and the boys play hosts for a half hour until the house starts to get crowded enough for them to disappear and do their own mingling.
josh waits for lea to text him. she doesn't know about the party but she does think that they're having pizza and a few drinks. not exactly a lie but not the whole truth either.
while he waits for her to text, josh locks himself away in his bedroom that he shares with jaden. he opens his closet door and walks inside, opening up one of his drawers and taking out a black box from inside. yesterday while the boys were out getting things for the party, josh had an appointment at the cartier store. he wanted to give nessa a gift for being so amazing these past few months. josh puts the box in his sweater pocket after receiving a text from lea that they're seconds away from the house.
he races back into the living room- grabbing everyone's attention by yelling loudly over the music. people stop to pay attention.
"they're here! everyone be quiet" josh instructs, turning off the lights.
everyone hushes themselves and wait patiently until the front door is opened and in step the girls- their confused mumbles can be heard for a split second before josh turns the lights back on and people set off the party poppers- everyone yelling
"SURPRISE".
the girls yelp back in shock and everyone surrounds them.
nessa turns towards a grinning josh.
she begins to tear up as he opens his arms for a hug which she gladly accepts.
"you guys did all this for us?" she asks, her voice high.
"mhm, you like?" he ponders although the answer is obvious when lea and mishka tackle him with hugs and words of gratitude.
nessa disappears into the crowd, talking to some of her friends and making new ones. she steals glances at a socialising josh every few seconds, sometimes he catches her and they smile contagiously both of them having butterflies swarm around in their stomachs as if they were on rollercoasters.
taking yet another sip from his bottle of beer, josh feels his cheeks start to heat up and he knows he's getting drunk. he can feel the light buzz that follows him whenever he moves.
"joshy boy, why you chugging them back like there's no tomorrow?".
josh looks over to his side and is surprised to see mads sitting on the kitchen counter with her legs dangling like a child's.
"i'm nervous about telling nessa i like her, what's you're excuse?" he says, his eyebrows raised.
mads holds in her hand a bottle of straight vodka and that can't be a good thing. even josh knows his limits.
"meh jaden and i went on the most amazing date today and he asked me to take him back" she confesses, taking another swig.
confused, josh narrows his eyes at the blonde girl who he's known for a long time now. he was blinded by jealousy before but you'd have to be an idiot to not see how much jaden and mads belong together. so why is she having doubts?
"okay but isn't that good? what's holding you back?".
mads looks taken aback almost like she never expected josh to ask such a question or for him to even care at all. she contemplates telling him but with the amount of alcohol she has in her system- she spills it out anyway.
"i love him to death josh i really do but i'm scared that he'll be head over heels for me one minute then chicken out the next. i'm afraid that i'll give him my absolute all and it still won't be enough for him to trust me with his heart".
josh hadn't expected mads to be so touchy feely with him as their relationship hasn't exactly been the most sentimental throughout the years. but he likes this new layer of their friendship. he likes that she feels safe and comfortable enough to share such personal feelings with him. it's nice for them both.
"if he were to do that he'd be a fucking idiot mads" josh splutters out- giving her no hope what so ever.
there's a pause until josh pushes himself off of the counter and stands in front of mads. he takes the bottle out of her hand and puts it beside her.
"but" he says. "he wouldn't make that mistake again. the kids crazy in love with you and coming from me- his roommate and best friend? surely it should give you some sort of closure but if not then you should know he hasn't been himself without you and if i'm being honest i don't really know who jaden is anymore without you. even jaden doesn't know who he is without you".
mads beams with happiness and wraps her arms around josh's neck, whispering words of thankfulness into his ear. josh barely has enough time to return the hug before mads is racing off in the direction of the other room- looking for jaden no doubt.
taking the bottle of vodka, josh has a few sips of his own as he stumbles his way through the kitchen and into the living room, people talking to him and him being too drunk to respond. he only initially started to drink tonight because he was so damn nervous about talking to nessa about how he feels but now he might not even get the chance because how can he possibly tell her if he can't talk?
"joshua!" a small voice calls and he knows that it's her even if he is out of his face.
josh turns around to face a nervous looking nessa. she gathered that this was the perfect time for her to tell josh how she feels about him but the closer she gets the more she notices his unusual behaviour.
"there's my favourite girl" he smiles, his eyes glowing with the lights.
nessa ignores the heat she feels forming on her cheeks due to his words and focuses on the drunk boy who's struggling to hold himself up.
she sighs, knowing that she won't be able to talk to him tonight.
"let's get you to bed" she says.
nessa recruits the help of tayler holder to help her get josh downstairs. tayler carries josh over his shoulder and josh finds it hilarious.
when they get to josh's room, tayler puts the drunk boy onto his bed with a thud. nessa thanks tayler before he leaves to rejoin the party.
"okay you, come here" nessa smiles, taking both of josh's hands in her own and pulling him up so he's sitting.
josh's drunken body is rather limp and his arms flail around like a whacky inflatable man. nessa keeps a close eye on him while she gets him a bottle of water from jadens mini fridge that he keeps in the room.
nessa hold the bottle out for josh to take and he does, thanking her in the process.
"why-why don yu go ba-back to da purty" josh slurs, falling onto his side. his eyes start to close as the drowsiness takes over.
nessa takes a seat on the bed beside him, her hand weaves through his mop of messy hair, helping the boy fall asleep.
"i'll stay here with you. make sure you don't die and stuff" she says, stifling a giggle.
josh smiles into his pillow.
"hey nessa?" he asks, his voice muffled.
she rubs her thumb across his forehead.
"yeah?".
"i like you".
confused, nessa leans forward.
"what did you say?".
"i said i like you. as more than a friend".
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🙃🙃
ik for a fact that u r all gonna
HATE me bc of these nest few chapters
vote & comment pls <3