Josephine's phone lit up with a text notification from Josh. She didn't have to read it to know he was here for her. She had gone to her younger twin brother's room earlier since they're next door to her. She knew they wouldn't be asleep, they were absolute night owls, so she informed them that she's sneaking out to get McDonald's. They said they would cover for her if anything happens if they could each get a six-piece chicken nugget. She obliged and was now ready to sneakily leave her house from her window.
Her house only had the main floor, but it was fairly big. She has her own room, her little sister has her own room, and the twins share a room. Her dad offered to get rid of his office if either twin wanted to move in, but they prefer sharing, which was very convenient for her dad. Josephine also has her own bathroom. She had begged her parents for years to put in a small bathroom in her room. She said she can just split her closet in half. Half bathroom and the other her closet. She's more of a drawer girl, so losing closet space wasn't an issue for her. the bathroom was built perfectly and worked flawlessly. Now, she doesn't have to wait for everyone to use the bathroom in the morning.
Jo took off the screen from her window, tossing it to the side. Her bed was placed by the window specifically for this type of occasion. She quickly slid through the window, shutting it when she was fully out and on her feet. She landed on the side of her house, she took off in a jog to the driveway where she saw Josh's car parked on the curb. She smiled widely as she hopped into the passenger seat. "Hi!" her bubbly personality remained even in the ass crack of night.
"Hey, have you slept at all? You seem pretty awake." Josh asked, beginning to pull away from the curb and starting their journey to the nearest McDonalds. She shook her head no, "Nah. I'm definitely awake now though. A lot of adrenaline is rushing through me and I can't feel my face." She wasn't lying, every time she sneaks out she's terrified that her mother will find out and ground her from seeming her friends. She knows her mom won't hesitate to do it.
Josh chuckled, keeping his sight on the road. "What about you? Liv mentioned that tomorrow you're filming some big dancing stuff." He also shook his head, "I couldn't sleep. So I went on Instagram and I saw that Liv posted your post on her Instagram story. So I took upon the liberties to follow you." She rolled her eyes at his pretend cockiness. "But really I should be sleeping. We're filming Truth, Justice, and Songs in Our Key tomorrow."
Joey chuckled softly, "you act as if I know what the hell that is." He chuckled too, "sorry. All you need to know is that it's some big dancing stuff." She nodded slowly, turning her head to look out the window.
She watched as he passed a McDonalds, "Josh?" He hummed. "Do you know where to go? Cause we just passed it." His eyes went wide, "I swear to God, I didn't notice. I'll turn around."
Once Joshua had successfully arrived at McDonald's he went up to the drive-through. Josh ordered then turned to Joey, "what do you want?"
She told Josh and then he repeated her order to the worker. She doesn't like drive-throughs because they stress her out, so she was grateful that Josh had told her order to the lady for her. Once Josh was told the price and to move forward he directed to Jo, "you're getting a lot of chicken nuggets." He chuckled at his own joke. Cute, Joey thought,
She smiled softly at him, "my brothers said they'd cover for me if I get them nugs. I'm just a great sister, no cap." Josephine tends to use slang and abbreviations when it gets late and she's tired. She doesn't usually say those things out loud, but when she's half-asleep she doesn't pay attention to her vocabulary.
She threw her long dark hair off of her shoulder, she reached into her wallet to take out a few dollars to give to Josh. He noticed her digging through her wallet, "you're good, Jo. I got it." she frowned at him, "no I want to help."
Josh ignored her pleas, simply handing the woman at the window his card. "and that's why you're ruining the economy," Josephine whined. She's used to taking care of people, cooking the food, and even paying the bill for her friends. And now she considers Joshua a lot friend, so his refusal for her to pay was like the ultimate rejection in Joey's eyes. She's not used to people turning down her kindness, and it almost felt...nice. It felt nice to know that she didn't have to do everything she could to have things go in Josh's favor, but she didn't like how she couldn't help. She's always been the one to loan, she isn't the one who gets the loan.
Josh hands her the bags of food and places the drinks in his cup holders. "Want to go anywhere pretty to eat? Or do you want to eat in the parking lot." the car was moving slowly, giving Jo time to think.
She grew excited, her previous feelings of resentment disappearing, "I think I know a place. I'll give you directions so you don't get us lost." He rolled his eyes with a smile.
Josephine had directed Joshua all the way to a very pretty and open park. Once Josh parker, he reached over to grab a bag from Jo's lap, but she had opened the car door. She stepped out, looking up at Josh, who looked utterly confused. "Bring the drinks," she beamed.
She walked all the way to the playground, which wasn't far, but she took her time to get there. Her sweat pants were large on her, so they hid her shoes. Joshua noticed and thought it was adorable. She was wearing a thin long sleeve shirt. He wondered if she was cold, but she didn't show if she was. Josh had been trailing behind Jo, watching as she climbed on the monkey bars that made an 'O' shape. She climbed on top, successfully, with the bags in her hand. She scooted over to one side of the circle so that Josh could climb up too. Setting the bags on her lap she reached out to take the cups from Josh, mumbling thanks and he wiped his sweaty palms on the sides of his joggers. Once Josh was up she took out his burger and fries from the bag. Stretching her arm across the circle to him, he took it graciously and she gently threw down the bag with her brother's chicken nuggets. Josh reached his hand out to grab his pink lemonade, but Joey beat him to it. She smiled as she handed it to him.
Josh took a bite out of his burger, "what is this place, Jo?"
She finished a nugget, taking a sip from her drink, "this is the playground I grew up in." Josh watched and she visibly relaxed, her shoulders falling with a sigh escaping her pink lips. "I used to sit up here all day. It's how I met Jack. I was sitting here, in this spot. Jack was trying to do the same thing because he was jealous that I could actually do the monkey bars. He would always fall on his ass." He chuckled softly, eyes watching her own as she looks down the hole of the circle.
"I spent a good portion of one of my summer breaks trying to reach him how to get up here. And once he did, we would sit up here and talk. He would sit there," She finally looked up from the spot on the ground, meeting eye with Josh as she gently pointed to where he was sitting. Her eyes began to water slightly, so she reached into her lap to eat another chicken nugget.
She sniffles quietly, "sorry that I'm getting so emotional. I understand if you feel uncomfortable since we aren't very good friends, yet. ." Josh's face softened, "don't feel sorry. I don't know what it is that's bothering you, but you can talk to me. I might not know what you're going through, but it might be good to talk about it." He suggested to her. She threw her empty box of chicken nuggets down to the floor. She locked eyes with Josh, his were watching her as if she were the most fragile thing in the earth, and one wrong look could possibly shatter her. Her eyes were red and glossy, she knew that though. She could feel the heat in her freckled cheeks and nose, but she doesn't want to let it bother her.
"Right, um. Okay. Stop me if I'm overstepping boundaries." Josh scooted around the monkey bars to sit beside her. Showing her that their dividing line was farther than she anticipated. Their thighs touched lightly, but neither of them pulled apart. "I don't know what happened, but we stopped coming to this park. It might've been growing up, it might've been Auggie becoming friends with Jack, or me with Annie, but I just miss the way things were. They were easier. I didn't have to worry about if I'm good enough for Colombia, or my SAT score, or my GPA. I just sat here. Jack sat here." The lump in her throat became unbearable to hold back anymore, a loud sob left her mouth. Josh felt a little uncomfortable, but he still wanted to help console her. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, her head falling on his own shoulder.
"I get it," Josh says to her, Jo looked up at him, her eyes spilling tears. "I used to be such good friends with some people, but then our careers got in the way. I used to be friends with Billie Eilish for crying out loud. Now she's this big star." Josephine felt better knowing that she isn't the only one who feels like this. It doesn't distract her from Billie Eilish being mentioned.
"Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O'Connell?" He nodded, she felt him rest his head on top of hers. "I used to be close to a lot of people before this job, and even then they were the ones to leave first."
Josephine relaxed into his touch even more, "I just wish I knew the last time we sat up here was the last time I'd be up here with him. I would've cherished it more...no cap." They chuckled softly. "I really want your lemonade because my juice tasted salty." Josh laughed, his neck bending backward, "how does orange juice taste salty?"
Joey giggled, "I don't know! I didn't want to say anything because I didn't want to sound picky." Joshua giggled lightly, "it's okay to get what you want sometimes. You don't have to settle for what you have if you want better."
Her eyes widened, realizing that he saw right through her. She nudged him with her elbow, "it's not that deep bro." They chuckled softly at her joke, Josh's shoulders bouncing, tickling Jo, "Yeah, I know. It's just hard to do that sometimes. Well more like all of the times." Josh chuckled, he rubbed his hand up and down her shoulder.
She inhaled loudly, "you should probably take me home before I fall asleep right here." Her eyes were closed in serenity. Josh gently shook her with the arm that was wrapped around her, waking her up.
They made their way down the monkey bars, picking up their trash and throwing it away in a bin close to the car. Josh drove Josephine home. A Billie Eilish song came on when Josh finally reached Jo's house, "Hey, it's your bestie." her joke came out less bubbly as she hoped for, but Josh understood it was a joke made with good intention and she was tired.
"Get some rest, Joey."
Joey, okay, she thought. Joey is a nickname that you have to earn. She doesn't let just anyone call her Joey.
"Let me know how truth and key songs goes." Josh laughed quietly, she was only able to send him a meek smile. "Bye, J."
J, okay, he thought as he watched her walk to the side of her house.