jaden🤠
broooo
where you @?
we're all at the airport
nessa's flight leaves in an hour
there's still time to say goodbye
josh
sorry can't make it
tell her i said bye tho
jaden🤠
stop being a fucking douche
she's really upset
do the right thing bro
you know you'll regret it if you don't
_______________
josh leaves jaden on seen as he locks his phone and goes back to playing fortnite. he thought about going to the airport, really he did but what would be the point? he'd only break his own heart more than she has. it ruined him when she didn't stop him from walking out the other night. he relally thought that after all the shi they'd been through, this was their time to be happy together and get what they wanted. sure he could have been more mature about the situation but josh's coping and defense mechanisms have never been perfect.
picking up his controller, josh can't help but stare at the gold band around his finger. his friendship ring. he remembers the day he gave nessa hers and the moment they had before she left. josh feels his heart sink at the thought of the girl he's been in love with for months. how did things get so complicated? why did they get so complicated?. josh puts down the controller and takes off his ring, the top of his finger tracing over the engraving inside of it. he begins to think about what his life would have been like now if he hadn't decided to text his number neighbour that day. he wouldn't have ever met nessa nor would he have learned so much stuff about himself without her being there to help- to encourage him and support him. nessa has done so much for him in the last years but it scares josh to think about losing her forever- regardless of everything that's happened.
he recalls all their moments in his head although if he had any control then he'd stop because its killing him slowly. best friends. something they've always been no matter what. and it's true, nessa is his best friend but somewhere along the line she became so much more than just a best friend. she became someone he couldn't bare to upset. someone he got excited talking to or even just thinking about. someone who he could always count on to be there. she became his other side. his whole life. the only person he's ever pictured a future with and been genuinely happy with.
he starts to go over every detail about the other night and plays the conversations over and over and over in his head like a broken record in constant loop. he realises now that he was the one being selfish in that moment and he should have just been happy for her. maybe if he showed that he was then she'd have reconsidered the whole not doing long distance thing. but it made him mad knowing that she had made the decision without even discussing the options with him. it made josh feel like she couldn't wait to leave. like she didn't love him at all. ever.
"there's no point sitting around here. you'll regret it if you don't go to the airport" a voice speaks from the doorway.
josh lifts his head, his eyes tearing themselves away from the ring to look at the person whom the voice belongs to.
"what are you doing here?".
the last person josh expected to see in his living room today was mikey tua.
mikey walks into the room, pointing with his thumb over his shoulder. "kio and i have a brand deal to do together but he said i could come here early because he'd be back late from the airport which he assumed you'd be at" the boy explains, taking a seat next to josh casually.
josh looks at him with sad eyes. he's too emotional to kick his ass right now.
"so why are you not at the airport anyways?" mikey asks while he grabs a handful of chips from the doritos bag.
josh ignores the tuna fish taking his snacks and instead ponders to himself. why should he tell mikey? why does he even care? why are they even talking to each other in the first place?.
"none of your concern" josh mumbles, turning his controller back on and ignoring mikeys presence.
holding his hands up, mikey surrenders.
"okay but if you ask me-"
"nope, didn't do that" josh interrupts, his thumbs moving the control gears on the controller and his eyes darting all over the tv screen.
"well here's my take on it anyway. you love her and she obviously loves you and instead of you showing that you're happy for her and her big news, you're projecting your fear onto her and that's just not working out for either of you" the curly haired boy scoffs.
josh contorts his eyebrows and shifts in his seat to face mikey. he puts down the controller and stares at the brown eyed tuna boy.
"i'm not afraid. why would i be afraid? afraid of what?".
"of her not coming back to you. it's totally rational but you're just going about it the wrong way. you need to let her know that you're proud of her and excited for her because i know you are josh. your fear that she'll do so well for herself that she'll forget you and fall out of love is masking how you truly feel. don't let her leave thinking you don't care, tell her why it's so hard for you" mikey explains, surprising them both. when did he turn into such a shrink? and how does he know exactly what josh is feeling?
something clicks in josh's slow brain and he leans forward, grabbing his car keys from the coffee table and standing up.
"thanks tuna, i actually needed that" he smiles, leaning down and kissing the top of mikeys head.
mikey yells something but josh is already halfway out the front door. he rushes over to his car quickly, strapping himself in and turning on the ignition. the engine roars to life and within seconds josh is driving out the driveway and onto the streets of los angeles. he uses the bluetooth to call jaden who doesn't answer. as josh gets closer to the airport he feels his heart pounding out of his chest, his stomach churning with anxiety. what if she doesn't forgive him? what'll he do then?
after what feels like an hour drive, josh finally pulls into the drop off lane at the airport. he puts the car in park and wastes no time in getting out. a few people make snarky comments and whatnot but he ignores them while running through the entrance and standing in the middle of the airport, glancing up at the notice boards. he looks for the new jersey flight gate number and again, runs full speed towards the area. josh can't believe that he's currently reenacting a scene from every romance movie ever and it's rather amusing to him.
out of breath and with only a little hope left in his body, josh makes it to the gate as the passengers are boarding. he inhales and exhales a few times before making his way over to the air hostess who's taking the tickets from passengers.
"excuse me miss but has a nessa barrett boarded already?" he asks through shortness of breath.
the lady opens her mouth the respond but is cut off when nessa calls josh's name. the tired boy turns around quickly, his heart stopping completely when his gaze lands on her surprised green eyes. nessa's hair is pulled up into a messy bun and she's wearing no makeup except a watermelon lip gloss she bought one day when they went shopping before his family left town. she's wearing sweatpants and converse with a large oversized hoodie that josh recognizes as his own. he smiles.
"what are you doing here?" she asks, her voice cracking. after saying goodbye to her friends and josh not being there- she didn't think he would come but she should have known better. arriving late to say goodbye is his thing.
josh takes the few steps towards her, taking her hands in his own and clearing his throat. it gives nessa butterflies and makes her feel like they're the only two people in the world. she knows they're not but it's nice to feel like they are.
"i came for the sweatshirt" he jokes, earning himself a slap on the chest. the pair laugh about it, his little comedic act easing the tension and clearing the air. they're not mad at each other.
"well i was thinking that i could keep the sweatshirt on temporary loan and then just give you it back when i come home for the holidays" nessa says, wrapping her arms around josh's neck and leaning on her tiptoes.
the boy hums in response, his arms around her tiny waist. "and which holiday is that we're talking about?".
nessa smiles, leaning forward and kissing the taller boy with such longing. she wouldn't have known what to do if josh hadn't showed up today. it means the world to her that he did and that he doesn't hate her for leaving.
"all of them".
"ma'am? we have to board now" the lady from earlier says with great sympathy.
breaking away, josh and nessa stare at each other- both of their hearts aching but they know it's for the best. they'll find each other again.
"i'm scared" josh blurts out. "i'm scared of you leaving and meeting someone better and having a new life with them and i get it, that's selfish but it's the way i feel because i'm so over the moon in love with you and the bare thought of you loving someone else wrecks me in ways i didn't know i could be. i'm happy for you. i'm proud of you, you'll do amazing things but i need you to know that i'll be here waiting for you when you become the next big thing. i'll be here waiting for you regardless because i want to be with you".
nessa jumps back into the boys arms, josh holding her tight. they cry into each other- both of them complete messes. that's all nessa wanted to hear. she knew he was happy for her and she knew he was scared but him saying it and confirming it gives her a sense of relief because at least now she has solid proof that he feels the same as she does.
"you better be! i swear richards if i come back and you're not single i'll write so many songs about you" she jokes, sniffling.
"yeah okay taylor swift, you better right songs about me regardless".
"ma'am we really have to go". the same lady says, waiting by the door.
"so i guess this is goodbye? for now" josh speaks confidently.
"for now" she agrees.
nessa gathers her things and makes her way to the boarding gate. she gives the lady her ticket and gets ready to board. she can feel josh staring at her and decides to turn around, abandoning her things and running back into his arms that he opens gladly for her to jump into.
"i love you" she mumbles into his neck, squeezing him.
josh closes his eyes, savoring this moment.
"i love you too".
_________
nessa's plane left an hour ago yet here josh sits in the airport, outside of her gate. he's been ignoring his texts and phone calls. his phones been blowing up for the past twenty minutes so he turned it off. his mind is foggy and his heart is heavy. she hasn't even been gone a day yet and he misses her terribly already. the thought of buying a ticket to new jersey and leaving with her has crossed his mind more times than you'll imagine while sitting here on the very uncomfortable seats. their last moments play on loop in his head while he plays with the ring on his finger that he noticed nessa still wore too.
an older lady comes and sits beside him and usually josh wouldn't mind but there's literally a whole room of seats she could have chose from.
"excuse me dear but do you mind me asking a question?" she asks, leaning over the armrest.
josh notices the lack of personal space but he doesn't even care. instead of being a douche about it, he looks at the woman with kind eyes and a smile, nodding.
"not at all" he replies sweetly.
the woman seems taken aback by his gentle approach but she smiles back, liking that not all faith is lost with today's youth.
"have you heard about this new number neighbour thing? my granddaughter keeps asking me to text mine and i just have absolutely no idea what she means. she said her stan- whatever that is- met his girlfriend by doing it and she thinks i could meet someone too".
josh stifles a laugh under his breath.
"yeah, i've had some experience with the trend. would you like me to show you?".
THE END
fr this time
_________________________
ahhh omg! i cant believe that's it 🥺
first of all i just want to say how happy and thankful i am that so many of you have enjoyed reading this book. it's insane to think we just passed the 100k reads mark like honestly. as weird as it may sound but i think of this book as my first born baby and i'm so excited to be working on a second! as for a sequel for this one? well nothing is planned as of right now but who knows?
thank you for reading and being so active with this book. i hope you've enjoyed it and that you'll keep reading my work!
THANK YOU ❤️
✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨
make sure to check out : life unexpected
✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨