I Swear It: Herophine

Chapter 19

            "I'd hurry up loverboy," both Taylor and the driver say to me, causing everyone in the car to laugh at my expense before I hightail it the fuck after her.

"Josephine wait!" I call after her, thankful for the streetlights and empty sidewalks around us, making it easy to follow her. We're right by her apartment, I recognize the café down the street we'd run into her ex at and I'm banking on my long legs and her heeled boots to allow me to catch up to her before she disappears. As we round the corner to her apartment building she abruptly stops and turns around to face me. Our chest are rising and falling rapidly with our breathing and we just stare at each other for a moment, catching our breath.

"Just let it be done Hero, okay? Let it be done. What are you chasing anyway? The one girl who walked away before you did? Is that what this is? Not used to rejection? Or is the chase just that much fun? What the fuck is it? What's the point of this? Pick on someone else because I'm done with whatever fucked up game you're playing."

"It's not a fucking game okay, it's not a game! I have been trying so hard to show you that I'm fucking serious about getting to know you. I know everything I do has the opposite effect but I don't know what the fuck else to do! I know you don't trust me because of the video with Ellen, and I know there's no excuse but that's why I told her to fuck off when she showed up tonight! I told her whatever we had is done because I wanted you. I want Friday nights with our friends and I want breakfast on Saturday mornings. I want lazy afternoons in your underwear and I want Sunday dinner with my family and I never wanted that with someone until I saw it happening with you. Until I saw the way you looked in my sheets and how you smiled at my nephew while talking to my mum and I swear to you, that no matter how much history I may have with Ellen, none of it compares to the future I see with you. And yes we've had more fights than dates but I don't care because if it means I can see you again I'll do it. I'll fight with you because you are worth fighting for." It takes me a few minutes to catch my breath and I drop my gaze when Josephine closes her eyes in thought.

Just as she's about to say something her phone rings, causing both of us to huff out a breath of annoyance as she pulls the device out of her purse.

"Hi mum, yeah I'm just getting home... no I wasn't out on a date... what do you mean who's the guy I'm with?" she says as she begins whipping her head around with what looks like fear in her eyes. "He's my friend, you don't know him... where are you hiding what the hell mother?"

"Surprise!" a woman calls from the passenger side of white car parked down the street from where we are standing and soon after who I assume to be Josephine's parents step out of the car, making their way towards us.

"Hi honey, we were just going to drop off your dress for Kat's wedding since you said you couldn't pick it up today. Now I see why, hi there! My name's Jane, this is my husband Steven, we're Jojo's parents! So nice to meet you!" The woman says, pulling me into a hug as her husband laughs and pulls Josephine into a hug, whispering something in her ear making her laugh.

"I'm Hero, a friend of Josephine's, I was just walking her home, we were out with a few of my friends and Taylor." I say trying to tread lightly, for both Josephine's sake and mine.

"He was just leaving, thanks for walking me home." Jo says trying to corral her parents into her building and get rid of me.

"Nonsense! This sweet boy walked you home! The least you can do is invite him up for a drink, besides you need to try on your dress for the wedding so we'll be coming up for a drink anyway and I'm sure Hero wouldn't mind seeing you in your dress. Isn't that right Hero?" Her mother and my mother would be a force to be reckoned with and the thought causes me to smile. Josephine, however, glares at me before trying to answer for me.

"I'm sure Hero has better things to do on a Saturday night than drink with my parents and watch me try on—"

"Actually," I cut her off, much to her chagrin and her mother's delight, "I would love nothing more." Her mother squeals and pulls Josephine into building while her father and I trail behind them.

"I'm not sure who you should be more afraid of kid, my wife or my daughter," Steven says with a laugh before we get into the elevator and I can't help the smile that takes over my face.

I'm sat in the living room with Jo's dad, talking about last night's soccer match while also trying to eavesdrop on what Jo and her mother are saying in her bedroom. I hear the words invite, handsome, date, and the phrase fuck no. The door then opens and her mom comes out, dragging Josephine behind her. To her credit Jo does everything but claw onto the doorframe to keep her mother from dragging her into the living room, although I'm sure the thought crossed her mind. She's wearing a floor length maroon dress that brushes over the tan heels she's now wearing. Her arms and shoulders are bare except for the thin straps holding the dress up, lace around the top of the dress accents her chest and the material clings to her small frame before synching around her waist and then dropping off to loosely hang around her legs, a slit up one leg showing off her creamy skin.

"Beautiful isn't she?" her mom singsongs, noticing me obviously staring at her daughter and before I can say anything Josephine groans dramatically and hurries back into her room to change. Her mother joins her father and I on the couches, asking me a few questions about my family, and myself, her eyes shining with pride when I tell her how Josephine and I actually met. I can tell they're proud of the work their daughter does. Josephine eventually joins us, sitting in the only available seat left, which is on the loveseat next to me. She's trying to sit as far from me as possible and it would be funny except I'm trying not to draw attention to it, eventually she gives up and just relaxes into the cushions, her arm brushing against me.

"So Hero what are you doing on December 19th?" her mother asks me after I finished explaining to her what my parents do for work.

"Mum!" Josephine exclaims and her father laughs and reaches into his pocket, pulling out his wallet.

"Dammit Jane, if you'd asked 10 minutes ago Jojo would've owed me $20" her father says, still laughing, and handing Jo a crisp twenty dollar bill. I still have no idea what's happening but it seems Jo is at her limit.

"Okay thank you so much for dropping the dress off so late you really didn't have to, but it's late and I have a work thing in the morning so goodnight guys, text me when you get home!" Josephine says pushing her parents out the door and closing it and locking it behind them. She lets out a deep breath before turning to me. Before she can try and kick me out I decide I want to push my luck.