One Little Kiss (Joshifer)

Chapter 23

I shot up in my bed, covered in a cold sweat. In my dream I was alone in a glass box, surrounded by people pointing in shock. I couldn't escape them, or drown out what they were saying.

"Can you believe she did something like that? What a whore." They all said.

I shifted the alarm clock on my nightstand towards me and it flashed 11a.m. A nice hot shower sounded like the perfect idea right now. I was half way across my carpet floor when I slowly stopped, turning around. I cocked my head slightly to one side when I saw the other half of my bed was empty and perfectly made. Was Josh being here a part of my dream too? I felt the fabric of his t-shirt against the body.

Nope, that's real. I scratched my head looking for any sign that he was here.

"Josh?" I called.

No answer. I bounced down the stairs to my kitchen and living room, Josh was no where to be found. I felt my heart pound in my chest, I could see it thumping through the thin grey fabric. He said he loved me last night, but had to let me go. I didn't get a chance to respond or even ask what he meant before I fell asleep. I hope I didn't hurt his feelings, or made him think by not responding that I don't feel the same. Just thinking of losing him to someone else made everything click, all the heighten emotions I felt when I was with him must mean love.

I dragged myself back up to my room, with all these questions running through my mind. I flicked on the light in my bathroom and saw a yellow sticky note attached to the mirror.

If you found this then congratulations you're out of bed! You were sound asleep when I woke up, so I cleaned downstairs for you. See your phone on the sink? Text me so I know I don't have to come back and drag your butt out of bed. I have a surprise for you when I get back, pack your bag!

Josh was always so cryptic with his notes. When we were little he wanted to try playing hide and seek with just clues. His always left out specific details. One was like "I'm near green." I always left him hiding to eat a peanut butter sandwich, and he'd be so mad at me until I gave him half. Those were the simple days.

I shrugged off his note for now, and took a shower. I let the warm water stream down my face, instantly relaxing my muscles. Time escaped me as I stood in a cloud of steam, and I began to hear shuffling outside the bathroom door. I shut off the water, ran a towel through my wet hair, then wrapped it around my body. I cracked open the door and stuck my head out. Josh was sitting on my bed playing on his phone. He had on jeans, a hoodie, and a backwards ball cap.

"Ready?" He looked up, locking his iPhone, and smiled.

I came out of the bathroom, still wrapped in a towel, and crossed my arms across my chest. "Ready for what?"

"We haven't had a best friend trip in a while, so we're going camping!"

"I'm sorry, I think I heard you wrong," my eyes narrowed towards him. "Did you say camping?"

"Yup," he popped the 'p.'

I stared into his eyes for what felt like two minutes and realized he was actually serious about this. I didn't think we even had any camping equipment in LA. We used to go all the time as kids in Kentucky, but we've never gone since we moved here. Josh apparently got up while I was sleeping and went out to get everything we needed. He rushed me to pack my things in a hurry, and to leave my hair dry into natural waves. We threw my bag in the back of his car and hit the road.

He had the radio turned on, drumming his fingers against the steering wheel. I felt like I was in a daze. From the minute I woke up from that dream, nothing has seemed real. Everything was happening so fast since last night. I couldn't wrap my head around things to get a grip of what was really happening, and what's not. I feel like Katniss from the third Hunger Games book when her and Peeta played the 'real not real' game.