Different : j.d.

.:seventeen:.

Habits of my Heart - Jaymes Young

Josh's POV

I'm skipping to June 18th bc it's still march in this story. Yikes.

Jenna walks up to me, the bus turning at she clamps her hand down on my arm. She steadies herself before pulling two envelopes out from behind her back.

"It's from Athena. She said to open the small one now. But the big one after the show. I don't know what's in it, but she said that you need to be alone?" Jenna says, shrugging her shoulders before sitting down on the couch.

I flop down next to her, setting the large yellow envelope onto my lap and ripping open the smaller white one, five pictures falling into my lap. Jenna quickly grabs the pictures and starts looking through them, making "aw" noises.

I read the card, a huge smile on my face. Jenna puts the pictures into my hands, getting up and walking to the bunks to find Tyler.

I look at the five pictures, one of Boo, one of Lucy, one of Jupiter and one of the pictures that was taken when Athena told me she loved me. I pull the smallest picture from the bottom of the stack and see that it's a picture of Athena and all the animals. I turn it over to find Athena's messy handwriting scrawled on the back "put this in your wallet". I quickly pull out my wallet and stuff the picture into one of the pockets and take the pictures and card into my bunk.

I sit in my bed looking at the front of the large envelope, trying to decide if I should listen to Jenna or if I should just open in now. I chose the latter and flip it, finding a note taped to it.

"Josh, do not open this. Wait until after the show tonight. FaceTime me before you do and make sure you're alone. I would tell you to do it now, but I'm at work (yes I figured out where you would be on your birthday and found out if I would be working before your show). Jenna doesn't even know what's in here. James is the only one that does and I would like to keep it just between the three of us. I love you so much. Have a great birthday!"

I mentally curse myself out for not listening to Athena and Jenna and set the envelope down, tucking it under my pillow and closing the curtain to my bunk.

****

I trudge back onto the bus, no longer sweaty from the show but still incredibly tired.

"I'm goin' to bed guys. See ya in the mornin'." I call into the main area of the bus, shutting the bunk door behind me.

I take off my shirt and slip into bed with only my shorts on. I lay my head down on the pillow, shoving my hand under it to find the envelope that I completely forgot about.

I quickly take out my phone and plug in my earbuds while FaceTiming Athena.

She answers, yelling "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOSHUA!" into her phone.

"Thank you, babe. Now can I open it?" I ask, waving the envelope in front of my face.

"Do it! Hurry! Open it!" She yells, practically jumping out of her skin.

"Shh. Calm down." I order as I open the envelope to find about ten more pictures. But these are the size of the envelope and much more, uh, strange.

"What do you think!?" Athena screeches as my jaw hangs open.

"I, uh, Athena. These are amazing. You're so beautiful." I mumble, running my hand along the curve of her waist in one of the pictures.

"Ya think?" She says with a smile.

"What is this, babe?" I ask, looking up from the pictures to meet her gaze.

"It's called boudoir photography." She chirps.

"Who too- did James take these?" I ask, feeling uncomfortable that a guy took these.

"Mhm. Josh, babe, he's gay. Very very gay. Don't worry." She assures me after seeing my concerned expression.

"Okay. Athena, you're gorgeous." I mumble, her face burning red.

Neither of us say anything as I look through the pictures, fascinated by Athena's body.

There are ones of her on our bed and some of her in front of the large window in our bedroom.

"What's your favorite?" She asks, breaking the silence.

"Lemme see." I mumble, spreading them out on and around my lap.

"I think this one." I say, holding up a picture of her on the bed. It shows her from behind, sitting on her feet in a pair of black underwear as her hair drapes over one of her shoulders, showing off her bare back.

"Or this." I mumble, holding up a second picture. This one is basically just her silhouette against the window but for some reason it makes my heart jump out of my chest.

"Oh, Josh. I love you so much. And I miss you." Athena says quietly.

"I love you too, baby. I'll be home soon."