While We're Young (Marianas Trench)

Chapter 3

Walking into Jules' with Josh gets me the most amount of stares I've ever gotten on record. Jules herself even comes out to greet us. "Josh!" She smiles, giving him a hug. "It's been too long." I guess my joke earlier was true . . .

"Jules! When Alexis told me there was a diner called Jules' across the street, I immediately thought of you. Who else would name a diner after them self?" Josh teases, resting a hand on my shoulder as he mentions me.

"Oh! How did you meet my most frequent customer?" Jules smiles at me and hands me a menu. She knows I don't use it, but it's a courtesy she never fails on.

"I thought Jimmy Lovett was your most frequent customer?" I interject, making my way towards the spot where Libbey and I usually sit.

"I wouldn't call sitting by the bread oven to get warm and not buying anything being a customer. More of a living poltergeist, really." She says this loud enough for Jimmy to hear, and he pokes his head out from the kitchen area.

"I buy a coffee every second Friday of the month!" He replies, disappearing again. Josh chuckles and sits across from me at the table.

"We need to catch up some time, Jules. Maybe I'll stop in again the next time I'm in the neighbourhood." Jules nods and hands Josh a menu too.

"I'd like that. Holler when you're ready to order," He opens the menu and I place a hand in his way.

"Get the eggs Benedict, they are literally the best thing you will ever taste," I say, picking up a sugar packet and ripping off the top.

"I've had them before. Jules used to try all her new recipes out on me, I used to joke she should start a restaurant. Guess someone actually took me seriously for once." Josh laughs, closing his menu and placing it on top of mine. "What are you doing with that sugar?"

"Eating it," I smirk, tilting the package into my mouth and swallowing. "It's my breakfast ritual."

"Along with chugging raw eggs?" Josh mocks me but still picks up a package himself.

"That's going too far," I laugh and watch him copy the motion of dumping sugar into his mouth.

"Is this going to rot my teeth out?" He asks, sugar coating his lips. I shake my head no, resting my chin in my hand. I look at Josh for a good half-minute before he starts to get restless. "What are you staring at?"

"I'm contemplating whether I like you or not." I smile, letting him stare back at me.

"Well? What's the verdict?" He asks, hands palm up on the table in front of me.

I place my hands in his and lean forward ever so slightly. "Or not." I keep a straight face for maybe a second, then burst into laughter. "I'm kidding, you're actually not a bad guy," I say, taking my hands from his. I know if I linger there something will happen, and I don't want anything to happen with him. So I call for Jules and she rushes over.

"What can I get you two?" She asks, giving me a knowing look. Does she think Josh and me. . .

"I'll have some raw egg yolks and a diet coke," Josh says, teasingly. Jules snorts and writes something down on her notepad.

"The usual for me, please, with a side of 'Josh Ramsay is an asshole'." I glare playfully at Josh, and he flicks his eyebrows up and down once.

"You two are quite the couple," Jules bites back a laugh and walks away before either of us can argue her statement. We share a glance and shrug at the same moment.

*****

We've been talking for so long, I've lost track of time. That is until I see a familiar Asian head bob through the door. Dammit! I forgot that I was meeting Libbey for lunch. How could I do that? How did I get so wrapped up in Josh? A thousand questions later . . . I'm still enthralled.

"Hey Lex, are you—Oh my God! Josh Ramsay is here?! How? What? When? What? What? What?" Libbey starts freaking out as soon as she sees Josh. He looks at me and closes his eyes for a split second.

"She's a rambler, this one." He chuckles, turning his gaze towards Libbey. "You must be Libbey. I've heard a lot about you," he gives her a forced smile and gently kicks me under the table. He wants to leave, I can tell.

"Alexis! You told him about me? I thought you wouldn't even talk to him? What the hell? Was this the surprise you had planned?" There are so many questions to answer, so I glance at Josh. He looks down at his wrist, one that does not have a watch attached to it, and exclaims.

"Wow, Look at the time! I forgot I was meeting Matt, Mike and Ian for lunch. I'll see you around sometime, maybe." He stands, walks away backwards, and as soon as Libbey turns around, mouths 'call me'. I smile and Libbey cocks her head at me in curiosity.

"Were you just having a rendezvous with Joshua freaking Ramsay?!" I don't know what to tell her. If I tell her what happened, she'll dig through my phone and find his number, or ask to hang out with us, or something equally as uncomfortable for Josh. If I lie, she'll know.

"Let me start from the beginning," I let out a breath of air.

As soon as I finish recounting the last 14 hours of my life, Libbey gapes at me. "You almost kissed Josh Ramsay! Why would he shoot you down like that? He knows you're not a real fan, you're way down to earth, why wouldn't he let you kiss him?"

"Because he knew I'd regret it as soon as it took place. I do want to get to know him more, though. He's really funny, he can sing, he's subtly handsome, yet somewhat cocky about it, he's basically me,"

"But famous and a guy." Libbey finishes, looking a little disappointed. "Do you think he really needed to meet up with the guys? Or was I just being annoying?" I don't want to have to answer this question, but I know if I don't I'll feel even worse.

"He didn't mention anything until you showed up, and he wasn't even wearing a watch on the wrist he checked. Plus, he kicked me under the table, and when your back was turned he mouthed 'call me'." Libbey's face falls and she looks like she's about to cry. "Oh, Lib, don't worry about it. I think he just really wanted to be alone with me for longer. He didn't mean to be rude."

"I think you were right, Alexis. Josh Ramsay is a dick."

*****

"He signed this shirt for you, a personal message and everything." I offer Libbey the shirt. She's lying on my bed, wishing she was me. I know it seems unfair that the one who thought Josh was an asshole gets to get to know him, but it makes sense to me. In reality, Josh was drawn to me because I wasn't a fan. He wants to prove that he is as awesome as everyone makes him out to be, if not just to me, then to himself too.

"He gave you his freaking phone number, Lex! That's one hundred times better than some stupid shirt." She's right, but I'm not giving her his number. When—if—Josh decides that he wouldn't mind having Libbey hang out with us, then maybe I'll give her his number. Even still, I feel a little bit guilty, knowing that Libbey would die to be in my place.

"I'm sorry. If I could change the past, tell you that I got VIP tickets for you, I would. I would let you disobey your parents to meet Josh for a few minutes, and I'd never meet him. I would never be put in this position . . . But he's an amazing guy! I don't know what you want me to do. I can't stop talking to him, not until he does something stupid, because I have to see where this goes, Lib. I have to, it's my destiny." As soon as I say it, I know it's the truth: I have to see where this goes. I have to know what will happen in the next chapter of my life, and that chapter includes Josh Ramsay.