Introverted Hearts // Josh Dun

chapter eighteen :: empty pictures

dedicated to pinkawsten

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"Josh is here." Jenna cracked CJ's door.

"Tell him to leave."

"No." Jenna closed the door.

A few moments later, Josh popped in.

"You can't ignore me forever." Josh told her.

"Watch me." CJ chucked her pillow at him.

Josh swiftly caught it. "I'm sorry."

CJ only pulled her blanket higher on her shoulders.

"You know I didn't mean it."

"I don't know anything about you," CJ replied. "I'm selfish, remember?"

"I know you're mad." Josh sighed and looked down. He did not know what else to say.

"I will forgive you if we can have a sleepover."

"A sleepover?" Josh gave her an incredulous look.

CJ sighed and looked away from him.

"Whatever you want." Josh settled his hand on her hip.

"Don't just stand there," CJ told Josh as she removed the cushions from the couch. "Help me."

"What are you doing?"

"It's a pull out bed," CJ told him. "And I can't pull it out by myself."

"Are you okay?" Josh asked as he helped her pull out the bed.

Once the bed was completely pull out, CJ simply hugged Josh.

Josh let out a sigh of relief as he felt CJ's presence warm his body once again. "You okay?"

"Mhm," CJ nodded. "I just missed you. So, so much."

Josh was slow as he pressed a sweet kiss to her lips. The tension between them melted with the kiss.

"I'll um.." CJ looked down, wondering how she could be so flustered over a boy she had been dating for over four months. "I'll get the snacks."

Josh was slow to let go of her hand as she walked into the kitchen.

"Why don't you go get some extra blankets?" CJ suggested as she reached to the top shelf for plates. "They're in my closet."

Josh did as he was asked. He pulled a few blankets from the top shelf of her closet, and a box of pictures fell out and spilt everywhere.

"Dang it." Josh whispered as he knelt down to pick them up. He knew it was none of his business, but he could not help but look at the pictures.

Most of them were of a young, wide eyed CJ with blonde pigtails. She was happy. Josh noticed who he guessed was her father due to their shared looks. Family photos revealed a lovely couple with a similar child. CJ seemed to be the only one.

As he glanced through each picture, CJ got older and older, until they suddenly stopped. He was expecting prom or maybe graduation pictures with the same dark haired man and woman, but they did not seem to be in the box - or maybe they did not exist at all.

"Josh?" CJ called him.

Josh quickly piled the pictures back into the shoes box and carried the blankets to the living room.

"Oreos or chocolate chip?" CJ asked.

"That's a stupid question." Josh replied. "Did you wanna watch a movie?"

"I don't really care," CJ carried the Oreos and sat on the bed. "As long as I'm with you."

"How sweet." Josh pouted.

Not long after Josh started the movie, CJ was wrapped up in his arms.

"You make me so happy." CJ told him.

"You know how you could make me happy?" Josh said.

"I thought I already made you happy."

"Yeah, but even happier." Josh replied. "Which is not easy to do when I'm with you."

"How?"

"Meeting my parents."

"Okay," CJ sighed. "We'll try again. Whenever you're ready."

"No," Josh shook his head. "Whenever you're ready. I tried to push you into doing something that you weren't comfortable with."

"Maybe we could do stuff that I am comfortable with." CJ suggested.

"Mhm."

The pair began making out. Between them were heaving breaths and sloppy kisses. Josh was even getting a bit excited. He was not usually very touchy, but CJ took his hands and led them along - but Josh stopped.

"What is it?" CJ pulled away and looked up at him.

"Nothing." Josh tried to look at her, but he could not do it without thinking about what Jenna never told her. He sat up on the edge of the bed and put his head in his hands.

"What happened?" CJ sat besides him.

"I-Um-" Josh got up and pulled his jacket on. "I gotta go."

"What did I do?" CJ could not help but to reflect all of the blame onto her.

"Nothing," Josh shoved his phone and keys into his pocket. "I just.. I gotta go."

And just like that, Josh was gone.

CJ immediately began panicking. She wanted to go after him and make sure he was okay, but her feet would not let her.