Theatre Is A Lie ~ Joshua Burrage

Chapter 3

Ami laughed, drying her tears, "Thanks, Josh, but he's long gone back in Texas. Probably loathing whoever got the lead in the latest musical."

Josh smiled, his cheeks tinting pink. Sky pointed over at the cupcake display, "Well I think maybe some sweet will cheer you up, eh?" He walked over placing 20 bucks on the counter and grabbing 4 cupcakes. Ami felt she could trust the boy so she let him. They all sat around the table, eating cupcakes, the trio getting to know Ami.

As time passed, Ami realised it was near closing time, which was around 5 pm due to it being a Friday and she always got the weekends off. Lucky, I know. Rachel had a few more hours on her shift because clearly people need coffee so late! Ami walked out with the trio, "Do y'all want to come over to my apartment? I really enjoyed hanging out with you guys."

Ben gasped, "Her superhero backstory was true! She is from Texas!! She just said y'all!!!"

Everyone rolled their eyes at Ben before Sky looked at Josh, "Actually me and Ben have something going on in a little bit. Why don't you go hang out with her, Josh?"

Josh looked at Sky with an extremely panicked expression, his face beet red. Sky just smirked and grabbed Ben's arm and dragged him away despite the younger boy's protests. Josh sighed, watching them go with anxiety creeping up his chest. When he turned back to Ami, who was briefly cleaning her lenses, butterflies flew in his stomach and he could tell he was blushing. I mean, what could he say? She was stunning to him and he wanted her to never feel hurt again.

"What's with the long face, friend? You really don't like me that much, eh," Ami jokes before linking her arm in his, "Lets go, I got all the Disney movies we can binge."

They walked along the sidewalk, Ami humming some random tune and Josh skipping along to it's made up beat. They reached Ami and Rachel's apartment and Ami quickly threw the door open, running in all over the place. Josh watched, eyes wide. Soon enough there was a pile of snacks and candy on the coffee table and  a few blankets and pillows. Ami pulled Josh into the apartment, closing the door, "Welcome to my binge set up!"

She grabbed her stack of Disney CDs and pointed at the couch, "Sit, Joshie." Josh chuckled, "Joshie?" Ami's face went red, causing her to quickly turn around the other way, "I just heard Sky say it and I thought it was cute..."

Josh smiled, "Well I guess if you like calling me "Joshie" you can." She turned around, her eyes practically stars, "Really!!??" She fell on the couch, grabbing him in a hug, "Nobody ever likes my nicknames! Except my brothers of course but I don't think they count... Thank you!!"

Josh laughed, "Okay, okay! Now get off me before I break my ribs!" She jumped up, quickly placing the first CD in the stack into the DVD player. As the Disney intro started, Ami sat down on the couch next to Josh. The intro to Moana began and Ami hummed along to herself.

Time passed and the movie ended. Ami quickly jumped up and placed another CD in, Josh watching her silently. He studied her, for she perplexed him. How could someone hurt such an innocent girl? Why did Erric do what he did? Why did this make her hate musicals? He really did hope she changed her mind about auditioning for the Newsies tour.

Ami sat down again, but this time laid her legs across his lap, resting her head on a pillow as Tangled began. Josh spaced out, his thoughts swarming his head. He wasn't sure what was going on with him when he was around her. It was so strange. When he met her this strange feeling overcame him. It wasn't... the butterfly tingling feeling people describe when they talk about love and crushes. He felt as though... he were a train and she pulled a switch to totally shift his train tracks, his life, in a whole other direction. He wasn't sure what exactly it was but it was clear to him that Ami would play an important role in his life.

Little did he know, Ami felt the similar feeling which confused her as well. She thought about it as Rapunzel wacked Flynn with a skillet. She looked over at Josh, who seemed to be staring intently at the screen of her television. Who exactly was Josh supposed to be in her life? She knew something important was going to happen. Either way both of them would have to figure it out for themselves because they were each other's conductor. They were each other's engineer. They were each other's engine. And while neither of them had quite realised it yet, they would sooner or later. They just had to keep pulling the right levers and making the right stops.

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Slightly shorter... sorry! Promise a longer chapter soon!