Theatre Is A Lie ~ Joshua Burrage

Chapter 26

"What do you mean....?"

Josh shrugged, "I don't know. She just constantly spaces out and when I try to ask what's wrong she responds so quickly as if she were a robot." Sky nodded thoughtfully, trying to assess the situation. They sat in silence before Sky spoke up, "Maybe it has to do with her ex?" Josh stared at Sky, puzzled. Sky glanced back to see him confused and tried to elaborate, "I mean, we can't be sure that she was totally honest about the whole story. She could've easily left out a bit or patched it up to seem like something else." Josh nodded, his hand beginning to absentmindedly play with the girl on his shoulder's hair. She stirred slightly and he panicked, his hand shooting away from her hair. When she adjusted herself and got comfortable again he let out a brief sigh of relief. Sky chuckled in the front seat, "You two are just too cute." Josh's face heated up and he looked down at his hands, which were clammy and sweaty from how nervous he was.

Sky turned a corner and began to speak again, "Maybe she wanted to think that her and her ex were a good couple but something was really going on behind the scenes? You never know, she could've easily been manipulated and thought it was just how relationships work. I know it's happened to others before and it could've easily been the case with her. People always put those who manipulated them in the light when they don't realise that they are being manipulated. It's like if I were to kill a dude and force you to help but since I'm your friend you'd think it something like 'He's my friend and friends help each other out, it's fine.'" Josh eyed the sleeping girl and looked back to Sky, "I never thought about that, that's terrible." Sky nodded, frowning, "It could explain why she accepted your apology so easily after the whole incident with you kissing Stephanie thinking it was her. She did say her last week with her theatre group she was abused by her ex so she might've thought she'd get hurt if she didn't just accept the apology.." Josh gasped, "No! I'd never do that to her, I love her so much!" Sky nodded, "But she wouldn't know that for sure. Just think of what she's been through."

Josh nodded, resting his head on hers. He thought silently, wondering if what Sky said was true. He must've had someone he know go through a similar situation to know so much. It also didn't help that his explanation made sense. She and Josh hadn't done anything like that, their relationship was perfectly innocent and nothing... well, inappropriate had happened between them. Maybe she thought he hated her? Maybe she was confused? He wasn't sure. The one part that did scare him though is Sky's words could speak the truth. The one part that scared him was that he'd have to ask her if Sky's words did speak the truth. And how would she react when she was asked about it? And what if Sky's words were true? How would she react to Josh explaining that the relationship she was in was not how a relationship should work. What if in her head it was the perfect relationship and now this one was falling apart because he hadn't... well... raped her. As messed up as it sounds Josh knew it could be how her brain was functioning and he really didn't like it. He wanted her to be happy and if she was thinking that she was property to be taken advantage of and just... accepting it?

He cringed, disgusted with the man that had done this to Ami. It was screwed up but.. well... reasonable. For all he knew that had been her first relationship. She probably didn't know what normal relationships really were. This made Josh want to cry... How could someone be so... lonely... so mistreated? He had to avoid squirming in his seat, about ready to fly back out to Texas and smack whoever did this to her. He then remembered how she had explained her final week there when they first met. He pulled a weapon on her, multiple times too. That just put the anxiety icing on the cake of depression. Why had this happened to her? Josh couldn't keep the questions from flooding his mind, tears welling up in his eyes. It had been at least a year and a half! Why couldn't he have found out sooner that the girl he loved was manipulated and forced into things she didn't want to do. He would've helped her! He would've explained everything to her and held her tight when the tears of traumatisation and realisation flooded her soul.

He didn't realise his tears had fallen, waking up Ami. She looked up at him, "Josh? Josh, what's wrong?" Sky pretended not to hear them whispering as Josh grabbed her face gently. Ami looked up at him confused, "Josh?" He sniffled, staring into her eyes, more tears slipping from his own. The girl frantically wiped them away and flinched when his hands dropped, "Did you know..." She kept a perplexed gaze, not understanding. Josh took in a shaky breath, "Did you know of the things he did to you? Did you know it was wrong?" Ami squinted at him, "What?" Josh sobbed, "Oh my God... Ami..." The girl's eyes widened, "O-Oh... you mean him?" Josh nodded silently, still sniffling. Ami's laugh lacked humour, "That last week you mean?" Josh shook his head. Ami frowned, "What do you mean then?" Josh shuddered, "Were you... raped?" Ami jumped away, "Oh GOD no! I was not! Whatever bullshit Sky was pumping into you was most certainly not true. Josh's tears stopped, "O-Oh?" The girl laughed, "I'm fine, Josh. He didn't do anything like that. What made you think anything like that had possibly happened?"

A little bit late but I had to change something in the chapter. Anyways yeah boi guess who lost her voice when she had auditions next week woooo. Kill me now. My best friend tried to get me to go to his band concert tonight and I said I couldn't go but to break a clarinet and he said "I don't play the clarinet?" And I responded, "Yeah I know but like... break someone's clarinet for me."