another life ~fransykes~

16

The next morning we began the drive back to our house. The sun was just beginning to rise, making everything glow against the yellow and orange beams of sunlight. We drove slowly, going down long country roads and along the coastline, enjoying the views.

It was nice, just being together after last night. I blushed at the memory. I had never done something like that before, it was all so new to me and I loved every second of it. The best part of it all was waking up next to Josh, a reminder that he was still there and still loved me.

I think I might love him too.

I didn't say this to him though, I was waiting for the perfect opportunity to confess my life to him. God I sound like a cheesy love sick character straight out of a romance novel.

I looked over at Josh who was currently driving and smiled slightly. He was tapping his fingers on the steering wheel along to the beat of the radio and humming quietly. His usually blue eyes were tinted gold from the reflection of the sunrise.

"Are you okay?" He asked, taking his eyes off the road. Whoops, he must have noticed me staring at him.

"Y-yeah." I stuttered out of embarrassment as I looked away from him bashfully. I could feel a blush rising to my cheeks and heating them up.

"Did you have fun yesterday?" He asked as he directed his eyes back to the road. I blushed again. I know he was probably talking about at the beach and not what happened in the hotel room, but it still made me blush.

"Yeah." I said shyly. He saw him smile brightly out of the corner of my eye, as he laughed lightly. I think he was finding humour out of how bashfully I was acting.

We continued to travel in silence, me looking out the window at all the scenery we passed and Josh focusing on the road. After a while, we finally arrived at the house. Instead of opening the door and getting out the car, Josh turned to me instead. He took hold of my face in his hands and pulled me towards him. I flinched in surprise as he suddenly kissed me. I guess I still wasn't use to the feeling of being kissed yet.

He pulled away from me with a smile which I instantly returned. He slipped his hands down my face and to my shoulders, where he pulled me forward into a hug.

"I'm so tired." He muttered sleepily into my shoulder. I nodded against him in agreement because I was exhausted too. I always seemed to get so tired after long car journeys, I can't even imagine how tiring it must have been for him who was actually driving the car.

"Do you want to take a nap." He asked before pulling away from him. I nodded eagerly, more than ready to sleep again. We got out the car and walked towards the house in silence. As soon as we stepped inside, a strange eerie feeling engulfed my entire body.

The usually warm, loud ground floor of the house was quite and cold. I shrugged the feeling off, realising everyone was probably asleep seen as though it was still pretty early in the morning.

The stairs to the basement sweater under the sight of our shoes as we made our way to my room. I collapsed onto the bed as soon as I saw it, rolling around in the soft covers as I pulled off my shoes and skinny jeans.

Josh followed behind me, pulling off his shoes and shirt before lying down on the bed in just his jogging bottoms and socks. I laid down next to him in nothing but the hoodie he had just thrown on the floor.

We got under the covers together quickly, eager to get some more sleep. He pulled me towards him so that our bodies were pressed together with my back against his front. His arm came down across my stomach and before I knew it I was fast asleep.

——————-

I woke up cold and alone. I rolled over, expecting to be met with the body of another person but instead I felt nothing. I frowned and sat up, looking around the room for any signs of Josh but he wasn't there.

I crept towards the door and slowly opened it, realising the living room light was turned on. I stopped by the door, listing in to the voices I could hear from the other side.

"I told you Ricky, I didn't know the stuff was fake! Get out of my house before things get nasty!" Josh growled. I could hear the edge behind his voice, signalling the anger that flowed through his words.

"Bullshit Franceschi, I've know you long enough to know when you're lying! You and your father have fucked me over one too many times and someone's going to have to pay for it." The other voice shouted angrily. It was man, probably much older than me from the sounds of their voice. I didn't recognise their voice at all.

"I'll give you the money once you get out my house!" Josh yelled back. The other person laughed darkly in response.

"It's not money I want, Joshua, it's blood." He screamed. A loud crashing sound rang out, along with the sound of something smashing. I quickly shut the door and ran into the bathroom, searching though the cupboards for anything I could use as a weapon. I grabbed one of the spare razors for my shaver and fiddled with it in the palm of my hand. This would do.

From outside I could hear the sounds of muffled screams along with smashing sounds. I slipped down the wall as I huddled further into the corner. Tears ran down my cheeks as I bit down on the sleeves of my hoodie to suppress the loud whines that threatened to leave my mouth.

Suddenly, everything went completely silence. I sighed hopefully, cautiously getting up from the corner and making my way back over to the door that lead to the living room. I hesitantly peeked through the doorway.

Josh was stood, bent over the kitchen counter as his body shook. His breathing was heavy and his back was covered in blood. He was slumped over, his arms unable to keep up His weight without support.

I spotted the gun before I saw the bullet. It was silver, gleaming in the light as a pale finger pulled back on the trigger, releasing not one but two bullets that flew through the air and towards Josh. I was frozen as the bullets cut through his skin, releasing a spray of blood which coated the kitchen counter.

I gasped as the man with the gun turned towards me. His calm eyes met my panicked ones. He shot me a dirty smirk before laughing, walking off toward the stairs.

The sound of the door clicking shut behind him snapped me back into reality. I rushed towards Josh in a haze. Time moved in slow motion as I crouched down next to his body on the floor. His chest was covered in fresh blood which oozed out of his deep wounds.

His blue eyes looked up at me lifelessly as his hands found mine. His skin was cold and slightly grey, as they touched mine lightly.

"Josh-" I cried helplessly as he stared up at me with pale blue eyes.

"It's okay, Liv." He said softly. I let out an inhuman noise as my sobs and words got causing in my throat. "I love you so much."

"No, no, no. Josh." I cried. He squeezed my hands in his own as his eyes fell shut. His brows were pulled together tightly as he groaned in pain.

"I love you, Oliver." He said quietly, his breathing completely shallow. I cried into his chest, not caring about the blood that now stained my skin.

"I love you too Josh." I cried but my word fell on death ears. He was already gone. I gently touched his cold face with my fingers as I let go of his now limp hands. I shakily kissed his frozen lips gently, silently begging for the feeling of his lips kissing me back. Of course, the never did.

I shakily got up off the blood stained carpet, taking one last look at the peaceful looking face of my lover before I broke off into a run.