Unexpected

15.25

A/N: Hey guys, didn't have a chance to completely finish a chapter so here's a sneak peek cliff hanger of what's to be expected tomorrow ! Enjoy!

"Katie?" It was weird how just the sound of Josh's voice brought a sense of warmth and comfort over me. Could you love someone's voice? In friend kind of way of course...

"Yeah?" I asked rather dumbly. Obviously, he knew it was me, who else would be answering my phone? The slight haze of the two beer I'd consumed left me feeling loose-limbed and floaty, but unlike last night's vodka-fueled blackout it was a pleasant feeling. I still felt in control of myself and knew I'd remember everything in the morning, that knowledge was reassuring.

He said something more, but I found myself unable to hear him over the throng of people crowding the kitchen. I pushed my way through the crowd and made it out through the set of French glass doors. The back of Ethan's house led out onto a stamped concrete patio with a small inset, ground level hot tub. Beyond that there was a small patch of grass, the rest of the property taken up by tall maple trees that led into surrounding forest.

"Say that again?" I said, sinking down into one of the low-level lounge chairs that had been set up in the grass. It was weird staring out into the dark expanse of the forest, and normally I'd be scared, but with Josh on the phone and two beers in me I was fearless.

"How's the party? Loud?" Josh repeated with a laugh.

"Yeah, really loud." I agreed and let out a laugh of my own. "How was your um date?"

"Um, alright I guess?" The fact that I could detect a note of uncertainty in his voice made me unjustly happy. I wasn't naïve enough to think I would still ever have a chance with Josh, but at least maybe him and Denise wouldn't be a thing. "We're going out again." Was it possible for your heart to spontaneously shatter into a thousand pieces? If it was, I was sure mine did at that moment. So much for them not being a thing.

"Oh," I remarked, hoping he couldn't hear how off my voice sounded. "Well that's great!" I tried and failed at sounding enthusiastic, falling short by a couple octaves.

"Right," Josh replied sounding awkward. Feeling's mutual pal. "So, you can't find your friends?"

"No," I began, thankful for the topic change. "I went to the washroom when I got here, and I've done loops of the party and can't find them. Now I'm sitting outside."

"Are you okay?"

"No mad men have come running out of the woods yet," I joked and immediately wished I hadn't. What was wrong with me?

"Don't joke about that," Josh ground out and those treacherous butterflies in my stomach started fluttering or it might've been the two warm beers I'd polished off.

"I'm sorry,"

"Don't be sorry Betzing. So you're bored and alone at your party,"

"Who said I was bored?" I countered.

"If you're calling me it either means you're boring or you're bored, which one would you rather be?" Josh challenged me and I couldn't help but roll my eyes.

"Neither or both? I'm not sure," I said with a laugh, slouching further into the lounge chair. "I'm pretty sure the chair I'm sitting in wasn't made with my outfit in mind."

"W—what?" Josh spluttered and I couldn't help but feel triumphant. "What are you wearing?"

"Meela made me borrow this black leather skirt and this white crop top."

"Aren't you freezing?" Josh demanded, sounding appalled at Jameela's outfit choice. I wondered what his reaction would be to the outfit if he saw it in person. I don't think he'd appreciate the high slit or the fact that—

"—I'm not wearing underwear." I blurted out and my eyes rounded as I realized that I'd shared that tantalizing bit of information out loud.

"Jesus Katie!" Josh spat out and I wished now more than ever that I could see the expression on his face. "You can't just say stuff like that!"

"Why not?"

"It's not—you— boundaries!" Josh exclaimed after stumbling through his initial reply. I guess he had a fair point there, it wasn't exactly friendly to discuss one's underwear choices. I guess it didn't help the situation that I wasn't wearing any.

"Sorry, sorry," I mumbled, standing up to pace the yard hoping the movement would make me a little less cold. "I wish I was home,"

"I wish you were home in bed too—" At my silence Josh hastened to add, "—not like that. I mean I wish you were home safe in bed before some gross guy realizes you aren't wearing underwear. So maybe go home? Please?"

"I can't," I murmured petulantly. "I'm supposed to be DD and I may have had two beer?" My voice raised about ten octaves on the last sentence as it always did when I got nervous. I felt guilty for a number of reasons, the first being that I'd let my friends down and the second, bigger reason was that I knew Josh would be worried and ultimately disappointed.

"Katie," He groaned, and I could picture the way his face would be scrunched up in annoyance. "What happened to not drinking?"

"Well dad, I made a mistake okay?" I mocked, growing a little annoyed at the lecturing tone he'd taken with me. "It'll be fine. I'll just wait a bit and I'll be good to drive later."

"Don't be an idiot." Josh ground out, "I'm coming to get you."

"When?" I demanded, before my brain caught up to me. "Wait! No, you're not!"

"You think I'm going to let you drive home after you've been drinking? Absolutely not. I'm coming to get you!"

"I have to drive Stacey and Jameela to Jameela's house. I'm sleeping over there."

"Of course you are," Josh moaned, sounding more and more displeased by the second. "Find your friends, I'm coming to get you."

"You don't even know where I am." Ha! That'll show him!

"Text me the address and find your friends Katie." Josh said in a tone that brokered no argument.

"Fine."

"Fine." Josh mocked and I could feel a smile tugging at the corner of my mouth. "See you soon."

"'Kay,"