THE VOID

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕗𝕚𝕗𝕥𝕪-𝕠𝕟𝕖

                                         {25rd March}

"Never again will you be capable of ordinary human feeling. Everything will be dead inside you. Never again will you be capable of love, or friendship, or joy of living, or laughter, or curiosity, or courage, or integrity. You will be hollow. We shall squeeze you empty and then we shall fill you with ourselves." ((Josephine highlights the paragraph in yellow before hearing a knock on her trailer door. She places the copy of 1984 that Hero gave her down and goes to open the door))

Charlie: "Let me in, it's freezing" ((he says shivering)) "Next time, you're getting the coffee" ((he adds taking a seat and placing Jo's cup on the table))

Josephine: ((nods her head laughing)) "I said I would go"

Charlie: "You didn't mean it" ((he argues)) "You only said it, because you know I wouldn't let you go anyway" ((he adds rubbing his hands together))

Josephine: ((grabs her cup off the table)) "Okay" ((she gives in)) "I promise, I'll go next time"

Charlie: "Your still reading that?" ((He points towards the worn out book that rests on the table))

Josephine: "I'm reading it again" ((she replies)) "I've read it quite a few times now" ((she adds taking a sip of her drink))

Charlie: ((relaxes into his chair)) "I read it in school, don't really remember much from it" ((he blows on his cup)) "Must be good, if it's got you reading" ((he jokes))

Josephine: ((rolls her eyes)) "Ha ha ha, I read" ((she defends))

Charlie: "Scripts don't count" ((he throws back)) "Trust me" ((he laughs))

Josephine: "Not fair" ((she says as her phone lights up))

Charlie: "Still haven't heard from him?" ((He asks worried))

Josephine: "Nope" ((she keeps going over the fight they had a couple days ago)) "I'm sure he's just busy" ((she adds, but it's more for her than Charlie))

Charlie: "You guys have been through a lot, I'm sure he just needs a bit of time" ((he responds hopeful))

Josephine: "Enough about me" ((she wills Hero out of her mind)) "How are things with you?" ((She asks and he smiles))

Charlie: "Well" ((he sighs stopping not wanting to flaunt his happiness in front of Jo))

Josephine: "Come on, what is it?" ((She asks genuinely curious))

Charlie: "I got engaged" ((he beams))

Josephine: ((sits confused)) "But I thought" ((she tries to run over their previous conversations, but her memory is a bit hazy))

Charlie: "It's a long story" ((he smiles)) "But basically someone came back into my life, and I just never want them to leave again" ((he adds))

Josephine: ((ignores her confusion)) "Congratulations" ((she shouts leaning over to give him a hug))

Charlie: "Thanks" ((he responds)) "You'll have to give me your address in LA, so I know where to send the invite too"

Josephine: "Once I have it I will" ((she jokes)) "I'm so happy for you" ((she tries to direct the attention away from her moving))

Charlie: "So, is Hero going with you?" ((He asks catching onto what she's doing))

Josephine: "No" ((she sighs)) "His life is here" ((she adds))

Charlie: ((he shakes his head)) "I'm just confused, before everything happened. I thought you had decided to stay" ((he replies trying to understand what changed))

Josephine: "I was" ((she responds becoming sad)) "But now, I guess" ((she sighs)) "You know, Hero thinks I want to stay out of fear and I guess he might be right. Either way, him telling me to go a 100 times, has made it feel like the only option" ((she takes another sip of her coffee)) "It feels like he doesn't want me here" ((she laughs through the pain))

Charlie: "I think we both know that's not true" ((he replies, feeling sad for her))

Josephine: ((shrugs)) "I don't know" ((she looks away trying to hold back her tears))

((They both fall silent for a moment, before Josephine asks more questions about the engagement. They talk for a while and Josephine is startled when he mentions he did it on Valentine's day. For a moment she becomes still as she remembers how herself and Hero spent it. She never really cared for the day but something about spending it in a hospital, not being sure whether he would wake or not, really sucked))

***

((The rain is pouring as Josephine watches, Charlie's car drive away. She extends her hands out watching as the drops of water hit her skin. Perfect time for a walk she thinks, as she begins to aimless stroll the streets of London. Her hair begins to cling to her face, so she puts the hood to her sweater over her head. She's not really sure where she's going but she likes the way the city looks like this. She jumps over a puddle and smiles. She looks around her, seeing not too many people. She begins to spin, and spin. A few moments pass and she continues walking. She wipes her face and waits at the crossing. The light changes and she skips across the road, feeling the weight of the world lift off her shoulders. She stops, recognising the area, she grins and begins to skip towards Hero's gallery. As she stops outside, she sees him. He looks, he looks happy. He's happy, she turns to the girl next to him. "He's happy" she utters under her breath. He's about to turn and she takes off before he can see her))

Hero: ((charges towards the door)) "Jo" ((he says turning back and forth)) "I'm going crazy" ((he jokes under his breath moving back into the gallery)) "Sorry about that, where were we?" ((he asks the customer smiling))

Erica: "I was about to purchase, that" ((she points towards the piece in front of her))

Hero: "Of course" ((he grins, he writes the piece number on a sheet of paper)) "If you take this to the counter, they'll take your payment. While someone wraps it for you" ((he directs her towards the counter))

Erica: "Thank you" ((she nods leaving))

Hero: ((turns back to the window, he's sure she was there)) "Officially seeing things" ((he whispers under his breath before heading to the backroom))

((Josephine is running now, and takes a few turnings before arriving. She rests her back against the brick wall, she settles her breathing. And enters the building, receiving weird looks from everyone. She ignores it and heads towards, the very office she stormed out of yesterday. She takes a look at the name on the door. It reads 'Dr. Alex Harne - Psychologist' she bites the inside of her cheek and flings the door open))

okay short chapter, but let me know what you think :)

i started a new herophine story called Sweet Desire, since this one will be ending soonish. it's a enemies to lovers type book. check it out if you want :) xo