Whatever It Takes

Josh sat in Starbucks, staring into his cup of coffee. It was still full, but cold. Jeremy, Taylor and Zac talked and laughed, ignoring Josh's zoning out. They did all they could, so it was up to Josh to sort his life out. With or without Hayley.
"Eh...I know this is going to sound so selfish, but I'm so fed up of this Josh. What happened to the old, fun Josh?", Taylor complained quietly to his friends.
"Dude, shut the fuck up. Do you want him to completely go off on one? I know that it's not something I planned to spend my weekend doing, but it's not his fault. He's upset", Jeremy whispered to him.
"Can't we just get both of them to talk or something?", Zac asked.
"Do I look like a therapist to you? Or better yet, do I look like I want to be a therapist?", Taylor asked sarcastically.
"There's stuff going on between them that we don't know about. And to be honest, I really don't care. It's none of our business. But I really hope they get something sorted", Jeremy said as Josh continued to stare at his cup, motionless.
The door to Starbucks pinged and Jeremy looked up to see Hayley and Frankie walk in. Jeremy nudged Taylor and Zac and they looked up too. Hayley halfed smiled at them. She looked at Josh and for an instance, she felt sorry for him. But she had to stand by her word when she said that they were over. Frankie smiled at Jeremy, but never went over to him. She couldn't when Hayley was standing right beside her.
"We can go somewhere else if you want", Frankie informed her.
"No. It's okay. I can't avoid him forever", Hayley sighed deeply and walked to the booth across the room.
It was then that Josh looked up to see Hayley sitting down across the room from him. She looked up and noticed him looking and she quickly looked back down at the table. Josh stood up and began walking towards her.
"He's coming over", Frankie whispered.
"Oh god", Hayley sighed.
"Hey, Hayley. Can we talk somewhere more private?", he asked.
"I have no secrets with Frankie. So if you have something to say, just say it", Hayley answered.
"No. It's fine Hails. Just go to the bathrooms or something", Frankie assured them.
Hayley sighed and made her way to the bathrooms as Josh quickly followed. Frankie joined the lads at the other table.
"Look. This is just getting stupid now", Josh complained.
"No. You look. I'm not going to be with someone who just can't thrust me. And I know that everytime we talk I keep saying that. But it's important to me", she told him firmly.
"I can't keep coming over to you, and asking you thw whole time", he said.
"Then don't", she replied quietly.
Hayley left Josh standing by the bathrooms. She opened the door to the café. Frankie was about to follow her, but she just gestured for her to stay, and she left by herself.

Hayley and Frankie were sitting under a tree near Frankie's house the next day.
"What's going to happen with ye?", Frankie asked, not even having to explain what she was talking about.
"I don't know. But I don't want this to affect anyone else", Hayley sighed.
"What do you mean?", she asked, confused.
"You're always with me, and Jeremy is always with Josh. Ye never have any time for each other", she explained.
"Don't even start about that. I just want you to be happy", she answered quickly.
"So do I. But I don't think I can be happy here. Seeing Josh everyday. Everywhere I go", she sighed again.
"So what are you saying?", Frankie asked her, confused again.
"I'm saying....that maybe.....I should leave town. For a while anyway", Hayley answered.
"How long?", Frankie asked, disappointed.
"I don't. For as long as it takes for things to be nearly normal again", she replied.
"Can't ye just work it out? Here? Running away won't do any good", she tried to persuade her.
"No. I don't think that will work", she answered, looking down at the grass. She pulled up a piece of grass from the ground and began to tear it up into small strips.
"So when are you going to tell him?", Frankie broke the silence.
"Soon. Maybe tonight. Then I can have all day tomorrow to pack. For that night", she said the last bit quietly.
"So soon?", Frankie asked, and Hayley nodded.
"Where are you going?", she asked.
"I haven't decided yet. Maybe go back home for a while", she answered.
"I'll miss you", Frankie said as they both hugged each other.

Josh was sitting in the sitting room, watching tv. There was a knock at the door. He slowly dragged his feet up from the couch to answer it.
Hayley stood at the door. She wasn't smiling nor was she angry. She had no expression at all to give Josh a hint about what her unexpected visit was about. She gestured for her to come in. She walked into the sitting room.
"Do you want a drink or anything?", Josh asked her, confused at to why she was here, even after their earlier conversation.
"No, thanks. I just came to tell you that I'm going away for a while. But I'll be back. Don't try and follow me", she explained.
"W-why?", Josh asked, a bit taken back.
"I'm trying to find my place. But it might not be here, where I feel safe. Or, use to anyways", she answered.
"But why?", he asked again, dumbfounded.
"I feel like a ghost or something Josh. Just travelling endlessly. And we just go in circles. But now I'm told that this is life. And pain is just a simple comprimise. So we can get what we want out of it. Whatever that is", she replied.
"Let me help. Please don't go. I feel so useless", he looked at her with pleading eyes.
"You are not useless", she looked down at the ground.
Josh's expression changed from pleading to pissed in just a few seconds.
"I don't get you sometimes", he said. "First you love, then you don't, now your leaving when it's odvious you still care about us. But your just acting like such a drama queen, you can't see it".
"Drama queen? Is that what you think of me? In what way am I a drama queen?", she asked, taken back by his sudden outburst.
"You and this whole 'thrust' issue. You just want something and someone to complain about. Andy was just in the wrong place at the wrong time", he shouted.
"What's wrong with you? Can't you just see how much of a jerk you are right now? This is juts bringing us back to the start all over again", she shouted back.
"How much of a jerk I am? Look in the mirror love. Your not all that perfect either. Changing your mind every 30 seconds. Like, what's up with that?", he asked sarcastically.
"You know, at first I was having second thoughts about going back home. But now I know that it's the best decision I have ever made", she cried as she ran out of the house.
Josh instantly regretted what he had said. It was probably his last time ever to talk to her, and he ruined it. He sat down on the couch and put his head in his hands.