Whatever It Takes

Josh ran to the door of Hayley's house. He banged hard and continiuously until Dora, Hayley's mum, answered.
"What's the rush? Who are you?", she asked.
"My names Josh. I need to speak with Hayley. Like, now", Josh said in a rush. He was still out of breath from running.
"Why do you want to speak with her?", she asked, worried about who this boy was.
"Look, I just need to see her. So can I please?", he asked again, a little more nicely.
"Well I'm sorry but she's gone. She left about an hour ago", she said smugly and closed the door in his face. She guessed that he was the boy who her daugther was running away from.
"Shit", Josh said to himself over and over again as he opened the gate at the end of the path and walked around the street.
His phone beeped. He took out his phone and checked his messages. It was from Jeremy.
"Well? Did you find her?".

Jeremy's phone beeped almost straight after sending the message. Everyone waited eagerly to see what it said.
"No. Too late", was what Josh replied. Jeremy looked up from his phone and shook his head.
"Ah man. You serious?", Taylor sunk back in his seat.
"Now what's gonna happen?", Frankie asked.
"Dunno", Jeremy said cluelessly.

Josh wandered around Hayley's neighbourhood for a while, not really going anywhere in particular. He saw a can on the ground and he kicked it so hard it went flying across the street. He just missed her. By an hour. Maybe less. How could he have been so stupid not to realise how much of a prick Andy was. He kept beating himself up about the fact that Hayley left because he was blind to see the truth. He wanted to be close to Hayley. But he couldn't. So he decided to go to the only place where he could be close to Hayley without being disturbed.

"Maybe I should text Hails. Tell her to come back. Tell her that Josh knows the truth now?", Frankie asked the group of friends.
"Will she want to even come back? I mean, he didn't believe her in the first place. Won't she be like, pissed?", Taylor asked.
"Maybe. But I don't think we should get involved. I mean, if she knows he knows, then she'll hate herself for leaving. Or else if she meets someone else, then she knows she can't do anything. I don't exactly what I'm trying to say. Mainly, if I was you, I wouldn't text", Chloe rambled.
"Yeah, thanks for making that so clear for me", Frankie said sarcasticly.

Josh climbed through the small hole in the fence leading to his favourite garden. The place was filled with so many happy memories of him and Hayley. It was the place where they shared some of those tender moments, like when she opened up about personnal things to him. He wished with all his heart that he could have some more of those moments, but he realised that that was impossible now. He ruined his chance of happiness now.
He walked through the garden, making his way to his favourite spot. So many times he walked this path filled with happiness and love. It felt different this time. Something was missing. That something was Hayley. He felt nothing without her. The place looked darker too. He convinced himself that it was just the dark dull clouds covering the clouds.
As Josh got closer to his spot, he saw that it was already occupied. He was still quite far away so he couldn't make out who it was. He took a few steps closer and realised that it was a girl.
"That's ironic, she has red hair, just like Hayley", he thought to himself.
He took another few steps closer and noticed that the girl had an A4 pad on her knee. She seemed to be drawing.
He took another few curious steps and notice that it wasn't just some random girl sitting in his favourite spot.
It was Hayley.
As Josh walked closer to make sure it was her, he stepped on some leaves. They crunched loudly under his feet. Hayley jumped and spun around like lightening. Her expression changed from scared to relief to curious. Josh smiled at her in relief, and her expression got even more curious.

Hayley sat there, dumbfounded, wondering what the hell Josh was doing there, smiling at her. When she last spoke to him he had given out to her and told her to leave. Now he was smiling at her?
"W-wha-?", she stuttered as she stood up but was interrupted by Josh.
"What are you drawing?", he smiled.
"This place. I just want to be able to remember it", she said slowly.
"I'm sorry", his expression turned to sorrow. He took a step closer to her.
"What?", she asked, completely confused.
"I'm sorry for not believing you. You were right all along. And I was jerk for not believing you. Instead I believed that-", He started.
"Why now?", she asked.
"I started to use my head and put two and two together. But I took most of my anger out on that prick, so I'm fine now", he said.
"You did what?", she gasped.
"Don't worry. Jeremy pulled me off him before I could do any damage", he informed her.
She looked down at the ground, not knowing what to say. Josh stepped closer again, and this time, Hayley stood still. She didn't get startled or move away from him.
"I came looking for you. I went to your house, but your mum said that you left an hour ago. I thought you'd gone", Josh filled her in.
Hayley looked up, with an unreadable expression.
"If you thought I'd leave then you were wrong because I won't stop holding on. Why do you think I came here. Why do you think I'm drawing a picture of OUR garden. I'm still madly in love with you. So are you listening? Even after everything that has happened, I still love you", Hayley almost sobbed.
"I should have trusted you more", he whispered.
"I can't pretend that I don't see this. It's really not your fault that no one cares to talk about it. I've seen love die way too many times when it deserves to be alive", Hayley stated.
"And I've seen you cry way too many times when you deserve to be alive", he half smiled.
"You do you best to show me love but you don't know what love is", she said honestly.
"I do now", he reassured her.
"I think we have an emergency", she smiled.
"What?", he asked, confused.
"I'm falling in love with you all over again", she smiled.
Josh grinned as they both ran into each other's arms. He kissed her like it would be the last time they ever would kiss. As if someone was looking down on them, the clouds disappeared and a hot beaming yellow sun shined down on them. They both smiled and laughed as they shared another moment in their garden.