You've Got Me, Right Where You Need

Monday mornings were the worst.

But when you wake up to josh franceschi singing softly to you, it’s a little bit better than usual. I say a bit, I mean a lot.

I hugged him tighter to me and he chuckled in response, pulling me closer to him. “Good morning my love” he murmured into my hair before leaving a trail of kisses along my jaw.

I mumbled something, or tried to at least, I think I just made a noise, and sat up. “Come on love, I’ll walk you to work” he whispered before wrapping his arms around me and pulling me from the warm comfort of my bed.

Outside my room we were met with the quizzical faces of Zahra and Oakley, but I just told her I would explain all later. Soon enough we were all shuffling along to work. We got to the door and he left a kiss on my cheek before heading off to his own house.

“Ok, I want to know what the hell is going on” Zahra smiled. “Since when did you and josh start having sleepovers?”

“Um it’s kind of a new thing” I laughed.

“So are you and him like together or something?” I nodded and felt my face heat up. “But, like, you and Sonnie have only been over for about a week”

“I know” I huffed “it’s kind of complicated, but can you just keep it on the down low?”

“Sure thing” she smiled and a wave of relief came crashing over me. “No matter how jealous of you I am”

“You have Oakley. Why would you be jealous?”

“Yeah, true. But still, Joshua fransexy is yours. Do you know how many girls would kill to be in your position? Myself included”

“Please don’t call him that, that’s so cringey I want to die” I laughed putting my head in my hands. She giggled, and then thankfully we put the subject to bed.

Zahra had stuff to do after work, so I walked home by myself. Thankfully Mondays weren’t to busy on the way home so I didn’t have to suffer the usual hustle and bustle of the busy streets. Then again me being a danger magnet, I managed to walk into someone.

“Im so sorry I… Sonnie?”

Sure enough Sonnie looked up. His hair was still the same straight mess, and his eyes still the big blue orbs I remembered. But he had black rings under his eyes and he looked slightly thinner than before. He looked at me like he’d see a ghost and the averted his gaze to the floor.

“Hi violet, um I kinda have to go” he said quietly and moved around me.

“Hey wait” I called after and grabbed his arm. He flinched away from me and wouldn’t look up from the floor. “I thought, I thought we were ok?”

“We are. Its just, I need time” he sniffed and I could see how hard this was for him, so I just nodded and walked away. I could feel the tears building in my eyes the rest of the way and as soon as I got in I flopped onto the sofa and let the tears fall.

I was being over dramatic, yes. I knew that. And I know that it was my fault. I broke up with him, so therefore I should suffer the consequences. I was just so used to having him around all the time that I forgot what it was like before he came into my life.

The door suddenly opened and I sat up straight, rubbing my eyes trying to get rid of the evidence, but it was all in vain because as soon as josh saw me, his face clouded over with a look of concern.

“Love, what’s wrong?”

“Um nothing, it was just a film.” I lied smoothly. “Anyway, how did you get in here?”

“I know where you keep the spare key, and don’t try and change the subject, the TV is off”

“Yeah, I turned it off cause it was too sad”

“Vi, since when do you cry at films?” damn, he knows me too well. “What film was it?”

“Urh… titanic?”

“Uh-huh” he said and went to reach for the remote. I pushed his hand back and he looked at me with his brows raised. “Come on; just tell me what’s up”

“Its nothing, im just being stupid” I stood up and pulled him with me. “Lets go do something”

“Like what?” he chuckled and tucked some hair behind my ear.

“I have no idea. Let me go get changed and we’ll think of something.” I kissed his cheek and then ran up to my room. After splashing my face with some cold water, I pulled on a jumper and rushed back down to josh.

“Sweetheart, ive got a meeting in about two hours” he said pulling on his hoody.

“Alright, well then let’s go for a drink or something, I just wanna get out of here”

“Please tell me what’s wrong” he pleaded.

“You’ll have to get me a drink first” I winked, and he took my hand before leading me to the nearest pub.

“Your mental you know that” he said sliding an arm around my waist when we reached the bar. We ordered a few drinks and I sipped mine quietly before josh put a finger under my chin and tilted my head until I was looking at him. “You gonna tell me what’s wrong now?” I shook my head lightly and he huffed. “Why not?”

“Cause you’ll think im stupid”

“Love, if its upsetting you then it could never be stupid. Plus I hate seeing you upset”

“I just run into Sonnie that’s all. I haven’t seen him in a while and it was… it was hard. Harder than I thought it would be”

Josh kissed my forehead and then his lips reached my ear before whispering to me “that’s what she said” I stared up at him before we both erupted into fits of laughter. “I better be going” he sighed, downing the rest of his drink.

“But im not done yet” I pouted and he kissed my bottom lip.

“Hurry up then”

“You go ahead, I’ll finish up”

“Ok then, see you later?”

“Sure thing” I smiled and josh left. I stood at the bar finishing my drink before I heard someone shout. The bar man was refusing to serve a guy who was clearly drunk and he was kicking off.

“Look mate, I think you should leave” the bar man told him.

“Fine” the other guy slurred “I don’t give a shit”

I felt like I recognised the voice, but I couldn’t seem to connect it to a face. It wasn’t until he staggered out the door I realised who it was. I quickly downed the rest of my drink and followed them outside, only to find them sat on the curb, their head hanging low. I took a seat next to them and they didn’t even look up.

“Sonnie, what are you doing?”

At the sound of my voice his head shot up and he groaned.

“Stop following me” he slurred and stood up. After wobbling slightly he walked off.

“Where are you going?”

“Home”

“Not like that” I said and grabbed his arm, pulling him to the direction of my house. “You can stay at mine tonight”

“No” he growled and tried to pull away. “I don’t need you.” His feeble attempts to try a get me off him were all in vain because we were soon back at my house. I sat him on the sofa and went to get him a glass of water. By the time I got back he was snoring softly.

The next morning I went down to check on him, and he was still asleep.

“Sonnie love, you need to wake up” I whispered and he scrunched up his eyes and turned over. “Come on, I need to go to work”

“Fine” he grumbled and heaved himself off the sofa.

“How you feeling?”

“Ok I guess, my head hurts” he paused and then finally looked at me finally. “I guess I should say thanks, so um, thanks”

“Its ok, I just didn’t want you wandering off drunk. I don’t know what I would have done if anything had happened to you”

He laughed softly and rubbed his head. “You know, when you woke me up this morning, I thought the whole break up thing was just a bad dream” I went to speak but he beat me to it, “I guess I should go, thanks again” he smiled sadly before leaving.

After an extremely slow day at work, I was thankful to get home. As soon as I stepped in the door the sent of tea overwhelmed my senses. I smiled and followed the smell into the kitchen, where I found josh.

“You know, I think I need to find a new hiding place for the spare key”

“But-but I made you tea” he pouted.

“Thanks” I smiled and took a sip. “So what’s all this in aid of?”

“Can I not just be nice to my girlfriend?” he smiled and kissed for forehead. I raised my eyebrows at him and he chuckled. “Ok, you’ve caught me. Come sit down”

“I don’t like the sound of this”

He led me into the lounge and we sat on the sofa, taking my hands in his. “so basically, some friends of ours are doing a tour soon, it starts in like two weeks time, and the band they we’re touring with have dropped out and they want us to step in” I nodded like I knew what he was talking about, but I really had no idea what he was trying to say. “So, we’re gonna away for like three months”

Oh.

“Ok, well I guess we can work something out, I mean, I can always come and visit right?”

“Of course” he smiled, “and don’t worry I’ll pay for flights and everything”

“Flights?”

“Yeah…”

I stared at him confused and took my hands in his.

“The tours in America”

Didn’t see that one coming. It felt like someone just shoved a stake through my heart. I had just got josh and now he was leaving. And I know I told him I was fine with him leaving; I just didn’t expect it to be so soon.

“I see” I smiled lightly.

He smiled sadly back at me and wrapped his arms around me. “Its ok love, the time will fly by”

“Im sure it will” I giggled

“I don’t have to go if you don’t want me too”

“Don’t start that” I smiled and looked up at him. “I’m not gonna stand in your way. I mean sure, I’ll miss you, but I just need to get used to it.”

“I love you, violet”

“I love you, too” I smiled and he kissed the end of my nose.

“And don’t worry; we still have 2 weeks together. That’s loads of time”

I nodded feeling my stomach getting heavier, and the sickness rising in my throat.