You Could Save Me Too

A week later Dan had decided that I deserved a get well soon party even though I was practically fully recovered. I was now with Mia and we were ringing on the doorbell of the house waiting to be let out of the freezing cold weather. Andy had gone away for work so sent me some flowers to apologise for not being able to make it, I didn’t mind that much though but the flowers were beautiful.

“Look everyone, our star guest has arrived,” Dan winked at me after he opened the door.

“Remind me again why I am the cause for this party?” I asked with a smirk.

“Because, you are our very own little patient who needs to be taken very good care of and this is the best way to do it!” he laughed. “Girls go and make yourself comfortable; I’ll go get you some drinks” he said charmingly as always.

Mia and I wondered into the large lounge area which was filled with people, I recognised a few people from other parties and from being out and about with the boys but I searched the room for a more familiar face and set my eyes on Max.

“Well hello there,” Max greeted me with a big hug, “how you doing?”

“I’m alright thanks, yourself?” I smiled.

“Not too bad, I’m being amused by Josh’s drunk antics,” he chuckled to himself.

I raised an eyebrow at him, “Josh is drunk already?” I laughed.

“Yup, look,” Max pointed over to the corner where Josh was dancing by himself with a beer in one hand and a cowboy hat in the other.

“Um, what’s with the hat?” I laughed.

“I have no idea, but I’m guessing he’s in this state because of Kara,” Max said rather seriously this time.

“Why, what happened?”

Max took a swig from his beer, “They broke up- for good,” he said it as if he didn’t believe it.

“Oh, why do you say it like that?” I asked.

Max rolled his eyes, “Because it doesn’t mean anything, next week they’ll be back together, still arguing and he’ll get fucked over again.”

I looked at Max inquisitively, “But how do you know that for sure?”

“I don’t, go ask him for yourself if you don’t believe me but he’s not in the best of states; my guess is that it’ll probably happen, it always does.”

I looked over at Josh, he definitely seemed to be drowning his sorrows because of something and it looked as if he needed a friend. Max perked up when he spotted Mia and excused himself politely when he greeted her with a hug and kiss on the cheek. They instantly started dancing together, laughing happily; ever since their first date, Max and Mia had been inseparable but without taking things too fast, they went out on dates and just enjoyed hanging together. It was great to see Mia so happy, it managed to rub off on me when I came out of hospital which was good and I was just genuinely ecstatic for the both of them.

I stood up and walked over to a very drunk Josh.

“Lily!” he shouted drunkenly at my presence.

“Hi Josh,” I laughed, “you feeling alright?”

He placed the cowboy hat on his head, “Never felt better, come dance,” he grabbed my hand and started enthusiastically swaying my hands to the music.

I laughed at Josh, he was such an idiot; in a cute, hilarious way. “I’m sorry about you and Kara, Max told me,” I said bluntly.

Josh straightened up and stared blankly at me, “Don’t be, it doesn’t matter.”

In that moment I felt sorry for him, not because he had broken up with his girlfriend but because I could see that despite him hiding it, it was killing him inside. “Of course it matters Josh, I’m here for you if you want to talk, okay?”

He managed to smile weakly, “Thanks Lil,” Josh paused mid thought, “How about now?”

“Sure,” I smiled, happy that he felt able to talk to me.

I followed Josh to the utility room where there was no one to interrupt, we both sat against the wall together, neither of us saying anything in the first instance until I finally broke the silence.

“So what happened between you both?” I asked softly.

“She cheated on me. Again.” He said bluntly but you could still hear the bitterness in his voice. To be honest I wasn’t expecting that, I had only met her once or twice and even though she may have seemed a bit cold, she didn’t seem like the type to cheat. And how could anyone cheat on Josh? He was so nice and caring, who would have the heart to do so?

I didn’t really know how to respond, “I’m sorry Josh, you don’t deserve that, you really don’t.”

“Thanks Lily but I suppose it’s my own fault, I should’ve seen it coming. I was stupid enough to take her back after the first time so I should’ve known that she was going to do it again,” he paused for a while but I didn’t interrupt because I could tell he was thinking, “It wasn’t just that though, things weren’t great between us anyway, maybe that’s why she did it, we argued all the time and there was no want there anymore, just routine.”

“It’s not your fault Josh, don’t say that. And for the arguing thing, then maybe it is for the best, maybe it was a way of saying that things just weren’t supposed to be,” I didn’t realise how stupid it sounded until after I had said it and I prayed he wouldn’t be hurt by what I had said.

Josh looked into my eyes for the first time this evening with an expression that I didn’t recognise; at first I thought it was sadness but it was something more, more intense, I looked back into his crystal blue eyes but I soon looked away quickly for a reason unknown to me. Josh finally removed his eyes from mine and even though he was the one in need of comfort, I rested my head on his shoulder just to let him know that I was there for him if he needed me.