The Kind of Hoax That Leaves a Lump in Your Throat

This would only be the second time I was meeting josh’s parents and sister. It was fine the first time, josh’s sister is a sweetheart and his parents were so lovely to me, but I’d met them before josh and I had out “little tiff” so I wasn’t to sure if they would look at me the same.

I was dressed and ready, waiting for josh to pick me up, picking at my nails because I was nervous. What is they hated me now cause I’d upset their little boy?

The doorbell went and I rushed up to get it. Josh was on the other side, a small bag was on the floor beside him and he quickly kissed me before picking it up and coming inside.

“I’ll just drop this off in your room and then I need a wiz and we’ll be off” he smiled and disappeared.

I returned to the sofa and began bobbing my knees up and down and trying to focus my mind on something else. I got lost in my own mind and didn’t notice josh come back into the room until he sat down next to me.

“Yo Vi, you alright?”

“Yeah, you ready to go” I said standing up, but he grabbed my wrist and pulled me back down to him. “Josh, were gonna be late”

“Well I wanna know what’s up with you. The rest of them can wait”

“I was just day dreaming josh, its nothing”

“You forget how easily I can read you” he said with a small smile.

“Fine” I smiled and he placed his arm around me.

“You can tell me anything, you know that right?”

“Yeah I know, I guess I’m just a little nervous about tonight. You know meeting your parents and Elissa again”

“Was it really that bad the first time?” he joked and I hid my head in his shoulder, shaking my head. “Well what’s wrong then?”

“I’m just being silly”

“Yeah you are” he said and kissed my forehead. “I wouldn’t lie to you and tell you that they like if they didn’t love. They can see how much you mean to me and they just want to get to know you better. They loved you after the first time, so you have nothing to worry about this time, yeah?”

“I guess” I huffed, and he laughed before we set off towards Kingston where Elissa’s gig was. The train ride was a little strange because there was a group of about seven girls who keep giggling and looking our way. It was only when they were getting off I saw three of them had you me at six shirts on.

They walked past our window and a few shouted “WE LOVE YOU JOSH FRANSEXY!” and josh waved back which sent them into a screaming fit.

“The perks of being a rock star” he mocked as we pulled away from the station.

Soon we made it to the semi full venue and over to josh’s parents who were sat nearer the back. Elissa wasn’t on for about another hour an a half so we made our way over to them and as soon as josh’s mum set her eyes on us, a huge smile spread to her face.

“Violet, it’s so good to see you again” his mum said to me, pulling me into her, melting all my worries away. Josh pouted because she’d taken more notice of me than him, but she just ignored him. “How are you love?”

“Im very well thank you, how are you?”

“Im smashing darling” she replied and looked over at josh. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing, I just see a bit of favouritism going on here”

“Boys” she whispered to me, shaking her head, and went to hug him. I took this opportunity to say hi josh’s dad. He pulled me in for a hug too and after I asked him where Elissa was.

“She was here just before you came in; I think she’s just giving everything a final check” he explained.

“Well look who we have here then?” I heard a familiar voice say and looked up to find max standing there, with dan next to him. I said hello to both boys before sitting down.

“You wanna drink sweetheart?” josh called over but before I had time to answer, dan butted in.

“I would love a drink thanks josh” he smiled at him and josh just shook his head trying to suppress a smile.

“I’ll help get them in” max offered and the two boys went to the bar”

This left the perfect time for me to speak to dan, but before I could, Elissa rushed over.

“Yay you’re here” she smiled pulling me into her. “Where is that idiot brother of mine?”

“He’s with max at the bar”

“Right, I’ll be back in two secs” she smiled before hugging dan and then going over to josh.

“Dan I need a word” I said quietly to him, and a mask of worry clouded over his face. “Don’t worry its nothing bad” I smiled and he relaxed slightly. “Does josh seem all right to you?”

He chewed on his lip slightly and scrunched his nosed before replying. “He’s much better than he has been why what’s up?”

“It’s just he’s lost so much weight”

“Well when he first moved in with me he didn’t eat for about three weeks and you know me, im a fucking amazing cook” he boasted with a smile and I couldn’t help but laugh. Then again, dan was a really amazing cook. “So maybe his stomach shrunk or something?”

“I guess that makes sense, he hasn’t really been eating much”

“Just give him time, he’ll be better soon” he assured me, and then max came back with drinks for us.

“Where’s josh?” I asked and he bobbed his head back to the bar where josh was stood talking to someone. At first I thought it was a random girl, but after he hugged her, she turned and I saw it was Hanna.

I have no idea why but I felt disappointment flood through me like a tsunami. I made sure it didn’t show as he sat next to me and handed some drinks over to his parents, but as josh had said to me earlier on, he could read me.

“Vi, you ok?”

“Yeah, um I just gotta go to the loo” I lied smoothly and pretty much ran to the loos. I pulled the door open to find Hanna drying her hands, and was gonna turn around, but she saw me.

“Violet? Hey, how are you?” she asked, pulling me into a hug.

Well this isn’t awkward at all is it?

“Im good thanks Hanna, you?”

“Im great” she smiled and she must have sensed some uneasiness from me because she frowned slightly. “Hey listen, I know this is a little weird but no hard feelings yeah? He loves you, always has. Infact I kept thinking he would get over it but he couldn’t. Im glad he didn’t though because he loves you more than anything, so just make sure you hold onto him. A love like that doesn’t come around to often so when it does, make sure you look after it. Plus im happier now, so everything worked out”

“Thank you, Hanna” I said almost on the brink of tears. We hugged each other hard, but then someone burst into the loo and we broke apart quickly. Heaven knows what we must have looked like.

We left together and she led me over to a tall blonde boy who she linked arms with. “Love this is Violet Simmons, a very good friend of mine, she told him before look at me, “And vi this is Harvey Fuller, my boyfriend”

“It’s lovely to meet you violet” he said holing out his hand. I shook it and smiled back. Okay so he was a very good looking guy. Hanna clearly had good taste.

“It’s nice to meet you too” I replied, but before I had time to reply, josh started calling me. I answered my phone and he kept asking where I was but I just told him I’d be back soon, I made my excuses to Hanna and went off back to josh.

“You ok?” he asked worriedly, but it all vanished from his face when he caught my smile. I didn’t even need to say yes. He kissed the end of my nose before josh’s mum turned to us.

“So violet, I hear they’ll be a new addition to you’re family soon?”

Josh’s mum and I talked about coral and babies for ages, and because I was so distracted, and happy that I was getting on with josh’s parents, I didn’t see the place fill up. Elissa bounded over about 5 minutes before she was due to go on, a pile of nerves. She reached down a downed josh’s drink without taking a breath. Max and dan just applauded her but josh was pouting again.

“Sorry, I just needed so liquid confidence” she winked and I couldn’t help but laugh. “Right wish me luck” and we all called after her as she rushed to the stage.

“Come on you” josh said pulling me up. “I need a new drink and then we can watch from a batter spot” he said pulling me along. I grabbed my drink, and I saw dan and max move to somewhere else, as well as his parents.

Josh got a drink quickly and we went and joined the rest of them. We were off to the side a bit, behind a railing. I stood next to max as he leaned on it, and josh stood behind me, wrapping his arms around me. within a matter of minutes Elissa and her band came onto the stage.

It was clear there was an abundance of talent in the franceschi birth pool. I swear if I wasn’t with josh I would have probably gone for Elissa. Her voice was so pure and perfect it relaxed me so much, but she sang with so much emotion she hand me in tears throughout the night.

Josh could always tell and would kiss my cheek and I was thankful he was by my side or I would have sat and cried with all these people around because Elissa was perfect and it wasn’t fair.

“So this is my last song of the night, and I want to dedicate it to my lovely family who have never stopped believing in me. So this is for my mum, dad, my annoying little brother josh and to my new little sister violet” she said and winked at me. “This is rocks and tears”

I couldn’t help but smile like a fool back, and I felt josh hold me jus that little bit tighter before he kissed my shoulder. Elissa sung flawlessly and at the end no one wanted her to finish.

We all hung around until everything was packed away, they boys helping, and she came out and over to me first. She hugged me hard and I hugged her just as tight.

“Elissa that was amazing, I’m so happy for you. And thanks for what you said” I told her, laughing nervously at the end.

“It was my pleasure sweetie, and I’m glad you liked it, make sure you come and see my other gigs”

“Oh don’t worry I’ll definitely be there”

“Where’s my baby” we heard Elissa’s mum shout and she bundled over to us, pulling us both into a hug. “Oh my girls. Elissa you were fabulous, im so proud of you”

“Thanks mum” she giggled and we pulled away so her dad could hug her. The boys came back and we all sat around for a bit until josh decided he wanted to head off. We said out goodbyes and then jumped on a train back to mine.

“See, now it wasn’t so bad was it?” he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. I just reached up and kissed him forcefully because I knew what was coming when we eventually got back to mine.