The Kind of Hoax That Leaves a Lump in Your Throat

“Well, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes” josh said and then kissed my temple.

I hadn’t known what to wear, and just as I was about to give up hope, Zahra came home and I allowed her to play dress-up with me. It wasn’t what I usually wore, and it was a little formal for my liking, but it wasn’t too bad. I guess.

“So where are you taking me?” I asked as josh pulled me out the door.

"Oh well I was gonna take you to nando’s but you have ruined my plans” he sighed. “But don’t worry, the j man has a plan. I saw some little Italian on the way here”

“Good” I smiled and he put his arm over my shoulders.

“Anyway what’s wrong with nando’s?”

“Cause you eat anymore chicken, im afraid you’ll turn into one. And I do not want a chicken for a boyfriend thank you very much”

“Fine” he huffed and then pulled me into the small restaurant.

“Wow I didn’t even know this place existed” I commented as a waiter led us to our table. We ordered quickly and then it was just the two of us. Thankfully it was quiet so we didn’t have to shout over everyone to hear each other.

Josh reached over and took my left hand in his. My blazer lifted up slightly showing the mass of bracelets that clung to my wrist, and mixed in the middle was the one josh got me from when he went on tour. I don’t think ive ever taken it off since he got it for me.

Josh’s finger reached up and traced the purple string. “Are you ever gonna take this off?” he asked with an eyebrow raised. I shook my head and bit my lip. “Well, I got you something this time too” he smiled.

“Josh you didn’t have too”

“Don’t be stupid love, you’re my girlfriend, that means I buy you things.” He said fishing around in his pocket. He then pulled out a small blue box and set it out in front of me. I looked up at him and he was biting his lip and looking at me expectantly. “Open it then” he said and pushed it towards me a little more.

I picked up the box carefully and opened it. Inside was a sliver ring with a big light purple gem on it. I gasped lightly as I pulled it out and gave it a closer look. It was really pretty and looked stupidly expensive.

“It’s a promise ring” I heard josh say lightly and my head snapped up to look at him. He reached over and plucked the ring from my grasp before taking my hand again. “So in order to wear it, you have to promise me something” he said with that cheeky glint in his eye.

“Anything” I whispered and he looked down almost shyly before looking back at me.

“I love you violet, and I wanna lose you. No wait I can’t lose you, so I need you to promise me something” I looked at him confused and he carried on. “I want you to promise me that you’ll love me back and stick by me. I can’t lose you”

“Josh you didn’t need buy me a ring. You know I’ll never leave you”

“Well maybe I just wanted to get you the ring” he chuckled, “but you have to promise”

“I promise” I said sincerely and he slid the ring onto my middle finger on my left hand. It fit perfectly. I bent over the table, as did josh, and out lips met in the middle.

We heard a small cough and looked up to find the waiter standing there with an awkward look on his face. My face heated up instantly and josh smiled apologetically at him. I couldn’t look up until he had gone and when I did josh was laughing at me.

“That was so embarrassing”

“Oh sush, its fine. Eat ya pasta” he winked and we ate whilst he told me stories about tour, the screaming American fan girls and the endless games of fifa.

I loved the way his eyes lit up whenever he spoke about tours or his music. Like it was the only thing he wanted to do and he felt lucky enough to be able to be living his dream. I know millions of people that would kill to be in his position just for the money for the fame. But not josh. Josh was in it for the music and because he loved making other people happy. It was so attractive I had the urge to jump over the table and kiss his face off, but then I realised how completely inappropriate that would be.

“You finish work at half 3 yeah?” josh suddenly asked randomly.

“Um yeah, why?”

“Oh well a mate is coming down to do some recording tomorrow in the studio that not to far from here, I was just wondering if you wanted to come”

“Yeah sure, that sounds great”

“Awesome, so I was thinking I’d pick you up from work cause I said we’d meet them at four, and then I was thinking when were done then we could go to mine and you could help me move some of my stuff back to ours”

I felt my inside flutter when he said “ours”. That meant it was real now. Or we were real. Not that we weren’t before, but now it was like we were a proper couple that lived together. Well he wasn’t on tour for endless amounts of weeks we would be. My face must have dropped because josh squeezed my hand.

“Hey Violet, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing ive just missed you is all”

“Well lets get home and make up for lost time then eh?” he winked suggestively.

“Wow, twice in one day. Classy”

“Hey I think I deserve it” he said standing up and pulling me with him. We walked home quickly and hurried up the stairs once we were back.

I think I could get used to this.



Why is it when you look forward to something later on in the day does the rest of the day go really slowly? I’d been at work for 3 hours but it felt like an eternity.

I missed josh terribly; maybe that was why today was taking so long. Or maybe it was the fact that the shoot that was going on today involved a bunch of newly signed models who thought the sun shined out of their arse.

Not much had changed here. Well apart from those God awful uniforms Ella-may used to make us wear. Thankfully she said we didn’t have to anymore but she insisted we keep the nametags. It was a small price I was willing to pay.

I was sat at the desk by myself when coral and Sonnie walked through the door.

“I didn’t know you had a shoot today”

“Yeah they just called me like half an hour ago. Told me that the models have no idea what they’re doing and hopefully having me here will rub off on them” She said signing in. Zahra suddenly appeared through the studio door looking like she wanted to kill someone. “That bad?” coral asked.

“I think I need a stiff drink” she said, sitting in her chair almost robotically.

“Right, time to show these amateurs whose boss” she smiled. She quickly kissed Sonnie on the cheek before flittering off into the studio.

“So how was yesterday?” I asked Sonnie. He smiled instantly and a soft blush crept onto his cheeks. I had to contain the “aw” I nearly voiced in fear of looking like a creep, but thankfully he started talked.

“It was great. I mean it was a little weird at first, like we were so awkward around each other but after a while if was fine”

“Where did you go?” Zahra quizzed.

“Some little Italian down the road and then back to mine for a bit. Liana and Freddy were out”

“Wait the Italian place that’s like a minute away from here?” I asked and he nodded. “Aw josh took me there last night too; it’s so nice in there”

“I know right, it’s so quiet it’s like no one knows about it”

“That’s exactly what I thought” I giggled.

“Am I the only person who hasn’t been to this place? Vi I demand you take me” Zahra piped up from next to me.

“And when would you like me to take you princess Zahra?”

“Oi you, I’ll have none of that”

“Okay, I think im gonna go” Sonnie chuckled, “I’ll see you guys later”

“Bye” we said in unison and then Zahra turned to me again.

“Im serious vi, when are you taking me to this Italian place?”

“Why don’t you get Oakley to take you tonight?”

“Why so you and josh can have more “alone time” with josh. I see my outfit worked”

“What are you talking about?”

“Let’s just say the walls a very thin”

“Eww zee that’s awful” I chuckled, but I could feel the blood rushing to my face. Maybe I needed to talk to josh about that.

“Don’t worry, I’ll get you back” she smiled. “You haven’t heard Oakley and me at full volume yet” she winked.

“Okay this conversation is officially over” I said and then, thankfully, josh came through the door.

“You ready love?”

“Indeed” I said jumping up and grabbing my bag. I looked back at Zahra who was smiling devilishly at me and I just shook my head laughing at her. “I’ll see you at home” I said before linking my hand with joshes and we left. “So who is it we’re going to see, I mean do I know them?”

“You might do. His name’s Oli”

“Oh yeah sure oli, why didn’t you say before” I said sarcastically and he giggled.

“Man ive missed you” he whispered kissing my forehead.

“You only just realised” I smiled and he kissed me again. “No but seriously who is Oli?”

“Oli Sykes, he’s in bring me the horizon”

“Isn’t that that scary scremo band?”

“I guess you could say that. But Oli’s lovely, but he’s kinda shy so be nice”

“Im always nice” I retorted “so what do you need him for?”

“He’s gonna be on a track of ours, we’re recoding his bit today cause it’s the only day he can do”

“I see. So how long is this gonna take?”

“A couple of hours at tops, not too long” he smiled “why want me all to yourself?”

I chuckled, but if only he knew how true that statement was.