Skipping Stone.

Josh Franceschi let out a loud groan as he lifted his arms above his head. He rolled his body off to the side ignoring the loud ringing of his phone. He clutched his eyes closed hoping the ringing would just stop, but it seemed to only get louder. He pulled the blanket over his head with another loud groan of sleepiness. Suddenly the phone went dead silent and his lips turned up into a triumph smile. He cuddled into his pillow holding it closely as his breathing calmed and just when he was about to fall into a deep sleep, the sound of his phone caught his attention again.

“Fuck,” he spoke with a raspy tint to his voice. “Terrible,” he spoke before reaching over feeling around his desk keeping his eyes closed tightly. “Bleh,” he spoke before he finally grabbed a hole of his phone and pressed it to his ear with his eyes closed tightly.

“Oi, mate,” he heard the familiar voice shout into the phone only to be responded by a series of muffled voices.

“Josh, get your arse up.”

He let out another sigh before letting his blue eyes shoot open. “Adam, I’m fucking sleeping.”

“I’m well aware,” he spoke with a hint of laughter as Josh closed his eyes. “But you need to get up and come down here, we have that meeting today,” he said as Josh’s eyes opened widely. “You did remember, yeah?”

Josh rolled his eyes as he threw his blanket off of his warm body. “I remembered mate,” he said before kicking his feet over the bed.

“If you remembered you’d be here by now.”

Josh rolled his eyes before looking at the clock perched on the side of his bed. “I’ll be there in a few,” he said before hanging up his phone and throwing it off to the side.

He let out a roar of a yawn as he ran his fingers through his hair, tugging at it softly. He let his hands fall on his face. He let the palm of his hands rubbing at his tired eyes before he let out another loud groan and pulled himself up from his bed and into the shower. Josh was exhausted; he got closed to no sleep. He was finally home and the last thing he wanted to do was to be out of his bed. When he finally reached the small warehouse and let himself in. He was instantly met with loud music and cold air. He rubbed at his tired eyes as he walked up to the small office. All he wanted to do was sleep and he was finding it hard not to let his eyes win and just close them.

“Mate!” he heard his friend yell as he entered the office.

“Adam,” he spoke with a grin as Josh stood up from his chair.

The two grabbed each other into a hug. “How was the flight man?”

Josh rubbed at his eyes before running his fingers through his hair. “It was quite alright, long as usual.”

“How was tour?”

“Mental,” he spoke with a cheeky smile. “My god man, you need to come out with us for a full run.”

Adam let out a chuckle. “You’ve been trying to get me to go on the road with you blokes for ages, not going to happen. I’m a busy man back home,” he said as Josh nodded his head with a chuckle.

“That you are mate that you are.”

“You talked to Hanna yet?”

Josh instantly felt a pain in his stomach. His thoughts going back to the many unread and miscalls. The pained expression was soon replaced with a cheeky grin. He shrugged his shoulders playing it all off.

“You know how it is man.”

“She came around asking questions when you boys were coming home; I figured your pre-paid wasn’t working.”

“Hanna and I,” he began running his fingers through his hair. “She’s completely mental mate and I’m growing tired.”

Adam nodded his head. He knew Hanna well. Josh met her ages ago, fell hard and the rest of history. A very messy history; which everyone knew around town. No matter how hard the two tried to keep it under wrap.

“So where is this bloke?”

Adam looked down at his phone. “He should be here soon, I told him around 1.”

“And why am I here right now?”

Adam just rolled his eyes before taking a seat behind the desk pulling his lap top open. “I needed to show you the blokes sketches, mate.”

Josh nodded his head as he turned to grab a chair pulling it towards the round table. He pushed it against the wooden table before walking to the small fridge pulling it open. He pulled out water before falling back down on the chair with his legs pulled up on top of the table.

“Well go on,” Josh spoke twisting the water open.

Adam rolled his eyes before pulling the screen open. Josh watched with an impressed expression on his face. He looked through the clothing and sketches with a nod of his head. The feeling of his phone vibrating taking his attention, he pulled his phone from his pocket. He narrowed his eyes at the text before taking a deep breath.

Hanna Warnes.
Well thanks for telling me you were back in town. We need to talk.

Josh rolled his eyes as he looked up at the screen and then back at his phone. He typed furiously, already annoyed with the conversation.

I’m busy right now. I’ll head over to your flat when I’m done at the warehouse.

He closed his eyes before shoving his phone into his pocket. He ran his fingers through his hair, tugging at his hair rather hard. He was regretting the conversation that they were going to have. He already knew what was going to happen and he wasn’t ready for it. Suddenly his phone began to ring. He pulled the phone out from his pocket with a sigh, her name popping across the screen. Josh let out a loud sigh before looking over at Adam with a frustrated look on his face.

“Go ahead mate.”

Josh nodded his head before pulling his legs from the table. He pressed the phone against his ear with a loud sigh.

“Hanna, I told you I was busy.”

He could hear the crying on the other end that only tearing his heart apart. He let out a sigh before walking out the door.

“I’m sorry,” she cried on the other end only making Josh’s eyes water a bit.

He hated the sound of girls crying, especially ones he loved. He closed his eyes as he leaned against the wall. Josh let his fingers digging deep into his scalp as he hunched over feeling the pain in his stomach.

“Please don’t cry, love.”

He only heard a sniffle in response. “Babe,” she cried letting out another loud sniff. “I miss you so much.”

He took a deep breath letting his eyes close slight. He licked at his dry lips before he let his eyes open. His blue eyes stared down at the break in the cement, tracing it back to where his car was parked.

“I miss you too,” he said in all honesty.

Hanna let out a loud sniff and his heart tore at the image in his head. He closed his eyes once again leaning his back straight against the wall.

“Promise me, you’ll come and see me?”

“I promise.”

Josh let his eyes open at the sound of a car door closing. His blue eyes narrowed in the direction of the small black car. He looked at the girl stepping out. He watched her look up at the warehouse before down at the picture of paper in hand. He watched her every move, from the shoving of the paper in her pocket to the soft steps she made in his direction. Her jet black hair that just ended above her collarbones, but he couldn’t help but to notice the bright tattoo’s on her thighs along with her arm and chest. He found the girl absolutely breath taking.

“Josh?”

He was brought back to the crying girl on the other end. “Yeah?” he asked as he looked at the girl, as she inched closer and closer.

“I love you.”

Josh felt his body go weak at those three words, he felt sick. He let out a sigh as he got a glimpse of the girl even closer. Her hazel eyes met his blue ones for a brief moment. She gave him a sweet smile before walking past him into the warehouse. He knitted his eyebrows in confusion.

“I got to go Hanna.”

And with a quick movement of his hand, his phone was off and shoved in his pocket. He reached over pulling the door open and walked inside. He watched the girl look around with a look of confusion. Josh knitted his eyebrow in pure confusion. Adam walked out of the office and took the spot next to Josh, as they stared at the girl in complete awe.

“I didn’t know we were booking models today.”

Adam didn’t look away from the girl. “We aren’t,” he said before taking a step forward. “Ello, could I help you?”

She jumped up slightly before giving the boy a shy smile. “Erm,” she spoke as Josh watched the girl with a cheeky smile. “I’m looking for Adam.”

“I’m Adam.”

Her eyes lit up slightly before she took a step forward. “Hi, I’m Parker,” she spoke putting a hand out.

Adam stared down at her in confusion before reality hit him. “Parker Johnson?” he asked as she nodded her head with a smile as he took her hand and shook it softly. “PJ?” he asked as the girl nodded her head with a slight chuckle.

“It’s a terrible nickname but it makes for a magnificent signature.”

Adam nodded his head pulling his hand from the girl, a large cheeky grin on his face as he turned to Josh who was watching with the same cheeky grin on his face.

“Erm,” Adam spoke as he waved Josh over. “This is my partner Josh,” he said as Josh took a step forward pulling his hands from his Gray hoodie.

“Pleasure,” she spoke as Josh grinned in response.

“You as well,” he said pulling his hand from hers and turning his attention to his friend. “Well Adam here showed me your sketches and they are quite good.”

“Thank you.”

“Well erm, did you have any questions Adam?”

Adam couldn’t keep his eyes away from the girl’s chest but at the sound of his name his head perched up.

“Um, what?”

Josh grinned at his friend before slapping his back with a cheeky grin. “Did you have any questions for Miss,” he stopped himself before turning to the girl. “What was your surname again?”

“Johnson.”

“Miss Johnson, thank you,” he said with a nod as Parker grinned.

Adam shook his head before looking up at his friend. “None I could think of,” he said looking into his friend’s blue eyes and then turning to the girl staring at her tanned legs. “What about you mate?”

“I’m quite alright,” he said before turning to Parker. “Welcome to the Down but Not Out family, Parker.”

She grinned widely before smiling. “Why thank you.”

“Did you have any questions for us?”

Parker shrugged her shoulders slightly before licking her lips, just causing the two boys to lick their lips also. She gave the two boys a wide smile showing off her bright smile.

“Well, I guess when do I start?”

“Tomorrow,” they both yelled out.

Parker looked at them wide eyes before nodding her head. “Tomorrow,” she said with a smile. “Is there a certain time?”

“Preferably late afternoon,” Josh said with a cheeky smile as he looked down at the girl, noticing The Ghost Inside labeled on her tank top only letting his fascination grow.

“Right, sounds perfect,” she said with a smile. “Thank you so much for everything Adam and it’s nice to officially meet you.”

“You as well,” he said as Josh narrowed his eyes at his friends failed attempt to flirt.

“And it was well nice to meet you, Josh was it?”

“You are right,” he said with a smile.

Parker smiled at them before putting out her hand to Adam, unsure of what to do or say. Josh noticed everything and he couldn’t help but to chuckle at how slightly awkward the girl was. Adam shook his head with the same laugh.

“We’re a hugging family,” he spoke before wrapping his arm around the girl tightly.

“Oh,” she said before patting his shoulder. “Well,” she said with a smile.

Josh merely laughed as he lifted his hand, not wanting to make the girl even more awkward. She gave the two boys a smile before exiting out of the warehouse. As soon as that door shut, Adam’s fist came in contact with Josh’s arm. He turned to his friend and watched as he pumped his hand up and down in excitement.

“My god man,” he said jumping up and down as he continued to hit his friend. “Did you see that bombshell?”

“I saw her.”

Adam jumped up in excitement before jumping Josh again. “My god, she was proper fit,” he said before punching Josh again.

“Would you quit it?”

Adam lifted his hands up as he whispered a ‘sorry’ under his breath. Josh just rolled his eyes at his friend’s excitement.

“You can’t shag the girl.”

“Why the fuck not?” he asked with sadness in his eyes.

“Because family doesn’t fuck family,” he said with a cheeky grin as he slapped his shoulder.

As soon as he walked away, his phone vibrated with another call. He didn’t have to look at his phone to know exactly who it was. Josh was nothing but confusion; he needed an escape from it all.