Nothing to Lose

“Josh we’re going to try this take one more time for today, so can you try to show some more emotion this time?” Tom asked as Josh rubbed the back of his neck with his hands. They had been filming the boys' new music video for hours now and had gotten no where.

“Yeah, sure Tom.” Josh let out a deep breath he had been holding in. He didn’t really want to stand there and sing about his ex-girlfriend that he still wasn’t over into a camera for a music video. What he really wanted to do was to crawl into bed and just disappear for a while. Maybe even forever if Hanna wasn’t even his girlfriend anymore.

“Start from the chorus.” Tom instructed as everyone got back in place, “Josh, get that mopey look off your face, yeah?” Josh rolled his eyes and put on the fakest looking grin in the world while the others muttered words under their breaths like 'arse' and 'idiot'. They understood what Josh was going through, but it was getting quite old. Josh and Hanna split up and got together over and over again, no matter how many times she managed to screw him over Josh always found himself crawling back to the girl.

Finally, Tom sighed and took a step away from the camera, “I guess that’s enough for tonight everyone. Josh, how about you relax tomorrow and I’ll just do some of the photoshoots for the others, yeah?"

“Sounds fine to me.” Josh agreed as he wrapped his warm jacket around his shoulders. He didn’t even bother saying goodbye to any of the lads before he left the studio and headed out into the crisp night air.

For roughly fifteen minutes, he had been walking in circles, avoiding heading back to the band’s shared apartment for the next few months while they wrote, recorded, and made music videos for their next album when he came across a small coffee shop. He found it peculiar because not too many shops were open at one in the morning. Actually, none of them were except for this small place. As if the shop was calling out to him, beckoning him to come inside, he changed his route to cross the street and was immediately welcomed by the faint ringing of a bell and the sweet scent of pumpkin spice cookies.

He looked around the shop expecting it to be completely vacant, but he spotted three groups of people all chattering away rather excitedly. Just as he was about to make his way to the counter to put in his drink order, the bell above the door rang and a small girl with a hood up around her head shoved past him and took the last available booth.

“Do you want something to drink?” The barista asked impatiently, causing Josh to look at her warm smile. He was a little put off about how everyone seemed so chipper for it being so late. It wasn’t an average time of night to be out at a coffee shop.

“Uh, just a cup of tea, I don’t care what kind really.” Josh shrugged as he handed her a few bills from his wallet, “Keep the change.”

“But you handed me a hundred and two twenties.” She said as she tried to hand it back. Josh only shrugged and waved her away. She smiled wide, “Thank you, sir. Just go sit down and I will bring you your tea.”

“Sure.” Josh mumbled as he searched for an empty place. Unfortunately, the girl with the hood had taken the last table that wasn’t completely full. Without even thinking about it, he sat down in the seat across from her and pulled out his phone to check for calls or texts from Hanna. He stared at the empty screen, just waiting for something to pop up- anything really. He was about to dial the number himself when he heard a voice next to him.

“It’s common courtesy to at least ask if you can sit down at a table with a stranger. I could have been meeting someone you know.” She said without even looking up from her book. Josh scanned the front of it and it was some George Orwell book with an extremely worn cover.

“At this time of night, I highly doubt it love.” Josh shrugged, “And if we’re going to talk about being polite, you could have said ‘excuse me’ instead of shoving past me earlier.”

“I’ve had a really shit week, so I am entitling myself to a little rudeness.” She said as she looked up briefly, her hood falling from her head revealing her long, wavy blond hair and bright green eyes. Josh was momentarily taken aback; she was more beautiful than any girl he had ever seen.

“Yeah, tell me about it.” Josh rolled his eyes, “I’m Josh.”

She eyed him curiously for a moment before she turned the page of her book once again and continued reading. Josh continued to stare at her expecting her to say something, but when she didn’t her finally caved and spoke up again.

“So you’re not going to tell me your name too?” He winced when he saw the aggravated expression wash over her face the moment he started talking.

“Here is your coffee, El.” The barista smiled as she handed the girl her to-go cup, “The usual. I put it on your tab.” She turned and looked at Josh with a smile, “And your tea should be out shortly.”

“Thanks Margot.” She smiled warmly. Josh noted that the blonde before him had a very beautiful smile, and for some reason he wished that it was directed at him instead of someone else. She stood up and pulled her hood up once again before stopping to meet Josh’s gaze, “And for the record Josh,” She said with an annoyed smirk on her face, “This is my table.”

Josh stared at her until she left the small shop and was out of view down the street. He was so distracted by his thoughts of the girl that he didn’t even notice the tea he ordered had been put in front of him, or that the fact it was now growing cold. He was so distracted by his own thoughts swarming around in his head that he didn’t see everyone slowly leaving the shop, or that the barista had begun to dim the lights and start cleaning up for the night. The only think that pulled him out of his own subconscious, was the ringing of his phone. He stared at the five-lettered name on the screen and at the picture of the girl he loved, and for the first time in a long time, he didn’t reach to answer it.