Nothing to Lose

“Margot isn’t here Max.” El yawned as she opened the door. She had been wallowing around for the past week since that night at the club and had spent all night the night before trying to work out getting a loan for expanding her shop with little success. Needless to say, she wasn’t very chipper that morning, even with someone as easy-going as Max standing at her door.

“I know where Margot is, love. I’m here to hang out with you.” He laughed as he walked past her and sat down on the couch, “I do believe we had a rain check on spending the day together. Is now a bad time?”

“It’s never a bad time for me to beat someone in Fifa, Maxie.” El winked, her sour mood quickly depleting at the prospect of playing her favourite video game. She quickly tossed him a controller and sat down next to him.

“Oh you are soooo on.” Max exclaimed as the startup screen appeared. After about two hours of losing at Fifa, Max finally threw the controller down on the ground, accepting defeat, “You’re almost as good as Josh.”

“I’m sure it’s the other way around.” Eloise laughed, “You don’t want to go for another round?”

“Absolutely not, love. My ego honestly couldn’t handle it.” Max laughed, “Speaking of Josh though…” He paused as he watched the girl tense up next to him, “What happened between the two of you? I asked Josh about you since I hadn’t heard anything and he went off on me before he stormed out of the apartment.”

“Absolutely nothing happened between us, Max.” El shrugged as Max rolled his eyes, “Really! He just got into some sort of tiff with Hanna and that’s the last I know. I haven’t even spoken to him since he dropped me off the other day.”

“But Eloise you two were getting along so well!” Max moaned, “And now you two aren’t even speaking to one another?”

“Oh Max, you and Margot aren’t still trying to set us up are you?” El huffed, “We’re both in relationships. It’s just not going to happen.”

“You’re so much better than Hanna is though! Josh is actually happy around you, Eloise. Do you understand that? Josh is never happy! Not even around us guys most of the time. He usually just goes off and pouts by himself.” Max tried to reason with the girl, but she couldn’t even look him in the eyes.

“Max, Josh and I have not even known each other a month, I certainly don’t make him happier than his girlfriend.” Eloise argued, “Just drop it, yeah?”

“Margot and I haven’t known each other but a month, and look at us!” Max exclaimed, nearly jumping off the couch in frustration. He desperately wanted to see his two friends together. No matter how much they protested, Max was determined.

“That’s different, you two are dating. Joshua and I are nothing more than friends, if that.” El rolled her eyes, “Max just leave it be.”

“I can’t just drop it when you are just finding reasons to push Josh away! What are you so scared of El? Really?” Max tugged at his short hair and groaned in frustration. He was getting nowhere talking to her and he knew it.

“I think you should go, Max.” She frowned as she stood up and motioned towards the doorway, “Caleb and I… it’s just… you wouldn’t understand.”

Max frowned and headed towards the door. He stopped once he opened it and turned to look at her once again, “Maybe I’d understand if you told me. If you really let me in that pretty little head of yours. You’re making such a mistake, El. I honestly wish you could realize it.”

“Max-“ El began to say, but it was too late. Max had already slammed the door shut behind him.



“Ay Josh, what’s the matter?” Chris asked timidly. He had been watching Josh get more and more frustrated as he tried to tune the guitar in his hands to no avail.

“Fuck off, yeah?” Josh snarled as he plucked a string causing it to make a displeasing twang sound. He groaned and slammed the guitar down on the floor, not even caring if it broke.

“Excuse me for being a concerned friend. You don’t have to act like a proper twat about it.” Chris rolled his eyes as he stood to leave.

“Chris- wait.” Josh sighed as he stopped his friend, “You don’t… you don’t think I was making a mistake getting back with Hanna, do you?”

Chris smiled and sat down next to Josh, putting a hand on his shoulder reassuringly, “Mate, I’m not going to tell you what you already know.”

Josh groaned as he ran his hands through his unruly hair. He really needed to get a haircut, it was starting to get unmanageable again. “I’m a proper idiot. What should I do, Chris?”

Chris chuckled and waited for Josh to look up at him before he spoke, “Honestly, I say you break it off with Hanna. Not because I don’t like her, nor because the other lads don’t like her either, but because you need to take some time to figure out what you really want.”

Josh nodded his head as he took in what Chris told him, “Thanks Chris.”

“You’re welcome. I’m going to go get some coffee down the street, want to come?”

Josh frowned as thoughts of Eloise flooded into his head. The upset look on her face at the club, the kiss on the cheek she gave him when he dropped her off, the very first moment he saw her, it all hit him at once, “No thanks, Chris. I think I am going to work on a new song for a bit.”

“Awesome, I can’t wait to hear it later.” Chris smiled, “I’ll bring you back something to eat later, yeah?”

Josh nodded his head, but he wasn’t really listening anymore. He was already too busy scribbling down lyrics to what he hoped would be a great addition to the album.