Nothing to Lose

“Look at this, Margot!” Eloise shouted as she pointed to the glowing Macbook Pro screen, “Some girl is claiming I’ve slept with her brother Marcus and I’m pregnant, but I am claiming the baby is Joshua’s! Who does that?” She asked, "That's just disgusting to even make up a rumour like that!"

“Oh, quit reading that stuff, Ellie.” Margot chuckled as she sat down next to her in the booth of their almost empty coffee shop, “Wow! We look so cute in that picture!” She gushed as she pulled the laptop over to her, “I’m saving this one and posting it on my Facebook!”

“Margot!” Eloise exclaimed as she pulled her computer back to her, “That girl is pretending to be you! You’re just adding fuel to the fire now.”

“Maybe we should get Tumblr accounts. Do you think that will make the gossip die down?” Margot asked as she looked at her best friend and smiled.

“Doubt it. They will probably just send us hate messages like this girl is getting.” Eloise pointed to the screen and let Margot read the tiny writing.

“I am not a ‘fugly’ slag!” Margot cried out causing the few patrons to gaze over at them. Margot lowered her voice and continued speaking, “How could someone say that?”

“Put the laptop down, women!” Max shouted as he walked into the coffee shop as if he owned the place. Well, if you wanted to get technical, he was dating one of the co-owners so his stake in the company was being put somewhere.

“Max!” Margot shouted as she ran straight into his open arms, “I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever.”

“A day apart can feel like a lifetime when you’re in love.” Max winked as he kissed her gently on the lips.

“Did you… did you just say you love me?” Margot blushed. Her question must have caught Max off guard, because he just kept opening and closing his mouth trying to get words to come out.

“Pfft, Margot, I say you’re in love with me.” He chuckled awkwardly, “That’s what I meant.”

“Oh.” Margot sighed, “I-.”

“I love you, Margot.” Max blushed as he leaned in and kissed her again, “I really do.”

“I love you too, Max.” Margot blushed as she kissed him back.

“Enough of that.” Josh rolled his eyes and grinned as he shoved past the couple and took a seat next to Eloise, “Good morning love.”

“Morning.” Eloise sighed as she continued to scroll down the webpage. She hadn’t noticed that Josh was staring her down with a disappointed look in his eyes, “What?” She asked as she finally looked up.

“Don’t look at that junk.” Josh said as he closed the browser. He grinned when he saw the screensaver was a picture of himself, Max, Margot and Eloise all making silly faces into the camera. Eloise saw him looking at it so she quickly shut the Macbook and blushed.

“I was having a good hair day.” Eloise justified the picture as best she could, “And my makeup looked exceptionally good.”

“Your hair and makeup always look good.” Josh complimented, “You’re a very beautiful girl, Lou.”

“Thanks Joshua.” Eloise blushed again as she tucked her hair behind her ear. Her green eyes met Josh’s crystal blue ones once again and she couldn’t look away. As she noticed their heads getting closer and closer together, she broke her gaze and shifted in her body to look at Max and Margot who were still embraced together. “They’re getting pretty serious these days.”

“Yeah,” Josh agreed after he cleared his throat, “They really are. Max is thinking of bringing her on tour with us, if she agrees of course.”

“Oh, wow.” Eloise stammered, “That’s awesome.”

“Would you want to come?” Josh asked as he turned to look at her again. He tried to read her expression, but he couldn't. Eloise was always difficult for him to read, it frustrated him and intrigued him all the same.

Josh had really caught El off guard with that question, “I have a shop to manage, Joshua.” Eloise sighed, “If Margot is gone, someone has to stay here and run things. Plus with the expansion I want to do, I just don’t think I can.”

“I didn’t ask if you are coming, I asked if you would come, silly!” Josh laughed as he nudged the girl with his elbow, “Would you?”

Eloise pretended to be distracted by the ends of her hair as she looked for split ends, “You couldn’t have come into my life at a busier point, Josh. It would be fun to go to America, sure. But with my wedding needing to be planned and my shop, I just couldn’t leave that all behind for a few months. I'd want to, but... well... I... Josh?” When Josh didn’t respond, she knew she had said the wrong thing. She looked up at him and noticed how tense he had gotten at the sound of the word wedding.

“You’re still going to get married to him?” Josh struggled to ask without looking angry or upset whereas on the inside his emotions were raging.

“I am.” Eloise said quietly as she looked down at the table. She couldn't bear to see the hurt that would be evident in Josh's eyes.

“But… why… I thought…” Josh sputtered, “You’re not even wearing your ring!”

“That doesn’t mean I broke up with him, Joshua!” Eloise whispered harshly, “I usually don’t wear it because I know it makes you uncomfortable.”

“Well don’t bother.” Josh barked as he stood up, “You don’t have to worry about my feelings, Eloise. We’re hardly even friends as you constantly like to remind me.”

“Josh!” Eloise called after him as he began to walk off, “Josh, wait!”

“Just forget about it, Lou!” He shouted as he left, “Go live your little fairy tale and have a nice life! See if I care.”

Everyone in the coffee shop was too stunned to move. Nobody had any idea what had just happened, not even Eloise could fully comprehend it. “I’ll go talk to him.” Max smiled apologetically at El before kissing Margot on the cheek. He took off out of the shop and ran down the street to catch up with Josh.

“What happened?” Margot asked as she rushed over to Eloise’s side, “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.” Eloise said as she looked at her friend. She was still too stunned to know how to react, “I just… said the wrong thing.”

“What did you say?” Margot asked, “Eloise… what was it that you said? He seemed pretty gutted.”

“I… I brought up the wedding.” Eloise mumbled.

“Wedding? What wedding?” Margot furrowed her brow as she look at El. She was really confused now.

“You might want to sit down for this, Mar.” Eloise sighed.



“Josh! Josh Franceschi! Fucking STOP!” Max shouted as he ran after the boy who was briskly walking ahead of him, “Josh!”

“What?” Josh snarled as he spun around to wait for Max who consequently almost ran straight into his chest, “Have you come to tell me that I’m a proper dick and just plain stupid? Because that's all you've been good for as of late.”

“I wanted to see what’s wrong.” Max said as he put a comforting hand on Josh’s shoulder, “Just talk to me.”

“Eloise is getting married.” Josh said as he sat down on the ground and leaned his back against the brick wall.

“Married?” Max exclaimed, “What? When?”

“I don’t bloody know the details, Max. All I know is that she’s engaged.” Josh groaned as he rested his head on his knees, “Have you got a cig?”

“You don’t smoke.” Max noted as he sat down next to Josh in the same position.

“Well maybe I want to start.” Josh rolled his eyes, “Do you have one or not?”

“I always do, mate.” Max said as he pulled out a pack, “But if you get hooked like me, I will personally kick your arse.”

Josh chuckled as he took one and lit it with Max’s lighter, “Cheers.”

“Cheers mate.” Max grinned as he lifted his own cigarette to his lips and took a long drag.

“I broke up with Hanna last night.” Josh said as he exhaled.

“Good for you!” Max commended, “It’s about time.”

“Yeah, I suppose.” Josh shrugged, “It should have happened years ago.”

“It should have never begun.” Max quipped, “I’m only joking, Josh. But you know what should have begun? You and Eloise, that's what.”

“Yeah, well it’s too late for that Max.” Josh glared at him before he began to stare at the ground to avoid the stares from the people passing by. It must have looked bad seeing a guy with a black eye and stitches in his mouth smoking a cigarette while sitting on the street. He looked like a bum and his flannel shirt and worn out jeans certainly didn’t help with this impression.

“Who knows, Josh.” Max shrugged as he put out his cigarette and stood up, “People can surprise you.”