Ivory Tower

"Max, find me a girl." Josh ordered, coming over to his best friend. He cracked open his beer and stared out at the crowd of people. A lot of couples, a lot of guys he hated and a lot of girls he would never think of dating.

March 2008. Josh was 17 years old, but consistently was reminded that he would be 18 in August. He had so much more to worry about than turning 18. The band was taking off in a big way, he couldn't be happier. Well, he could. He was single and was dying for a girlfriend.

"I've tried!" Max laughed. "You never stay with the girls I try and set you up with, you bastard."

"Because you give me the mental ones and keep the good ones for yourself!" Josh replied.

"Okay, fine." Max laughed. "Okay, I might have someone. If she shows up."

Josh smirked. He had hoped she was pretty, and funny. He didn't want a girl that was high maintenance. He didn't have the patience or the want to be with a girl like that.

"Max!" Came a female voice, and a tiny girl with auburn hair ran to Max. Max held the girl tightly, her back to Josh. Max mouthed, "this is her" to Josh.

"Genny, this is my good mate Josh," Max introduced, turning this Genny girl towards Josh. Josh had never loved Max more, this girl was beautiful. "Josh this is my friend Genny."

"Nice to meet you," Genny smiled, shaking Josh's hand.

"You, too." Josh nodded.

"There's some guys having a water fight outside in their underwear. Do you want to go and make fun of them with me?" Genny smiled up at Josh.

"I'd love to," Josh laughed. He put a hand on her shoulder gently and led her outside.

"How do you know Max?" Josh asked after a few minutes.

"His dad and my dad work together," Genny replied. "We hung out at like family work retreats and then just hit it off, so we kept talking."

"Are you from Weybridge?" Josh asked.

"No, I'm from London. I drove in," Genny replied. "I'm guessing your from around here?"

"Yeah," Josh nodded. "About 15 minutes away."

"Do you like it here?" Genny asked.

"Most of the time, yeah." Josh nodded. "I'm hoping to get out more in the next year."

"Out of Weybridge?" Genny asked, looking up at him.

"Yeah," Josh nodded. "And the UK."

"Leave the UK? Why?"

"Max and I are in a band together with three other guys," Josh replied. "One of them is in this water fight. The one right there, with the bucket. That's Matt."

"Yes! I remember Max telling me that!" Genny smiled. "That's really great. You must be so excited."

"I'm really excited," Josh nodded. "What do you want to do?"

Genny laughed and shook her head. "I have no idea. One day I want to be a teacher, the next I think I'm doomed to be stocking shelves at Asda for the rest of my life."

"Asda is pretty cool," Josh replied. "You could be like, a manager or something one day."

"You really think I could achieve that? Wow, you're such a nice guy." Genny smirked.

Josh was ecstatic. She was cute and she liked to joke around with him. The only thing that sucked was she lived in London. It wasn't that far, but it wasn't close.

"Thanks," Josh laughed.

"I like you," Genny smiled up at him. "Do you want to hang out sometime?"

"I'd like that," Josh nodded. It was really refreshing for a girl to make a move on him instead of the other way around.

Josh moved a little closer to her and started to lean over to kiss her. Genny moved his hair out of his face and smiled at him.

"Oi! You fuck!" Josh shouted when he was hit on the side of the face with water. "It's freezing! Are you mental?"

Genny laughed and pushed her now wet hair out of her face.

"Matt, you bastard!" Josh shouted, hopping off the deck and tackling his friend. Josh was mad at Matt for ruining his almost kiss with Genny, but he liked hearing her laugh. He thought she was fun.

"I'm doing you a favour," Matt laughed and got up off of Josh, helping him up.

"Are you frozen?" Josh asked, walking back on the deck with Genny.

"Completely," Genny laughed.

"Well, I live just 15 minutes away if you want you can come over and borrow some clothes then you can head home," Josh suggested. "I'd feel bad if you went home cold and soaking wet."

"Okay, thanks."