Don't Give Up on Us

Josh’s POV

I twiddled my thumbs as I sat at the kitchen counter. Mum was right. I did need a vacation. I just wasn’t sure if this was the best place to take one. But her and dad couldn’t make the trip and I wasn’t going to leave flights go to waste on them. I knew who I wanted to bring with me straight away. Don’t get me wrong, I loved all the guys, but Max has always been my best bud.

As I was thinking about him he emerged from his bedroom in our relatively spacious apartment. We even had a spare room now since she had left. “Hey man,” I beckoned him over towards me. “My folks were going to America in a couple of days but they can’t make it any more. What do you say we go instead? Me, you, the wild wild west?” I grinned up at him.

“Where exactly?” Max said cautiously as he sat down on the stool opposite me, I knew where he was going with this. “New York.” I told him. “Look Max. I know you’re not going to believe me but I’m totally one hundred and ten percent completely over your sister. It was always a bit creepy anyway,” I tried to convince myself.

“Mate, you’re a terrible liar,” he replied. “I’m not saying you shouldn’t get over her but there really is no point lying to yourself and there’s no point chasing continents for her because she won’t fall for it.”

“You’re not making sense. You’re saying I shouldn’t say I’m over her but I shouldn’t go for her?”

“Pretty much,” he hopped off the stool. “No one said life was easy. I’m going to pack,” he walked back into his room. I ran my fingers through my hair and shook it out in an attempt to shake her out. I wanted her. I always have. Maybe in an ironic way this trip would help me forget her. It would show that we could actually be in the same country without conflict. Plus, America was a big place. What are the chances we’ll run into each other?

I was getting pretty excited to go now. We hadn’t been to the US in ages and it’d be nice to go and not have to play any shows and finally get to see the sights and drink without having to worry about my vocal chords being battered the next day.

**

Minnie

I received the text around lunch time on Monday. ”Bad news. Flights fucked up and we have to fly back into JFK. Think you could get off work, come up and we could spend a couple of days up here?”

I wanted to. I really did want to. I thought about how good it would be to just spend a few days in New York with Alex. Just me and him. We hadn’t had us time in forever. We were both so occupied with ourselves. Things were great at first when I moved here. Rian was moving into a house with his girlfriend so I began living with Alex. It was perfect until reality hit. Alex was hardly ever around because of his job and when he was I wasn’t because of my job. I hate to say it but I was feeling kind of lonely.

I negotiated it with my boss, who agreed due to the amount of overtime I’d bee doing recently. She said I could take the rest of the week as long as I worked overtime every day the week after and did the coffee run for a few days. Fair.

Done, I replied, I’ll get the bus up. Driving sucks. Catch you later x

I was more than excited for this break. It felt like I’d been working non stop for far too long. Hopefully it’d also get my mind off that certain someone who was always lurking in the back of my brain for the past year. I had no regrets about my choice. Or at least that’s what I told myself to get to sleep.