Bad Luck Hannah

What was that sound?
I shuffled slightly, feeling really warm and cold at the same time, and for some reason I could hear crickets?
I frowned, nuzzling closer to my warmth.
And then I opened my eyes.
What the fuck?
I sat up immediately, my hair flying into my face as I looked around. It was completely dark out here, and I could barely see the grass where it rose around us.
Shit, we'd both fallen asleep!
We could have been attacked by a bear or something!
"Josh!" I reached over hesitantly and shook his shoulder, flushing. I'd been asleep on his chest, and I was really getting cold now that I had separated from him and my blanket had fallen off my shoulders.
Josh grunted, then slowly lifted his arm off his eyes, blinking a couple times sleepily.
Then he sat up, looking a little startled.
"Did we fall asleep?" He mumbled, rubbing his face. "Fuck. What time is it?"
"I dont, I dont know."
I literally had no idea.
I fumbled through my pockets a minute, finally getting my phone out of my skinny jeans and flinching when the bright light hurt my eyes. They were incredibly sensitive after crying all day.
"Its eleven!" I gasped, horrified. My parents were going to freak out! Oh my god, I'd never been out this late, especially not on a school night, and --- I didn't even have any missed calls or texts.
I hesitated, staring at my phone.
Had they even realized I wasnt home?
Were THEY even home?
I looked over at Josh, seeing he'd fished his phone out of his pocket as well, and his ringtone was blaring as another call came in; I recognized Fall Out Boy's Dance, Dance, and I just sort of looked at him.
We really did like the same music?
"What?" He snapped as he answered his, his voice kind of rough after sleeping so long, and even in my idiotic state I had to admit it was really cute.
"What? Oh, er, sorry, I was busy," he mumbled, crawling to his feet. "I didn't realize where the time --- Chris, calm down," he rolled his eyes, offering his hand and helping me to my feet before he jumbled all the blankets in his arms and took off for the car.
"Stop freaking out, Dad. I'll be home in a bit --- no, its' none of your fucking business." He grunted, tossing everything hastily into the trunk as I stumbled after him, having to use my phone as a flashlight so I could find my way back to the car and not kill myself.
I hastily fumbled with the door to get it open and slipped inside, feeling grass sticking in my hair.
Great.
My face felt sore and swollen, and I could hear Josh talking to Chris, his voice muffled from outside the car.
I leaned forward, rubbing my forehead.
This had been a day.
My parents didnt even know I wasnt home, that just made me feel great. They weren't neglectful, but it was common for me to lock myself away in my room all day, so maybe this was my fault after all.
I sighed, and winced as i brushed the bruises on my face.
It had been my fault, it wasn't just Jasons.
He'd been in a really bad mood last night when he'd gotten home, something about the people at his work. I'd just happened to be at the wrong place when he'd come into the kitchen, and he'd been angry, and I hadn't gotten out of the way in time...
He'd never been that bad before.
It was like his temper was getting worse the longer it went on.
"Okay," Josh huffed, suddenly slipping into the car and slamming the door a little harder then necessary. "Let's get you home, shall we? I didnt mean to fall asleep out here, damn. It's so fucking cold," he grumbled, turning the heater on full blast.
I blinked at him in the light of the blue dash dials.
Should i thank him?
I mean, our date had been a complete disaster, but... he'd really been nice to me today when he hadn't needed too. He could have just left me alone and let me deal with it on my own, but instead he'd taken me out here and just sat with me for a while.
And then of course I'd had to start bawling my eyes out.
And then he'd just comforted me.
He hadn't made a move at me, or taken advantage of me, or anything like that.
And I really, really appreciated it.
Josh glanced at me, looking at a little flustered, and I realized I'd just been staring at him. I looked down quickly, knotting my fingers together in my lap awkwardly.
Should I say something?
Should I thank him?
What should I do?
This was weird.
"Chris is such an asshole sometimes," Josh grumbled after a minute, and I glanced over at him. "He acts like such a dad. 'Josh, where are you? Why aren't you home yet? Do you know what time it is?'" he tried to mimic Chris's voice, but it just came off high and jerky, and I smiled, looking down again, hastily pressing my sleeve against my nose when it threatened to run.
"He... doesnt sound anything like that."
"Yes, he does. When he's mad, you have no idea," he snorted, turning hastily onto the main road. "He's such.... well, a dad. he's just starting early, I guess. And what does it matter what time I get home? It's my stupid house."
"Did... did you tell him why you're...?" My voice was kind of thick, and I cleared my throat, embarrassed.
"Why I'm so late? Nah, it's none of his business," Josh shook his head, eyeing the dark road. "He doesn't need to know."
That was a relief.
I relaxed slightly, glad to hear that, and looked forward again. I hesitated as I felt him touch my hand, and I glanced down, seeing he'd curled his fingers through mine in my lap, and he gave a comforting squeeze.
"I'm sorry, though," he said after a moment, and I looked up at him. "That your brother is such a piece of shit."
"It's not... not your fault," I muttered, shrugging, and I tightened my grip on his hand without realizing it immediately. Usually I clenched my hands in my lap, and now I didnt know what to do with my other one.
I felt like Ricky Bobby.
"Hey, um, can I... say I'm sorry for being a dick the other night when we... er, hung out?" He said after a moment, slowing the car down as we came to a stop sign.
Where even were we?
"I mean, the date didnt exactly go like it should have," he continued hastily, sending me a nervous glance in the dark, his window down and making my hair move around my shoulders, despite he had the heater on; was it just stuck there or something? It was incredibly annoying.
"It's... it's okay, it was my fault," I sighed. "I overreacted."
"No, I was being an asshole. And I'm sorry. I get ahead of myself sometimes and I... my mouth gets ahead of my brain." He muttered, releasing my hand so he could turn the wheel, turning off quickly on the road back toward what I think was my side of town.
I blinked.
How far out had we even gone?
"Where did we go, anyway?" I asked, leaning back in the seat, just then remembering to even put on my seat belt.
"Um, we went over to Redhills, where the old copper mines used to be. I don't know what they used that area for, but it's pretty cleared out, just a field now. I like to go there when it gets to be too much," he mumbled the last part, and I frowned, gazing at him.
"Why do you live with your friends?"
Why was I asking him something that was none of my business? I wanted to kick myself as he sort of stiffened, his fingers flexing lightly on the steering wheel. I was curious, especially since I'd realized before that I didnt know anything about him, but I wasnt sure why I was asking him that.
Especially now, completely out of the blue.
My mouth had just started moving.
Why was I even talking?
I never said the right things.
I looked down quickly, figuring he wasnt going to answer me.
"My uncle... he offered me his house while he went on a business trip," Josh spoke after a moment, and I hesitated, staring at my knotted fingers. "Me and my dad don't get along well, especially not since he remarried. So I took the chance to move out, and then my friends came along too since we all had to switch schools anyway, yknow? we're all eighteen, except for Devin and Ricky, so our parents couldn't stop us from moving out together."
"Oh." How the hell did they afford the bills? Did any of them even have jobs?
"What about your mom?" I bit my lip. My parents would never let me just move out like that, no matter what age I was. My mom would probably have a heart attack before she ever let something like that happen.
"She died a few years ago."
"Oh, I'm --- I'm sorry," I stared at him, biting my lip harder as I realized I'd brought up a sore point. I always had to ask the wrong thing!
"Nah, it's okay. It was the summer before my freshman year, so it's been a little while," he shrugged, seeming nonchalant. "She had cancer."
I just looked at him, another apology rising to my lips that I knew wasn't going to mean anything at all.
Now I felt bad.
"Hey, dont worry about it, it's not your fault," he said quickly, as if realizing what my issue was. "It's done and over with. Me and Dad just didnt... we're too different, we don't get along, and I spent more time at Uncle Lionel's house then I even did his. He's my moms brother, and I dont think he gets along with Dad anyway," he sighed. "She went to our school, too. Dad came from Red, like I did."
"How did they meet?"
"Football games, of course. How else would someone from that side of town manage to marry someone from Greneth?" He sent me an amused look. "Our schools don't exactly communicate with each other, do they?"
I flushed.
That was true,
there'd always been a major rivalry between the two high schools; I wasnt sure why, but I think it had went back to the days when the copper mine was still open. All the wealthier citizens lived on this side, and all the miners and their family lived on the side of the mine, closer to work.
It was so stupid. The mine had been closed since the fifties, but still our town was divided like that. I had half-wondered if the reason the other high school had closed down was more because someone was tired of the ridiculous segregation rather then there hadn't been enough students, because there had been so many new ones in our school it seemed like we needed a bigger one now.
"That's... so stupid," I sighed, looking at my chipped nailpolish.
"Yeah."
I glanced at him again.
I felt awkward.
I didnt know if this made us friends or not.
Josh flicked his blinker as he turned down the road to the high school, despite the fact there was nothing around us whatsoever. Our town completely died after eight, I think, so it wasnt like there was a lot to do.
We had a movie theatre, of course, and a bunch of fast food joints, and some bars for the tourists who came through during the summer. But other then that, we were still a pretty small area.
"Um, thank you," I said after a moment, deciding I just needed to get that out there as I saw my driveway start to rise up in the distance. "For, um, today."
If I didnt say it now, I wouldnt, it would just continue to be stuck in my throat.
He nodded, still not looking at me. "Yeah, no problem. Everyone needs a shoulder every now and again."
I bobbed my head, looking at him through my hair as he turned off on my road, stopping midway and cutting his lights off so it wouldnt illuminate the front of my house.
Smart.
I reached down for my bags, slipping it over my shoulder and then gathering my books into my arms.
I hesitated.
Uh oh.
"What is it?" Josh asked when I didnt move.
"I, I c-can't find my, my keys," I stammered, starting to panic as I went through my bag. Oh god, had I lost them? Had I even grabbed them this morning? I couldnt remember!
I looked at my house in panic.
If my parents didnt even know I wasn't home, it wouldn't do to go knocking on the front door, now would it?
Shit.
"Er," Josh hesitated, thrumming his fingers against the wheel. "Does your room have a window?"
"A window? Yes."
"Then can't you just climb through it?"
I could feel the red creeping up my face. "I, I can't reach it," I mumbled, looking down. "It's too high."
He chuckled.
He actually chuckled at me.
"All right, no big deal. I'll just come with you."
"You'll what?"
"Come with you. Help you up?" He raised his brows at me. "That's okay, right?"
Well, it wasn't like I could get up myself.
I shrugged, and withheld a sigh as I got out of the car, my shoes loud against the gravel. I quickly darted off into the grass, Josh cutting off his car and stuffing his keys in his pocket as he followed me, using his phone as a flashlight as we walked around the side of my house.
The foundation raised it higher up on my side, and the window came to my head. I could walk under it, but I couldn't reach it enough to get it open.
Josh, however could.
Now I was glad I never locked it.
He reached up easily, lifting the edge of the window up and giving it a harsh shove to send it up where it would hold.
"There we go. Hand me your books," he whispered, and I did obediently, letting him take them and drop them into the floor on the other side. The window was about even with his shoulders, so he could see inside.
"Allright, cmere," he offered his hands, and I just looked at him blankly.
What did he want me to do?
"Put your foot in my hand, and I'll boost you up," he explained, hunching down slightly. "Hurry."
Er, right.
I hesitated, then pressed my foot into his hand, pressing my other hand against the house to steady myself. Josh glanced up, and then lifted, and I floundered, my balance precarious. I curled my fingers around the edge of the window, managing to get about halfway inside without issue, the edge pressing into my stomach.
"Oof!"
Well, this was embarrassing.
I could hear him snickering behind me, and I scowled, my face flaming as I attempted to wiggle the rest of the way in, my fingertips brushing the floor, giving me just a tiny bit of leverage.
I felt his hands close around my thighs, pushing me forward until I tumbled into my floor, rather loudly. I froze where I'd fallen, my feet pressing against the wall, but there wasn't any sound, so I relaxed, letting my breath go.
I sat up, and glanced over, seeing my keys resting on my nightstand.
Wonderful.
I crawled around until I could look back out the window, seeing Josh's amused expression, and I flushed.
"Thanks," I mumbled, propping my arms on the sill, and he nodded, eye level with me at this height.
"Honestly, any time," his lips twitched. "I got a nice view out of it."
I felt the red creep up my face.
Well that was embarrassing.
I looked down hastily, and he chuckled, reaching forward to squeeze my hand again.
I hadn't minded him holding me that much earlier, it had actually been really nice, for once. I hadn't cared enough to feel awkward, which was usually what my issue was, and he had been so... nice.
I'd really appreciated it.
Maybe he wasn't as bad as I thought he was...
I looked up hesitantly as he dropped his hand from mine, seeing he was checking the time on his phone. I knew it was late, and we did have school tomorrow...
"Well, I'll... I'll see you tomorrow," he said after a moment, quickly answering a text.
"Oh, um, okay."
Why did I feel disappointed he was leaving?
He glanced over at me, started to take a step away, then paused. He glanced down at the flower beds he was currently trampling, then back over at me, as if debating something.
"What?" I asked, growing wary the more I looked at him. "What is it?"
"I---." He stopped, frowned, then took another step closer. "I just want to do something before I leave."
And what exactly was that?
I propped my chin in my hand, frowning at him. "What?"
"This," he sighed, almost sounding pained.
What?
He stepped in front of me, and before I could move, his hand was cupping my face, forcing me forward as his lips pressed against mine, and I flailed, nearly falling back out the window in surprise, his hand going to my shoulder to steady me.
I froze, unsure what to do, and after a second Josh pulled away, looking satisfied with himself.
"There," he breathed, "now you can't say you've never been kissed."
My face flamed even more.
Oh god.
Well this... this was unexpected.
I blinked at him, fully aware he was still touching me and I wasn't freaking out yet.
Well.
Now what?
I had no idea how to kiss him back, anyway, so I wasnt sure what him kissing me was really doing for me.
I hesitated, feeling his thumb caress my cheek, and then he was kissing me again, drawing me even more out of the window, and I had to press my hands against his chest to make sure I wouldnt fall out.
What was I supposed to do!?
"Like this," Josh murmured. "Unclench your jaw, relax, Hannah."
I hesitated, but did as he instructed, tilting my head slightly.
Well this wasnt so bad.
His lips moved easily against mine, and I let my eyes close this time, feeling his fingers start to tangle in my hair.
"You're a quick learner," he murmured, stepping closer to the window. I flushed, and he chuckled, kissing me one last time before he pulled away. "But I really... gotta go, unfortunately."
Well.
I looked down at my hands, quickly pulling them from his chest.
"Hey, you want me to, like, pick you up in the morning?" Josh asked after a second, rubbing the back of his hair. "Say seven thirty?"
"Um, yeah." I nodded. "That would... be good."
"Cool." He grinned slightly. "See you then."
And then he took off towards his car.
I watched him go, blinking kind of stupidly, and then took a step back, closing my window slowly.
That was kissing?
I think I liked it.