Bottom of the Blackest Hole

“So you’re getting married.” Jonathon asked, staring curiously down on my ring.

“For the fifth time Jon, yes!” I exclaimed. This day was starting out terrifically. Heavy sarcasm, right there. It was Monday and I had two days to pack. Must I always do this stuff in the last minute?

“To Josh,” he added.

“Yeah.”

“To Josh Anderson.”

“Yes!”

“Alright then. Just clearing things up,” he flashed an innocent smile to me.

“Is he always so depressed?” I asked suddenly. Josh looks like the kind of person that doesn’t usually smile.

“Well, I wouldn’t blame him. For what he’s been through, losing love hurts, ya know.” Jonathon said pettily.

“What happened to him?”

“He didn’t tell you?” I shook my head. “I don’t really think I’m the right person to do it.”

“Jonathon!”

“Alright! God, chillax pregnant lady.” He teased. I only narrowed my eyes.

“Josh’s fiancé died in a car crash-”

“Josh has a fiancé?”

“Yes, ex-fiancé, but thank you very much for interrupting.”

I blushed. “Sorry. Please continue.”

“They were together for…three years, I think and then he popped the question. He was so in love with her. He was always happier around her. Dixie, that’s her name, was deeply in love with him too. She obviously said yes. The next night, she died in a car crash by a drunk driver. Josh never seemed to smile again. He never talked that much. He never really laughed. He didn’t move on. Until you came in.”

“Me?”

“It could be fate or just coincidence but I’d like to think its fate. More romantic that way. At the day you went to that club, he decided to move on. And in order for him to move on, he has to be with another woman…you know, sexually. I don’t think he’s ever slept with anyone else since Dixie died. And that was a year ago.”

“Wow.”

“Yup. And if you haven’t noticed, his family is friggin’ happy you’re marrying him. He’ll probably move on soon.”

“So I’m like…a replacement?” I asked, slightly hurt by his family’s intentions.

“Not really. Dixie was a lot different then you.”

“You know, I really don’t feel right to be married to him after all he’s been through. That’s pretty harsh. He kinda deserves to be with someone he’s actually in love or at least like with.”

Jonathon only shrugged. “I think you guys look adorable together.” I stared at him suspiciously, my gay radar beeping rapidly in my head.

“We always fight though. And we have not one thing in common!”

“Well, you know what they say: Opposites attracts.”

I waved him off just as a customer walked in the store, inspecting a painting that costed more than my three weeks check combined.

--

It was Wednesday. The Wednesday. The Wednesday Josh is coming to pick me up. To his place. To live at his place. Forever.

I think I died a little just inside. Maybe I’m exaggerating. Or maybe I’m not.

“Ready to go?” Courtney asked. I glanced around my empty room; my shelves, bed, and desk were the only thing in this room that I couldn’t take with me.

“Sure, is he here?” I asked.

“He said he’ll be here in…five more minutes.”

Courtney had managed to find a roommate to take my place. Her name was Cyndi Baxter. She has vibrant purple hair that she seems to pull it off, and she carries around a guitar in a park and playing for people for free. She doesn’t have a job. Her parents give her two thousand dollars to do whatever she wants to survive. She’ll be moving in by tomorrow.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

That echoing sound that would lead to hell. I’m exaggerating, again. Courtney walked over to get the door.

“Come in,” she offered. He obliged.

He stopped mid-way and his eyes seem to pop out.

“Those are all your things?”

I nodded miserably. I only had a suitcase with my clothes, the rest are just boxes of my junk I want to keep with me. Mostly books.

“Fine. Come on, let’s get moving.” He took in two boxes to his arms and began trudging downstairs to his car. I rolled my suitcase, since it has wheels, and followed him. Courtney carried a box and strayed behind us wordlessly. We repeated the process twice more, Josh did most of the work. But I’m not complaining.

“I guess this is good bye,” I muttered to my best friend.

“No way. It’s see you later.” I smiled at her. We gave each other hugs. Josh was inside his car, honking impatiently at us.

“I should get going,” I said finally.

“Later Beth.”

“Later Bethford.”

--

“Welcome home, Miss Beth,” it was the man from a couple of weeks ago. He was that butler.

“Um thank you Mister…”

“Call me Thomas.”

“Alright, thank you Thomas.” I smiled at him.

“Call someone to get her stuff from my car and put it in my room, kay?” Josh asked Thomas, who smiled and nodded.

“Sure thing, young sir.”

Josh stride towards the elevator. It ‘ding’ and he pressed the number of where his room was. It was the tallest one.

We fell into a lapse of silence and I took my time to observe him. His hair was messy; he was wearing a grey long sleeve with a black coat, jeans, and vans. Casual, but he looked good. I wasn’t going to say that out loud though.

When we reached it, he walked out and turned left to a huge door in front of me. He used the familiar key he gave me and unlocked it.

I walked in hesitantly. I don’t know how I didn’t notice it before but the beauty of this place struck me. Most of the walls were glass so it was see through. I could see New York City and its busy street from up here. And if I squinted my eyes farther, I could see the outline of the Statue of Liberty. The view was incredible.

To the right was a vast hallway that led to two doors. They were open so I could see what was in it. One was a bedroom and the other was the washing room. The kitchen was filled with luxurious furniture. The black, granite counter seemed spotless and clean. Next to the kitchen was a small dining room. A small chandelier was over a glass table that two people could sit. There was another hallway to the left but it was narrow and did not seem as beautiful.

The living room was possible the biggest. A huge plasma screen was attached to the vanilla colored wall. I noticed a sound system around the room. Game systems were scattered under the plasma. Next to it was a shelf of DVDs and games. A black furry rug was buried under the white couch and coffee table.

Behind the couch was a light brown bookshelf that books filled. Even with all this stuff, I must admit, the place seems...empty. The walls look...bland, in a way. Like there's something suppose to be there, but what?

“Welcome to my humble home,” Josh announced, throwing his keys on the kitchen counter and looked at me.

“It’s beautiful,” I commented.

He shrugged, “It’s alright.” I stared at him incredulously.

“Oh, and I hope you’re not allergic to cats.” At the cue, a black cat came purring around. I shook my head.

“No. I’m not.”

“Good, ‘cause I would never give away Coco.”