10. Chapter 8

"Suse, this whole Briosh thing is killing me," I whine over the phone to my best friend as I sit on my couch, my legs tucked up under me. Being the center of focus is something I really hate. It reminds me of what it was like my first few months in Pleasant Hollow after my parents died. If not for Susie and Josh I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have made it.

"Oh come on! It's all just good fun." Susie laughs at me. "This is the most exciting thing to happen in town since Mr. Smith accidentally dyed his hair purple."

"That was pretty hilarious." A laugh escapes as I remember the incident. If not for Delia he would've had to wait for it to fade.

"Just have fun with this," Susie soothes. "It's you and Josh, everyone's been talking about the two of you for years. The only difference now is that you're on Tea Time's radar."

"What?" I yelp.

"What?" She returns. False innocence dripping from her voice.

"What do you mean people have been talking for years?"

"Come on, Brie. You and Josh are always at each other's throats. Everyone has wondered if there was something more going on than what it seemed." She says it like she didn't just drop an atomic bomb on my world. I immediately stand up and start pacing around my living room.

"You know that's not true. All we ever do is argue. He's the most annoying person I know," I protest.

"So you both keep telling me." She sighs. "What are you going to do about your car? Are you getting it fixed?"

"I see what you did there." She laughs as I chide her for changing the subject, but can't deny the sense of relief I feel that she did.

Why would everyone be talking about Josh and me? I mean seriously, all we ever do is bicker. His smirking face with his dimple on full display pops into my head and I feel a tinge of butterflies in my stomach. I quickly shoo them away.

"Yeah, I have too. I do not want my nickname to come back."

"I forgot about that!" She chuckles on the other end of the line.

"I haven't," I groan. "Got gas, Brie?" Became "Brie's got gas". I could've murdered your brother for that one."

"He started it, but did you know that he also got everyone to stop?"

"What?" Surprise evident in my voice. "Really?"

"Yup," Susie says seriously. "He didn't realize how everyone would take it and run with it. You ran out of gas four more times after that. Didn't you ever wonder why the nickname never resurfaced?"

"No, I was just relieved that it didn't," I whisper, as I think about what she just said. I was so mortified by everyone teasing me that I never paid attention to how short lived it was or that it never happened again. "Hmmm."

"Yup. All Josh." My heart skips a beat and a small smile creeps across my face as I think of Josh being all protective. The thought does funny things to my heart.

Just then my phone vibrates and I look to see a text from Bill.

"Susie, hold on one sec. Bill is texting."

Bill:Hey Brie. I wasn't able to find a used part for you unfortunately. I can have the new part in tomorrow and have it done by the end of the day.

Bill:Cost will be twelve hundred dollars.

I groan.

"That bad, huh?"

"Yeah. It's going to cost twelve hundred dollars to fix."

"OUCH!" Susie exclaims.

"Yeah, but he can have it done tomorrow."

"Well that's good news."

"Yes, but not for my savings account," I whimper.

"Maybe you should consider getting a new car," Susie suggests. "The Jetta is getting old."

"I am driving my beautiful car until I can't drive it anymore." I start texting Bill back.

Me: Great Bill, and thank you! I'll drop the car off first thing tomorrow before school.

Bill:Sounds good. See you tomorrow.

Bill:#Briosh

"UGH!" I groan and smack my hand to my forehead.

"What now?" I can hear Susie's grin through the phone.

I rub my hand down my face and take a deep breath. "Is this Briosh thing ever going to go away?"

"Not until something more exciting happens." She laughs. "Right now people are very excited about you and Josh."

"Susie, there is no ‘me and Josh'," I use my fingers for air quotes.

"If you say so," she sing-songs and I groan.

"Seriously!"

"Keep telling yourself that. Gotta run." I hear three beeps as she hangs up.

Keep telling myself that? WHAT?!

I swear I'm living in an alternate universe where everything I knew to be true is now turned upside down. I look around my living room to see if Doctor Strange is lurking around somewhere.

I'm just finishing up my workout when I hear my phone buzz. I pick it up, head to the kitchen to grab a glass of water when I look at who's texting. My eyes widen as I see Josh's name.

Josh:Hey Brie. What are you doing?

Me:Do you mean right now?

Josh: Yes. Was that really such a hard question Brain-anne?

I shake my head and roll my eyes.

Me:Cute. Nothing, I just finished working out.

Me:Why. What's up?

Josh: Can you meet me at the park in about thirty minutes?

I re-read that text again, not sure that what I read was what I read.

Josh wants to meet up? With me?

Okay so it's not that crazy but it's definitely strange. I start to worry and wonder if he got bad news about his shoulder.

Me: Is everything okay?

Josh:Yeah, everything is good. I just want to talk to you about something but don't want to do it over the phone.

Okay. Now I'm really confused.

Stop it, Brie! You're looking for something that isn't there. This whole Briosh thing, and Susie, has you paranoid.

Me:Okay. Where do you want to meet?

Josh:How is the bench by the tall maple tree?

Me:Okay. See you in thirty.

I put my phone down and head upstairs for a quick shower. I don't question why I feel the need to make sure I'm not sweaty when I see Josh. I just don't like to be sweaty. It definitely has nothing to do with him.

Twenty minutes later, in jeans and a long sleeved navy t-shirt with my hair falling down my back, I hop into my car and head over to the bench by the maple tree. My heart is racing, my palms are sweaty and the butterflies are back, flitting around in my stomach.

Seriously Brie, relax. It'sjust Josh.

A long time ago, before Josh was the biggest pain in my rear end, I used to think about spending time with him, in the park at that bench.

I park the car and see Josh sitting on the bench waiting. He has his head in his hands and looks like he has the weight of the world on his shoulders. I get out of the car and close the door. At the sound, he lifts his head and looks in my direction.

A smile that stretches from ear to ear spreads across his face and I feel my knees turn to jelly. My body stops moving and I swear I could melt into a puddle right here and now.

Move, Brie.I mentally chastise myself and start walking toward Josh again.

"Thanks for meeting up with me," he says, the smile reaching his eyes and my breath catches.

"Sure. No problem." Get a hold of yourself, girl. This is Josh, remember? The guy who vexes you above all others. "What's up?"

"Well…that's a bit of an interesting story." I cross my arms and narrow my eyes at him.

"Oh? Pray tell, Mr. Owens. What is this interesting story?" I notice him look down at the ground, kick an invisible rock with his foot and I burst out laughing.

The great Josh Owens is nervous. A mischievous grin slides across my face.

Ohthis is going to be fun.