Chapter 1
“Bitch, get down here now!” Josh screams, his voice echoing through the house like he’s auditioning for a horror movie.
I grip the laundry basket in one hand and nearly trip over my cat, Bibbles, while trying to navigate the stairs. Josh is always dramatic, but today? He’s on another level of annoying.
When I finally reach the bottom, I hit him with a questioning look and a raised eyebrow. He smirks back, mischief mode: fully activated.
“I’ve got the biggest news for you, the fucking biggest,” he says, “but we need wine first. And like... a lot of it.”
I can’t help but grin. “Fine. I’ll pour you spill.”
Josh bolts to the fridge and pulls out a bottle of red wine that looks like it’s been ageing since the Stone Age. Dust literally poofs off the top when he blows on it. I set the laundry basket down, plop into a chair, and try to act casual even though I’m so tired.
“So... you remember Oakridge Primary High School?” he asks, sliding into his seat with a grin the size of a watermelon.
“Ugh. How could I forget? That place was the bane of my entire existence.” I sigh like a Victorian ghost. “I dreaded those halls. Literally something out of Nightmare on Elm Street.”
Josh bounces in his seat like a toddler who just found the sugar stash, his legs bouncing underneath him. “Well, we’ve been invited to the Oakridge Primary High School reunion! Class of 2014!”
He claps his hands like an overexcited seal, and I immediately scoff.
“Yeah, right. Like I’m going to that. I was twelve when I started at that hellhole, and you know who, who made my life a living hell the whole time? That little asshole who was three years ahead of me and still picked on me!” I cross my arms like a grumpy toddler.
“Oh, you mean Kayden Price?” Josh says, completely nonchalantly, like he just asked if I wanted fries with that.
I shoot him a death glare. “Shhh! Don’t say his name out loud! It’s bad luck! People say if you say it three times, he appears in your mirror!”
Josh bursts out laughing. I do not.
“I’m serious, Josh! That jerk got held back so many times that he was in my class when I was twelve, and he was fourteen, dumbass!” I down the last drop of wine like it’s medicine.
Josh stands up dramatically and pretends to pull up an imaginary pair of pants. “Oh, come on! It’ll be fun! That was seven years ago. You’re nineteen now. Time to put your big-girl pants on.”
I glare at him. “When the hell is it?”
“Tuesday!” he says, beaming like a golden retriever who just saw a squirrel.
My glare intensifies. “That’s in two days.If I go, I’ll probably have to see Emily. You remember her, right? The queen bitch.”
Josh smirks at the memory. “The little slut had no titties and still got all the guys. So unfair.”
I smirk back. “You know what she doesn’t have that I do?”
Josh chuckles, ‘Her virginity!’ he says, raising an eyebrow.
I feel my face turn the colour of a tomato. “Oh my God, Josh! Get your head out of the gutter! I was going to say morals.”
He raises an eyebrow. “Aren’t those basically the same thing?”
I chuckle despite myself. “No, they’re not! A girl can enjoy sex just as much as a guy without being a slut. I refuse to lower my morals just to insult her.”
“Fine. I’ve already done it for you,” he quips, snatching my wine glass and drinking the last drop.
I get up and head to the toaster. “Do you want some peanut butter, banana, and honey on toast?”
He sticks out his tongue. “If you’d said Domino’s meat feast pizza, I’d be so down. You know how I feel about meat on pizza. But peanut butter, banana, and honey on toast? Absolutely not.”
I laugh. “Well, Seth is going to be at the party. Are you going to be okay? Think you can keep it in your pants?”
Josh rolls his eyes dramatically at the mention of Seth. Seth was the guy Josh fell in love with while he was still deep in the closet. The guy who nearly got a girl pregnant just to please his dad. Seth wasn’t even fully gay; he was bi, and he cheated on Josh with a girl, shattering his heart. And yet... if Seth called, Josh would be on the first bus. Pathetic, but also kind of relatable.
Josh chuckles, ‘I hope I’m alright. If not, I might end up crying like a baby, which would not be a good look for either of us.’
I cut up the banana. “Hey, watch it. I asked if you were hungry, and you made that disgusted face.”
I swat his hand away from the other piece of toast.
“So... I’m hungry now,” he mumbles with a shrug, and swipes it anyway.
“Nooo, stop”
It’s too late. He’s already licking the toast and grinning.He’s a complete menace.
“Here.” He hands it back with a smug, expert smile.
“All yours, assface,” I say, rolling my eyes.
As I finish my toast, Josh leans back in his chair, suddenly thoughtful. “So, what’s the plan for the reunion? Do we just show up and pretend to be fabulous, or do we need, like... a strategy?”
I chuckle. “A strategy? For a bunch of people we barely knew? We show up, drink a lot of wine, and leave before anyone asks anything about our lives.”
Josh raises an eyebrow. “But what if they ask about our jobs? Our relationships? I’d rather not be that awkward guy who has to admit he’s still working at the supermarket while everyone else is out achieving success as CEOs.
“Relax. No one actually cares. Besides, you can just say you’re pursuing your passion for... I don’t know, ‘fine arts’ or something.”
He stares at me in horror. “Fine arts? Please. I’d rather admit I still live with my parents.”
I laugh. “Okay, okay. How about ‘creative consultant’? Sounds fancy.”
He pretends to think. “Hmm. Very vague. I like it. ‘Oh, I consult on the finer points of the snack selection.’ “I creatively solve the world’s problems, one meme at a time.”
“Exactly! Now you’re getting it. Just roll with the punches. And if anyone gives you a hard time, remind them you have a killer sense of humour.”
Josh chuckles, but his eyes go uncertain. “What if I see Seth? What if he’s with someone? I thought I was over him, but...”
I reach across the table and put my hand on his. “You’re stronger than you think. You survived him once. You can do it again. He’s not worth your tears.”
He takes a deep breath. “You’re right. I’ll keep my distance. If I see him, I’ll pretend he’s invisible.”
“Or better yet, pretend he’s a giant cockroach.”
He bursts out laughing. “Ugh, don’t say that! Now I’ll be grossed out all night. I might just throw my drink on him.”
“Now that’s a plan I can get behind,” I joke. “Just don’t make a scene. We don’t need to be the main event.”
Josh sips his wine, looking thoughtful again. “Do you think everyone else has their lives together? Like, do they have love or purpose or... whatever?”
“Who knows?” I shrug. “Some probably do. Most are probably faking it. Everyone puts on a brave face. You never know what’s really going on.”
“True,” he says. “It’s just weird to think we’re all adults now. Sometimes I still feel like that awkward kid trying to fit in.”
“I get that. But look at us now, we survived high school and came out somewhat functional. That’s more than I can say for some people.”
Josh chuckles and says, ‘Functional is a bit of a stretch, isn’t it? More like just a tad less dysfunctional.’
“Exactly. And we have each other. That counts for something.”
Josh stands up and stretches dramatically. “Well, it’s settled. We’ll drink our way through the awkwardness and laugh about it later. Right, Etty?”
“Right! And if all else fails, we’ll just pretend to be someone else. I could totally rock a fake identity.”
“Now you’re talking,” Josh says, grinning ear to ear. “I’ll be the rich, successful artist. You can be my charming and witty sidekick. Together, we’ll survive this reunion.”
“Or at least make it entertaining,” I reply, grinning wildly.
The reunion doesn’t feel so terrifying. Maybe we’ll actually have fun.
Two Days Later
“Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up, WAKE UP!” Josh shouts, bouncing on my bed like a hyperactive toddler on a sugar high.
I nearly kick him off my legs in a desperate attempt to escape. “What, Josh?!” I groan, my voice thick with sleep as I rub the morning eye boogers out of my eyes.
“It’s high school reunion day, and it’s officially six a.m.!” he announces, smirking like he’s personally enjoying my suffering.
“You did not just wake me up at six in the morning to tell me that!”
“No, of course not! I woke you up at six a.m. to get you drunk. Then we can sleep it off this afternoon before getting ready to party at seven!”
I roll my eyes and give him my best death glare. It only makes him smirk wider.
“Not happening, Josh. Shut up and lie with me. I’m tired.” I close my eyes and pray for five more minutes.
I am sorely mistaken.
Honestly, I don’t understand morning people. Coffee wakes you up, sure, but what’s so cheerful about being up before the sun? My sister Bella used to wake me up at the crack of dawn, cleaning and singing at the top of her lungs. That’s exactly why I became a night owl.
“Nooo, get up!” Josh insists, jumping up and down again.
“Ugh, fine. But I’m not getting drunk!” I sit up and shove him down next to me. “I can’t believe I let you move in. Worst decision of my life.”
“Hey, that’s the tired eyes talking, not me,” I say, him slapping my arm. “I fell asleep at, like, 1 a.m. last night. Not everyone can fall asleep listening to Ariana Grande and sucking their thumb.”
I smirk. “That’s because not everyone can be as fabulous and tasteful as me.”
I get out of bed with dramatic flair, toss my hair into a messy bun, and shuffle to the bathroom. Josh follows and watches me wash my face like I’m in a nature documentary.
“So,” I say, spitting out toothpaste, “do you need me to be your beard today, or are you cool with Seth knowing you’re fully out of the closet now?”
“Nope. I’m putting my big boy pants on and facing Seth head-on,” he announces with a Cheshire Cat grin.
“Is that code for sleeping with him in the school bathroom like old times?”
He gasps in mock horror. “No! It’s code for... um...” He pauses. “Okay, yeah, it’s code for doing it in the bathroom like old times. Am I really that transparent?”
I giggle. “I remember being terrified every single day, dreading that I’d run into Kayden, while you were getting destroyed in the bathroom.”
“Ah, memories,” Josh says wistfully. Then, out of nowhere: “Midnight memories!”
“Ohhh, ohhhh!” I sing back, and we both burst into a ridiculous duet.
“Come on,” he says, strutting off like he’s on a runway. “Let’s go shopping tonight.”
A couple of hours later
Twenty minutes later, we’re rummaging through racks at the local charity shop. I’m deep in thought when Josh breaks the silence.
“I’m serious. You need to get laid. I heard you the other night.”
“Hey. I knew letting you move in was a terrible idea,” I mumble, avoiding eye contact.
“I heard that!”
“Oh, Daryl Dixon, I’m your girl! Oh yes, I love a man with a big crossbow!” Josh mock-quotes, clutching his chest like he’s about to faint.
My cheeks go nuclear. “Hey, it’s not my fault he’s hot! I’ve been watching a lot of The Walking Dead. It seeps into my subconscious. And when have I ever mentioned your weird crush on Rick from Rick and Morty?”
“You know he’s a dilf,” Josh says smugly.
I cross my arms. “It’s just a silly dream. It doesn’t mean anything. So don’t say I need a man’s touch, because I so do not.”
“Oh, you so do. Let’s see... you’re having sex dreams because you don’t want to be touched? Right.”
I roll my eyes and change the subject. “I don’t get why we’re rushing back to school. I didn’t even finish. I quit looking after Mum.”
Josh hugs me tightly. “You’ll be fine. Right by my side, rocking this.” He hands me an outfit I hadn’t even noticed.
I look at it, then at him, and smirk. “Okay. I’m in.”
A little later
“What do you think?” I ask, doing a little fashion spin, showing off the cool vintage Burgundy Baret hat.
Josh sticks out his tongue. “Eww. Definitely no hat.”
I nod and grab a different hat. “Okay, be honest. Do I look cute?”
“Elena!” Mum shouts from her room.
I rush to her with Josh behind me. Mum looks up at me, then focuses on Josh.
“Oh, Andy! I knew you’d come back for me.” She says, ” Mum has a flair for the dramatics.
Josh steps forward dramatically. “I’m here, June, my love.”
My heart clenches. Mum looks so small and frail.
When I was fifteen, I quit school to take care of her. She got into a car accident with her best friend, Elena. Elena didn’t make it. Mum lived with the guilt of driving that day. Eventually, her mind couldn’t handle it anymore. She started having seizures. The second one was so bad that she hit her head and damaged the part of her brain that holds recent memories.
She’s only fifty-two. Every morning, she forgets me. Sometimes she remembers old things, mostly from before I was born, but they fade just as fast.
I take a deep breath. No matter what happens tonight, Josh will be beside me.
