When Josh woke up, it was already midnight.."wow, stress has really taken a toll on me." He sat up and stretched his limbs. He felt a crack on his nape. "Ouch! I must have slept in a single position." He massaged his nape. He left his room to the living room, where he saw someone sleeping on his couch. He walked forward and frowned, seeing it was Daniel. He walked around and tapped Daniel lightly which made him move.
Daniel woke up. On seeing Josh, he smiled and sat down tapping the sit for Josh to sit next to him. "Bro, you're awake finally." Before Josh will reply him, he suddenly wrapped his arm around Josh's neck and pulled him close.
Josh was shocked at the sudden behavior of his friend. He immediately pushed him away. "Dude, what are you doing."
Daniel chuckled and pulled him closer. "Aww bro, just tell me you need some love."
Josh was speechless at his silly friend attitude. He pushed him harder this time. "Get away from me." He quickly got up and ran to the kitchen. He yelled from there. "Go home Daniel!"
Daniel went to the kitchen and rested on the door. "Come here baby. You need some loving." He moved closer to Josh.
Josh who was drinking water immediately spat it out. "Eew don't come any closer. In Jesus name, I rebuke you!" He scurried away from the kitchen.
Daniel couldn't control his laughter anymore as he followed Josh back to the living room. "Oh my God. I have never seen you like that before bro."
Josh threw the nearest pillow at Daniel. "Shut up!"
Daniel frowned. "Hey why are you always harsh? I tried to make you feel better."
Josh saw his best friend sulking like a child. "Cos you're stupid Daniel."
Daniel stared at Josh in shock. "You just broke my heart my love."
Josh laughed. "God forbid. I am not your love."
Daniel looked at Josh and smiled. "You have finally smiled today."
Josh stopped laughing and looked at Daniel. "So that was your plan? huh."
Daniel sat beside him and hugged him. "Keep smiling bro."
Josh smirked at his friend's affection. "Why won't I smile. Leave me it's gross."
Daniel chuckled. "You are so mean."
"I know." He picked up the tv remote to change the channel.
Daniel grabbed it from his hand. "I'm watching that."
Josh looked at him amused. "Dude, it's spongebob squarepants."
Daniel turned to look at him and smiled. "I love it." Josh sighed and left the sitting room. "Go home Daniel!"
Daniel replied him. "Is too late baby."
Josh came back to the living room and smacked Daniel's head from behind. "Don't say that. Infact, give me the remote." He grabbed the remote from Daniel.
Daniel cried in pain. "Ouch! Oh no you didn't..." He slapped Josh's head and ran away.
"Ouch, Daniel!" Josh chased him around the house.
After an hour of chasing and slapping, Josh and Daniel slept on the floor, with Daniel hand on Josh's face and Josh's leg on Daniel's stomach.
The next morning, Josh woke up first meeting Daniel almost lying on him. He pushed him away and Daniel landed on the floor with a loud thud. Daniel didn't even wake up. Instead, his snoring became louder. Josh shook his head at his friend's silly nature. He looked at the time and got up to get ready for work.
After getting ready to go, he still saw Daniel fast asleep. "I wonder when he will wake up." He left the house. He looked down the road hoping he would see his calm and sensible friend unlike Daniel. "I guess she is not ready, or she has gone already." He walked down the road to go to work.
He reached the store and went inside. There, he saw Sabrina who was listening to music while cleaning the store, and dancing at the same time. He chuckled seeing her sway her hips. She was obviously feeling the music.
Sabrina didn't know when Josh came in as she was cleaning the shelves. And the door was behind her. She suddenly felt a light tap on her shoulder. She turned to see who the person was. She flinched seeing it was Daniel. She immediately removed the earphones and placed it behind her.
"Good morning Sabrina." Josh smiled knowing Sabrina felt embarrassed. "You are quite a good dancer you know."
"Ah y y yes. My dad taught me." She knew Josh was trying to please her. she was a terrible dancer. She went back to the counter. "How is Daniel?" She managed to change the topic.
"Oh yes. He is fine he is resting at home."
"Okay". Mrs Williams came out of her office and saw Josh talking to Sabrina.
"Good morning Josh." She smiled at him.
"Good morning ma'am." He still felt bad lying to Mrs Williams. But it was for the best.
"And how is Daniel?"
"He is fine. He is resting at home." He hoped for the conversation to stop. Because, he couldn't lie like this. Fortunately, someone entered the shop and he sighed In relief. It later became unfortunate because, the person who entered was Daniel!
"Good morning everyone." Daniel smiled and waved at them. He was confused as to why they all had a surprise look on their faces, including Josh. He checked himself to see where he went wrong in his outfit.
Mrs Williams looked at him with concern. "My dear, why did you come out when you are meant to rest?"
Daniel was confused. "Rest? Why?"
Josh went to him and grabbed his shoulder tight. "Yes Daniel after the accident yesterday that I had to leave work early yesterday." He stressed those last words hoping Daniel will understand, which Daniel immediately did. "I told you to rest."
"Ah, yes. No one was at home. So, I decided to come by myself to buy milk."
"Oh okay." Mrs Williams left to get milk from the fridge. "Here you go." She handed the milk to him.
"Thanks ma'am." As he was about to pay, she stopped him. "No need to pay my dear it's okay."
"Aww you so kind ma'am, thanks."
"How did you get involved in the accident?" She asked as she checked where he was injured.
Daniel and Josh looked at each other. "I was hit by a bus." "He was hit by a bike." They said simultaneously, which left the two women confused.
Josh glared at Daniel who immediately shut his mouth. "Don't mind him ma'am. What he meant was that the accident felt like being hit by a bus."
"Yes. It was that painful for me." He laughed nervously.
Mrs Williams laughed. "Oh you are so funny Daniel. Where is it hurting?"
Josh had no answer. So he hoped that Daniel will have a reasonable answer, which he did not have.
"In my umm.. groin and belly." He touched them and immediately removed his hand when he noticed Sabrina looking at him.
Josh closed his eyes in shame. ' How did I come across this fool?'.
Mrs Williams hissed like she was in pain. "It would have been painful. Please go home now and take some rest."
"Okay ma'am. See you later Josh. Bye Sabrina." He left the store limping as if he was truly in pain.
Mrs Williams went back to her office, and Josh and Sabrina started their work for the day.
Later in the evening, Mrs Williams dismissed both of them, since they were not much customers that day. Josh and Sabrina were walking home together. She kept stealing glances at him, which he immediately noticed. "Am I that handsome Sabrina?"
She coughed lightly as she was completely embarrassed. "You are not." He raised an eyebrow. "I mean. I wasn't looking at you."
He suddenly stood in front of her. Which made her worried. 'Is he angry at me?'. He stared at her face.
Sabrina was a beauty to behold. Her long waist length black hair which was dancing to the breeze made her look very beautiful. She had pure black eyes and long curly lashes. Sabrina was from indian descent with her mom being Indian, and her dad being white. She had a very cute little face which had freckles from her cheek, nose to the other cheek. And her cute little pointy nose, with her small lips. She was average in height. But when she stood in front of Josh. Her head stopped right in front of his chest. He kept staring at her as he was thinking about something.
Sabrina was sure that her face was already too red. She broke the silence between them. "Is there anything on my face?"
He came out of his thoughts. "Nope. I was just thinking, since it's still early, we can hang out, so we can know each other better."
Sabrina felt butterflies in her stomach. "Yeah, sure. I wasn't going to do anything at home anyways."
"Okay then. let's go." They went into the streets.
As they were walking, Sabrina sighted a street vendor selling cotton candy. It's been long since she had one so she told Josh.
"Will you care for some barbe à papa?" She pointed to the cotton candy machine.
"Barba what?" Josh was confused at the name she called the cotton candy.
Sabrina laughed at his look. " It means papa's beard in French. That is how they call cotton candy."
"Ohhh. Do you know how other languages call it?"
" Yes. In England, is called candy floss. While in Australia and Finland, is called fairy floss. In the Netherlands, is called suikerspin which means 'suger spider.' "
"Wow! You are really a fan of cotton candy." He laughed amused at her knowledge of cotton candy.
She grinned. "It's my favorite." They both went to the vendor and bought two.
They kept on walking side by side. Sabrina was really busy in eating her cotton candy that she didn't even notice Josh looking at her and chuckling. She realised it when she was done with it. " Why are you looking at me like that?"
"You really love it." He put his hands in his pocket and sighed. " It's been long since I have been out like this. Not even with Daniel." He looked at the man who was playing a guitar is on the side of the road. He moved foward and put a dollar in the man's cap, which was lying at the front.
Sabrina and Josh stood with a couple of people to listen to his music. Sabrina looked at Josh as he closed his eyes. The breeze swept through his curly hair making some fall on his face. Sabrina felt herself melt in his looks. 'I will love to know you more. But how long will I hold my feelings that is about to explode?' She quickly removed her gaze the moment he opened his eyes.
They say down on a bench in a park, looking at the couples who were together. Sabrina vowed that if she ever dates Josh, she will come here for a picnic with him.
She decided to talk to him. "So tell me about yourself."
He sighed before he began. "Well My full name is Joshua Matthews. Son of Kyle Matthews. I am an only child. I am an orphan. He considered himself that, since his mother was dead to him a long time ago, and the only parent he ever had was his father, who was brutally murdered. "My dad died when I was five. And my mom.... She died a long time ago."
"I'm so sorry to hear that."
He chuckled. "It's okay. What about you?"
"Well I have told you about my parents. I lived with my aunt when my dad died. She passed away due to cancer last year."
"Wow! I am so sorry. You have been through a lot." He gently patted her back."
She laughed. "Hey is not only me, you also have been through a lot. We have been through a lot okay?"
He smiled. "Yeah." They spoke for a long time before going home.
They reached her home. "Thanks Josh." She smiled.
"Thank you also. It's been long since I went out like this. See you tomorrow madam." He saluted which made her laugh.
"See you tomorrow. And I hope one day, I will be invited to your house."
"Sure anytime you are ready." They bid each other goodbye before she went inside, and he walked home.