I Don't Wanna Be Alone Ch. 6 [Hayley Williams & Josh Farro]

AGE 16
So it was the day of my 16th birthday - December 27th, aka the day that marked 8 months of Josh and Brittany's relationship.
While I was never very big on the whole, 'Sweet Sixteen' party thing, Melanie was.
So of course, that evening, when I came home from the convience mart on the corner, I was scared to death by two dozen people jumping out at me and screaming, 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY!'
I stood in the doorway, my eyes wide.
''Melanie, did you -'' I started, looking around at my living room.
It was decked out with ribbons and balloons, a big happy sweet 16th banner strung across the back wall - it looked like Melanie had gotten people to write birthday wishes on it. There was our old poker table, covered with a plastic tablecloth, and boasting an impressive amount of cookies, candy, chips, and drinks. A chorus of a Sunny Day Real Estate song that I didn't recognize played in the background.
''YEP! But it wasn't all me,'' Melanie said, pointing to Zac and Josh, who stood behind her, grinning like goons. ''Like it, Hay?!'' she exclaimed, as she sprung out from behind the couch, and threw herself at me, in a tackle-hug.
''Yeah.. Wow. This is amazing. Thanks, guys!'' I said, feeling pure joy, and hugging my best friend back.
We pulled apart, and Zac grinned, ''Like the new mixtape playing in the stereo?'' he asked.
''What? I knew it was new! Thanks Zac!'' I said, giving him a hug.
He hugged me back. ''Don't give me all the credit. Josh helped pick the songs.''
Josh smiled crookedly. ''Thought you'd like some new tunes.''
''Yeah! These are so rad. Thanks,'' I said, smiling, but awkwardly standing there, not knowing whether to hug him or not.
Melanie must have sensed the tension, because at that moment, she exclaimed, ''Hey guys! Music? Dancing? Yeahh?''
Did I mention Melanie was the most amazing life-saver in the history of life-savers?
She walked over to the stereo in the corner of the room, and turned up the music full blast, as she started swaying her hips to the beat.
Soon enough, everyone followed her lead, and my living room was full of people dancing, laughing, and talking.
Melanie pulled me through the crowd and towards her, and began to dance with me, spinning me around as though we were doing the tango or something.
I laughed as she plucked a flower from the vase on our coffee table and placed it in her mouth, ''May I have this dance, senorita?'' she asked me, in a terrible imitation of a spanish accent.
''Si, senor,'' I giggled, as she smirked and began to wildly flail around, with her hands clutching mine.
As she and I flailed around, spinning and twirling insanely, I saw Josh out of the corner of my eye.
He and Zac stood on the opposite side of the room, drinks in their hands, and Zac seemed to be saying something to him.
Josh wasn't paying attention.
He was staring at me.
I stopped dancing and felt my cheeks flush.
''What?'' Melanie asked, looking at me oddly.
''Nothing, nothing. I'm just... Kinda thirsty, is all,'' I replied, raising my voice to be heard over the sound of the music.
''Oh, okay. Save me another dance, will you?'' she asked, smiling.
I nodded, and she swayed away towards the other side of the room.
I decided I needed to go to the bathroom, maybe splash a bit of cold water on my cheeks. I was probably overreacting. The only reason Josh was staring at me was because Melanie and I were jumping around wildly.
That's all.
And besides, he had Brittany.
He couldn't possibly like me. I was just the friend always there for him, but never ever the girlfriend.
After a good ten minutes in the bathroom, I came out to find that the music had been turned down and that everyone was sitting on the couch & the chairs surrounding the coffee table.
There was an old plastic bowl with slips of paper in it standing on the table.
I looked around at everyone, and before I even had a chance to ask what was going on, Melanie explained it to me.
''We're playing seven minutes in heaven. You get to go first because you're the birthday girl!'' she exclaimed, a glint of a plan in her eyes.
I didn't like this one bit.
''Melanie, I don't wanna -'' I started, but it was too late. She had already grabbed a name out of the bowl for me.
She opened the paper slowly, apparently trying to build up the anticipation in the room.
I felt myself squirming.
''And the lucky guy getting to go in the closet with our dear friend Hayley here is..... JOSH FARRO!'' she boomed, doing her best impression of one of those television announcers on the gameshows.
...WHAT?
I looked at her, unbelieving. She had to have set this up. It was no coincidence.