Let This Go [part five]

"You forgot??" Hayley asked increduously. "You forgot? How lame can you get, Josh? Oh my gosh, what is wrong with you?"
Josh was sitting with his head buried in his arms. "I don't know what I was thinking," he said, his voice muffled. He lifted his head. "I guess I sort of panicked and chickened out."
"Understatement of the century!" scoffed Hayley. "I'll have a word with her."
Josh raised an eyebrow. "Nothing embarassing, right?"
Hayley waved a hand. "I know what I'm doing."
"That's what I'm worried about..." said Josh quietly.

"What's up?" Hayley asked Katii. Katii was lying on her back in the middle of the juniors' lawn, staring up at the sky.
"Nothing..."
"Don't be ridiculous! I'm your best friend and I know something's up." Hayley looked at Katii. "Is it Josh?"
"Why does everyone think this is about Josh? The world doesn't revolve around Mr Joshua Neil Farro. People have better things to think about!" exploded Katii.
"It's Josh," said Hayley knowingly. "Do you like him?"
Katii groaned and rolled over onto her side. "For God's sake...sorry."
Hayley smiled. "It's OK. Why wouldn't you? He's totally hot."
"So why don't you date him?" replied Katii grumpily.
Hayley burst out laughing. "Katii! That's just yuck! I've know Josh since like, forever and he's like a brother to me. Can you just spell incest?"
Katii managed a small smile. "Well, if you put it like that."
Hayley crossed her legs and leaned back. The sky was a clear blue today. It was a beautiful day. "I understand if you like him. I mean, like like."
Katii didn't reply a first. "I don't want to ruin our friendship," she paused. "Oh wait, we don't have that anymore cos he obviously doesn't trust me. So we don't have anything. Clean slate. Back to square one."
Hayley sighed. "He does trust you!"
"He doesn't."
"Katii."
"Then why wouldn't he tell me all about this big secret? Will you tell me?"
"I'm sure he has his reasons. And, it's not really my secret to tell."
"So it's a no then? Well," Katii got up and brushed off the grass from her knees. "Bye." She strode off towards the library.
"For G-" Hayley clenched her fists at Katii and Josh's stubborness. She wanted to bash both their heads together. Then Josh came up to her. he looked down at the frustrated Hayley.
"So I'm guessing it didn't work?" he asked.
"Farro, you're on your own, I'm afraid," she said.

The minute school ended and the bell rang, signalling home time, Josh ran to Katii's locker. A few minutes later, she arrived but the look on her face when she saw him was not very encouraging.
"Oh it's you," she muttered. "What, did you forget something?"
"It's just..." all his courage ebbed away. "Be prepared for a surprise this evening." he told her before brushing past. Katii stared at him.
"What are you talking about, Farro?" she called after him but he didn't hear or pretended not to. Katii pondered on his words as she walked home but soon forgot about it.

Katii was sitting cross-legged on her bed, with her laptop when she heard a sharp tap on her window. She jumped and squinted at it bu saw nothing so she thought nothing of it.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
"What the?" Katii got up and drew the curtains impatiently. She looked around and upon seeing nothing, opened the door and let herself out onto her balcony. She looked down and...almost jumped out of her skin. "Josh? What are you doing here?"
"I told you to be prepared for a surprise," he grinned up at her.
Katii rolled her eyes. "Go away, I'm not talking to you." and was about to turn away when he called back, "You already are. Katii?"
"What?"
"Come down here for a sec."
"No," she scoffed.
"Please? I just want to show you something."
"So? I'm not coming."
"Aw c'mon."

In the end, her curiousity got the better of her. Katii padded silently down the stairs and out the front door. She immediately spotted Josh and ran up to him. "What?" she hissed.
"Over here," He took her hand and led her under the big tree that was sitting outside Katii's room.
"What? This had been be good," she growled, folding her arms.
"You know that thing I forgot?"
"Yes."
"Well," Josh stepped closer to her. Katii's heartbeat speeded up a little. "I just remembered."
"Spill then."

But what he did next took Katii by surprise. She was caught completely off guard. Josh reached out and kissed her on the lips. It wasn't even a proper kiss; just lips brushing, but was enough to make Katii feel like her heart had skipped a beat.
"That's what I wanted to tell you," said Josh quietly. He stroked her delicate cheekbone. "So you're not mad at me?"
Katii turned her face up towards his. "Hell no." and kissed him back.

And then it started to rain.

On My Headphones? When It Rains by Paramore