forum Under Seven Minutes // Private RP

Started April 08, 2019 by @blue_topaz

tune

Laura rubbed her sleepy eyes before blinking, remembering her lenses. She sighed before turning back to Josh, the smile still evident on her features. It grew even more at his words, though she told herself he meant nothing by it.

“You can’t?” She teased. “I’m glad. Is it because I’m so adorable, Josh?”

"If you keep this up," Josh grumbled half-heartedly, chewing on his lower lip. "I really am going to give you extra calculus. By the way—what does red mean? Your lenses."

Laura chuckled nervously, shrinking back slightly. “No provoking until tutoring is done, gotcha,” she said before she paused at his question, reaching to touch her eyes. She grinned at him again. “If I tell you, it would take away the secrecy.”

"Aw, come on." Josh pulled his best puppy-dog expression on, leaning forward for good measure despite his pounding heart. "Please?"

When he leaned closer, Laura’s heart did a magnificent backflip. Her grin wavered a little. God, he was so adorable.

“Um, well… this color represents a positive emotion,” she explained, “Red is usually used for anger and hostility and those negative emotions, but it also displays love and desire and all those other good stuff.”

Josh's heart rose in the same instant it plummeted.

Love and desire… For another man, he was certain. She liked someone else, was probably going on a date with them today and wearing the red contacts as a result of it. What did you think would happen, you idiot?

Struggling to keep a straight face, he lifted an eyebrow. "Love? Who's the special guy?"

Laura’s face nearly exploded in red.

“Love—no, it’s just a crush!” She flailed her arms, trying to get her composure back. What will she do now? The special guy was him! Why did he have to ask that question? “He’s—uh, he’s very sweet. I haven’t known him for that long, but he’s definitely a special guy. But um… I don’t exactly have a chance with him, so… yeah…”

Josh's heart was sinking lower and lower with each passing second. You don't deserve her—of course she doesn't like you. What were you thinking? That you could have had a chance with her?

"I really don't understand how you can think that," he replied after a pause, forcing himself to meet her eyes. "Why don't you have a chance?"

Laura rubbed the back of her neck, casting her eyes down. She couldn’t mess this up. They’d just recently went back to being friends. She didn’t want to make things awkward. If he found out about her feelings…

“He likes someone else,” Laura answered quietly. “I don’t think there’s anyone else in his mind other than her. I’ve never seen him look as happy as he does when he looks at her.”

Josh nodded slowly, sensing he was hitting a nerve. "Sorry for prying. I know the feeling…" He swallowed thickly. "And not just with Violeta. Anyways, good luck with your guy. I'm sure he'll wake up soon enough and see how great you are."

But it’s you, Laura wanted to say. You’re the guy. You’re my guy.

She kept silent, his words ringing in her head. Not just with Violeta. Of course not. There could have been other girls he liked in the past. Violeta wasn’t just the only one.

“Okay, we should probably get started,” Laura breathed, cracking her knuckles. “I want to go home and sleep like there’s no tomorrow.”

"Right." Josh tore his eyes away from her tantalizing ones and fixed them on the table. "Yeah. Did you bring any worksheets you need help on?"

“I did,” Laura nodded as she took out the work she needed to work on. “So this is the chapter we’re working on… I’m confused since day one.”

TIME SKIP - a few days later

"Josh, truth or dare?"

Josh pulled his eyes away from the door and focused them on Kieran, one of the guys in the large circle. A large group was gathered at the back of the party, playing stupid games like Truth or Dare and Kiss or Miss. He didn't normally like parties, but…. a friend had tipped him off that Laura would be there. Unfortunately, she was still nowhere to be seen.

"Truth."

Late. She was late. Laura didn’t know why she was attending, but she wanted a distraction from her hopeless crush on Josh, and she got one. So she took it.

Finally, she climbed out of her friend’s car, her black heel clicking as she walked, her purse over her shoulder. She wanted to dress simply, but enough to leave a long lasting impression. It wasn’t as if she was looking for a hookup, anyway. She didn’t want to, not anymore.

Finally, she entered the house, a bright smile on her features, her green eyes twinkling. Then she intruded in a room, the grin bright on her features.

“Hey, there," she purred. “Missed me?”

Then her eyes fell on Josh and her heart skipped a beat.

(https://pin.it/issuiplaktdhdz Her appearance.)

Josh couldn't stop staring.

There she was, in a dress, grinning and winking without a care in the world. He felt his cheeks heat up as his heart kickstarted, promptly tearing his eyes away.

Laura, he thought, Laura, Laura, Laura,

Laura swallowed thickly when she saw Josh. God, he looked so good. But when had he ever not looked good? Laura didn’t remember. She kept the smile on her face, though her heart was hammering in her chest and her cheeks were heating up.

But then he looked away from her and that was all it took for her smile to falter. She took a seat on the floor, anyway.

“What are you guys doing?” She questioned, crossing her legs.

Laura was a mere two feet away, and Josh was fully convinced he was going to have a heart attack.

"Truth or dare," he answered, struggling to keep his voice flat. "I think it was Ryan's turn?"

Ryan, an older boy with dark skin and short hair, gave a nod and a wicked grin. "Yeah. Since Laura just joined, she gets asked. Truth or dare?"

Laura pouted, scratching her cheek, trying to ignore Josh. Gosh, she just wanted to spend her entire time looking at him, but that wouldn’t work out very well.

“You guys are mean,” she pouted. “I’ll go with dare, then. Make it interesting!”

Ryan arched an eyebrow, and Josh tensed. He didn't like the look in the other boy's eye…..

"I dare you…" His eyes cut to Dante, a boy on the other side of the circle. "To make out with Dante. For twenty seconds. I'll time it."

Josh wanted to punch Ryan's lights out.

Laura froze, her eyes falling to Dante. Oh, God, how she wished she’d chosen truth instead of dare. Her eyes flickered to Josh, uncertainty present in them. He looked rather… agitated. But why would he be?

She sighed, wanted to run her fingers through her hair, but settled on rubbing the back of her neck.

“When I said interesting, I didn’t mean that type of interesting,” she muttered, but stood up, anyway. She walked over to Dante and bent down in front of him, trying to keep the scowl and disgust away from her features.

Pretend it’s Josh.

She pressed her mouth to his, hoping the twenty seconds would finish quickly.

Josh watched as Dante chuckled and settled his hands on Laura's waist, drawing her closer. Bile rose to his throat, his vision flickered red. Rage and jealousy flooded his system.

Why can't that be me?

Appalled at the thought, he tore his eyes away from the pair.

Laura immediately snatched his hands, keeping them away from her waist and moved back a little, lips still touching.

She hated it—hated this. What was Josh thinking right now? He was probably disgusted with her. She didn’t even know the guy until today and she was already locking lips with him.

Finally, when the time was over, Laura practically stumbled trying to get away. She breathed heavily, stood up and walked over to her own seat, the back of her hand pressed against her mouth.

She wanted that feeling gone.

"Hey," Josh whispered, scooting a fraction closer to her. Worry seeped into his voice. "Are you okay?"