All I Wanted: A Joshayley Fanfic

Chapter 7 - Point You To The Mirror

*JOSH'S POV*

She was impossible to overlook.

Were it just Taylor, Jeremy and Justin there, I might have been able to guide us past without Jenna recognising them - they looked ordinary enough - but Hayley was just so conspicuous. It was almost as if she did it deliberately - although I knew it was a complete coincidence we had run into them today. It wasn't her clothing that was the problem - that was relatively unremarkable: monochrome patterned tights under a pair of denim shorts, a black jacket, white Vans and a Candy Hearts band merch T-shirt - it was her damn hair. It was positively psychedelic: she was wearing extensions in her vivid pink and red tresses, and it was braided into two long, striking plaits tied with green bows. She might as well have had a neon sign saying 'Look at me!' pulsating on her head.

They were around fifteen yards away; they weren't approaching quickly - they ambled relaxedly through the crowd of busy shoppers packing the mall. I knew I had about five seconds before we were in spotting-range.

"Oh, Josh, look at that," Jenna cooed suddenly, turning to a boutique on the left. I think she was gazing at a leather handbag.

I silently thanked The Lord and ushered Jenna quickly into the shop, turning my back on the walkway we had just left to keep my face hidden.

"Yeah, let's take a look in here," I agreed.

Jenna was like a kid in a candy store; she'd always had a thing for vintage. As she happily skipped around tugging various items off their hangers, I trailed along behind, keeping one eye to the left, looking through the shop window. They had just passed by, in the middle of a lighthearted conversation, laughing and joking about something. None of them turned their heads in our direction. I breathed a sigh of relief.

Living in the same city as people who knew that you hated them - well, used to hate - was awkward. Franklin was a big city, and so far I'd managed to avoid running into them, but I guessed it was only a matter of time before it happened.

I didn't know exactly why I was hiding from them. I had wanted to see Hayley again. Why was I being such a coward? I would have to talk to Taylor and Jeremy, as I had done with Hayley, sooner or later. Why not get it out of the way now? I supposed it was a reflex reaction to try to escape - up until about a month ago, it's what I would have done without hesitation. But having met with Hayley, I now felt it was the right thing to do to approach them, as I would with any friends of mine.

Would Taylor and Jeremy still want to be friends with me, if I talked to them now, like I had done with Hayley? If I explained my side, and they theirs, could we put the past behind us?

I decided I had to try. I would make my excuses to Jenna - I didn't really want her to know about my meeting with Hayley - and go after them.

At that moment, Jenna came back over from where she had been paying for something at the counter, with a new shopping bag over her shoulder.

"Hey, Jen," I said as casually as I could. "I'm going to go over to the music store. I need some new cables. You know, boring stuff... Nothing exciting. It might take some time. How about I meet you somewhere?"

Jenna stifled a yawn. "Actually, I'm kind of beat. I might just head home on the bus if you're going to be a while."

I tried to act nonchalant. "Okay, cool. I'll see you soon, then." I pecked her on the cheek.

She returned my smile and left the shop. I watched her go, and, after waiting thirty seconds to make sure she was gone, rushed out the store in the opposite direction - after Hayley, Jeremy, Justin and Taylor.