We Were Us Read Online Free PDF Page A

or a band of feral cats.
    “So what are your plans for the rest of the week?” he asked pulling me out of my daydream.
    “Besides our plans, I don’t really have any plans. I thought I would just lie around on my ugly new couch and read.”
    “You think it’s ugly?” he genuinely looked hurt by this.
    “Oh come on Josh. Look at it. It’s atrocious.”
    “I’m sorry.”
    “Oh dude. I’m not complaining! I was just being funny.”
    “I see. Well, have fun reading.”
    We were almost to the door.
    “I thought about going to see Michelle.” She’d been on my mind the whole time he was here. I wanted to see her and tell her how sorry I was about my mom. I knew she wouldn’t blame me. She knew how my mom was. Michelle had sat through countless hours of my ranting about my mother. She never said anything rude about her, but she listened none the less, like a good friend should.
    Something about the way her dad told me to stay away and the way Josh was acting told me something was up.
    “No,” he stopped suddenly.
    “She dislikes me that much, huh?” Maybe I should just let it go. What my mother had done had probably destroyed their family, and I’d just be an unwelcome reminder of it all.
    Josh visibly relaxed. “Yeah,” he said, though his admission hurt a little.
    I guess I’ll just hang out with you all summer then.” I said half kidding.
    “That would be great,” he said enthusiastically.
    I gave him a puzzled look but inside, I was leaping for joy. Josh’s attitude toward me was not at all, what I had imagined. I came back hoping to avoid him, and expected the cold-shoulder if I did see him. It seemed as though he wanted to be around me, he did just ask me out after all.
    “Well okay then,” I said.
    “Okay. Well, I’ll see you later then.” And he left.
    I flopped down on the ugly couch and thought about what had just happened. Josh asked me to dinner. Josh had said he wanted to hang out with me all summer. Josh wasn’t with Michelle anymore. I rolled over onto my belly, which was almost impossible on this couch. It was soft and swallowed me in its thick cushions. Josh, wanted to hang out with me, I repeated to myself.
    I stared at the TV. What would we even do? I wanted to keep a low profile while I was here, especially after my run in with the mayor. I wasn’t here to cause trouble or follow in my mother’s footsteps. I looked at the TV again, I wonder if I could call Dad and ask for cable. Or maybe internet, I had my laptop with me and a Netflix account.
    The rest of the day wore on dully. My phone rang a few times but after seeing Josh, I wasn’t interested in talking to Andrew. I needed a mind break, and answering my phone would just give me a headache. I wandered in and out of the rooms absently. Finally after a shower and another peanut butter sandwich, I settled on the bed to read.
    The rest of the week was dull as well. Dad promised cable and internet by next week, until then I had my iPhone and books to keep me company. I drove down to the river one day just to think. I knew why I’d come back here, but I was still questioning myself. Did I come back to rekindle my relationship with Josh? Sure I missed what we had, but he had broken my heart. I really didn’t have anywhere else to go this summer. I wasn’t welcome at Dad and Linda’s, but it’s not like she forbade me to live there this summer. I just wasn’t interested in being around her or her kids. When I’d asked Dad about staying in Riverview for the summer he was hesitant, but agreed.
    I was unable to shake my interactions with Josh. I dreamt about him that night. Sometimes Andrew would be there too and I couldn’t tell the two apart and they each got mad at me for missing the obvious. In real life they were two very different men. Josh was rugged and gritty. His sandy blond hair and baby blue eyes betrayed his harder side. Everyone in town loved Josh. He was never the football hero or the greatest student, but he