Stellam Matutinam

Introductions: Part II

"Can you guys wait there? The girls and I just have to ask a few questions on this dress." Nessa asks as Josh and I silently hang behind them, the MD in my system slowly wearing off as I feel another wave of energy and euphoria rush through me though it's not as intense as the first time I dropped it, indicating that I'll need to get home soon and have some more if I plan on going to this party.

Making sure I wasn't being watched as I open my eyes after I'm done pretending to rub them so it doesn't look obvious I'm high as f**k right now on hard s**t, only I begin freaking out when I catch more eyes on me and wonder if they know I'm on something.

Keeping my eyes down as I forget the dryness in the back of my throat and the sandpaper tongue I have in my mouth, I continue to subtly rub the corners of my mouth with the sleeves of my clothing so it hides at least one dead giveaway and focus on keeping my eye contact to a minimal.

Wondering if Nessa's parents knew I was on s**t or her other family members that were at her house today, I'm distracted by Josh clearing his throat and pocketing his phone as a deep sounding sigh rumbles in his chest.

"I'm gonna go and get a drink, did you want to come with me? You look pretty hot in that I mean I can see that you're sweating from here." he chuckles as a weird grin spreads across his lips, my heart skipping a few beats when it dawns on me that he knows I'm on s**t. It's just will he care and will he tell the others?

Sticking to pretending I'm fine and that it really isn't that hot for me much to my body dying on the inside due to how hot it is right now, I itch the tip of my nose to subtly wipe away a bead of sweat I can feel forming as I toss up whether I should go with him or not.

"Come on I won't hurt ya, I'm sure Nessa will be fine with me stealing you for a bit." he laughs when he can tell I'm in the middle about it.

"Ah I would but I left my purse in the ca-"

"All good just pay me back." he shrugs nonchalantly before turning in the direction to the shops entrance.

"Thank you." I squeak just as he's about to inform the girls of what we're doing.

"It really is fine I was finding an excuse to ditch anyway and get away from hearing about clothes. Thank f**k I saw you dying." he jokes and for the first time I'm actually laughing without having to force it, I mean who the f**k else wants to hear someone go on about an outfit for over an hour?

"Okay you got me there." is all I can say for the MD really is making it hard for me to form a sentence in my head right now. That and I can feel myself loosening up around him a bit more the same way I felt myself warming up to his cousins, so I can actually thank the drugs for helping me forget how awkward I can be.

"So my cousins tell me you're from the next town over, why the sudden move here?" he starts off when there's a moment of silence between the both of us on our way to Woolworths, the occasional female glances our direction cops when they notice Josh and observe how their eyes linger yet Josh doesn't seem to notice let alone care.

Alright so maybe he isn't the type I sort of half betted he'd be like which is good but also bad for the vibe I'm getting off of him right now is something I was feeling with Nessa the night at the pub, I just hope he loses interest in me when he finds out where Nessa and I stand.

Speaking of vibes, where are those invisible set of eyes I keep feeling on me from time to time? Maybe it was my drug paranoia since its disappearing along with the MD buzz I have going on.

"Well if your cousins told you then you should at least know that part." I shoot back with a shrug though in the back of my mind I'm sort of over being asked those same questions over and over.

They're that f*****g close with one another I'm surprised he doesn't know about Nessa and I, like does Nia and Lissa know? Surely they would've suspected something last night by the way Nessa and I stayed joined at the hip.

"Touché, I guess I wanted to hear it from you. My cousins sometimes don't give the full story if you know what I mean?" he chuckles as he rubs the heel of his palm across his eyebrow before continuing to drag the same hand down the side of his face.

Not knowing exactly what he wants to know let alone what he's been informed of already, I still don't understand what he means by his cousins not giving him the full story, is he meaning the story between Nessa and I or is that my paranoia kicking in again?

"Ah I'm not too sure but I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume they only told you where I'm from, my name and who I came here with?" I sum up with no effort of thought at all for they're the only questions I'm happy with answering, the rest is history man.

"Yeah pretty much I just wanted to ask you for the source of information is always better than the word of mouth. But anyway we're here, ladies first." he smiles then waves for me to walk in front, my cheeks heating up this time as I do that weird speed walk s***h tip toe to get out of his way and instantly earning a laugh.

"Sorry if I'm being weird, this is the first time in a while I've been able-don't worry ignore that. I'm rambling s**t ag-"

"No you're fine what is it you had to say?" he encourages over me followed by a light nudge to my elbow with his.

"Trust me it's nothing to worry you about; I'm just grateful I met your cousins. Also you of course because I honestly thought we'd never get the chance to have a conversation, but here we a-"

"What made you think that?" he grins as he spins on his heels to begin walking backwards only his eye contact with me never breaks.

"Well I dunno, I legit thought that I'm more of your cousin's friends than yours if you get me?"

"Ah thanks alo-"

"Nooo I was only sa-"

"Got ya, don't stress I know what you mean. On the contrary you're easy to f**k with, so I see this small friendship blossoming into one of torture for the both of us." he jokes once we're both finished cutting each other off, my eyes rolling at his comment though my grin never falters.

Who knew I'd be joking around with this guy? I mean he hardly got off his phone and now look at us, we f*****g around as we speak. I just hope Nessa doesn't see it as flirting.

"f**k you, you caught me off guard. Next time it won't be so easy. Second of all you're going to wish you never started this war with me either, for it won't only be torturous my dear but blood will be shed." I warn with a c****d eyebrow and pointed finger in his direction, this time Josh rolling his muddy brown eyes and flapping his hand at me as if my words don't faze him.

"It's good to see the both of you getting along." a voice pipes up from behind us and for a split second I almost make a run for it up until Josh says her name and feel my body relax.

"Yeah we just got here, you can come with us to the drink aisle if you-"

"Nah don't stress I was just letting you guys know we're here now so we'll meet up at the checkout." Nessa explains with a beaming smile and instantly calming my worries of her getting weird around me and Josh.

"Alright cool." Josh replies for the both of us just as Nia and Lissa joins the small gathering halfway down an aisle.

"We'll just meet them in the car. We shouldn't be too much longer." Lissa adds as she wipes a bead of sweat from her temple with the back of her hand.

Doing so Josh and I continue our small talk all the way back to the car after paying for our drinks and I'm done subtly gulping half of mine down, not once feeling like I have to watch what I say around him for Nessa knows that I'm only making friends with everyone, and the way I'm acting towards Josh is no different to how I'd act towards Nia and Lissa. Nessa is a bit different for our relationship is a little more, well complex at the moment.

All I'm saying is with Luca and Nessa to choose from, adding Josh into the mix would only complicate things further for me, I mean if Viper were here right now in ghost form to tell me what to do right now that would be great. Though I would also have a feeling she'd be pissed I let my heart grow that big, she'd be more pissed if it was my legs that were opening instead.

Brushing the thoughts away for now since I'm trying to have a good time, I still keep Viper in my memories but don't strike her from my mind completely for she was a good person to be with. It's just a shame she never got to meet Nessa and the other awesome people I've met here already.

Knowing it's probably Viper helping me out by lining up these people in my way, I just hope she isn't the one responsible for throwing so many temptations at me either.