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writing-imagines · 5 years

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“Tell Me” Chapter 2

It was the first Friday night of the semester and you were exhausted to say the least. A majority of your assigned readings were well over thirty pages and Calhoun had already given the class an un-scheduled paper to finish in two weeks. The only thing that made the week enjoyable was your after class talks with Lizzie, making you feel like actual friends.

You were sitting on the floor of your on campus apartment living room, trying to actually finish your assignments, when Chris walked in.

“Y/n, what are you doing?” He asked dramatically while throwing his bag on the floor.

“My homework? What are you doing?”

“You’re supposed to be getting ready for our night out. We had an agreement.”

“I never fully agreed to go out. Plus, I have all this work to get done before Monday.”

“Oh please, no one ever does the readings. C’mon get up and get dressed. We’re leaving at nine.”

Chris walked down the hall to his room, allowing you to finish up your work. You knew Chris wouldn’t leave you alone until you went out. With a heavy heart, you gathered your books and walked to your room to get ready for the night.

After changing into something suitable for a crowded New York bar, Chris excitedly dragged you outside to start the night. You were proud of yourself for bringing a jacket because the night sky looked very cloudy.

“So, how was your day?” Chris asked as the two of you quickly crossed a busy New York street.

“It’s was okay. Nothing really exciting happened. How was your day?”

“It was great! My psychology class was cancelled, that pretty girl from accounting class was at the gym, and she asked to hang out with us tonight. She’s bringing a friend for you too.” Chris nudged your arm and gave you a smirk.

“Chris no.” You groaned loud enough for the people walking past to stare for a moment.

“You need to get over our history TA, y/n.”

“Her name is Lizzie and I’m not hung up on her.”

“Then why were you drooling over her today during class?”

“I was not drooling over her. I was just trying to focus on what she was saying. She’s a lot quieter than Calhoun.”

“Drooling.” Chris hummed while smirking. Before you got the chance to fire back, two girls started calling for Chris.

“Chris! Chris! Over here!” You looked down the street to see a pretty brunette and dark haired girl jumping up and down trying to get your best friend’s attention.

“Hey Ava!” Chris opened his arms and hugged the girl with dark hair. You stood back awkwardly and watched the interaction. While Chris and Ava talked to each other for a moment, you looked at the girl beside Ava. She was undoubtedly pretty with her brunette hair and brown eyes.

“This is my best friend and roommate, y/n.” Chris gestured towards you. The girls both looked at you with what seemed to be genuine smiles.

“Nice to meet you, y/n! This is my best friend, Julie.”

“Hey, nice to meet you, y/n!” Julie flung herself forward and hugged you. You were a little taken back and awkwardly hugged her with just one arm.

“Nice to meet you too, Julie.” You tried to sound as joyful as possible, but Chris knew you were forcing it. He gave you his well-known ‘please play along’ look.

“Now that we all know each other, let’s go inside before all the booths get taken.”

Chris held his hand out for Ava and she quickly accepted it. While they walked into the bar, Julie looked at you with hopeful eyes, obviously wanting you to offer out your hand. With a forced smile, you extended your hand and she happily held it.

The four of you quickly found one of the last available booths and crammed in. You were glad that Julie finally released your hand once you sat down. Unfortunately, shortly after you sat down, Chris dragged you to the bar for drinks.

“So, what do you think about Julie?” He asked while trying to get the bartenders attention.

“She seems okay.”

“Ava said she’s more into partying than school. Maybe tell her about some of our party stories to break the ice.”

“Like the time you tried to fight that frat guy and ended up getting knocked out?”

“Maybe tell her a different story.”

As the night went on Chris and Ava got closer, looking like boyfriend and girlfriend by ten-thirty. You and Julie on the other hand appeared to be acquaintances. Julie was a nice girl, but she really wasn’t your type. It was true what Chris said earlier, Julie was more focused on partying than school. In the two hours you had spent together, she only told you stories that involved her getting way too drunk and being so hungover she couldn’t make it to class.

Julie was talking about some party in Brooklyn she went to when you turned your head to the bar’s entrance. You watched as the door opened and Elizabeth walked in and immediately went to the bar. Chris and the girls were busy talking, allowing for you to mumble an excuse to leave and go to the bar.

“Hey Lizzie.” You said while sitting on the bar stool beside her. Lizzie quickly turned her head towards you, her unhappy look quickly faded once she realized it was you.

“Hey y/n. Funny running into you here.”

“I could say the same. I didn’t picture you as a dive bar type of girl.”

“I’m usually not, but work and school were rough today.”

“Want to talk about it?” You asked, not really expecting her to accept.

“Professor Calhoun is making my life a living hell. He critiques everything single thing I do. He said the lecture I gave today wasn’t good because I sounded ‘too friendly.’ How am I supposed to sound? Like I’m angry and don’t want to be there?” Lizzie dramatically threw her head back with a groan.

“Yeah that sounds like Calhoun. Don’t take it personally, he hates everyone and their work equally.”

“Great, that makes me feel better.” She laughed and rolled her eyes.

“What are you drinking? I’ll buy the next round.”

“Vodka tonic.”

You waved the bartender down and got Lizzie’s drink. Much to your surprise, Lizzie changed the subject from school to her personal life. She told you about her parents, both successful lawyers, and her best friend since childhood/roommate. As Lizzie started to talk about a family trip to France, she unexpectedly pulled her phone out. She looked at the screen for a moment before returning her attention to you.

“Sorry, that was my roommate. She left her key in the apartment this morning and is now locked out.”

“Hey, it happens to the best of us.”

“She must be the best because it happens to her at least once a week. I swear if she wasn’t my best friend I’d tell her to wait until I got home.” Lizzie rolled her eyes with a small smile. You couldn’t explain why but you loved that small smile.

“Did you take a cab here?”

“Oh no, I walked from the university. My apartment also isn’t too far of a walk from here.”

“I can walk you home if you want. It’s not safe to walk around the city alone at night. Unless, you think it’s inappropriate.” You watched as Elizabeth twisted her lips, appearing to regret what she said earlier in the week.

“You can walk me home, but only because it is dangerous to be alone at night.”

After Lizzie finished her drink the two of you got ready to leave. You looked towards the booth where Chris and the girls were sitting. They were all laughing and obviously didn’t notice your absence. As you followed Lizzie outside, you texted Chris incase they noticed you were gone.

Y/n: I’m going for a quick walk. I’ll be right back

You slid your phone back into your pocket and turned your attention to Lizzie. She was looking around frantically as if someone was following you.

“If you’re worried about someone from the university seeing us I can walk a few feet behind you. That way they won’t think we’re together and any robbers will assume I’m already in the process of robbing you, so they’ll leave you alone.” You let out an awkward laugh while Lizzie nervously bit her lip.

“I’m sorry I’m being so weird. I just don’t want to get in trouble and lose my job or get kicked out of school. I really did want to hang out with you that first day we met.”

“You did?”

“Yeah. I don’t know anyone here besides my best friend and I thought-“ Lizzie suddenly stopped and looked away from you. It was hard to tell because of the city lights, but you swore she was blushing.

“You thought?”

“I thought you were cute too.”

“You thought I was cute on the first day I met you? I had to throw on an old shirt and wrinkled jeans so I wouldn’t be late.”

“You looked cute and you were sweet.”

“Thanks. You were hands down the prettiest girl in the room.” It took you a second to realize what you said, but it was too late to take it back. You were intentionally flirting with her now.

“I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to-I mean you are pretty. I just...yeah...”

‘Smooth y/n. Smooth.’ You thought while mentally kicking yourself.

“Thank you.” She shyly mumbled.

You were silent for a few moments until Lizzie walked up to a building. You made a mental note that it was almost across the street from one of your favorite cafés.

“This is me. Thanks for walking me home.”

“It was no problem. Thanks for keeping my company at the bar.”

“It was my pleasure. Maybe next time you can tell me some of your stories?”

“Defiantly. I’ve got a lot of stories and I won’t lie to you, a majority of them involve Chris.”

“I look forward to hearing them.”

“I can give you my number. That way we can figure out a time and a place to talk that isn’t after our nine o’clock class.” You practically mumbled. Lizzie’s lips tugged into a smile, making you feel a little less nervous about asking for her number.

“Yeah okay.” Lizzie pulled out her phone and handed it over to you. You shakily typed your name and number into her contacts before handing it back to her. You two in comfortable silence until you felt a rain drop on your head.

“I better head back before it completely pours. I’ll see you later, Lizzie.”

“I’ll call you a cab and you can wait inside if you want.” You really considered her offer, but you remembered Chris and the girls were at the bar.

“That’s okay, I think I can make it home before it downpours.”

“Have fun running and have a good night, y/n.” Lizzie said with a smirk.

“Trust me, I will. Goodnight Lizzie.”

You quickly spun around and started to make your way back to the bar. The closer you got to the destination the more it started to rain. By the time you were a few feet away from the bar it was raining buckets.

Thankfully, the large crowd had died down some. You were able to navigate the crowd without bumping into too many people with your wet clothes. When you reached the booth, you were surprised to find Chris sitting alone.

“Where did the girls go?” You asked sliding in across from Chris.

“They went to the bathroom to adjust their makeup. How was your walk?”

“It was good until it started raining. We’re defiantly going to have to sprint back to the apartment.”

“Did you get Elizabeth home before it started raining?” Chris asked before drinking what you assumed was water. You felt your cheeks get warm at the comment. Whether you told the truth or lied, Chris was going to banter you know matter what.

“I didn’t walk Lizzie home.”

“You really think I didn’t see you two ogling over each other at the bar and then walk out together? Come on y/n, have more faith in me.”

“You can’t tell anyone, okay? She’s on edge about losing her job if she’s seen out with anyone form the university.”

“You’re little love affair is safe with me. But you’re going to have to break the news to Julie that you’re taken. She’s been planning your wedding since you left.”

“Lizzie and I aren’t together. We’re just friends.”

“That’s what everyone says before starting an affair.” Chris hummed with that damn smirk.

“We’re not-“

“Y/n! You’re b-back!” Julie nearly screamed before uncomfortably throwing her arms around you. You didn’t know how it was possible, but she seemed to be even more intoxicated than when you left.

“Do you guys mind if we call it a night? I think she needs to go to bed.” Ava said, slurring a few words in the process.

“I don’t mind. Do you, y/n?” Chris asked, already sliding out of the booth.

“I’m good with going home.”

“Take me homeeeee.” Julie sang, throwing her arms out and almost smacking you in the face.

“Yeah we’re taking you to your own home so you can sleep in your own bed.” Chris offered his hand to Julie and helped her out of the booth. You slid out and immediately Julie threw herself into your arms.

“Carry meeee.” She squealed while tightening her grip around your neck. With a sigh, you forced yourself and Julie through the bar.

Chris managed to grab a cab passing by and the four of you awkwardly squeezed in. Julie and Ava were talking back and forth about some makeup brand the whole time, leaving you and Chris any room to talk. After the headache inducing cab ride was over, you managed to get the girls inside their apartment safely.

Chris and Ava shared a quick goodnight kiss while you helped Julie to the couch. She tried to kiss you, but you laughed it off and told her goodnight. You had just walked out into the hallway, you were waiting for Chris and Ava to say goodbye, when your phone let out a chime. You pulled it out of your pocket and saw a message from an unknown number.

Unknown: Hey y/n it’s Lizzie. Just thought I’d text you so you’d have my number too

Y/n: Hey thanks for texting me! I was afraid you’d ghost me

Lizzie: I can’t really ghost you since I see you three days a week

Y/n: You got me there, Olsen

“Alright y/n, ready to-oh my God is she texting you?!” Chris asked with wide exaggerated eyes.

“No...I got an email.”

“And you smile like an idiot anytime you get an email?”

“Yeah. I fucking love emails, Chris.”

Chris rolled his eyes before wrapping an arm around your shoulders.

“Come on you love struck puppy, let’s go home.”

Chris let go of your shoulders and started to make his way down the hall. You let out a sigh of relief and followed your best friend down the hallway. You couldn’t wait to go home and recover from the nights events.

Series Master List

#elizabeth olsen #elizabeth olsen imagine #chris evans imagine #elizabeth olsen x reader #elizabeth olsen x female reader #elizabeth olsen x male reader #chris evans x reader #chris evans x friend reader #chris evans x platonic!reader #college au #elizabeth olsen college au #chris evans college au

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jeremystrele · 4 years

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Times Like These…With Musician And Writer Clare Bowditch

Times Like These

by Sally Tabart

Singer and author Clare Bowditch at home in Melbourne’s inner North. Photo – Sarah Collins for The Design Files.

Clare with her husband Marty Brown, twin boys Oscar and Elijah, and daughter Asha. Photo – Sarah Collins for The Design Files.

Clare with her sons Oscar and Elijah in the kitchen at home. Photo – Sarah Collins for The Design Files.

Radiant Clare! Photo – Sarah Collins for The Design Files.

Beloved Australian musician, actress and author Clare Bowditch is reflective at the best of times. She is an expert at extracting gleaming kernels of truth from her life experiences – it’s what has fuelled her career as a writer and musician, after all. So it’s not surprising that she has found this period of isolation fertile ground for new ideas. And while this time has been devastating for creative Australians – many of whom fall through the cracks of JobSeeker and JobKeeper, and still have no clear path to accessing government support – Clare is confident that the work that will be produced by artists following this period of isolation and fear will be profound.

Clare has been bunkering down with her husband Marty Brown and their three high school-aged kids Oscar, Elijah and Asha in Melbourne’s inner-north. Last week, the morning after she won an Australian Book Industry Award for best new Australian writer (Clare published her autobiography, Your Own Kind of Girl, in October 2019), we spoke about the resilience of creative Australians, Clare’s outlook on the arts and entertainment industries, and her advice for artists feeling lost right now.

How are you today – and how have you been overall during COVID-19?

Today is an interesting day. There was a lot of beauty outside when I went for my walk this morning. It’s also the morning after I won my first ever writing award. It’s really odd because normally on a day like today – it’s such an honour to be noted by your peers – but to not be able to celebrate in person with them, there’s a sense of melancholy. It’s not an easy time for any creative arts industry. The reality is we are still waiting for our government to show up and announce how it’s going to support creative Australian businesses and individuals throughout this very difficult time, where there is a lot of loss of work and a lot of people volunteering to take pay cuts just to keep things going.

There’s a good sense in my bones that all of the industries I’m part of – music, writing and publishing – will very much survive and come through this time. There’s also this real sense of concern that I’ve got inside me. I woke up in a mixed mood.

What is the root of that concern?

I’m an established artist 20 years down the road on my arts career, I’m fine. I will be able to find a new creative project to do and I have an established audience. My real concern is for emerging artists or mid-career artists who can’t play live at the moment, they can’t connect with their audiences in the same way. So many of them fall through the JobSeeker and JobKeeper cracks. So my number one concern is how can we continue to support creative ideas, creative minds, during this time?

Now the beautiful thing about being creatively inclined is that we will always make gold from straw. We know how to perform alchemy. And I think in a year from now we’ll be in quite an interesting place. And guess what? Us in the arts also know how to make a good bean stew! We know how to live on a frugal budget.

What do you think the industry is going to look like in a year?

We are enjoying the way our artists are pivoting. We’re getting to see them in different lights. But the really interesting thing for me in a year from now – we’ll have had a bunch of artists who have been isolated and had time to reflect and work on new ideas. We need that longform support because in these industries we can’t just click our fingers and create a new work in five seconds. We need time to develop that work. So at best, I think this is a time of development for many people. It certainly is for me – I’ll be taking a little bit of long service leave for the next couple of months over the winter just to work on ideas.

Were you already planning to do that, or was this spurred on by COVID-19?

I’m one of the many thousands of Australians who have been caring for a sick family member during this time of COVID. My mother has pancreatic cancer. She hasn’t been well but I just want to take some time to really enjoy life and be present for my family in a different way, and to work on some quieter projects. That’s what I’m planning to do.

I’m a natural-born introvert and I haven’t had a chance to be introverted for about 10 years! I’m looking forward to a true winter where I get to have reflection and get my head around the year that has been. I was already leaning in this direction, but this time of COVID has reminded me that you can actually do it.

What has your family’s isolation situation been like?

I live at home with my partner Marty Brown and our three children. We’ve got two boys who are doing year 8 and our eldest daughter Asha is doing year 12. We also have two Burmese cats and one dog called Charlie. So our time here at home has been homeschooling. I’ve got to say I think we have an easier time than our friends with much younger children.

There are nights when we all just shut ourselves in our bedroom and nobody can talk anymore because we’ve hit our talking limit, but it’s been precious in a way to be playing board games and card games, watching movies together, it’s been a pretty precious time with the family.

How has your work been affected?

March and April are when I make about a third of my income for the year because of events. And I got a phone call on a day in March when the restrictions were starting to be put in place where I was told that 13 of my 15 events had been completely cancelled. So there was an initial time of panic and fear, but we reshuffled some things and settled into a quiet pace. I didn’t sleep for a while when it was first announced, but like many other sensitive creative types, I felt in my gut that being glued to media updates was not going to serve me. And now I just listen to Coronacast every morning and that’s how I get my updates.

What have you been reflecting on?

For me this time, and really the last year, has been a profound reminder of how little control we have over circumstances. But how ferociously important it is that we take care with the stories we tell ourselves, and the stories we choose to believe. So not catastrophising in an already catastrophic situation is one of the lessons I’ve been reminded of again and again. And for me, this has been an important reminder of how central and important is the writing of music, writing in my diary, creative conversations with friends, the reading of books, how they have relieved my deeper worries and questions during this time. They are the things I have gone back to.

What are you feeling hopeful for?

I feel enormously encouraged by the sense of local community that has sprung up in Australia. I live in the north [of Melbourne] – and to see the way the businesses have pivoted, to be able to support them and see that sense of camaraderie and how we’ve all checked in on each other – this has given me enormous hope. But I think most of all I look forward to how we rebuild Australia. We obviously care about each other in this country otherwise we wouldn’t have done what we’ve just done. That gift of social distancing has been profoundly disruptive and really important. I guess I feel hopeful about the Australian spirit in a way, which sounds like a song from an ad, but I really do!

I think the main point is perhaps the gift of this is simplicity – we don’t actually need heaps of things to be able to access pleasure and hope in these uncertain times, and I think that’s a profound lesson.

What would you say to an artist who is afraid of what their future might look like now?

Your future success as an artist is based on what you do with your feelings.

Last week, Clare was announced ‘New Australian Writer of the Year‘ by the Australian Book Industry Awards! Her first book, Your Own Kind Of Girl, is available from all good bookstores.

Clare and fellow creative/podcast co-host Jamila Rizvi have started a Facegroup group, Quarantine with Jam and Clare . Join for company, community and fun online events – including a book club hosted with Readings!

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jaeminlore · 7 years

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Sing For You // Hong Jisoo

the prompts: (1) whenever I think of joshua i get this “boy next door” feel. but maybe have it where joshua or the reader has just moved to the neighborhood and the reader hears joshua play the guitar near his bedroom window and he starts to notice her and play songs that convey his feelings for her. (2) personally i would love a joshua scenario with a flirty josh and oblivious reader cuz!!!! why not!!!

words: 3834

category: fluff

author note: he’s not that flirty in this like maybe a subtle flirt. anyway this is for my older sister, for her graduation gift. I’m proud of you, you loser, and I hope you like this scenario. (good luck choosing between joshua and yuta now muahaha)

- destinee

When you and your family moved into that ugly green two-story house at the end of a cul-de-sac, you assumed there would be no one your age to hang out with. It was the summer after you graduated high school, and you were pleased to spend it leisurely, doing nothing but catching up on the latest Netflix series available. You would start working as soon as the summer was over, and so your goal was to spend as much time as you could enjoying being lazy.

The bedroom you chose was at the end of the hall on the second floor, far away from your parents’ room. There, you could watch Netflix on your laptop day after day, without a care in the world at who was outside (or inside) of your house.

Your mother was sociable, and always on the prowl for new friends she could chat with. That’s how she found Mrs. Hong, who conveniently lived next door along with her son, Joshua.

To say Joshua Hong was cute would have to be the understatement of the century, since he was downright princely in every sense of the word. Luckily, his bedroom seemed to be right across the yard from yours, so you were able to see him from time to time whenever he opened his curtains. He never seemed to notice you when he sat on his window seat to play his guitar. Sometimes, he would crack open his window and you could hear the experimental twang of the strings as he learned new melodies and songs. That wasn’t very often, though.

Usually, Joshua had friends over, and they would play in the in-ground pool in his backyard. You found out he had handsome friends too, and lots of them. Sometimes they picked him up in a beaten up old van. It obviously didn’t fit thirteen boys, so you always watched in amusement as Joshua would squish into the trunk with a few other boys. They were a wild bunch, and loud. They were the soul reason you bought noise-canceling headphones.

Some days, when you didn’t feel like Netflix or the internet, you would watch Joshua and his friends hang out, since it was rather comical to see them playing around. Especially when they had sleepovers at Joshua’s place. Apparently they were fans of truth or dare, unless Joshua really did have a boyfriend named Yoon Jeonghan, as he had shouted out for the neighborhood to hear one night. That was the first time you ever heard him speak, funnily enough. His voice was soft.

Soon, Netflix became boring to you as July found it’s way into the year. You found yourself at your window seat more often than not, watching Joshua as he fiddled with his guitar. He was quieter alone, away from the the hustle and bustle that his friends offered. With his and your windows cracked open, you could hear his gentle voice as he sang a familiar song. Without realizing it, your eyelids began to droop as you leaned against the window pane. Joshua’s soft voice sang you to sleep that night.

“She is the sweetest thing that I know…“ Joshua sang, ”you should see the way she holds me when the lights go low. Shakes my soul like a pot hole, every—dang it!”

He exhaled in frustration as he once again messed up the simplest of chords. Where there was a D, he had played a C. He had never messed up something like guitar chords. He could play a song by ear if he wanted to, as he had been playing since he was in middle school.

He blamed you. Ever since you had moved in a few months ago and he saw you going out to collect mail, his mind hadn’t been the same. He found it cute how you would give the mailman a wide smile whenever he brought a package for you. Often times he didn’t even have to wonder very long what it was that you were so happy to receive, as you would open the package right there in the front yard. He got to see your interests, which mostly consisted of miscellaneous fandom merch or something even stranger like a box of food from who knows where. Although once, you received a tin of cookies and Joshua had considered introducing himself right there just to take a few of those chocolate chip treats home with him.

The point was, Joshua found you rather interesting and pretty, but he was too shy to actually strike up a conversation with you. His mother told him a lot about you, because according to your mother you were always watching Netflix shows or making strange conditions in the kitchen.

Joshua had the developing desire to keep learning about you. He wanted to know more about you, outside of your mother’s opinions and his observant assumptions. However, he wasn’t very outspoken when it came to girls. In fact, he barely even talked to them in high school. Even now, in college as a struggling music major, he didn’t really talk to girls. He was too shy and uninterested. He had his entire life to find someone that made his heart race. For now, he just wanted to hang out with his friends. Your moving right across from him sort of wrecked that plan, however, as now he found his heart racing every time he saw you outside.

As he repositioned his fingers to play the song again, he glanced out the window, towards your house. His curiosity for you was quenched when he realized your window was right across from him, and you were sleeping against the partly-open windowpane. He quirked a smile at your sleeping form.

Had you heard him singing? The thought flustered him, as he wasn’t sure he sounded good. Sometimes he just fooled around on his instrument, and it probably sounded stupid. He wondered how many times you had heard him singing his heart out to Ed Sheeran songs. Then, he cringed as he remembered his favorite activity to do when he felt bored was to freestyle his own raps for whatever reason. Perhaps you would find them funny. That would be a plus, right?

Whatever you had heard, Joshua was going to make sure you heard only the best songs from him. From then on, he kept a mental note that you could be listening to his songs.

You were awoken bright and early the next morning, to the usual legion of boys shouting and yelling.

Did they not know it was morning?

Splashing was quickly heard along with loud voices, so you sat up begrudgingly and looked at your phone. You groaned, Who went swimming at the crack of dawn, anyway?

They were disrupting your precious sleep, and so it was only logical that you would disrupt their precious fun. As desperate times call for desperate measures, you got out of your bed and grabbed the Nerf gun that lay in the messy underside of your bed. After finding a spare dart laying around, you crept over to your window seat and hid behind the decorative throw pillows you had set on the cushions. You pushed open your window and aimed for the first boy you saw near the pool: a tall, dark boy busy slathering sunscreen on his shoulders. You pulled the trigger and grinned as your target met it’s mark.

“Ow! Wh—” he turned around quickly, and locked eyes with you.

You squealed in alarm and ducked behind your cushions.

“Joshua! Your neighbor just shot me with a Nerf gun!”

“Really?“

You peaked your head over your throw pillow and watched as Joshua pushed himself out of his pool and walked closer to your house, his brows furrowed as he looked at your window. Then, he opened his mouth without a sort of Aha! expression. “It’s really early. My mom told me her parents were on a trip so I just assumed she was with them. We should keep quiet.”

You sighed in relief as all the boys seemingly agreed and got out to get some sun instead.

If you were honest, you might have watched the shirtless boys tan for just a bit longer before returning to your bed.

”Cause I know that I let you down, but is it to late to say I’m sorry now?“ Joshua strummed his guitar rather recklessly to the Justin Bieber song.

His thoughts were that if he couldn’t speak to you, then he could very well sing to you. At least from his bedroom. He still felt guilty for waking you up on a Saturday at six in the morning. So he thought of the only semi-apologetic song he knew the chords to. If that was Justin Bieber, it would have to do.

He could see you even now, with your head against the windowpane, listening to him. You seemed to be listening casually as you scrolled on your phone, occasionally stopping to double-tap. When he stopped singing and playing, he chuckled softly because you had peeked up and looked over to his window, wondering why his voice had cut off abruptly. He quickly put his head down and waited until you went back to your phone before he looked at you again.

Was there a sort of unspoken communication between you two? He would sing and you would just listen along?

Joshua bit his lip in thought as he mindlessly strummed random chords. Maybe he could sing for you every night.

Before he could begin another song, his mother called him to help her make dinner.

“Coming!”

He went downstairs into the kitchen, where his mother was busy tossing a salad. “Can you cook and cut the chicken for me?”

“Of course,” Joshua said, moving over to the fridge to grab the chicken.

“What happened this morning?” Mrs. Hong asked as they both worked together. “I was drinking my morning coffee, listening to you guys play in the pool and then all of a sudden all the noise just stopped.”

“Oh, well apparently Y/n didn’t go with her parents on that trip, and we woke her up. She shot Mingyu with a Nerf gun to let us know that we were being too loud.”

Mrs. Hong giggled and shook her head fondly. “Maybe you should invite her over. She might be lonely during dinner.”

Joshua groaned and turned to narrow his eyes at his mother, “Are you trying to set me up?”

“Maybe, maybe not.” Mrs. Hong shrugged her shoulders coyly, “but it would be nice for her to come over and you two to meet properly.”

“I don’t know…” Joshua mumbled, his ears turning pink at the thought that his mom might embarrass him before he got to even properly talk with you.

Mrs. Hong rolled her eyes. “I won’t bring out the baby pictures, just go and invite her over before she starts microwaving pizza pockets or something.”

“Yes, Ma'am,” Joshua sighed, making his way out the back door.

The walk from his house to yours felt rather slow for him. Especially since his legs seemed like lead, and his feet were dragging with anxiety as he thought of seeing you face to face.

He stood in front of your pea-green home and lifted his fist, knocking on the creaky screen door.

He heard quick footsteps from inside, and then the door was swung open. It was you, with a bright smile on your face until you saw him. Your smile quickly turned down in disappointment. “Oh. I thought you were the delivery man with my clothes.”

Joshua scratched the back of his head, “Ah… Sorry. I’m Joshua Hong from next door.”

“I know who you are,” you said sweetly. “I’m Y/n Y/l/n.”

“Yeah. Um, my mom wanted to know if you wanted to eat dinner with us? Since your parents are out and everything.”

“Oh!” You looked genuinely surprised. “I’m sorry, but I’m going out on a date with this guy from the mall. I don’t have his number to cancel or anything.”

“Don’t cancel!” Joshua said hastily, ignoring the frantic and nervous beating of his heart as he thought of you going on a date with someone else. “If you’re going on a date then go! Have fun,” he laughed awkwardly and turned on his heel, marching down the stairs towards his home.

He walked into the kitchen, his stomach turning as he saw his mother’s hopefully face. “Is she coming?”

“No,” Joshua sighed, going to take the chicken out of the oven. “She has a date.”

The two of them agreed not to talk about you any longer, as Mrs. Hong could sense the melancholic tone in her son’s voice. He was a bit hurt, but he wouldn’t mention it as he sat down to eat with his mother.

The two of them sat down and prayed before digging into their light dinner, easy conversation distracting Joshua from his worry about where you might be going and what you might be doing on your date.

The loud honking of a car suddenly jolted the two. Poor Joshua had been drinking water as it happened, and so he accidentally spilt some of it down his thin t-shirt.

“Go see what that is,” Mrs. Hong told him, her eyebrows furrowed in worry that there might’ve been an accident in their neighborhood.

Joshua obeyed and walked over to the window over the sink, dabbing his shirt with a paper towel as he did so. He peered out the window to see a sleek black car in your yard, honking. Suddenly your door opened and you came outside, your hair flying behind you as you ran over to the car.

“It’s her date,” Joshua informed his mom, “He didn’t even ring the doorbell.”

Mrs. Hong rushed over and tutted, shaking her head. “Where’d she pick him up?”

“The mall,” Joshua said spitefully. “What guy picks up girls at the mall anyway?”

Mrs. Hong patted him sympathetically on the shoulder. “Why don’t you go call it a night?”

“M'kay,” Joshua said softly. “Thanks Mom.”

You returned home later and tossed your bag onto your bed. You plopped into your window seat and sighed. Your date had been a jerk, and after flirting with the waitress, he had made you pay for the entire meal (which wasn’t any MacDonald’s by the way). After that, he tried to initiate a make out session in the front seat of his car, to which you politely declined.

You opened your window slightly, hoping to hear some of Joshua’s singing. You wished you had just stood the jerk up and stayed with Joshua and his mom. You were sure that dinner would’ve reaped more benefits than the one you had been on.

You heard the sweet melodies of a Shawn Mendes song, followed by Joshua’s soft voice. ”‘Cause I know I can treat you better than he can, and any girl like you deserves a gentleman…“

You suddenly looked up and met Joshua’s gaze for a second before he finally looked away, still singing.

Had he played that song for you? Did he know that it was a botched date or was the song just a coincidence?

Either way, you grabbed a blanket and curled up in your window seat, letting Joshua’s voice lull you to sleep.

The next few weeks were rather quiet, save for Joshua’s nightly songs. Each night was a different love song, and you liked to listen to them as you feel asleep, imagining he was singing to you. It wasn’t like the two of you hadn’t ever talked, but the words were nothing more than greetings from him, and occasionally his friends, when they saw you outside.

Your parents had returned, yet they were still put most of the time, working. You spent the morning cleaning up the house, and had finished well before noon. Out of boredom, you decided to make cookies.

After a few hours, you were surrounded by cookies and cookie dough, your music blaring loudly with whatever random Spotify playlist you had chosen. In your excitement, you hadn’t realized that you had made literally fifteen dozen chocolate chip cookies, and there was no way to eat them all.

Your thoughts were interrupted by the sound of yelling and hollering outside. The boys! You could give them each a dozen to take home and you’d still have two dozen left.

With that decided, you put the cookies in individual ziplock bags and stuffed them all in one of your mother’s oversized grocery bags. You turned off your phone and pocketed it before leaving the house.

The boys were all near the pool again, as they had been since the early morning when you started your chores. With a few steps, you were outside the pool gate, opening the latch and letting yourself into what looked to be an intense chicken-fight competition. There were nine boys standing at the pool edge with their backs to you. They hadn’t noticed your presence, as they were too busy cheering on the four boys in the pool. You snuck beside one of them to see Joshua sitting on the shoulders of the boy you had shot with a Nerf gun just a couple of month ago. His hands were linked with another boy’s, and they both were straining to push the other off.

In the excitement of the other boys’ cheering, you played along. "Go Joshua! Take him down!”

Joshua froze at your voice, allowing the other boy to shove him into the water. Each of the boys turned to look at you, and the one in the pool was the first to speak, “It’s Nerf girl!”

Joshua resurfaced and pushed his bangs off his forehead. “Y/n?”

“Hi, Joshua,” you said with an awkward wave.

The boy you had shot spoke again, “Don’t think you’ve gotten out of the punishment, Shua. Jeonghan won so he gets to flick your forehead.”

All of the boys agreed, and so Joshua and the other three boys pushed themselves out of the pool. Joshua walked over to the towels and quickly wrapped one around his shoulders before making his way towards you. “What are you doing here?”

You shrugged and held up the bag. “I made too many cookie so I thought I would share. There’s a bag for each of you.”

Suddenly, Joshua’s punishment was forgotten as each of the boys scrambled to get their bag of cookies. They each thanked you, but you could hardly reply after seeing their handsome faces up close. When there was only one bag left, you pulled it out and handed it to Joshua with a soft smile. “Here you go.”

“Thanks, Y/n.” Joshua scratched the back of his head, “Do you want to come swimming?”

The thought of Joshua seeing you in your swimsuit made you blush, but it was hot outside and you were bored. “Sure. Let me go get my swimsuit.”

Joshua thought his ears were going to absolutely burn from the heat that crept up them. Your bathing suit made you look even more stunning, and Joshua was finding it hard not to stare as you smiled and laughed with the other boys. Everyone was taking a break to eat their cookies, which were no longer separated by dozens, but instead passed around and mixed up until nearly all of them were gone by you and the thirteen hungry boys.

“So, what’s it like living next to our Joshua?” Jeonghan asked you with a smirk as he leaned back into the lawn chair.

Joshua groaned, a cookie in his hand. “Guys… don’t bother her.”

“It’s okay,” you answered Jeonghan, ignoring Joshua’s pleas. “When you guys aren’t waking me up, that is. Actually, when you guys aren’t over at all, it’s quite pleasant.”

Jeonghan rose his eyebrows, “Hear that, Shua? She likes it when you’re the only one home.”

“That’s not what she meant—” Joshua started, but he was quickly cut off by all the boys’ suggestive cooing.

“Leave him alone,” you said, your own cheeks aflame.

Joshua found it endearing that you were sticking up for him. In fact, as the day progressed, and he talked more with you, he felt absolutely enamored with you to the point where he wasn’t sure he could hold it in any longer.

After you showered and cleansed all of the chlorine off of your body, you made your way to the window seat. As you dried your hair with a towel, you listened for Joshua’s song through your cracked window, ”Leave this blue neighborhood, never knew loving could hurt this good, oh, and it drives me wild. ‘Cause when you look like that, I’ve never ever wanted to be so bad, oh, it drives me wild. You’re driving me wild, wild, wild…“

The thought that he could be singing to you crossed your mind yet again, and before you could stop yourself, you pushed open your window and hung your head out. "Hey, Joshua!”

Having been staring at his guitar, he jumped when you called his name. The song stopped abruptly, and Joshua turned to see your head out of your window. “Yeah?”

You sent him a smile, “Can I ask you something?”

Joshua opened his own window all the way so he could hear you better. As he retuned his guitar to keep his nervous fingers occupied, he replied, “Shoot.”

“Are you playing those songs for me, or is it just a coincidence?”

Joshua’s eyes widened as he realized that you had caught on to his act. He cleared his throat, “A–Anyway, here’s Wonderwall.”

As he played his new song, he heard your laugh as it echoed across the way. “Joshua, stop! I wanna talk to you!”

Reluctantly, Joshua did stop. “Yeah. Okay, well, I guess I like you but I didn’t actually know how to convey it. I was sort of hoping my songs would charm you into liking me too.”

You smiled brightly, “Oh, they did. Especially those freestyle raps you sang about how much you wanted tacos.”

Joshua laughed nervously. “You heard that?”

“Yeah,” you answered, “It was cute, though.”

Joshua stared at your confident smile for another moment before biting his lip. “Would you like to go on a date with me tomorrow night?”

“I would love to, as long as you’ll keep singing for me. I expect a rap about how much you enjoyed our date as well.”

“You got it,” Joshua said. “Any requests before I head in for the night?”

You hummed in thought before replying, “How about Can’t Help Falling In Love by Elvis?”

Joshua’s cheeks turned pink. “Oh. That’s a good one. Okay. Right. Cool. Let’s go.”

He began to sing, and once again you curled into your window seat, listening to his soft voice conveying not only your feelings, but his own as well.

~the end~

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