?? ?????

legs tucked beneath her, the doorbell rang.

she groaned, throwing her head back against the cushions. "of course."

reluctantly, she got up and shuffled to the door, still in her hoodie and socks. opening it, she found josh standing there, hands shoved into the pockets of his coat.

"what's up, amara."he greeted, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.

"not much. what are you doing here?" she asked, closing the door behind him.

"levi told me to come by," josh said, shrugging as he took off his coat. "where is he anyway?"

"not here," amara said, plopping back down on the couch.

josh followed her into the living room and dropped into the armchair across from her. "so it's just you, then. how tragic."

amara grabbed a throw pillow and launched it at him. "shut up."

he caught it with ease, laughing. "you're in such a good mood today. what's wrong?"

amara hesitated, picking at a loose thread on her hoodie. "it's nothing."

"nah, don't 'it's nothing' me," he said, sitting up straighter. "is it about the team again? because, honestly, i'm still laughing at you kissing carney. that was bold."

her head shot up, eyes narrowing. "how do you know about that?"

josh smirked." carney doesn't know how to shut up. he didn't say much, but i put two and two together. so... you gonna explain, or should i just assume you're.."

amara groaned, sinking further into the couch. "you're the worst."

josh tilted his head, watching her closely. "so... why'd you do it?"

amara sighed, hugging a pillow to her chest. "i don't know. it just happened."

"nah," he said, leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "stuff like that doesn't just happen, colwill. was it to get back at levi or...?"

"no," she cut him off, glaring. "it wasn't about levi."

"then what?" josh pressed.

she hesitated, avoiding his gaze. "i guess... i just wanted to feel something different. like, for once, not think about everything else going on."

"so you picked carney?" josh asked,  "of all people?"

amara threw the pillow at him, her face heating. "shut up."

he caught it easily, a small laugh escaping him. "hey, i'm just saying. you don't do things like this, amara. it's not you."

"and what exactly is me, josh?" she shot back, crossing her arms.

"someone who doesn't need a guy to distract her from her mess," he said simply. "you've always handled your stuff head-on. don't let whatever's going on with levi, noni, confuse you"

his words stung, but in a way that made her pause. she sat quietly for a moment, fiddling with the hem of her hoodie.

"you're annoyingly smart. you know that?" she muttered, glancing at him.

josh grinned, leaning back in the chair. "yeah, i know. now, are you gonna tell me what's really on your mind, or are we just gonna sit here pretending this is about carney?"

amara sighed, letting the pillow fall into her lap as she slumped further into the couch. "it's actually about noni."

josh raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "noni? what about him?"

"i don't know," she groaned, running a hand over her face. "i hate him. he's arrogant, annoying, and acts like he's God's gift to the planet."

"sounds like every guy you hate," josh pointed out, smirking.

"but it's different," she said quickly, "deb keeps bringing him up, carney's made comments, and it's like everyone's waiting for something to happen. and then the night of the party..."

"what happened at the party?" josh asked, sitting up straighter.

amara hesitated, biting her lip. "nothing. i mean, nothing serious. he took me home because I was drunk, and he... helped me. he told me to stop when I—" she stopped

josh's eyes narrowed. "when you what?"

"let me finish." she scoffed.

"go on then".

"when I tried to kiss him," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

josh blinked, stunned for a moment before letting out a low whistle. "tried? that's embarrassinggg."

"don't start," she muttered, glaring at him.

"okay, okay," he said, holding his hands up in surrender. "but now you're all confused because he didn't go for it, and you're wondering why, right?"

"i guess," she admitted, picking at a loose thread on the pillow. "it's just... he's always been this flirty, cocky guy, and for some reason, he didn't treat me like that. it's messing with my head."

josh leaned back, watching her carefully. "sounds like you've got it bad, amara."

"i don't," she said quickly, shaking her head. "i can't. he's noni. and levi would lose his mind."

"maybe," josh agreed, shrugging. "but maybe you're just overthinking it. deb and carney are probably messing with you because they see something you don't. and noni..." he trailed off, smirking. "maybe he's not as bad as you think."

amara groaned, throwing the pillow over her face. "you're supposed to make me feel better, not worse."

"i'm just calling it like i see it," josh said, laughing. "but seriously, amara, figure out what you want. if it's not noni, let it go. but if it is... maybe stop fighting it so hard."

she peeked out from under the pillow, "you think i like him?"

"i think you don't hate him as much as you say you do," josh replied with a knowing grin. "and that's a start."

amara groaned, tossing the pillow aside as she stood up. "i hate how smug you are when you're right."

"it's a gift," josh replied, leaning back on the couch, arms spread like he owned the place.

she rolled her eyes, heading toward the kitchen. "want a drink or something? you've earned it for tolerating my existential crisis."

"got any juice?" he called after her.

"you're such a child," she teased, grabbing a carton of orange juice from the fridge.

"better than being all wrapped up over noni madueke," josh shot back, grinning.

she returned with two glasses, setting one down in front of him before sitting on the arm of the couch. "all right, big man. let's talk about your love life for once."

josh raised an eyebrow, taking a sip of his drink. "what about it?"

"don't act like you don't have stories," amara pressed. "last i checked, you were juggling, like, three girls."

"first of all," he said, pointing at her, "it was two, and i wasn't juggling. it was... complicated."

"sounds messy," she said with a laugh.

"it wasn't that bad," he defended, though the smirk on his face said otherwise. "but i've cut things off with both of them. wasn't really feeling it."

"so you're single now?" she asked, tilting her head.

"for the moment," josh admitted. "but there's this girl i've been talking to. she's different."

amara raised her eyebrows, intrigued. "different how?"

"she's not like the usual," he said, leaning forward. "she's smart, funny, doesn't fall for my usual charm."

"so she sees through your nonsense," amara teased, smirking.

"pretty much," josh said, laughing. "but i like it. keeps me on my toes."

amara shook her head, smiling softly. "well, i hope it works out. "