Elizabeth leaned against the lockers, watching him holding back the tears she knew were deep inside him. He wouldn't cry, especially in front of her. She wish he would though; she wished he would allow himself to feel for once.

"Josh…" she whispered to him, placing her hand gently on his arm, "I'm so sorry."

"Yeah," he sniffed, still trying to hold the tears back. "Yeah, that's what everyone says, isn't it?"

He looked up at her, his eyes not as dark anymore. They were, though, a stormy grey-blue, and still had a flicker of blue fire every now and then. She just stared at him, wanting to say something sympathetic, but no words would come to her. Then he surprised her by giving her a very faint smile and holding out his arms.

She hesitantly stepped forward, not sure if she wanted to hug him again. He tugged at her arm and pulled her forward with ease. She wrapped her arms around him, not really enjoying the embrace. He still seemed distant. He pulled back within a few seconds.

"God, I'm sorry I was such a jerk this morning," He said. His voice was softer now, almost like a little boy. "It's just… it's really hard, you know?"

Elizabeth nodded. She knew how close Josh and his dad were. They were best friends, and Josh seemed to light up when he talked about his father to her.

He looked so sad and broken. She wanted to help him, but she didn't know how. She would give anything to bring his dad back for him so she wouldn't have to see him like this.

"After we lost the game," he began, "I went home with Rachel."

Elizabeth tensed and felt a small rush of loathing.

"It's not what you would think. We went home and my mom was…" He seemed reluctant to say it, "screaming, and crying, and… it was horrible. I told Rachel to go home. She's mad at me now. Can you believe that?"

Actually, she could. She knew the side of Rachel Henderson Josh didn't. The bratty, annoying, total cheerleader side of her.

He sighed "She went home and it took almost an hour to get my mom to calm down. When she told me what happened…" He looked down, " I sort of went into shock I guess. I didn't want to believe her. I dyed my hair black yesterday. I didn't want to come to school today, and it wasn't just because I hate Monday's, Lizzy."

He looked at her like she was the most important thing in the world. It was only them in the hall, but soon the bell would ring and it would be swarmed with students. She knew he really needed time, a place to get away, have fun, and get his energy up again.

"Do you-" she blinked and blushed, suddenly shy.

"What?" he looked at her sullenly.

She cleared her throat, "Is it too much to ask if you would come to James's party tonight?"

Josh raised his eyebrow, "No, it's not to much. I've dealt with death before. It's been a really rough week-"he stopped suddenly as if he just remembered something. "Wait, he's having a party on a Monday?"

"Well, yeah. It's his birthday and he's going on a cruise Friday," she explained.

"And why do you want me to go?" he asked her smiling a little bigger.

"I'll be all alone. I'd look so stupid just sitting in a chair doing nothing," she frowned, but he grinned even more.

"Aw, come on Lizzy, I bet you can dance," he teased her.

"Cannot!" she wined and he chuckled.

"Why can't you just not go?" he said, smirking.

She sighed, "He's one of my really good friends! Not to mention my best friend's boyfriend."

"Ah, so she'd hate you forever," he raised his eyebrows.

"Well, no."

"Then why are you going?"

"Because I want to!"

"You want to sit in a chair and look stupid?"

"You're so not making this easy."

Josh chuckled again, "So let me get this straight. You, Elizabeth, are inviting me to your best friend's boyfriend's party?"

She took a moment to contemplate it, then said, "y- yes."

"Well," He laughed at something that Lizzy obviously did not get, "I'd love to."

He winked just as the bell rang and she knitted her eyebrows together, trying to understand what the joke was. Then it hit her with the force of a brick wall.

"Josh!" She called to him and he turned around, "It's not a date."

He laughed and the look in his eyes told here one thing: 'if you say so.'

He walked out the door and into the parking lot, and just in time. Mr. Walker had come stomping out of his classroom to find them, and he was glaring at Elizabeth with 'You're butt is so in detention'


She walked into the house, and it was already too filled with teens to even move around. She managed to squeeze through them to James, who was talking to a few of the players on the basketball team with his arm around Emma.

"Hey! You made it!" Emma waved to her and smiled.

"Yeah," Elizabeth had to get close to Emma so she could hear her.

"Did you bring anyone?" Emma shouted over the music.

Just then, Elizabeth's worst nightmare was sneaking up on her.

"Hey El," a familiar but scary voice came from rather close behind Elizabeth.

She turned around and almost collided with Sam Murray. She had completely forgotten about him; about Josh wanting to talk about him, and him winking at her in class. She was scared as heck right now that he would ask her a certain question and she would have to say yes.

"El?" She gave him a quizzical look. She liked Lizzy better.

"Your new nickname," he said cheerfully. Elizabeth just stared at him blankly, then looked over her shoulder at Emma, who was wearing an expression that said 'I feel sorry for you.'

"Oh," she said and he smiled, grabbing her hand. Her eyes widened.

"You wanna go dance?" He said overconfidently.

"I-uh…," she sighed, "sure Sam."

He pulled her out onto the dance floor and a fast song was playing. Sam paid no mind to the music and pulled Elizabeth to him and started swaying side to side.

"You know, I assume, that I like you by now," he gazed down at her with hazel eyes. They were nothing like her's, they were more brown than green.

She just stared at him in complete disgust.

"El, I've been meaning to ask you something," he said and he stopped talking when someone tapped his shoulder. Sam turned around to see a pretty unusually ticked off Josh.

"Evans," Sam looked at him with hatred.

"Murray," Josh returned the look and glanced at Elizabeth with worried eyes, "Mind if I steal Lizzy for a moment?"

He emphasized her nickname as if telling him that there was no other one, and that 'El' was just plain stupid.

Sam grinded his teeth together, "Actually, El, and I were dancing."

Josh laughed mockingly at him, "I don't think it's called 'dancing' when the girl looks like she wants to puke."

Sam glared at him and took a step aside.

He spoke in a low voice that was full of hate for Josh, "I'm not sure she wants to dance with you either, Evans." With that, he left sulk in the corner.

"Care to dance with someone who doesn't make you wanna gag?" Josh smiled at her and raised his eyebrow.

"Who says you don't?," Elizabeth smirked back at him.

He gave her a fake look of hurt and she laughed.

"Sure," she said, then her eyes widened when her favorite song came on. "Oh my gosh! I love this song!"

"Me too, one of my favorites," he grinned, "so we gonna dance or not?"

"But- but this is a slow song," she looked at him like he was crazy, which she thought he was.

"I know, so what?"

"Um, ok," she took his hand uneasily and he led her onto the floor.

Welcome to the planet

Welcome to existence

Everyone's here

Everyone's here

He pulled her in front of him and placed his hand on her hip, pulling her close. She avoided his eyes, looked anywhere but. She knew he was watching her, and she wished he would stop. It was penetrating through her every thought.

Elizabeth placed a hand on his shoulder. He gently lifted their intertwined hands and they began to rock back and forth. Elizabeth took in a deep breath.

Everybody's watching you now Everybody waits for you now What happens next What happens next

She looked around and noticed that many pairs of eyes were on her and Josh. Many of the girls looked in envy, many of the guys looked in horror. She then realized the truth to the lyrics, and she really didn't know what was going to happen. Even though everyone was staring at them, Josh still only had eyes for her; big, bright (and light), blue ones to be exact.

I dare you to move I dare you to move I dare you to lift yourself off of the floor

He spun her out with a delicacy that she didn't expect to come from such a broken-hearted boy. His gaze was piercing and she was feeling dizzy and uncomfortable. Everything seemed to blur around them.

I dare you to move I dare you to move Like today never happened, Today never happened before

When he pulled her back in, they were somehow closer. Elizabeth swallowed hard and for the first time, noticed his appearance. He was wearing a white v-neck t-shirt and dark, almost black, jeans. His shoes looked casual, yet classy, and his now ebony hair was swept back so you could see his face, tanned even in the bright lights. Her breath hitched when he leaned in slightly. Then he stopped, his eyes widening, and backed up again.

Welcome to the fallout Welcome to resistance The tension is here, the tension is here. Between who you are and who you could be Between how it is and how it should be, yeah

She could feel the tension. The lyrics seemed to be responding to their every action, and to her every thought. His blazing cobalt eyes were daring her, challenging her to something she didn't know. She shook her head as the chorus came on and he spun her out again, this time letting her go so spun on her own. The dress she was wearing fluttered around her figure and her brown hair, which was in curls, spun with her. Her dress was white, rimmed in black, with black polka dots and had a slight neckline(if you want to see it, there's a link on my profile). When she stopped spinning, he was there, and he took her hand again.

Maybe redemption has stories to tell Maybe forgiveness is right where you fell Where can you run to escape from yourself? Where you gonna go? Where you gonna go? Salvation is here.

Her dizziness got the best of her, and she laid her head on his shoulder. Actually, just below his shoulder, because she couldn't exactly reach it.

When the chorus came back on, Elizabeth sighed. His cologne was burning in her nose, but it smelled like fresh ocean air, like a walk on a beach. He had released her hand and now both of his arms were wrapped securely around her, protectively even. She slowly brought her other arm to rest on his neck as well. As they turned, she saw James and Emma. They were looking so happy, and their expressions were dreamy.

Then, it was over. He released her on the very last note. He smiled at her and she laughed.

"Well," he breathed, "that was… fun."

She smiled warmly at him, "Yeah, but sadly, Its Monday. It's 10:00."

"So?"

"I have to go."

He looked down, then back up at her with lost eyes.

"Want me to bring you home?"

That was a question she thought she would never hear coming from the lips of Joshua Evans. He was offering to bring her home? What would happen? Nothing, she assumed, but the question still lingered. She forced it aside, with difficulty, and nodded.

"But I walked here," she said looking up at him.

"I have my truck," he smiled and motioned for her to follow him out the house.

She said a quick goodbye to an anxious Emma and James, and gave a small wave to a scowling Sam Murray.

Once they were in his truck, she felt extremely awkward. He must've felt it, too, because he was shifting every now and then in his seat.

Elizabeth sighed with relief as he pulled into her driveway. She climbed out of the car, not expecting him to follow, but he did. He walked her to the front door and she turned to face him.

"Thanks Josh, for coming," she whispered.

"Welcome. It was… cool," he murmured back, "I realize I never told you how he died."

She knew he was talking about his father.

"It was a heart attack," he said, barely audible.

"You didn't have to tell me," she nearly let a tear fall.

"I thought you ought to, just for the way I treated you. You deserve it," he looked up at her.

"Let's just agree on one thing?" she asked.

"Yeah?"

"Tonight never happened."

"Agreed."

"Well, thanks again," she smiled to him and turned around. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see him wanting to say something, taking half a step forward, but he just backed away and muttered something like 'Goodnight Elizabeth'

She closed her door and watched him leave through the window. Then she wished she would've said goodnight back.

I dare you to move like today never happened Today never happened before.

Dare You to Move by Switchfoot

(A/N: ok, so this was really long. But I couldn't find a stopping point and this was a really important part =) It's about 3 regular chapters long. So sue me.)

-XHisLilyEvans