Chapter Text
Joshua had pretty much always hated Christopher's stupid butterfly effect philosophy. Maybe he'd just seen too many movies beat the idea into his head or maybe it was the absurd amount of assurance his best friend took into the idea. Either way Josh hadn't found it mind blowing since the blond boy first brought it up when they were nine years old. Chris on the other hand swore by the concept well into their teen years and would often cite it in cases that Josh found to be utterly stupid if he was telling the truth. Even their first meeting had less to do with some random girl's bra strap and more to do with the Rubik’s Cube Josh poured over during free time which Chris happened to know the trick to solving.
The summer of their sophomore year he was the most annoying with it as one after another different events took their friends out of L.A.. Emily and Jess had gone on a trip to Greece with Emily's mother and siblings to celebrate Emily's parents' divorce being finalized. Matt was off to football camp under the heavy pressure from his couch if he ever wanted to score that free ride through college. Considering the state of his GPA it wasn't exactly an option he could turn down. His parents packed him up and shipped him out before the school year had hardly ended. Mike was pushed into applying for some advanced political science college program. Once he was accepted knowing Mike's dad there was no saying no to that kind of opportunity. Nobody even bothered to ask if he was going to go or not. He left less than a week after Matt did. The group wouldn't be separated for the whole entire summer and they weren't little kids who couldn't stand some time apart, but it had sure put a damper on the big plans they had all been making over the last month or so.
For a short while it had just been Chris, Ashley, Sam and the Washington siblings. Until that was it was time for the billionaire teens to take their annual two week trip to see their only living grandparent in Alberta, Canada. A trip Josh was being forced to skip out on this year. His grandfather had broken his left leg badly. Both Hannah and Beth could be trusted to behave under the circumstances. Though his father, who was still away on a shoot, had less (read: no) faith in Josh to do the same. His mother was completely in agreement citing his latest “incident at school” as proof and was too overwhelmed with her work and whatever charity business she did to keep herself busy to go along and keep him in check. So the two of them would be staying behind.
That's how the summer of ten friends, all finally with cars and driver's licenses and curfews later than eight 'o clock, narrowed down pathetically to four: Sam, Ashley, Chris and Josh.
'The hurricane result from the flapping wings as Chris would say much less poetically' Josh thought, observing the three friends sat his basement lair. Sam sat at the opposite side of the couch from him. Her knees were drawn up to her chest. Her toes curled into the couch with her feet pointed towards each other. He had never seen her look so uncomfortable while in the Washington house before. Except maybe back in middle school before she attached herself permanently to Hannah's hip. He tried to remember if she had ever hung out with him, Chris and Ashley without his sisters around in the past. He couldn't think of any time that it had happened. He felt bad for her suddenly. At least Josh's two closest friends had stayed in town, both of hers were in Canada.
She was chewing on her hair, nodding politely as she listened to Ashley talk from her place on the floor about some dead person. Probably a writer or a philosopher or something like that. Ashley liked to talk about dead people. English and Chinese dead people mostly. But not the creepy fun kind from old stories Josh liked to spook people with. The historical kind. Chris was in the armchair next to him absorbed what else but his phone. Sometimes Josh pretended that there was an entire array of naked photos stored on that phone, exclusively of all their friends. Though he wasn't sure if that was less or more embarrassing than what his best friend was actually doing on the small electronic device.
Chris' phone made a noise of some kind and after a few swipes of his fingers he leaned forward.
“Oh, that's neat I guess,” Chris mumbled more to himself than anyone in the room.
“What?” Josh asked, not really caring, but starved for the conversation.
“They're having a double feature movie night in the park tonight. Tickets are being sold at a couples deal price,” Chris answered holding up his phone to show the promotion on the screen.
“Why do get alerts about junk like that to your phone?” Josh asked. Because honestly Chris could be classified as the very definition of the phrase 'Single as Fuck.'
“I help Dan plan date night sometimes,” he answered with a shrug as if that wasn't as weird as it was.
“So you help your step-dad score with your mom?”
“Not anymore after you put it like that. Thanks, Josh.”
“No prob. Bud,” Josh said slapping his shoulder and leaning in closer, “So what are they playing?”
“'When Harry met Sally' is the first movie.”
“You know I've always wanted to see that,” Ashley suddenly piped up. Both guys turned to the other side of the room unaware the girls had even heard their conversation. Sam had released her hair and was also looking at Ashley surprised at her interjection
“Really? You haven’t seen it? It's pretty funny, and it's a cute little date movie,” Chris said. Josh looked between his two friends. They were giving each other that warm dopey look they were prone to when they forgot he was still in the room with them. For a second he actually thought that maybe just maybe this would be the moment. That Chris was gonna go for it. He had to go for. He'd be an idiot not to.
“Maybe I'll go tonight then,” Ashley answered twirling her hair around her finger. She could only have been giving him a more blatant signal if she also happened to be wearing a t-shirt that said in neon block letters: 'Chris, I want your dick!' Josh swore the air in the room was becoming solid around them and Ash continued talking in her sweet flirty voice reserved only for Chris, “So... What's the second movie playing?”
“'The Notebook,'” Chris answered and just when Josh was sure he was going kick the other guy in order to hurry things along there was a loud gasp from Sam.
“I love that movie!” she said getting excited all of a sudden before looking at Ashley, “Ash, we should go tonight together. They're having a deal on ticket pairs right, Chris?”
Sam's exclamation had broken him out of his gross Disney-gaze with Ashley. He checked his phone. “Ah yeah it's uh it's a two for one deal. You only pay for one ticket per couple or something like that.”
“What do say Ash?” Sam asked the other girl who looked equally caught off guard to discover there were people in this room who weren't her or Chris, “Come on! They don't have to know that you and I aren't a couple. I bet lots of girls are doing it.”
Josh stared at Sam, his eyes wider than usual. It was like a balloon had somehow just silently popped in the room. His mouth must have been open because his tongue was going dry. He couldn't believe this. Did she know what she had done? What she had ruined? His brain was trying desperately to catch up. That could only explain the next words that burst from his mouth in a rush.
“We should all go!” Three sets of eyes turned to look at him then. Confusion, concern, disbelief, and skepticism. All directed at him. He couldn't blame them really. Chris or even Matt was known to enjoy the occasional chick flick unironically, Mike would stomach it for a date but him? Not even on his life. Josh Washington did NOT watch romantic comedies. Not for his sisters, not for his friends, not even for a date. He had no choice but to run with it though.
“I mean there's four of us so that's only the price of two tickets right? And I've never seen 'When Harry met Sally' but Chris apparently luurrrvvvvves it. I might as well check it out,” Josh continued throwing the spotlight onto Chris.
“Well, I mean I didn't say I loved it...” Chris petered off. His eyes falling away from Josh and his hand awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. Okay, one down.
“And if Sam thinks 'The Notebook' is so good then I gotta see what that mushy train wreck is all about. Probably something Hannah dragged you to right?”
“Ha ha, Josh. Well, you go ahead and judge all you want I like the movie,” Sam answered crossing her arms and rolling her eyes away from looking at him. That's two.
“Besides it wouldn't be fair for Ashley to be the only person there flying blind. Somebody else has got to be shocked when the two lead actors cast in the movie end up together despite all the inconveniences and misunderstandings we the audience could never possibly have seen coming.”
Ashley laughed at that, unsurprisingly. She laughed at most things, she was crushing on the lame puns master and dad joke expert himself after all. She covered her face to stop her giggles.
Josh Washington: three for three.
“I think all of us going together sounds fun,” Ashley said as her laughter faded away.
“Not like I have anything else going on,” Chris supplied in agreement.
“Great,” Josh said patting Chris on the back feeling good about both covering his own rear end and getting Chris and Ashley back on track. “You feeling good about it Sammy?”
“On the condition that I get to make the snacks,” Sam answered before pointing between both guys, “You two never bring anything I can eat.”
Chris put his hand over his heart in mock hurt. Ashley giggled again.
“Alright, alright,” Josh said standing up and pointing to each of them in turn, “Paul, George, Ringo let's get this show on the road huh? Find some picnic stuff.”
"Hey wait, why do you get to be John Lennon?" Sam complained as Chris was pulling Ashley up onto her feet. Josh smiled at that but noticed her giving him a strange look as she headed into his kitchen to prepare them food. He shrugged it off and led his other two friends off to find picnic gear.
---
“So are you gonna let me in on why you really wanted to come to this thing or am I gonna be left in the dark all night too?”
Josh looked over at Chris who like him was setting up a two person blanket on the ground. The girls had insisted on finding a good spot for their stuff before running off to the bathroom. So here the two guys were setting up their little picnic area. It wasn't very impressive: a few baskets of snacks settled between a couple of blankets. There were groups of people and couples setting up their own spots all around them. He considered being honest with Chris. Just flat out telling him that he had to step in because once again the guy had taken his sweet time and messed up his shot to ask out his supposed dream girl to what would be a perfect event for romance. So now Chris was on a (not) date with Ashley featuring Josh and Sam.
“You gotta be familiar with all different types of films if you wanna work in this biz, bro.” was what he ended up saying.
“Okay, then,” Chris said and Josh knew his friend didn't believe him. You don't spend seven years putting up with somebody's bullshit and then not know how to smell it at least a little bit. The girls were in sight though so the topic could safely be dropped.
“Alright so the first film starts in about five minutes. You guys ready?” Sam checked with them as soon as she got there, “Do we need anything? Did we get everything from the car?”
“Sam,” Josh answered in a mock soothing voice, “We didn't bring that much stuff. Take a seat. Relax.”
Chris was already lounging on the red blanket so Josh purposely pulled Sam towards the blue blanket. Kneeling down on it he gestured for her to sit next to him. Predictably Ashley walked over to the other blanket and settled down next to Chris. Sam yanked her hand from his grasp and shoved his shoulder before sitting next to him. Josh laughed as he collapsed roughly next to her bumping her shoulder in return. She shoved him away playfully.
“Who wants snacks?” Ashley announced opening up one of the baskets. Soon the lights were dimming as the credits were coming up on screen. Hungry teenage hands snatched things greedily from the basket. Josh had to admit even if it was definitely vegan whatever it was Sam had made them to eat tasted absolutely delicious.
Their snacks ran out about a third of the way through the second movie.
Josh and Sam had shifted onto their side and stomach respectively at some point. He couldn't help but notice that their bodies were extremely close as well. She looked nice with the light from the screen reflecting slightly off her hair. She sighed in a breathy way whenever something that he assumed was supposed to be particularly romantic happened on screen. Though he didn't really see what was so romantic about two idiots lying in the road looking up at a traffic light.
Josh tilted his head as stealthily as he could to observe his other two friends. Chris was on the farthest end of his own blanket from Josh leaning back on his left hand. His phone was in his right hand and he had clearly checked out of the movie awhile ago. He even had his earbuds in. Frustration flared up in Josh's stomach but quickly died down when his eyes traveled down to Chris' lap where Ashley's head lay comfortably asleep. Her body was curling up as close to his as she could get it and Chris' sweater was draped over her. At least it looked like things between them hadn't been a complete flop.
Sam shifted next to him, probably to get more comfortable, bringing his attention back to her. Josh took note that if he moved a little bit closer he would be spooning her. With his head resting on his hand he wondered ludicrously how inappropriate it would be for him to do that right then.
There was a good distance between their quartet and any other moviegoers. With everybody watching the screen they probably wouldn't notice. Hell he was pretty sure there was a couple full blown making out about ten feet back. The bigger worry was Chris and Ashley. They would surely notice right, and comment. He stole another quick glance their way. Ashley seemed out for the count and he was pretty sure she was even snoring. Josh was also positive Chris wouldn't notice the screen catching on fire between the combination of his phone, his earbuds and Ashley's head in his lap.
Sam would though. She would absolutely notice him pressing his body up against her body like that. He glanced back up at the screen. He didn't know what was happening but she seemed pretty invested in it. Girls got pretty hormonal during crap like this right? She might actually like it if he made a move. Did he want to make a move on Sam? Was there some rule against that? She was his little sister's best friend after all. He was certainly upset when Beth dated Chris for those awful few days in sixth grade. Josh reached his hand out and placed it on the small of her back. She shifted towards him. He went to move forward.
Then Ashley let out a fairly loud snort in her sleep. Sam shot upright and looked around for the source of the noise. She sighed after she spotted Ashley and Chris. Whether it was in frustration or relief Josh wasn't completely sure. She turned to look at him. She smiled dejectedly. He could only barely see it.
“Ashley fell asleep,” Sam told him unnecessarily.
“I know.”
“And Chris is on his phone.”
“That I also know.”
“You're not even watching the movie.”
He didn't answer that time.
“We should all just go.”
“Okay,” he said, fighting the urge to pull her back down onto the blanket with him. He didn’t give two shits about the movie, but laying there with Samantha had been nice. Different.
She stood and was gone from his sight. He assumed to get Chris' attention or wake Ashley. He stared at the movie screen a little longer wanting for her to come back into his line of sight. By the time he rolled into a sitting position the others were already up and packing their things away.
---
Once back inside of Josh's jeep the world began to spin normally again. His seat felt very comforting, and grounding. He was back in L.A. and not wherever he had been in the park. Chris was helping a still groggy Ashley into the backseat while Sam slid into the passenger side up front. She reached for radio and quickly found some classical station. The music soon drowned out Chris and Ashley's quiet chatter.
“So,” Ashley asked the whole car when they were moving down the road and she was more awake, “The first movie had a weird moral right? Sex always gets in the way of guy and girls being friends?”
“I guess,” Chris answered in a voice that sounded like he probably shrugged, “But I mean it's not like it's true. Look at any of the four of us. Or any of our friends other than Mike and Emily for that matter.”
“Yeah,” Josh said stopping at a red light, “And if anything I think some good sex would only bring us all closer together. You up for it, Chris?”
He probably deserved the kick to the back of his seat he got after that. Seriously though Josh could and should kick his best friend's ass for what he said. Only a complete idiot would so firmly put himself in the friendzone like that.
“I don't think that was the point,” Sam said leaning back in her seat.
“Oh ho. Then enlighten us, Samantha,” Josh teased pulling the jeep forward as the light turned green, "What was the point?”
“You should always be friends first and a couple second. Because friends make the best lovers. ”
“That's a sweet way to look at it, Sam,”Ashley said. Her still slightly tired voice sugary.
“Yeah, it is,” Chris agreed equally as sweet but that was probably because Ashley liked the idea.
Josh smiled at that despite himself. The idea was kinda nice. It was too nice. He had to ruin it.
“It sure is,” he started before a nasty smirk formed on his face, “So in what combination do we wanna pair up to test out this theory? Cochise, would you prefer the blonde or the red-head cause I'm not too picky myself?”
The second kick to the back of his seat from Chris almost caused him to swerve them off of the road. Ashley barked out a genuine loud embarrassed laugh. Sam chuckled sarcastically before adding a quick “Very clever Josh.”
They reached Ashley's house first. She looked significantly tired. Thankfully Chris had enough game to offer to walk her to her door. Josh shook his head a little once he was out of the car. Then he watched Chris awkwardly help her out and walk her down the walkway to her door. Sometimes he thought their case was a hopeless one. Other times he thought the two of them were meant to be. Neither one of them had even shown any interest in anybody else since Ash transferred to their school almost two years ago. It seemed stupid to him. They so obviously liked each other and yet they did nothing about it.
His gaze shifted over to Sam. He thought back to their whatever that had been in the park. She had her eyes closed and was absorbed in the music playing. Her head gently rocked back and forth and she hummed lightly. He could only hear it if he were really listening. She got that way sometimes. It made her look lovely in a demure and mysterious kind of way. Well truthfully she was always very lovely. Josh wasn't blind. He noticed Sam's many “features.” He would also be lying if he said he had never called upon the image of her when "inspiration" was needed for private sexual activities. But she was Hannah's best friend and close with Beth as well. In fact she was rarely not in the company of one or both of his sisters and the presence of one's siblings would certainly kill most guys' libido. It was hard to think of Sam as sexy when she always came attached to a Washington girl.
On her own though wow she sure was something.
Josh was pulled out of his voyeuristic thoughts by Chris climbing into the car. Sam smiled back at him. At least Josh hadn't been caught.
“Yo, so Sam's place next, right?” Josh nodded back at Chris and pulled away from the curb.
“Oh Sam, Ash said she's sorry she knocked out and we had to leave early. She knows you really like that movie.”
“It's fine, she just better stay awake next time we hang out.”
“Well she mentioned a carnival this weekend. We were going to go check it out. You could come too if you want. I think we can keep her conscious through that.”
Leave it to Chris to get invited alone somewhere with Ashley and ruin it himself. As much as Josh hoped Sam would turn him down earlier experience taught him better. Once again he found himself running at the mouth before he could stop himself.
“Am I meant to sit at home all alone then?”
Chris and Sam both looked his way at that. Though at least this time they didn’t seem to be checking his neck for extra heads. Sam gave him that look again. The one from earlier. Chris didn't seem to notice, he just carried on.
“Course not bro. You're more than welcome. Gotta keep the band together right?”
“Yeah, man,” Josh agreed pulling up to Sam's drive-way.
“Okay. Goodnight guys,” she said opening the door and climbing out, “Text me the details later, Chris.”
“Got it,” he answered climbing up front and into her seat. She closed the door and headed up to her front porch. Once she was inside Chris shifted his focus back to Josh.
“You dropping me at home or are we gonna hang for a bit?”
Josh reached over and smacked Chris over the head as a harmlessly as he could manage a few times instead of giving him a response.