Crushing On The Wrong Joshua (Crushing on You 3)

“Later, kiddo, make sure you're home before dark,” he said.

“Okay, Dad,” Amber said and hung up.

“Sorry about that,” she said looking down at Joshua.

“Not a problem, my mom is always calling to check up on me,” he laughed.

“Dad wanted me to go to my Aunt's. Thankfully he didn't make me,” Amber laughed.

“That bad, huh?” Joshua asked.

“You don't even wanna know,” Amber shook her head and bent to retrieve her book.

“Do you want to go for a walk or something?” Joshua asked.

“I think I should get home,” Amber said.

“It's on my way home, so I'll walk with you, if you like?” Joshua offered.

“Okay,” Amber nodded, tucking the book back into her purse.

“I bet O'Bannon has another pop quiz in the morning,” Joshua said.

“What?” Amber said, “I hope not.”

“He's going quiz happy. I heard him talking to Mrs. Rolling after school on Friday and he mentioned something about writing one up over the weekend,” Joshua said.

“Ugh,” Amber groaned.

“I think he gets some sadistic kick out of it,” Joshua laughed.

“I think so do you,” Amber laughed.

“What's that supposed to mean?” Joshua asked.

“It means that you enjoy making me dread math,” Amber said.

“Not really, it was just something to talk about,” Joshua shrugged.

“Either way, this is my house, so I'll see you in math tomorrow,” Amber said and sprinted up the walk.

Chapter Seven

Monday

Monday morning found Amber exhaustedly dragging herself to the bus stop. She had stayed up to finish her book and began another. Her body had been exhausted, but her mind wouldn't shut up. Her thoughts chased each other back and forth while she tried to concentrate on reading. The bag filled with her Joshua Nelson memorabilia still sat in the back of her closet. Amber hadn't managed the nerve to take it out to the curb yet.

Her thoughts skirted from Joshua Nelson and the improbability of ever hooking up and Joshua Kirk. Joshua Kirk was average. He was cute, but not sexy. He was funny, but not hilarious. He didn't play a sport or a guitar. Joshua Kirk claimed to spend a lot of time at the library, but Amber had never noticed him there. Was she really so lost in her own world that she failed to notice him? It had to be the answer, because why would someone lie about hanging out at the library? It implied the lack of a social life. Even Greg, whose nose was constantly buried in a book never hung out at the library.

Amber wasn't sure what to do now. The spell hadn't worked and she had given up on Joshua Nelson, even if she didn't want to throw the stuff out yet. Joshua Kirk seemed nice enough, but Amber didn't know if she was ready to move on. More than that, she wasn't sure Joshua Kirk was the type of guy she wanted to move on with. After all, Amber planned to marry her high-school sweetheart, just like her parents had. So she had to be careful. Joshua Nelson would have been perfect. Well, if he had quit stroking his own ego long enough to notice her.

“The plan is just to avoid him,” Amber thought to herself, “Just avoid him and the other Joshua.”

“Come on, Amber!” Larry called.

Amber blinked and scurried onto the bus. She hadn't heard it pull up.

“You alive inside that thick skull this morning, Amber?” Larry asked.