When Worlds Combine - A WWC Sequel

13; Novels, hospitals, and vulnerability

Violet

 

"No, I'm telling you! Pride and Prejudice is definitely the best Jane Austen novel."

I shake my head at Josh's remark, almost scoffing at his naivety.  "Emma will always be the best."

We sit across from each other on his dorm room floor, a ton of books and papers and pens and take out boxes spilled between us. We both bonded over our mutual love for Thai food, ordering almost everything on the menu. Zayn can't stand Thai food, so I never really eat it much. I don't know how long it's been, but I've been enjoying myself so much being in Josh's company. The more we talk, the more we discover about how much we have in common.

Josh swallows a mouthful of noodles. "Alright, fair point. Do you agree that Sense and Sensibility is one of her best?"

I dig around my salad. "Well, considering it was her first novel, I think there's no competition against it. The overall philosophy of the story is fantastic."

"Not as good as P and P," he replies, lips slightly curved.

I eye him playfully. "It definitely makes me laugh that you love Austen novels so much."

He puts his hands up in surrender. "Hey, I'm a fan of good literature."

I take a sip of my water and look at him squarely. "Why do you like that story so much?"

He raises his eyebrow. "P and P?" He shrugs. "I don't know really, I just do. It's kind of a raw sense of romance." He looks sheepish, eyes on mine. "I don't know, it's just nice."

"Nice?"

He smiles crookedly. "Yeah."

I just nod, trying to contain my smile.

"What about you? Why do you like Emma?"

I shrug. "It's just nice."

Josh sighs. "“This sweetest and best of all creatures, faultless in spite of all her faults," he recites.

I just look at him expectantly.

"One of my favourite quotes," he says. "I used to say it to Emma all the time. I tried to get her to read the novel, because I felt as though it had everything I ever wanted to say to her. It was our book. But, she never read it. She was never into that kind of thing."

I gasp a little, wrapping my mind around how incredibly sweet that is. I can imagine Josh loving this novel just as much as he loved Emma. "W-What happened?" I ask suddenly.

He looks at me. "Between Emma and I?"

I nod silently.