save [joshler]

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Joshua's pov

"I wont get any cleaning done today, will I?" I ask, shaking my head.

"Nope." He smiles. "I'll explain it to my mom. I'll tell her someone douche bag just beat you up in traffic and I told you to go home."

"Ty, I-"

"Oh, please don't call me that." He spoke softly.

"What?" I ask.

"Ty," He said. "Please don't call me that." He asked looking at the floor.

I nod and turn off the light before walking out of the bathroom. "O-Okay, I'm sorry. I won't call you that." I said, sitting down on the couch.

He followed my movements and laid back. "It's okay."

It was silent for a moment before I spoke up again. "So you still wanna know why I ran away?"

He looked at me with a soft smile and nodded.

"Okay with every small bit of information I tell you; you have to tell me something too."

He nodded and sat up, pulling his legs to his chest. "Do you want me to go first?"

"Uh, sure."

"Um okay, let me think." He smiled.

I nod. I don't know much of his life, but whatever it is I probably had it worse.

"Okay," he spoke. "Um, my dad used to hit me."

Well shit, me too.

I was about to speak but he interrupted me. "Your turn. How old were you when you ran away?"

"I was 17 when I ran away. Half because my dad hit me, half because my parents sucked. My dad had always hit me, but the night I left he beat me for three hours straight. I decided that is was too much and left." 

He nods and pushed his tongue out in the corner of his mouth. "My dad started hitting me because I came out as gay. He really didn't like that his son was homosexual so he hit me a bunch before just leaving." He paused for a second. "Why did he hit you for three hours?"

"Um, I came home after beating some kid up. I fucked up him pretty badly and my parents heard about it. When I came home, he wouldn't allow me to explain myself. Explain why I hurt the kid."

He rested his head on the back of the couch and sighed. He looked at me with something on his face. Like he wanted to tell me something but he couldn't.

"I've been in an abu-" He was cut off from his phone ringing.

He looked at me and apologized before answering the call.

"Hi Bren." He said standing up and walking to the kitchen.

"Yeah."

"Yep, okay."

"I know, Bren."

"I'll be home soon."

"Okay, I love you too. Bye Bren."

I heard him sigh before he walked back out here.

"I'm sorry about that." He smiled sitting down.

"That's alright. Boyfriend troubles?" I joke.

He laughed and shook his head. "No, I just forgot to tell him I wasn't gonna be home today."

I smile and nod. Good thing he left when he did. I don't wanna like, make him think differently about me. I don't know, I like him. He's nice and he fucking cleaned the blood off my face. He's the first person in a long time I haven't felt completely annoyed by. And I don't want that to change by me telling him everything.

"So," He spoke.

"Sooooo." I dragged out.

Fuck now it's awkward. Got damn it.

"Why did you beat up that kid?" He asked.

Fuck me.

"I'm pretty sure it was your turn to say something." I laugh.

"Right, you're right." He smiled. "Uh, nothing really fucked up happened to me. It was just mainly my dad so I don't have anything to give, really." He shrugs.

"Hm. Okay, I'll give you this one for free. Any other questions you have; you gotta think of something."

He smiled and nodded. "Okay."

"Okay, when I was 17, I was a shit head. I liked fighting; I guess I still do but that's besides the point. I had switched schools three times between the ages 13 and 17. So I was known for....fighting. At my last school, one of the popular football players was dating this cheerleader. Apparently there was a party and she got super drunk and he um....he didn't take no for an answer.

So, when I got wind of that news, I just let loose on him. I let out all of my anger on him. All the students and teachers and staff who tried to stop me, I just hit them too. I didn't stop until my hands felt broken. I couldn't hit him any more.

I tried explaining to my parents that he was a piece of shit and they didn't listen. They just, I don't know they just didn't listen. Things had been leading up to it, and I thought it was right. So I packed my bags, I was getting ready to leave.

My dad came in and asked what I was doing, so I told him. That's when he hit me for three hours straight. That night, while they were sleeping, I ran away. I got on the first bus and didn't get off until the next morning. I ended up in Michigan."

"What happened after that?"

I made a face at him, then he realized.

"Oh fuck, okay, give me a second." He laughed.

I nod, resting my back against the couch, waiting for him.

"Oh! I've literally never told anyone this so I don't know why I'm starting with you, buuuut, when I was around 14 years old, I made a Facebook account. I blocked my parents on it so they wouldn't and couldn't find me. A few months after creating it, this guy messaged me. I was dumb and naive so I messaged him back.

Flash foward to 16 years old, I had been talking to him that whole time, yeah he was like 50 year old man and he got arrested for child porn."

I blinked a few times, trying to take in what he said. "Did you send him nudes? Was he arrested from talking to you?"

"Nope, you gotta answer my question. What happened after you landed in Michigan."

I smiled and shook my head. "Nothing really. I hopped park bench to park bench for a few years. I got into many, many fights and by my 24th birthday, I found myself back in Columbus. Now answer my question." I smiled.

He rolled his eyes and chuckled. "Yes, I did send him nude pictures of myself. My parents went through my shit and saw everything. Had him arrested and everything."

"Damn, Tyler. That beats everything I just said." I laughed.

"Meh, I was 14 and stupid. It's his fault for being a pedo."

"No, I'm on your side." I said. "I fucking can't stand everyone, especially pedophiles."

"So you can't stand me?" He asked, batting his eyelashes.

I lightly shoved him and laughed. "No, I really can't." I joked.

He fake gasped and put his hand over his heart. "Rude."

"I'm kidding. You're the first person in a long time I don't hate."