summer child // joshler

40

tyler's point of view

i wake up to my mom knocking softly on my door.

i sit up slowly and clear my throat. "come in." i rub my eyes with my fists and then smile when i see her.

she's standing with a plate of waffles, whipped cream and syrup on top, and a glass of milk in her other hand. "happy birthday, baby! i made you breakfast." she comes forward and hands me the plate, leaning down to kiss my cheek. "i love you so much."

"i love you too, mom. thank you." i take a bite of the waffle and thank whatever god exists that my mom is actually a decent cook.

"take your time eating and getting ready. i'll be setting up for your party! i've got almost everything done but i'll have to pick up the cake a bit later."

"thanks, mom. you didn't have to do all that."

"i know, but it's your special day. i want to do this for you." she squeezes my shoulder then steps back. "i'm gonna go finish cleaning up and whatnot. you enjoy your breakfast."

i'm left alone again when she walks out of the room. i pick up my phone and scroll through my notifications while i eat.

josh: i'm not gonna break into your window and wake you up, but i wanted to be the first to tell you happy birthday. i love you. i'll see you later <3

it was sent at exactly midnight. my heart swells and i stare at the message for awhile before finally replying.

tyler: thank you, j. i love you so much :,)

-

as the time passes, i feel myself get more and more nervous.

there's a knock on the door twenty minutes before my party is set to begin and i figure it's josh.

i'm proved correct when i open the door and he's standing there with a small gift box and a smile.

"hey, j." i wrap my arms around his neck and hug him, sighing in content when he hugs me back. "i love you."

"i love you too, ty. happy birthday." he pulls away and holds the box out to me. "i was hoping you could open this with just us, before everyone got here."

"yeah, of course." i nod and we walk to my room together.

we sit next to each other on the edge of the bed and he hands it to me. i open it up and inside there's a framed photo of us when we were younger, probably about five. we've got ice cream cones in our hands, melted ice cream smeared all over our smiling faces. we're so small, so innocent in the picture. it was before things ever got complicated, before i was a terrible friend, before we stopped being friends at all. we didn't have any idea what was to come and now, looking back on everything is... insane.

my eyes fill with tears. i really don't deserve him. this is the most thoughtful, most special gift i've ever been given. even though it wouldn't look like much to anyone else, this is everything to me. it's a perfect memory with my favorite person. the love of my life and an illustration of just how long he's been there for me, immortalized in a simple black frame.

"i know it's kind of lame. i found the picture the other day and i just-"

i interrupt him with a kiss, filled with every ounce of love i can manage to put into it. "it's perfect. i love it," i tell him when i pull away, setting the photo aside to hug him as best i can from the angle we're sitting at.

"oh. well, i'm glad. i love you a lot, you know." he rubs his hand up and down my back.

"i love you more."