tyler's point of view
i knock on josh's door, my pie in a dish in my hands.
when he opens, i feel my mouth go dry. it's one thing for him to dress somewhat nice for school, but tonight, he looks... too good. i dressed up a little myself, and our outfits are similar, but he wears it much better.
"hey, tyler. happy thanksgiving." he smiles at me and i grip my dish tightly so i don't drop it. he adds, "you look nice."
"oh, uh, thank you. you definitely look nicer," i say, doing my best not to stutter or make myself look too stupid.
"no way," he replies. "let me grab my potatoes and we can go."
no way? does he not know what he looks like?!
he locks the door to his apartment and then opens the car door for me.
"would you mind holding this too?" he asks, referring to the bowl in his hands.
"of course not." i put my seatbelt on and then take it from him, making sure it's situated in a way it won't fall.
he closes the door for me too, since my hands are now occupied.
we make conversation in the car, but i find myself too distracted by how attractive he is to care what we're talking about.
when we arrive, he opens the door for me again and takes his bowl from me. he leads me to the front door with one hand on my lower back, just like last time. and also just like last time, it makes my heartbeat so loud that i worry he can hear it.
he moves his hand long enough to let us in and then puts it back to guide me through the room.
"my favorite boys!" hayley smiles warmly at us. "let me take those for you. we're just waiting on taylor's brother. he should be here any minute." she sets our dishes out on the counter with everything else. "c'mere, ty. let me introduce you."
hayley wraps her arm around my shoulders and pulls me away from josh and into her living room where three people sit on her couch. she tells me their names and i make a mental note of each of them.
there's olivia, taylor's childhood friend and old college roommate. next to her sits jonah, hayley's coworker, and his boyfriend eric.
"taylor's brother might bring his girlfriend, but i don't know. her name is lila and she hates me," hayley adds. "but anyway, that's everyone. everyone, tyler!"
once i've been introduced, josh sits next to me on the loveseat across from the couch. everyone talks to each other, but i mostly stay quiet, trying to gauge each person's personality a bit more.
after a little bit, taylor's brother arrives, without his girlfriend.
hayley leads us all to the table, which is a bit crowded with the extra chairs that were added for the occasion. i sit next to josh again, obviously, and we're so close that our legs and arms are touching. it's nice to have an excuse to be this close without having to worry one move will be what ruins whatever is going on.
the food is delicious and the pie i brought gets a ton of compliments, so i feel quite proud of myself. we all sit around and talk for awhile longer, but after a couple hours, josh and i are the only ones left.
we're sitting on the loveseat again, hayley on the couch with taylor cuddled up to her. there's plenty of room for josh to sit further from me, but he stays right next to me. i feel the same urge i did at the concert, to lean my head on his shoulder, but i resist again.
we eventually say goodbye to hayley and taylor too, who give us thanks and hugs on our way out. in the car, the dishes go at
my feet since they're empty, which leaves my hands free to pull out my phone. i open my messages and open my groupchat with emily and sydney to tell them happy thanksgiving, sending a similar message to jenna as well before i put my phone back down.
i lean my head against the window, suddenly so tired that i think i could pass out here.
"the old thanksgiving sleepiness getting to you over there?" josh asks, his voice warm and comforting. i can hear the small smile on his lips without even looking.
"maybe a little," i admit.
"that's okay. we're almost home," he tells me, one of his hands taking mine again. his thumb brushes gently over my knuckles a few times and i look down at it.
i still can't believe this is real and part of me never wants this car ride to end.
when it inevitably does, we follow our routine of josh waiting for me to unlock my door and get inside before leaving.
once i've finished the first step and my door is opened just an inch, i turn back to him again.
"thank you for bringing me tonight. it really means a lot," i tell him, offering a sleepy smile.
"no, don't thank me. you're welcome anytime. my friends love you," he replies.
"i'm easy to love, i suppose," i joke, my smile a little wider.
"yeah, i see that," is all he says.
what is that supposed to mean?!
i don't answer this time, i just step inside to leave my dish on the counter before quickly coming back outside to wrap my arms around him.
i hug him tightly and he returns the gesture, one hand flat on my back and the other held out due to the fact that he's still holding his bowl.
i hug him for longer than i probably should, but he makes no move to let go first, no protest at all.
i do let go after awhile though, of course. the look in his eyes afterwards is confusing and i step back inside my apartment.
"goodnight, josh. happy thanksgiving. i'm thankful for you," i speak softly and shut the door before he can say anything back.
but as i'm getting ready for bed, i hear my phone go off with a notification.
j: im thankful for you too, tyler. sleep well.
-
after work friday, i flop down onto my bed and facetime sydney and emily. sydney said it was somewhat urgent, but i doubt it.
"alright, what's up, syd?"
"the winter dance is coming up, you whores! dress shopping? dates? dinner before? we need to make a plan!"
"it's the day after thanksgiving," emily points.
"and your point is? i got asked today. that's what reminded me," sydney says.
"i hope james asks me." emily sighs. "it's been going really well."
"i'm sure he will. he'd be stupid not to," i reassure her.
"you know, i heard theo was thinking about asking you. you should go with him," sydney suggests.
"what about mr. dun?" emily furrows her eyebrows.
"i know. i'm working at an angle here. i think it'll make him jealous. maybe he'll finally make a move," she says, as if all of this is some science she's an expert in.
i can't deny that she's good at this stuff though. i mean, i've gotten this far.
"i don't know, isn't it kind of mean to lead him on like that?"
"you don't have to go as his date. you can go as his friend," sydney says. "but you've got like two weeks to decide."
"i'll think about it."
(an: me and sydney are the same bc i be plotting and scheming)
YOU ARE READING
clementine // joshler
Fanfiction"i don't need anyone. i just need everyone and then some." - in which tyler is a senior in high-school who's been living on his own for two years and josh is a teacher fresh out of college who's just gotten out of a four-year relationship. - #1 in t...
