anti-hero// joshler

10

word count: 264

"this dinner is good, ashley," joshua smiles and laughs with ashley.

"thanks. it's tyler's favorite, actually." 

they both look at me. their eyes emit a feeling like they want to be here. and i want to be here too. but i don't know how to produce that like they do.

"yeah, it is," i reply.

"what do you guys work as?"

"i'm a cashier at publix down the street," ashley says.

"oh, i heard that the minimum wage is going up, right?"

"yeah. why go to college when i can just work down the street and get the same money."

"yet we're still broke," i say.

"yeah."

"uhm.. what do you work as, tyler?"

"i.. i have no job."

"really?"

"yeah," i poke at my plate, "i have.. mental issues and i can't."

"oh i'm sorry."

"don't be. it's why ashley moved in and i love her so."

"we're just friends though," ashley interrupts me.

"that's nice. do either of you have a partner or?"

"no."

"nope, what about you?" ashley asks him.

"i have a girlfriend.. but we're on and off a lot."

"oh. that's.."

"i'm sorry to hear that."

"it's okay. i'm thinking of maybe breaking it off. she's kinda.. insane," he makes a weird face and i find myself laughing as i drink my water.

he glances over at me and smiles, but it's different, and almost invisible.

"are you going to decorate your house for christmas?"

"oh hell yeah. i'm a christmas geek. what about you guys?"

"probably not. i don't know. i never have the energy."

"i'll help you, t."

"i can too. it'll be the second best damn trailer in the park."

"second," i ask.

"well after mine of course. i can't let you beat me."

"that.. sounds nice."

a/n:

i wrote this chapter a few days before christmas and now it's almost valentine's day

....

that's weird

life is weird

time is weird