Red Hair and Black Paint

Chapter Six

Three days, seventy two hours and three seconds.

It's been three days since he last spoke to Josh, three days since he saw him, three days since he kissed him.

Three days, seventy two hours and two minutes now.

Tyler felt awful, completely awful. He didn't even stay long enough to get Josh's reaction, it could've been good or bad. His mind worked in evil ways and made it out like his new friend would hate him. Never wanted to see him again. He only knew Josh three weeks now, that didn't give him the right to plant a kiss right on his mouth.

Despite it being three days ago and Tyler showering and scrubbing himself to get rid of guilt, he could still feel Josh's lips against his own. They were soft and warm, a little dry, but he found softness in them like flower petals. He found himself missing it, which just led to him cursing himself out even more.

Tyler knew he was awful, he was the biggest asshole in the world right now. Josh had been texting him, he read them, but he couldn't bring himself to respond.

Josh: Tyler?

Josh: Can we talk about what happened, please?

Josh: I'm not mad. I want to talk. We need to talk.

Josh: Dude, I know you're reading these. You have your phone on you at all times. I'm not an idiot.

Josh: I liked it.

The last one sent something straight into his heart, because now he knew that he was being an asshole. He was ignoring Josh. Sweet, Josh. Who just wanted to talk, but Tyler was far too idiotic to come into terms with himself. He read them, all of them. Thumbs hovered over the keyboard, ready to type something back, but he never did. He typed messages out and never sent them. He even pulled up his dial information, ready to call. He never did that either.

Tyler was depressed along with it. He hated not being around Josh or have some sort of contact with him, he missed hanging out. He knew he was just being insecure and he could easily call Josh. To him, it wasn't all that easy. So he turned his head whenever a message was sent to him, forcing the guilt back into his stomach and looking ahead. He went to battles those three days, taking his emotion out on it. He hadn't been to one to perform in those weeks he met Josh.

It was weird looking into the crowd and not seeing him or off to the side.

He didn't like it and Tyler had to admit to himself.

He missed Josh.

Tyler sighed, turning his attention back to cleaning the tables. He picked up a few extra shifts, mostly to distract himself and it wasn't like he didn't have anything else better to do. Since he ruined his only true friendship.

He grumbled to himself and went onto the next table, throwing away the garbage left on it, spraying it down before he began wiping away the soapy suds. The smell of over scented lemon burning his eyes and violating his nasal cavity. The scent was overwhelming and he hardly noticed the bell dinging, signaling a customer. Nor did he notice that the person that came in, standing near him.

Tyler finished the table and threw away the paper towel, turning to clean the rest of tables when he bumped into said person.

"Oh, I'm sorry--" Tyler started and then froze, fingers clenching around the cleaning supplies.

Josh. It was Josh, the person he hasn't seen for three days, seventy two hours and one hour now.

"Hi," His voice squeaked out and Josh looked down, seeming unsure.