the other side || joshler

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     a little girl, about 8 or 9, shyly walked into the music store with her mother right behind her. she looked around nervously and laid her eyes on me.

"hello, how may i help you?" the little girl jumped back because of my unexpected greeting and i smiled. "don't worry, i don't bite." she looked back up at me and took a deep breath.

"can i get a keyboard piano?" she asked with a nervous crack in her voice. "please."

i looked to the area with the keyboards and walked over to it. and motioned for the girl to come over. i got the first one i saw down from its hook and crouched to her level.

"would this one be nice?" i asked her. she examined the keyboard for a couple minutes and touched it's keys. "yes."

the mother then purchased it and went on her way, but the little girl looked at me with a sparkle in her eyes, as if saying thank you silently. she then skipped off with her mother gleefully.

     this is what music does, it inspires people, even the littlest ones. the girl looked like she just won the lottery when she got her keyboard.

that made the rest of my day.

after work was over, i walked to the other side of the walkway to starbucks. josh was still working there so i decided to wait for his shift to end.

it was about thirty minutes until he left the counter and sat in the seat in front of me. "so, tyler, uh.." i looked up only to see him looking down. so flustered.

"hey josh? do you play any instruments?" i asked him.

he looked up with wide eyes. "uh yeah, i do the drums." he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. then we sat in silence for a couple minutes.

"well this sucks." josh said putting his hands on the table. "tell me about you. what do you like? what instruments do you play?"

i sat for a couple seconds thinking. "well i play ukulele and piano i guess. i also really like mario cart. and singing is somethin i do. i write my own songs."

josh looked at me in amazement.

"wow, lotza stuff. i just bang barrels with two sticks." he looked down.

"but you work at motherfreakin' starbucks!!"

he shrugged.

"whatever i guess. i mean, i dont sell instruments i just grind coffee."

stubborn little shit.

"okay, yaknow what?"

"wha-"

"you are so much cooler than me, you have a whole tattoo sleeve and dyed hair. you probably have all the ladies and-"

"ehh, i don't like ladies that much."

i looked up at him and he looks back down. my face starts to become warm and pink. i look down as well.

"sorry if you hate me now." josh shakily said. hurt in his voice.

"nah, man. i'd never hate you. i am, in fact, supes gay. so don't even worry."

i stood up and pulled out my phone.

"welp, gotta go. i will see you later!" i started walking away. halfway gone, i looked behind me and saw josh with his jaw dropped.