Truce

CHAPTER ONE

JOSH'S POV

I walk into my room after showering for school, my blue hair dripping water on the floor. I see my phone light up showing a text from my beautiful girlfriend. My stomach drops when I read the message:

"I'm sorry that I've been neglecting our relationship. Lately I've come to realize that I don't have the time or the means to be a good girlfriend. All I do is worry about you and I can't afford to do that. I care about you, but I think we would be better off as friends. Please don't be upset, I'm not mad at you, please don't be mad at me, I just need to work on my own problems before I worry about others. You should be able to form other relationships rather than being tethered to someone such as myself. I'll give you the rings back that you gave me. I know it's shitty of me to break up with you online, but I'm a coward and I couldn't dare do this face to face because I don't want to hurt you at school. I still love you, but this relationship needs to end."

My phone hit the floor, as if in slow motion. I felt the world crumpling around me, leaving nothing but heart ache in its path. I sunk down to the ground, bringing me knees to my chest. I was shaking... tears ran from my tired eyes. I was hit with a sudden wave of nausea I sprinted to the trash can in the corner of my small bedroom, I heaved up all the food I had left on my stomach. I picked my phone back up and messaged her back

"Okay"

That's all I could say... what else could I say? I saw I had a text from Tyler.

"Good morning"

"Debby broke up with me".. I wanted to wake up and this all be a dream.

I didn't want to go to school. I walked up to my mom crying so hard I could not breathe.. I couldn't explain to her what was wrong. I showed her the message and she kissed my forehead. I walked back to my room and threw myself down on my bed face first. Screaming into the pillow until my throat was raw. I saw I had a message from Tyler he tried to keep up a conversation between us, but I could barely find the motivation to speak. I checked my calendar and suddenly realized what day it was. October 31, Halloween. I stayed in bed the majority of the day. I heard Tyler knocking on my door I couldn't let him see me like this.

I went to school the next day in an old hoodie and old converses covered paint and holes. My heart fell into my stomach when I realized I had first period with her..She sits directly behind me. I walked into the room and saw her deck was empty. I sat my bag down and stared down at my desk I felt my eyes begin to fill with tears. I remembered all of the good times her and I had in this classroom. The principal came over the loudspeaker to say the announcement but I was lost in thought. I felt so numb.. All I could think about was her.

After class was over, Tyler met me at the door. He grabbed me and hugged me for what felt like forever. He stepped back and I could see he was tearing up. I felt my heart jump into my throat.

"Stop"

We started holding hands more, not in a "gay" way, but in a "these hallways are crowded and we're gonna get separated" way. We couldn't go one day without being called queer or fag. Tyler acted like it didn't bother him, like he didn't hear it. I wish I was that strong.

TYLER'S POV 

I woke up for school at six. I checked my phone only to see a text from the night before. It was Debbie and she was panicking. She was so scared that she had just broken my best friend's heart. My heart dropped. I knew as soon as Josh would see her texts, he would be devastated. I did have to comfort Debby at the moment though.

"He still hasn't seen the message what do I do when I see him?" Debby was panicking, but so was I. I wanted to stay calm, but real at the same time. "If he doesn't see it you'll have to tell him in person." " I KNOW," I continued on advice for the situation.

I quickly began saying 'good morning' to Josh. Eventually he answered. "Debby broke up with me." My heart dropped again. I asked him how he felt. He wanted to die and he wasn't going to school. I wanted to go over to his house, but he didn't want me to. I texted him throughout the day of school. There was pauses in the conversation that worried me, but eventually he would text back.

It was dark out and I was hanging with a friend. I was talking with them about it all. We eventually went over to Josh's house to give him some candy, but he didn't answer the door. We decided to just go home after that.

When Josh came back to school I hugged him hard. I began to tear up a bit which caused Josh to do the same. Josh told me to stop, but I missed him so much and it had only been a day. All I could think about was him.

There was an empty sadness in Josh. Every so often he would tell me how much he missed Debby. All I really knew to say was 'I love you', but I knew he needed more than that. He needed Debby.

Josh and I began holding hands a lot more since the breakup. I really enjoy it, but we are casually insulted for it. I don't mind it, but I think Josh does. " He called you a faggot." I didn't hear it, but I knew it happened. I have been called worse in elementary school, so words were more like pricks of a needle than a sword to the gut. Josh cared though, so it was a problem. Without Josh I would be sitting silently taking those words. I would care, but no one would be able to tell.