It Ain't The Speakers |-/ JOSHLER

14.2: yøu føught the fight

TYLER'S PØV

"Tyler, how many times must your father and I tell you? Just stop jumping!" Mom had nagged again before I went to bed. She finally made me take out the cast around my ankle, probably because Zack told her I had been wanting to use it as an excuse to skip school. Nosy brother. That's why I don't tell people much.

It's 16 minutes to 4am on a Friday morning, 3.5 days since I lost my phone on Monday...which meant 3.5 days of ignoring Josh. I had simply told Dad that I misplaced my phone in school. They won't be giving me a new one till next month, as a punishment for my "irresponsibility".

Zack was fast asleep opposite me. I could tell because he was actually snoring. When we were somewhat younger, we'd try to trick our parents into thinking that we were already asleep by fake snoring. Quite sure Mom saw through us, but always chose to pretend that we succeeded in fooling her. Once Dad closed our bedroom door, Zack and I would literally jump out of our beds and get excited over the fact that we could stay awake past 9pm...

The hype would then end within the next 20 minutes, and we'd find ourselves in bed, too tired for anything else.

Wish I had a power button on myself that I could press to instantly shut down, just like I used to be able to do at that age. I've been lying in bed for the past five hours doing nothing much physically, and a bit too much mentally.

What would I say if I saw him again? I kept asking myself. I've been avoiding and ignoring him this week like I've always done with Debby... They were ultimately no different anyway, right?

I don't know if I know if I wanted to see him again today, but now skipping school wasn't exactly an option.

I closed my eyes and attempted to sleep again, but ugh y'know those times where you almost fall asleep but then you dream that you're falling and then your entire body jerks up and you're wide awake again? Yeah. It keeps happening and it sucks.

*Sigh*

The minute hand of the clock was nearing 12 now... I sort of gave up trying to sleep, sitting up in bed instead.

My eyes landed on the blue box Josh gave me. I couldn't ignore the fact that it was the same shade of blue as my lunchbox, and no, I still haven't opened it. It's a "token of forgiveness" he said. I had left it alone for the past few days, but now I was curious.

You're going to forgive him, Tyler?

Um, no... It's just that I've got nothing better to do right now.

I shook the box lightly. Sounded something like cereal inside, and I raised an eyebrow.

It had a nice white rubber band around it, like a makeshift seal to secure the lid. I removed it and wore it around my wrist. It felt nice.

I took off the lid. Uh...

...he gave me....

...rice?

Hmm.

Such a nice "token of forgiveness".

Was that sarcasm or not?

Idk. I swirled a finger in the box of uncooked rice grains till I felt something inside. Tried to pull it out... Oh.

It was my phone. How did he...? Hmm... I expected it to have drowned in the drain that day.

A few scenes from the unpleasant memory crept up from the back of my mind. I quickly shoved them back, and distracted myself with my phone once again.