Under The Covers {joshler}

freshman year - part two

A few weeks later and Hayley fell sick with flu, leaving Josh alone in a few of his classes. This is how he ended up on the roof of the science building looking for Ashley and Brendon, he'd hoped that they would be up there smoking as usual, maybe even with Colin but instead the roof appeared empty. Josh sighed and pulled his ugly beige beanie further over his ears as the autumn weather began to set in. 

Just as Josh was about to leave in defeat he caught movement in the corner of his eye and startled. He turned to see someone sat to the wall, rolling a basketball between their hands absent-mindedly.

Josh doesn't know what got into him but before he could stop himself he cautiously approached the figure and sat beside them.

"Please don't tell my dad." The voice said weak and distant and Josh felt a sadness twinge in his chest.

"I won't." Josh replied softly. Tyler sniffed and ran a hand through his fluffy hair, his fingers were red from the cold and he flexed them in attempt to keep blood flowing in them.

The pair fell into a comfortable silence.

"What makes you think I'd tell your dad?" Josh finally asked, the question burning in his mind. "You're friends already threaten to beat the crap out of me, what good would me snitching on you do?"

Tyler seemed to flinch at the words. "Don't say that."

Josh finally turned to look at Tyler, really taking in the way his eyes looked sore and tired, his nose was red as he sniffed again, Tyler continued to roll the ball between his slender fingers.

"I'm not like them, what they do; it's not cool."

"It's okay, they can't help their beliefs."

Tyler looked up at Josh then for a brief moment before he looked away again.

"That's what I don't get, God is supposed to be this all-loving creator so why would he create a gay person and then not love them?" Tyler asked the question to his ball, and Josh didn't know what to say to that, honestly he'd been struggling with that question all summer and he'd been trying to push it away ever since. Tyler's brows knitted together and he looked like he was dealing with a war inside his head, Josh could tell this question wasn't the only thing plaguing Tyler but he didn't want to pry, this was only the second time they'd ever spoken.

The pair fell into another silence, Josh wasn't sure if it was really comfortable, but it wasn't exactly uncomfortable either. The faint sound of the bell rang in the distance pulling both boys from their reverie although neither one made to move.

"Why-" Tyler hesitated before Josh hummed in approval to continue. "Why did you even come up here? I didn't think many people knew about this."

Josh smiled warmly. "I was looking for my friends they come here to bunk off and smoke."

"Oh." Tyler scrambled to his feet, after a moment of confusion Josh followed. "Sorry," Tyler sniffed again, hiking his backpack over his shoulder while tucking the ball under his other arm. "I didn't realise someone already claimed it, I'll go somewhere else next time." He began heading for the stairwell when Josh gently pulled on his sleeve.

"It's okay, you can use it to, we're not assholes the roof is for everyone to use if they need it." He smiled reassuringly and despite himself Tyler couldn't help but mirror it.

Just then Josh's phone buzzed, he checked it to see Colin had texted to say they were in the music room. Josh let go of Tyler's sleeve blushing as he realised he'd been holding it the entire time. "I'll see you in class yeah?" Josh said waving his phone as indication that he had to go. Tyler just nodded, a sad smile washing over his features before he forced it to look friendly instead.

Two days later and Hayley was back to being the picture of health. This was great news for Josh who had nearly every class with her, but not so much for Tyler it would seem. Josh put Hayley's short fuse down to a number of factors; firstly, she was small, short and thin and for some reason people that small often tend to be twice as feisty; secondly, she was fiercely defensive of her friends on account of her massive heart, if you messed with them you messed with her simple as; thirdly, she had brothers, brothers who taught her to scrap first talk later because "life isn't fair Hayley" one of them had said once when he'd eaten the last pop tart; and finally, she was a redhead, and coming from a family of redheads himself, Josh knew the hot-headed, feisty red-head stereotype far too well to know it wasn't always just a stereotype. This being noted, it was easy to justify why Hayley was a firecracker just waiting to explode in the face of anyone who sought to get in her way. Poor Tyler never stood a chance.

English class had just finished and Hayley was already worked up trying to get Mr. Weekes to raise her grade on their last book report while Josh took his time packing up his things. Everyone else filed out pretty quickly, the jock Brad making sure to corner Josh on his way out.

"Better watch out Princess." He snarled as he knocked all of Josh's notes and pens onto the floor, before sniffing and stepping on the now dirty pages on his way out. Tyler was immediately at his side helping pick up the pages, Hayley still talking Weekes' ear off.

"Thanks." Josh mumbled standing up and putting the crumpled notes In his bag. He knew he'd have to sort through them to see what damage had been done but two of the pages looked ripped and muddy and probably unsalvageable. Josh sighed.

"Are you okay?" Tyler said in a small voice. Josh was about to nod and thank Tyler again when Hayley approached the pair -Mr. Weekes muttering something about needing an aspirin as he left the classroom- noting Josh's ruined notes as he shakily put them away.

"I thought I told you to leave him alone jackass?" Hayley spat, obviously thinking Tyler was to blame.

"You know you really don't have to be so rude." Tyler snapped back before Josh could correct her, both Hayley and Josh's heads turned to look at him in surprise. Josh gulped as he noted Hayley grit her teeth in annoyance.

"Me being rude? I'm not the dumb jock that won't leave an innocent kid alone." Josh wanted to remind Hayley he was older than her but he was stunned into silent fear as Tyler bit back again.

"Yes, because all jocks are dumb and all punks are assholes right?"

"What did you just call me?"

"I didn't call you anything but if the shoe fits." Tyler replied smugly. This was bad, Josh couldn't breathe suddenly as the pair continued to yell insults at one another.

"Jerk." Hayley spat.

"Bitch." Tyler retaliated.

"Dick." Hayley almost hit Josh as she swung her bag hard over her shoulder.

"Punk." Tyler snapped pushing Hayley over the edge.

"Oh, fuck you asswipe, I'm done." Josh had never seen Hayley so blindly angry in his life, it was like Tyler got under her skin in a way only jocks seemed to do. Hayley was so blinded by her determination to start a fist fight that she stormed right out the classroom without even checking that Josh was following.

Josh didn't move however, he simply clutched onto the desk as he tried to fight off the oncoming panic attack. Tyler took a deep breath before he realised Josh was still there.

"Oh my gosh, Josh are you okay? I-I'm so sorry I shouldn't have done that." He reached out for Josh's arm and Josh froze for a second before relaxing into his touch. "Just breathe okay?" Josh nodded as he let Tyler help him count his breathing for him. His head started to clear and Tyler pulled him into a tight hug. Josh hadn't been expecting it but there was something so comforting about it that he instantly melted into Tyler's touch. But then Tyler was pulling away and walking out of the room, leaving Josh to try to figure out where Hayley would've run off to.