Under The Covers {joshler}

freshman year - part four

As Christmas break approached, Tyler and Josh hadn't been alone since their kiss in the bathroom several weeks ago. It didn't stop the pair from making heart eyes at each other across the classroom, Josh blushing whenever Tyler smiled at him in the hall.

He was desperate to get a chance to talk about what had happened between them, but he didn't realise the opportunity would arise so close to break, two days before in fact.

Josh had just shut his locker and was about to head to his next class when a jock, most likely a friend of Boyd's, shoved him into the lockers hard, his cheek making contact with a lock cutting him just below the eye. Josh hissed as he slumped to the floor, the jock only laughed and carried on walking.

"Pussy." He spat without turning back.

Josh picked himself up off the floor, pressing a finger to his cheek and staring at the blood. He groaned. The day hadn't exactly been the best. He'd had to skip breakfast, on account of his car failing to start this morning -so instead of meeting Hayley at Dunkin' he'd had to get a his mom to drive him in. He'd dropped his math textbook in a puddle running late to class. Tyler had blanked him in all three of the classes they'd had together already and in all the chaos of the morning Josh had forgotten to pick up lunch money so he'd only eaten half of Ashley's sandwich and an apple Colin didn't want. Needless to say he was pretty fed up and very glad music was his last class of the day.

"What happened to your face?!" Hayley hissed as Josh sat beside her, he shrugged as the bell went and the teacher began talking.

After class, most students were quick to exit but Tyler made his way over to Josh, pretending to help put away the instruments.

"Who did that to you?" He whispered, not looking up.

Josh shrugged again. "Don't know his name."

"Josh-"

"He shoved me into a locker, I cut my face on the lock, it's fine."

"It's not fine." Tyler replied angrily his fist clenching.

"Hey asswipe, did you do this to him?" Hayley snapped pointing an accusatory finger at the cut on Josh's face.

"Ya know, I have a name." Tyler replied, completely ignoring the question.

"Sorry I don't speak dickhead."

Tyler raised his eyebrows. "Could've fooled me."

The sound of the stinging slap made Josh flinch. Hayley immediately walked away and Josh knew he should check on her because Hayley always hated herself after she lost control; she'd cried once after she'd gotten mad at her brothers and threw a burrito at them, he could only imagine how she'd feel now she had actively hit someone even if she despised them.

Tyler stood staring into space for a second and as much as Josh wanted to make sure Hayley was okay, Tyler was his concern right now.

"I deserved that." Tyler finally said, his small voice only emphasising how empty the room was now.

"Maybe." Josh said, still a little fed up with the day's events.

Tyler looked at Josh then, hesitantly bringing a thumb up to inspect the cut on his face.

"You've been avoiding me." Josh said shuffling closer to Tyler. Tyler shook his head.

"Sorry, had to figure something out." Before Josh could ask Tyler lips were encapsulating his and Josh felt the same giddy butterflies he had the first time, opening his mouth almost instantly to let Tyler's tongue slip past his lips. It was urgent and needy and Josh pulled tightly at the back of Tyler's neck to keep him close like he was worried he would run away again. They finally pulled apart when neither one could breathe again.

"Don't leave." Josh breathed out as they rested their foreheads against one another. Tyler shook his head, their noses bumping against each other.

"I won't, I'm sorry." He promised.

They stood there for what felt like hours but was probably only minutes.

"I should probably make sure Hayley is okay." Josh resigned before kissing Tyler briefly. Tyler looked hurt but forced a smile of understanding. "I've known Hayley since I was six, she'll be beating herself up for weeks for hitting you. She just doesn't know you like I do, I mean you don't really help."

Tyler sighed as he went to grab his backpack from across the room, Josh picking up his own as he did. "I know but I just wish she wouldn't stereotype me so quickly it-it gets to me."

Josh pulled Tyler in for a hug. "I'll talk to her." Josh promised and Tyler kissed his nose in response, making the pair blush and smile.

They stopped by the doorway and Tyler pulled on Josh's arm, before Josh could ask what he was doing Tyler had pulled a pen out of his pocket and began scribbling his number on to Josh's arm, Josh blushed and ducked his head before he was heading out the room and dialling Hayley's number.

...

Unknown:

Hey Jock!

This is Josh idk if u got that..

Tyler:

Oh, Josh right! Sorry I don't talk to punks.

josh:

pfft who said anything about talking anyway, there's plenty of other things we can do instead

Tyler:

Stop trying to be cute.

It's working.

Josh smiled to himself, before he turned his attention back to the movie he and his friends were watching. All five of them were sprawled out on and around the old couch in Colin's basement, watching the breakfast club on the tv. They'd ordered pizza on the promise that it would help both Hayley and Josh feel better.

"We're so going as these guys for Halloween." Ashley said from where she was leaning against Brendon's shoulder, her feet in Josh's lap at the other end.

"Yes, I call the jock." Brendon cheered. Hayley groaned.

"Jock's are kind of a touchy subject right now Brendon." Colin laughed from where he was slumped on the floor by Josh's feet. Everyone laughed, except Josh who was fixated on his phone once again.

"Who ya talking to Joshie?" Ashley whispered leaning forward when nudging Josh with her foot didn't seem to capture his attention. Colin looked up from the floor in interest.

"Can't be a friend, we're your only friends." Colin patted his leg to show he was only joking.

"Screw you guys I have other friends."

Everyone turned to look at him with a look of disbelief.

Before Josh could protest, Hayley shushed them all.

"This is the best part!" She said excitedly, pepperoni falling off the pizza slice in her hand on onto the blankets.

Next thing they knew they were all dancing round the room, mimicking the scene from the movie, using the couch as a substitute table. They fell on top of each other laughing and exhausted and Josh decided he really loved his friends, even if they were right, and they were his only ones, he couldn't have a better group of people in his life if he tried.