It Ain't The Speakers |-/ JOSHLER

18.2: i'll sing yøu pretty søunds

TYLER'S PØV

"Did your friend like the cookies you and Grandma made last time?"

"Mhm," I nodded and Mom matched her delight to mine. Josh was coming later today, though I wasn't sure why and what he wanted to do here. There's nothing fun or interesting at my place.

"We're running out of them, sadly." She held up the bottle that held about seven. I frowned.

"Oh dear," Grandpa said, overhearing us as he walked into the living room. "But Tyler always finds a way, doesn't he?" He winked at me.

...but of course.

-----

"This is such an awesome idea."

"Duh, I thought of it."

Getting too confident, Tyler?

It was a surprise for Grandma. After years of baking with us, we haven't got the chance to bake for her... Us and Josh, that is. It's probably gonna suck without her help, but no matter what kind of trash two happy boys and a crazy little brother come up with, she's gonna say she loves it. Because y'know... She's a grown-up.

I once drew a picture of a spider web when I was three, and she said she loved it so much, it was framed on her bedroom wall for five years... A messy haphazard loopy squiggle that took up the entire page.

Grown-ups are like that.

Zack and I were helping Mom to get ready before Josh came. If he doesn't get lost. Not that it'll be a big problem for someone who would go wandering into the woods by himself...He seems to be taking his time, though.

I lightly pushed aside the curtains for the eighth time this morning. The streets were still empty. No sign of my best friend.

"He'll get here faster if you don't think about him, Tyler." Grandpa said, rocking on his chair while watching the news. "Come, get distracted with me."

I shuffled over to his side even though I didn't like watching TV. Grandpa knew it ever since I was smol.

As much as I disliked it, Grandpa was right. Things felt better when I wasn't so stressed out. I ran for the door the moment I saw a shadow behind the curtains.

"Hey," I said, almost breathless for some reason. I held out a hand for a handshake but he held out his arms, and he held out his hand instead the moment I braced myself for a hug...which was slightly awkward for a moment. We settled with a simple high five. Lacklustre for something as grand as his Majesty's entrance.

Josh greeted Grandpa and Mom. She couldn't help but comment how "absolutely dashing" he was. Grandpa on the other hand said he looked familiar.

"Good luck and have fun, boys! Just don't mess up the kitchen while I'm gone." She warned us before closing the door.

Fingers crossed, but I'll be surprised if nothing goes wrong...

...and I was right, of course.

"125g of flour, but times three?"

"Yeah, just pour it Josh." I told him, nodding at the weighing scale right next to him.

"Dude I need a calculator." He reached for his phone which I whisked away from him the moment he eyed it.

"You could just estimate. It's wayyy faster."

He took the whole bag and dumped almost all of it into the mixing bowl. A cloud of fine white flour went poof into the air. He didn't even weigh it first. My brother was highly amused and I subconsciously laughed so guess I found it funny too.