hooked ↣ joshler ✓

10. Phone Call

Josh was quietly sitting on his bed, reading in the poetry book Mr. Way assigned the class, when his house phone started going off. Sighing, he swung his legs over the side of his old, creaky bed and hurried downstairs to answer it before it went to voicemail.

Picking it up, Josh put the phone to his ear. "Hello?"

"Is Patrick there?" a familiar voice asked.

"One second..." Josh furrowed his eyes in confusion, but nonetheless, put his hand over the end of the phone and called Patrick down.

"Yeah, Joshie?" he asked, skipping down the stairs.

"Someone's on the phone for you, hurry it up before Mom and Dad get home, y'know we aren't allowed on it when they're here," Josh told him, climbing the stairs. Though, once he was halfway up, he paused.

"Hi, Pete," Patrick smiled into the phone. Josh couldn't help but smile too and continued going up to his room. Sighing, he plopped back down onto his bed and resumed reading the next poem, which happened to be by Emily Dickinson.

Josh was only a few minutes into the poem when he heard the noise of wheels on gravel. Instantly, he jumped off of his bed and ran downstairs again to warn Patrick. The eight year old was sitting on the bottom step, talking the evening away when Josh nudged his arm and pointed to the door.

"Sorry, Pete, I have to go. See you tomorrow!" he dismissed quickly and slammed the phone back, just in time for his parents to walk into the door. Alice eyed the two suspiciously while Mike completely ignored them, walking into the kitchen.

"What were you two shits up to?" She asked, setting her– thanks to Tyler's money –brand new purse on the coffee table. "And don't lie to me."

"Uh, we were- uh..." Patrick tried, becoming flustered.

"I called Dallon to ask him for help with Patrick's homework," Josh covered. "He's really good at adding decimals."

Alice looked unconvinced, but rolled her eyes and wandered into the kitchen anyway, ramming her shoulder into Josh's on her way. Josh and Patrick looked at each other and shared a nervous smile, pulling away when their parents reentered the living room together, Mike holding a tall can of beer and Alice dangling a cigarette between her fingers.

"Patrick head upstairs, I need to talk to your brother," Mike ordered, taking a swig of his drink. He nodded and slightly bit his lip, going up to his room.

Josh anxiously rubbed his arm as he approached the two. "Yeah?"

"We've got another deal for you," Alice stated, puffing out smoke toward's Josh's face. He refrained from coughing.

"Who for?"

"Some kid named Ryan, he goes to another school or something, I don't know and I don't care," she began. "He wants you to meet him in the alley behind that coffee shop on 131st."

"Oh," Josh replied, trying not sound nervous. "Alright."

"You know the drill, right, boy?" Mike chimed in. "You 'member what you said to that other kid?"

"Yes, sir," Josh confirmed.

"Good, you say that to this Ross boy as well if he questions you," he burped slightly and took another drink of his Bud Light.

It took Josh a moment to register that. Ryan Ross, he wondered why that name sounded familiar.

Suddenly, he was cut off from not only his thoughts, but his conversation with his parents as well. The home phone began to ring for the second time that night and Alice groaned, getting up to answer it. "Hello?" she snapped. There was mumbling on the other line and when Josh saw his mother's face, his stomach dropped. "Josh, it's for you," she said with faux politeness. "It's Dallon."

Gulping, Josh slowly walked over and gave Alice a nervous smile and gently taking the phone. "Yes, Dallon?"

"Dude, I aced my retake!" he yelled into the phone.

"Oh, okay. I'll make sure to mention that to Patrick, thanks."

"Okay? Why would you mention- oh! I totally forgot I couldn't call after five! God, I'm so sorry-"

"Yeah, thanks for helping, see you at school," Josh dismissed, clicking the red button on the phone and ending the call. "He just had one other thing to tell Patrick about his homework, it won't happen again."

"It better not," Mike mumbled.

"You're seeing that kid tomorrow after school," Alice told Josh, changing the subject. The boy nodded, telling his mother that he understood. "4 o'clock, don't be late. Now go upstairs."

Obliging, he quietly walked up the steps and stopped when he heard a noise coming from Patrick's room. It was faint, but easily heard. Crying. Concerned, Josh gently knocked on the thin wood. "Trick? Are you alright, buddy?" The crying stopped and he heard a slight sniffle before the doorknob rattled and Patrick's red, tear-stained face popped through the open space between the wall and door.

"Hi," he said softly, wiping his eyes.

Instead of replying, Josh pushed the door open wider and bent down, hugging his brother. He held him there while the younger sniffled and hiccuped, wanting to sob but knowing better than to do so. Josh could feel him shaking and attempted to sooth him by rubbing his back and whispering in a hushed tone.

Finally, they pulled back. "What's wrong?"

"N-nothing," Patrick lied, rubbing his eyes once again.

"Are you sure?" Josh asked. Patrick only nodded. "Okay, if you wanna talk you know where to find me."

"'kay."

"I love you," Josh told him, standing up.

"I love you too," Patrick mumbled, yawning a bit. Josh smiled and closed the door, making sure it latched quietly.

He went into his room and yawned himself, not realizing how tired he was. Moving his papers off the bed, he stuffed them into his backpack and set it by his door. Josh quickly changed into some pajamas and turned off the lamp that was sitting next to his bed.

Just as his eyes began to close, he heard his door creak open and feet padding on the floor. The other side of the mattress dipped down and Josh felt a tiny body snuggle up next to him.

"Goodnight, Patrick," Josh said, smiling.

"Night."