Petals - Joshler

unthinkable

Tyler snuck behind Josh, following him through the building. Josh's fists were clenched tightly and he stomped his way towards a group of boys. Tyler couldn't tell who they were since they were across the hallway but to him they looked a lot like the Scorpions.
     "Oh no!" Tyler mumbled as the pieces started fitting together. This was a recipe for disaster. And if anything happened, it'd be his fault.
     Tyler started tugging his hair, (it was something he did when he got nervous), and biting his nails. He couldn't think of what to do. Josh was getting closer and closer to them.
Josh walked up to Jared and grabbed him by the shirt and started yelling. "What is wrong with you!?", he practically screamed, as he shook Jared back and forth.
Jared laughed loudly, "Awh. Is this about the little fag we beat up in the bathroom?" Josh's grip tightened and he began huffing. "He already cuts himself, Josh. He'll probably slit his wrists open anyways.", Jared sneered. "Just like Ray, right?"
Josh pushed Jared and punched him in the nose, "Don't talk about Ray!" Josh punched Jared again in the stomach and started screaming in anger. Jared laughed like a maniac.
The Scorpions started charging towards Josh but Jared waved them off. "This is between us," he said, "Leave."
As the Scorpions exited, Jared got up and put his hands around Josh's throat. "You think you're tough?", he chuckled. He pushed Josh against the wall, tightening his grip around Josh's throat. Josh began tapping at the wall, unable to breathe and choking in breathless coughs.
Tyler pinched his skin hard till it bled, his anxiety eating him alive. He didn't know what to do.
Then he heard Josh gasping for air and something in his brain clicked. Something pushed aside his anxiety and turned on a defensive anger. He just wanted to protect Josh even though he barely knew him.
     So Tyler did the unthinkable. He ran across the hallway towards Josh and Jared. Jared let go of Josh's neck to look over at Tyler. Josh, coughing and gasping for breath, looked over in surprise and confusion. Tyler just kept running. As he got closer, Tyler wasn't slowing down. He was going faster. He leaped and tackled Jared Black.
Jared was so surprised he didn't have anytime to defend himself and his head hit right into the wall. He knocked out, and Tyler got off of him. Whatever that defensive mode was, it was gone. The soft, sad Tyler was back. He turned around to look at Josh who was at a loss for words.
Josh grabbed Tyler and hugged him so tight he had basically crushed every bone in Tyler's body. But even as he was being squeezed and suffocated by Josh, he smiled. He smiled a real smile, not the crap he gave counselors that asked him how he was doing. His heart felt like it had been jump started, like it was beating again. He felt at home. He hadn't felt at home for years.