STRANGERS » JOSHLER

t w e n t y t w o

sorry (tO MY UNKNOWN LOVER)

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J

osh stands at the sidewalk, his fingernails digging into his palm to the point it hurts, but the hurt is nothing compared to the stinging ache in his chest.

He's staring up at the grey clouds gathering in the sky while her words echoed in his head.

Tyler fiancé.

He knew something was up. It was just, too good to be true, you know?

Although tempting, he didn't cry. He wasn't going to cry over someone who didn't deserve it.

It'd been a good ten minutes since he'd stormed out, leaving a very confused Jenna and Chris, an Ashley with an 'oh shit' expression on her face that gave away the fact that she'd known it right from the start, and Tyler probably thinking of yet another lie to offer as an explanation to his soon-to-be wife.

What a dick.

A scoff escapes his chapped lips, which turns into a sigh as he rubs a hand over his tired eyes.

He opens them when he feels a water droplet fall on his head. He tilts his head back and squints at the sky, only for another droplet to fall directly into his eye.

He squeezes his eyes shut, before blinking rapidly a few times as more and more droplets start falling. He manages to find shade just as the slight drizzle turns into a full on downpour.

He watches as people scramble to save themselves from getting drenched, some lucky ones grinning as they fish out an umbrella.

He closes his eyes, letting the sound of droplets hitting the ground drown out the revelation from earlier.

"Woah, woah, woah. Josh Dun?"

He cranes his neck to the side to see Jake, out of all people, standing there.

His blonde hair is styled to the 'perfection' as usual, and his lips are curled into a grin. For a moment, Josh wants to smack himself for dreaming for a smile so ridiculous to be only for him.

"Hello, Jake." Josh all but drawls out, already bored of the conversation. If this were about a month ago, he was sure he would've been a stuttering mess but well, it isn't. A lot's changed in the last month.

"Stuck in the rain too?" Jake asks, standing next to him.

Josh offer a tight-lipped smile, "Appears so."

"Red, huh?" Jake's eyes are trained on the top of Josh's head. The color is fading and Josh knows it'll be gone in a couple of weeks. "You look great."

Josh just hums, not keen on keeping up a conversation.

Jake, however, carries on. "I haven't seen you around much."

"Can't thank God enough for that." Josh mutters, making the taller male arch an eyebrow.

"What?" He questions, before sighing loudly, "Look, if this is about the date, I'm sorry, okay? I got held up and -"

"Held up? Did Melissa have anything to do with it?" Josh asks, flashing a smile when Jake's eyebrows furrow. "It's completely fine, Jake." His eyes go back to the rain, which has, by now, returned back to the drizzle.

"So this is how it's gonna be? You bringing up my ex-girlfriends?" Jake shakes his head, "That's low, man."

"Yeah, whatever."