Under The Covers {joshler}

junior year - part fifteen

a/n: i dont want to spoil it but if you might be triggered by mentions of leaked nudes/people lying about sex etc then be careful ?? idk how to explain it but i know it can be a sensitive topic for some people. also theres mentions of anxiety/panic attacks so pls take care

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When Josh returned to school after second period on Wednesday he was too wrapped up in his own head to notice the way people stared and whispered as he passed them. It wasn't until the end of math in fourth period that he realised something was up.

"Did you really do it?"

Josh looked up from where he was trying to shove his books into his bag to see a cheerleader he vaguely recognised standing over his desk. She bit her lip and clutched her books to her chest. Josh furrowed his brow.

"Do what?"

She frowned and looked him in the eyes, her tone cautious but disgusted. "Convinced Jenna and Emma to send you nudes and then sent them 'round the school."

Josh stared at her in shock, completely baffled, he hadn't even heard about this happening, he vaguely realised that maybe this had been what Jenna had been distraught about a few months back. He felt anger boil up at the accusation but it was overtaken by his anxiety that people really believed he was responsible, he couldn't stop shaking, his heart pounding suddenly.

"Of course not, whoever did that is sick in the head." He replied, trying to zip his back up but fumbling with it. He stood up but the girl stepped closer to stop him.

"But you did sleep with Emma at Nick's party, right? And then ditched her to get with Tyler?" The girl seemed to be accusing him rather than asking and Josh felt sick.

"Who even told you that?"

"At Nick's party, when Emma was crying in the bathroom it was 'cos you ditched her. Then Debby tried to call you out and Jenna defended you because she hates Debby and Emma 'cos they told her not to get with you and she didn't listen." The girl explained, blinking at him like he was stupid and Josh couldn't breathe.

"Why would Jenna defend me if I supposedly leaked her nudes did you ever think about that?" Josh's balled his hand into a fist trying to calm himself his shaking turning almost violent.

"Because she's in love with Tyler and he and his friends like you, so she lets them pass her around just to please him. It's tragic really." She sniffed and gave him a patronising look.

"I don't know what sick fantasy you're living in but literally nothing you have said is true. I would never hurt Jenna or Emma." He stepped closer to the cheerleader, feeling his anger boiling over now. "And don't ever say that Tyler is like that. He's her best friend and he's the nicest guy I've ever met and also not that it's any of your business but he's the only person I've ever had sex with. I'm gonna take a wild guess that Debby told you all of this and if you're willing to believe her then I feel sorry for you." He grit his teeth before turning on his heal and walking swiftly out of the room. The cheerleader looked shaken but simply huffed and watched him leave.

Josh felt his head spinning, he winced as the bell rang, stumbling down the slowly emptying corridor. He leant against some locker to catch his breath before he slid down it to put his head in his hands. He stayed that way until his Spanish teacher came across him.

"Joshua? Are you alright?"

Josh looked up, sniffing hard and thankful he'd got his breathing under control.

"Yeah, um, I'm sorry Mrs. F." He sniffed and stood up, wiping his hands on his jeans nervously. "I know I should be in class I was just gonna go I swear."