hooked ↣ joshler ✓

28. Opening Up

I know this is technically Josh's point of view but him sitting in a bathroom gets rather boring to write and I can assume to read as well so it switches to Tyler's for a split second.

Also there is use of homophobic slurs in this chapter. It's only in one sentence but Tyler opens up about his sexuality and how he was bullied for it so please skip if you need to.

The date was now May twelfth. Josh and his friends would be graduating next week. It had been two days since Josh had even looked at Tyler, let alone talk to him. Lunch had been very awkward and hanging out in their friend group in general was awkward. It's not like Tyler hasn't tried, Josh definitely noticed his constant pestering, but he just wouldn't give the brunette the time of day.

"I can't believe we're graduating in a week," Hayley decided to strike up conversation while they ate lunch.

"Everything has just flown by," Brendon commented.

"It really has," Dallon agreed.

"I just now realize we've never talked about this. What are you guys doing after high school?"

"No," Brendon snorted. "My parents refuse to help pay with college now so I'll probably just become a bum musician who smokes all day or something."

"I'm taking a gap year," Dallon offered. "I'm gonna go spend the summer with my aunt in Utah."

"What?" Josh asked, instantly invested in the conversation. "You didn't tell me this."

"I guess I forgot to," Dallon frowned. "You've been spending so much time with Tyler lately I forgot to tell you. I'm sorry."

"Well you don't have to worry about that anymore," Josh mumbled.

"Okay," Hayley slammed her hand on the table, making everyone jump a bit. "What's going on? What's your guys' problem?"

No response.

"Hello?" she asked, extremely irritated.

"I don't know!" Tyler told her, frustrated. "I don't know why he's ignoring me!"

"Josh?" she turned to him, waiting for an answer. He didn't reply. "Josh," she said, more demandingly. No reply.

"Josh...?" Brendon tried. No reply.

"Josh," Dallon said. "What's wrong?"

That was when Josh snapped. "I'm ignoring you because I like you a whole lot but I can't like you because you don't care! You've slept with so many other girls only to dump them the next day and forget about them. Tyler, I do truly like you, but I can't," he started out yelling and then his rant fizzled into a calm yet sad tone of voice.

"Josh–"

"I'm going to the bathroom," he interrupted, picking up his bag and slinging it over his shoulder before getting up and leaving.

"Josh..." Tyler said quietly, knowing he couldn't hear him.

"You really like him, don't you?" Dallon asked.