You Are My Sunshine--Joshler

7

I awake in a bed, but not my own. I feel someone's arms around my waist and smile, knowing it's Josh. I hear the door creak open.

"Tyler.. sweetheart, it's your mother."

"Hey mom..."

My voice causes Josh to wake. I look st my mother who has a disapproving look on her face.

"Tyler. What happened to you? Where did I go wrong?"

My mother starts to cry. I ask Josh to let go in a soft tone, him doing so. I sit up to the best of my ability.

"Mom, come here. Please."

She walks over to me. I pull her close and hug her tightly.

"You didn't go wrong mom. I made a simple mistake. It was my fault."

I feel Josh out his hand on my shoulder, drawing my attention towards him.

"Hey, mom. I know you've just gotten to see me and all but can Josh and I have a moment?"

"Yes."

As soon as she walks out, Josh kisses me deeply, causing me to smile and kiss back.

"Tyler. Do you know how long it's been since I've been able to kiss you?"

"No. How long?"

"It's almost been a month Tyler. A month of you in a coma. Tyler I don't know what I would've done if you didn't wake up."

"How's Brendon?"

"He's stopped by a few times. He yelled at me for being here, being with you. He doesn't understand that I'm not the same."

I immediately hug Josh. I can't believe Brendon thinks he's so bad. I can't believe anyone can. Josh isn't a bad person. He's amazing and sweet. He's... hiding something.

"Josh. Can I ask you something?"

"Anything baby."

"Why'd you go to federal prison?"

Josh sighs and takes my hand, intertwining our fingers.

"Promise me you won't run away."

"I promise."

"Now, you have to keep in mind that this was not my fault, nor was it intentional. I was out at a party like every other Saturday night when some guy can up to me and just punched me directly in the nose. Not on accident, on purpose. So, me being the fighter-not-a-lover that I was fought back and punched him in the gut. Now I expected that to be settled and over when him and a group of his buddies knocked me out and drug me to an alleyway. When I woke up, they were beating me, kicking me. So I rolled away and stood up, unintentionally killing all ten of them. I murdered ten people. That's why I went to federal prison. That's why Brendon thinks I'm horrible and dangerous."

"How did you get out?"

"Of prison? Good manners and not causing any more trouble that usual. They cut my sentence down by a long shot."

"Oh..."

I don't know how to feel. Josh, the boy that I'm so in love with that people have to get him arrested to keep us apart, murdered ten people. Not just one. Ten.

"Tyler... are you scared of me?"

I look at Josh. He had tears in his eyes, he had dark circles. This poor boy. This poor, poor boy. I reach out and wipe a tear off his cheek.

"No... no no no... I'd never-"

"Tyler, your father is here."

"I do NOT want to see him."