Bruised Smile | tysh

06. MAKE THE SAME THING

The next day, Josh was nowhere to be seen.

Needless to say, Tyler was worried, and not just a bit.

He had stayed until the bells ringed, until the hallways emptied, until he was forced to go to class.

And he was just starting to lose hope, the class' door opened and Josh came in, hair all tangled, with no flowercrown, a sweater a lot bigger than him and his pink skirt from yesterday, two big fluffy socks, one longer than the other.

His face was pale and his lips were slightly sparted, nose stuffed. He was obviously sick ; why did he come ?

Josh looked quickly at Tyler, smiling sheepishly at him showing his white teeth, and quickly glanced back to the teacher, who was looking at him worriedly.

"Sobby I'b late," said Josh, not prononcing the r and m's due to his stuffed nose.

The teacher looked at him sympathetically, look full of pity. Josh was like her son, and seeing him like that made her a bit sad.

"Don't worry about it Josh, you can go back to your seat. But are you sure you will be okay ? You don't want to go to the nursery ?"

Students were laughing quietly, watching how Josh was always treated like a baby, mocking him.

Josh's eyes glanced quickly to them before answering.

"No, I'b fine, thanks."

And he plopped down in his seat next to Tyler, who was looking at him frowning.

"Why are you here ? You should be home ! You're sick !" whisper-yelled Tyler and Josh lowered his gaze.

"Sobby."

Josh didn't really like being yelled at him, it reminded him some memories he would like to forget sometimes, thus it brought tears to his eyes, making Tyler instantly frown.

"Shit Josh I didn't mean it like that, I'm sorry, I'm just worried. Why had you come ?"

"Because I have to come !" said Josh, whisper-yelling too.

No one understood him when he came to school even if he was sick but it was really simple.

Only his doctor did, but it didn't matter because he doesn't see him anymore.

Josh has routines, and he has to stick to them. He was like this, he had to do it or otherwise it frustrates him.
By doing so, he felt in control. Because he knows what to do, when to do it, if he wants to it.

Control was an illusion, he knew it but it was enough for him. He didn't care.

He had a very precise list of things to do ; and that was the exact reason he couldn't stay longer at Tyler's. He had things to do : take a shower, do his homework, tidy his room, make dinner for his dad, brush his teeth, prepare his clothes for the day after and finally, if he still had time or he wasn't tired yet (that was rare though), he could do whatever he wanted, read, write, draw or even watch TV even if he was against the idea of staring at a screen before sleep, since it usually just kept him from sleeping. That was what he thought, at least.

So even being sick didn't keep him in his house ; he didn't like school, but he had to go, he had to stick to the plan.

It was still better than staying at home with his father, who unfortunately came back from his trip. But he didn't know he was that indesirable, to the point where everyone told him why he came to school. He knew other students didn't like him, but coming from Tyler, one of his favorite person in his life, hurt him a bit and not a moment he thought it was because he cared about him.

Care was a foreign word to Josh ; he used to care of his mom, yes, of his father too, but no one never took care of him (well his mom did but it was so long he forgot the feeling).

"I didn't mean it like that, sorry !"

Tyler's voice was rushed and his eyes were wide, looking at Josh with an apologetic expression on the face. "I just meant that if you were sick, why would you come at school ? You have to take care of yourself !"

"Yeah but school comes fibst," says Josh simply, taking note of whatever was written on the white board.

Tyler looked at him incredulously but said nothing.

"You're coming with me after this class."

"Okay. But wheb ?" answered sweetly Josh.

"We're skipping the rest of the day and you're coming at my house and I'm going to take care of you."

"What ? No ! I can't !"

"Yes, because you're sick."

"No I'b Josh. And it doesn't exblain anything."

Josh tried to be serious but it was obvious he really liked his little pun, as he quietly giggled, cutely.
But Tyler didn't look like he was enjoying it as much as Josh does and so he says :

"Joke apart, you really need to go home, you're very sick and don't even try to argue, you're coming with me."

Josh groaned, trying to sound intimidating, though he sounded more like a sad puppy.

"And what about school ?"

"Don't worry about it little boy. I've got it under control."

"I guess skibing another day of school won't kill anyone."

Tyler got surprised.

"Because you've already skipped classes before ?"

"Duh, who do you take be for ?"

Tyler looked stunned before Josh added :

"Just kidding Tyler, I've never skibed a single day. You should habe seen your face."

Guess Tyler had to add this to the already long list of things he introduced to Josh.

Josh was far too sweet not to be loved ; Tyler wasn't the only one who noticed it. And apparently, a lot of people were blind. Tyler absolutely didn't talk about Josh's father when he thought it. Nope.

Thus, Josh got to meet Tyler's parents, and just like Tyler thought, they both loved Josh immediately, both already adopted him in their head and were close to give him the keys to the house, so he could come over whenever he felt like it ; because unlike Tyler's other friends, he was really appreciated by them.

Josh found himself stuck under a pile of blankets - the fluffiest Tyler could find -, a cup of warm tea next to him on the table, red cheeks and hair glued to his forehead, feeling (very) warm and fuzzy with Tyler by his side, looking worriedly at him.

"How do you feel ?"

"Better, thanks Tyler."

It wasn't the first time Tyler had asked, and he suceeded at irritating Josh by asking him the same question over and over, endlessly.

"And now ?"

“Tyler. Stop it now. I feel great, just like five seconds ago, and one minute ago and two minutes ago.”

“Okay, but how about now ?”

Josh didn't even bother to answer him.

"You know who you remind me of ?"

"No ? Who ?"

"That donkey in the Shrek movie."

At least it got Tyler to shut his mouth and got Josh to sleep like a baby.