the boy on the bridge ✔️

8. ex boy

Chapter 8 — ex boy

"Valerie," Josh calls out as soon as he sees his ex-girlfriend, or his best friend, since he's decided to focus on the bright side of things, stepping out of her house.

It is a Saturday, and Josh woke up early just to drop by Val's house and check on her — something that he should have occurred for him to do way before.

He did try approaching her after that first day at school, to talk to her, but somehow, she always managed to dodge him. And maybe Josh wasn't trying all that hard to talk to her.

But she's his best friend; he can't just let their bond end like that. Even if they can't find their way back to being friends as before, the least he can do is make sure that they end on good terms. He knows he should at least apologise to her.

Upon hearing her name being called, she turns around, spotting Josh in the next few seconds. He is standing opposite her house, near his car; he couldn't find the nerve to walk the few steps up to her doorstep and resorted to waiting outside until Val steps out. He was planning to call her, in case she didn't step out, but you know, he was going to wait first.

Valerie comes to an abrupt halt, unsure if she is really seeing what she is seeing. She even rubs her eyes, and looks again, and yeah, it's Josh. He's there, in front of her house.

She raises her hand nervously in a small wave before approaching him.

"Hey,"

"Hey," the blond echoes after the girl.

She looks much better now, Josh notes. Very much like the Val that he knows, and not the heartbroken Val he saw on the first day of school. She looks like she's heading out somewhere.

"I'm sorry. Do you have to go somewhere? Yeah, I'm sorry. Uh, I'll leave," Josh fumbles for the car keys in his pockets.

Val sighs, "Josh,"

The blond stops searching for the keys, but doesn't look up at her.

"It's fine. I can stay for a bit,"

Josh nods. He doesn't say anything however, and neither does Val, so it doesn't take long before they are engulfed in a very much awkward silence.

It takes at least a few minutes for Josh to find the courage to speak up again; he is the one who sought her out, he is the one who should say something.

"I–" he gets cut off almost immediately though with a strong punch landing on his cheek., causing him to stumble from the unexpected force and falling to the ground.

"What the– Danesh," Val cries out, and only then does Josh even realise who has hit him.

It is her twin brother. Josh should have expected that. Although Danesh is not the most sociable person and he rarely expresses any kind of emotions, he is quite protective of his sister and cares about her deeply. Josh thinks the only time he even spoke to him was to warn him to not hurt his sister or risk facing his wrath.

Josh probably should have heeded the warning more carefully.

Valerie helps him sit up, and Josh blinks up at the boy who is glaring down, fists ready at his side.

"Good to see you too, Dan," the blond says without thinking that it will only aggravate him even more.

"Fuck you," he spits and steps closer very likely to give the blond another punch which he will have received if not for the girl between them.

"Dan, stop!" she yells, pushing him back, and then stands up, hands on her waist, glowering at her brother.

The words that come after that, Josh can't follow because Val has resorted to yelling in their mother tongue, Tamil. She only does that when she's really mad, and so Josh can understand why Dan doesn't say anything in return and just stays silent.