Shy Boy

Chapter 11

Joshua was just adding more steps to his math problem, promptly early to his homework assignment. His moments of quiet hours were nothing out of the usual. Scooter joined next to him working on his economic notes and reading from his textbook. 

It was just the two doing silent work at their own hand on task. The sound of their pencils working was the only sound that could be heard as they worked on top of the desk. 

They had been working for a good hour. 

Joshua put down his pencil after his wrist felt a bit strained. He rolled his wrist and then whispered to Scooter, "I'll use the restroom."

He nodded and Joshua stood up from his chair. 

He exited the library door to go out to the hallway where there weren't many people around. Most were in their classroom so it was a chilled afternoon. 

As he was walking, he saw the boys' restroom door but looked down to see his shoelace untied. He bent down on one knee as he began to pick up the white laces.

"What do you think?" A guy asked his friend.

"Of?"

"I can't tell if Sofia or Coral is better looking."

Joshua's eyes stopped and peeked on to two boys talking out in the hall with no one around. 

"Sofia is pretty, but Coral is definitely prettier," his friend with a messy brown hair said. 

"That is true, but..." the guy with an undercut paused. "I don't know. Her attitude seems kind of fake."

"Really?" his friend blinked. 

"Yeah. She's so superficial. A lot of people sees her as this nice person, but no one could be that peachy. She must have some dark secrets."

"You think? I guess that is true." 

"If you think about it, Sofia is bolder. Like, remember the time when we were around when she got mad at a guy and she told him off and practically ruin his self-esteem? Man, that was hot."

"Then you think Coral is easier?"

"She probably is. I don't think she could hurt a soul."

The part of the conversation between them and how they talked about her riled him. How could someone say that about someone else they didn't know. Most of all, how someone could make a comparison?

Joshua walked over. He bluntly wasn't going to say anything. His eyes glared and one of them noticed him. 

"What's with the look?" 

The other friend turned his head at Joshua. It was too bad that he wanted privacy needing to use the restroom that they so happened to be close by.

"Nothing," he muttered. Joshua pressed his hand on the door almost going in, but at the last minute decided to speak. 

"I overheard you two... you shouldn't say things like that. Females aren't just their beauty standards."

The one with the undercut stepped up. "You have something to say?" 

He looked intimidating. His black leather jacket and a small pin stuck on the front that read Don't cross me. He was even four inches taller than Joshua. 

He gulped. It would have been easier if he back away so they could just leave him, but he thought to tell them how wrong it was. This was unacceptable. Though there could have been worse and maybe a couple of other people thought this way too, he didn't care. 

She didn't deserve to be talked degradingly when she had only been kind and that's the truth.  

"Don't tell something to us when you have no comeback," the other guy said.

Joshua clawed his nails against his palm on one hand and his eyebrow slightly became piqued. "You... You should be ashamed of yourself. The two of them are their own kind and separated. I'm sure they're both great, but Coral... don't talk about her that way when you don't know anything. She's not superficial, and is, in fact, an amazing person."

He thought he never would hear himself say this. That was a step up. Who was he doing it for? Her, who knew nothing about him, or himself, the fact he raised a voice for what he believed.

"And you are?" he questioned.

"No one," Joshua answered.

"Let me take this," the tall one, Joshua was guessing that he was imperious, had cornered him where he looked like a mouse, "and you think that could change our mind? Get real."

Absolutely not, Joshua knew. He only wanted to inform and correct them. 

From where he stood, he was wary that the situation wasn't looking good. "I'm not old school where I'll lay a hand on you, but better see something next time pipsqueak."

He drew back a couple steps until his eyes only let off with a warning and glared. His friend followed him when he walked away. 

Was the guy planning on something next time for him? Joshua thought of how intimidating of what just that was. 

What mattered was that it was the right thing, but it certainly scared him. He had been used to hiding in the corners.

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Happy New Year and the grand start of 2019. Maybe not grand for some of you, but maybe your life might change, who knows. Hopefully you're all doing well and you probably did not expect another chapter up today! Yay *add special effect children noises* 

So, this will be a little more than 12? But hopefully something almost done and something will be happening? Who knows. Keep on following this story to see where they end. Have a great day and don't forget to leave votes and comments pleasee!!!