Stay With Me (Joshler)

Stay

Tyler pov

I admit that what happened with Josh was weird. I really wanted to kiss him. Like really. But theres no way he wanted to as well. Right?

I mean if he did, then he would've. And since he didn't, he jumped up. Yeah. That's it. But then why did he start to lean in...? Maybe I was just imagining things. Maybe I was actually leaning in and he jumped up because he didn't want it. Ugh. I wish I knew where my diary was so I could write in it.

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Josh hasn't been at school the last two days. I even waited in front of his house today after ringing the doorbell. I wonder if he's okay. He would tell me if he wasn't...right? Yeah. He would.

||-//

Right before I get home, I decide to drop by Josh's again. I ring the doorbell and I actually get an answer this time. Josh opens the door and...

"Oh fuck are you okay?!" I almost yell in his face. He has cuts all over his gorgeous face and it appears a bruise as well.

"Yeah I fell into a bush. What's up?" he asks casually as if he hasn't been skipping school.

"Well I wanted to know if you were all right. You haven't been coming to school lately and...I don't know"

"Yeah I'm fine" he says. "Just didn't want to go while I was all messed up" he says as he gestures around his face.

"I get that. May I come in?"

"Yeah sure" he says as he opens the door more to let me in. "My mom is out and shouldn't be home for a while"

We go to his room and play Mario Kart again. I admit the atmosphere was a little awkward because of what happened last time, but this was fun. I'm glad he let me in again. Literally and metaphorically.

I'm winning a race when we hear the front door slam.

"Fuck" I hear Josh say under his breath as he puts his controller down and stands very quickly.

"What is it?" I say, concerned.

"You need to leave. Now"

"Okay but how? And why? It's just your mom, right?" I'm utterly confused as to why I can't meet her.

"No. Just. Just stay here, okay? Don't leave my room" he says as he walks over to his door. He leaves and closes it behind him.

Soon after he leaves, I hear yelling so I get up and crack the door open. I still can't hear what they're saying, so I walk downstairs and am greeted with who I'm assuming is his mother with her hand raised and is she...is she about to hit him?

Suddenly, she yells "AND DONT YOU DARE DO IT AGAIN!!" And she smacks him across the face. She then proceeds to knee him in the stomach and drop him on the floor. Then she turns and sees me. "Oh hi, fag" she says as she passes me like nothing happened.

I run to Josh.

"I told you to stay in my room" he says, mostly breathless. He has tears prickling in his eyes.

"No no no how could she do this? Why aren't you more concerned? Does she do this often? Is she the cause of those cuts on your face?"

I hadn't realized I was crying until I saw water hit the floor. I touched my face and wow I was sobbing. Josh was too. I pick him up and put his arm around my shoulders. I bring him through the front door and out of the house. Then, I half carry him into our house and up to my room. I lay him down on my bed and give him two pain pills.

I lay down next to him. We are both on our backs looking up at the ceiling when I say "does this happen often...?"

"Yes"