Ruby ~Joshler~

2.0

Josh peeked around the corner and made sure the coast was clear. The kitchen seemed to be empty and most the chatter was coming from the living room and that told him all the guests were busy. 

Slowly and quietly, Josh crept onto the tiled floors from the carpet of the living room. He had made sure to take he shoes off so that now he moved silently in his socks across the floor. He looked up and saw what he was going for on the counter ahead. 

Once he was close enough, Josh stuck out his hand and-

"Josh have you seen-" Tyler stopped dead in tracks when he entered the kitchen. Josh froze, giving Tyler an innocent smile. "JOSH!" Lunging forward, Josh stuck his finger in the cakes frosting and ran back out of the kitchen. "It's not for you!" Tyler chased him off and inspected the cake and shaking his head at the small indent of smudged frosting. He would try and fix it, but he didn't want to smudge the red frosting any more than it was. 

Tyler was pulled away from the cake when a loud ring echoed through the house. "Joshua!" The skinny boy yelled. "Get the door!" 

Josh, who had been hiding in the bedroom muttered under his breath and reluctantly got up to answer the door. Everyone who had been talking in the living room room, were now quieting down and craning their heads to see who had arrived. 

Josh told them to hush as he peered through the peep hole. He let out a sigh of relief. "False alarm." He got groaning in response as he opened the door. On the other side was a young boy he did not recognize. 

"Hi, are you Tyler?" He spoke. 

Josh blinked a few times. "Um, no. Tyler is my-who are you exactly?" 

"Oh, my name is Andrew." He looked down at his phone and muttered, "Sorry, I don't this is the right address." 

Josh shook his head. "No. Andrew." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're the boyfriend, come in." The boy nodded and walked pass Josh into the large home. 

Everyone went quiet as they watched the boy enter the living room and it in the far chair in the corner. They continued to stare with hushed whispers until the doorbell was ringing again and a muffled voice was coming from outside. 

"Is it her?" 

Josh stumbled over chairs to get to the door, his relatives hushing him as he did so. He got to the door and peered out of the peep hole. 

"Dad? The door is locked and I misplaced my keys somehow." She paused and looked up at the door. "Dad, I know you're there, I can see light come through every time you move." 

Josh cleared his throat and turned towards everyone else and motioned for them to get down. 

"Dad?" 

Josh stepped back and opened the door, smiling at his daughter. "Hey Ruby." 

She raised her eyebrows at Josh as she stepped pass him. "Hey dad, where's-" As soon as she stepped into the house, it irrupted in yells and screams of 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY RUBY!' 

The girl yelped and jumped back, her back hitting the now shut door. "W-what?" 

"Surprise!" Josh chuckled innocently. "Happy birthday sweetheart." Ruby looked around the room at her family and smiled. 

Suddenly Tyler came from the kitchen, holding a big, dark red cake with sparklers on top. He started singing 'Happy Birthday' as did everyone else. When they finished their song and she had a difficult time blowing out her 'candles.' 

"I can't believe my little gem is 16 years old!" 

"Thanks gran." Ruby braced herself as her grandmother approached, giving her a rub-crushing hug. "Good to see you too." 

"I know," Tyler began. "Seems like yesterday you were a little toddler." 

Ruby's face turned scarlet. "Ruby!" She turned away from her cake and laughed as she say her boyfriend approach her. 

"Oh, Andy. Hi." She hugged him awkwardly, as Josh was watching them closely. "I'm glad you could come." 

Josh glanced at his mother, who was eyeing the boy suspiciously. "Who's that darling?" She whispered to him. 

"Oh." Josh looked up at the two, who were both grabbing a slice of cake Tyler had just cut. "Um, he's her boyfriend." 

She raised her eyebrows and scuffed. "Looks like a hooligan." Josh chuckled and nodded in agreement. 

Tyler, who had heard both of them, smacked Josh's arm. "Don't be like that, you've just met him." 

"Oh come on, it's not like you know him." Josh retorted. Tyler smiled, giving him a knowing look. "Right?" Tyler didn't answer, but continued smiling, now looking in Ruby's direction. Josh looked up too. "RUBY!" 

Tyler laughed and watched as his husband went and confronted his step daughter. He decided right then and there, that he was gonna enjoy the rest of his life with this family. 

THE END