JOSH DUN VS THE WORLD ✓

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: HE LOVES ME, HE LOVES ME NOT

SAVING...

SAVING...

SAVING...

SAVING COMPLETE!

Tyler tells him what happened. The whole story, every grueling detail. He won't say names, but Josh doesn't care. One way or another, he'll find him.

Sometime after Tyler's semi-vent over the two sick rapists that held him, they fall asleep in Tyler's bed, cuddled against each other in what Josh sees as the most romantic and heart wrenching moment in their short lived relationship so far.

Tyler sleeps like a baby. Josh can't.

Instead, he calls Max, realizing that he'd gone the whole day without checking his phone only to see no messages from his friends. He wonders how much they hate him right now.

"Yello?" Max answers.

"Hey, it's Josh." He waits, expecting him to hang up or start yelling.

Max does neither.

"Hey, dude, what's up? You coming home any time soon? We've got Indian takeout."

Home. Josh smiles at the thought. Maybe their garbage fire friendship hasn't completely gone to shit yet.

"Actually, I'm going to stay the night with Ty, if that's cool with you. I don't want him to wake up alone when he's like this."

"Like what?"

"Upset. Pissed at the world. Surprisingly vulnerable in a non sexual way, which is new for me," Josh sighs, sitting up. He runs his fingers through Tyler's hair, hearing him smile and mumble something in his sleep. "Is it too early to think I might actually like him a lot more than I should?"

"I can't really make that decision for you. But what I can do is be there," Max says.

"Thanks. I'm sorry about picking a fight with Hayley. There's just- I can't put my finger on why Tyler means so much to me already. I don't get attached that quickly."

"Uh, yeah you do," Max laughs, hearing another laugh in the background, loud and drunk. Josh knows it's Hayley. "Remember when you and Hayley lost your virginities to each other at Colin's after prom party senior year and you were scared that you'd have to marry her if you got pregnant?"

"What? I didn't-" Josh groans, covering his face with one hand. "Okay, that's different. We knew each other since elementary school. Practically everyone wanted us to get together and when we did, it was like Satan himself manifested himself into our clusterfuck of a relationship."

"Touché. Two narcissistic teenagers with a severe alcohol and drug problem? Not a good pair."

"Okay, I'll take that jab. But I'm clean now. That vodka thing doesn't count."

Max gets really quiet, so quiet that Josh can clearly hear the conversation Young Ryan and Hayley are having in the background. He can even hear Jon drunkenly singing Country Roads at the top of his lungs.

"Hey, can you apologize to Hayley for me?" Josh asks, sliding his hand down to Tyler's neck. He rubs his thumb across the small scar, stopping only when Tyler stiffens. "I know she's probably still pissed at me for calling her a slut and about Tyler in general, but I feel like a dick. I don't want her to be mad at me forever."

"She's not as pissed as she is... concerned."

"What? Why would she be concerned for me?"

"Because last time you were this in love with someone you got cheated on and left in the dust. By the way, I'm sorry about what happened after the Rock-It. We were all pretty heated, but I'm glad you told us about Tyler. If you hadn't, I don't know what Hayley would've done."

Josh's stomach churns. "Love is a strong word, but... I'm glad you're not mad. I just wanted to be honest with you guys. You're all I have left."

He knows that Max deserves to know about what happened at the record store, but he's a venter and he doesn't want to accidentally tell him the memories Tyler entrusted him with.

"I'll leave you some leftovers in the fridge. Don't be late to practice. See you tomorrow, Josh."

"Bye."

Tyler shifts in the bed, slapping a hand over Josh's stomach. "He loves me, he loves me not."

"What?" Josh laughs, returning to scratch at Tyler's scalp.

"Love is a strong word," Tyler mocks sleepily, pulling him closer so the side of his face rests on Josh's chest. "Polar bears don't like soda."

Josh kisses the top of his head, scooting down in the bed and pulling the covers over the two of them. "Go to sleep, Ty."

"M'kay."