blossom ↣ joshler ✓

7. Brat

Josh sighed, plonking his tray down on the (more than likely) sticky cafeteria table. He covered his head in his hands and groaned loudly.

Taking his hands away from his face, he saw Brendon and Dallon looking at him worriedly. He took the AirPod out of his left ear. "What?"

"You okay, buddy?" Brendon reached over and attempted to grab a chip from Josh's tray.

He smacked his hand. "I'm just tired and annoyed."

"What's wrong?" Dallon asked, rubbing the top of Brendon's hand where Josh had smacked it. He knew Dallon was just feeding into Brendon's overdramatic ways to make Brendon happy.

"You know that kid I have to babysit?"

"Yeah?"

"Not a kid!" Josh stressed. "He's literally like our age. Maybe younger but definitely in high school."

The two were silent before Brendon started snickering. Josh frowned and Dallon saw this, hitting his boyfriend's shoulder lightly to get his attention. "Babe."

Brendon saw the upset look on Josh's face and stopped. "Sorry, J. I just wasn't expecting you to say that."

"On top of that," Josh began. "He's some kid genius and he's such a brat. I tried to make conversation by saying we matched since we both have glasses and he like nerd roasted me or some shit. I don't even know what happened I'm still processing it."

"Processing what?" Hayley interrupted, plopping down to the right of Josh and taking his other AirPod. She set it in her ear and grimaced. "Post Malone? Trash," she commented but left the item in her ear.

"The kid he babysits is our age and he's a bratty smart ass," Brendon summarized for her.

"Blows," she reached over and successfully nabbed a chip off his tray. "What are you gonna do?" She asked, popping it into her mouth.

"I don't know," he sighed. "Hopefully yesterday was just him being boring and today won't be as bad."

"Hopefully," Dallon agreed.

Suddenly, another figure sat down on Josh's other side. He glanced over and saw it was Jordan. "What? Now you want people to know we're related?" He raised an eyebrow.

Jordan rolled his eyes. "I need help. I have a math test next period and I'm scared I'm gonna flunk it."

Josh snorted. "Buddy, I'm a year behind everyone else I'm the worst person to ask."

"I can help," Hayley offered, patting the other side of the bench she was sitting on. "Pop a squat, Jor."

"Pop a squat?" Brendon looked at her. "Are you a middle aged mo—"

"Quiet, Brendon," she interrupted. "The smart people are taking."

Brendon pretended to look around the room before landing his eyes back on Hayley. "I don't see any smart people around us."

Josh cracked a smile and watched Hayley flip Brendon off, but she was smiling as well.

Dallon turned to him. "Hey have you been practicing at all for the season yet?"

Josh scoffed. "Hell no. I'm gonna be so out of shape when we start practice. Coach is gonna beat my ass."

Dallon chuckled, shaking his head. "Coach won't do shit to you. He loves you. You're like his second son."

"And you're like his first," Josh laughed.

"Okay well," Brendon interrupted. "I may be completely uncoordinated but my actual parents love me and I don't need a coach to so ha take that."

"Josh's parents are the best your argument is invalid," Hayley interrupted, looking down at Jordan's worksheet as she tried to help him.

"Agreed," Josh nodded proudly.

"Mom and Dad are so annoying what do you mean?" Jordan looked at him with a faux look of betrayal.

"They're not annoying when you don't get in trouble or act like a dumb teenager and do dumb shit," Josh replied, giving him an innocent smile.

Jordan was the one to raise his middle finger this time and the whole table erupted into snickers. Josh sighed happily.

Just because things with Tyler weren't good didn't mean nothing else could be.

---

When Josh got home from Tyler's house after school, he shut the door quietly. He saw his mom sitting on the couch and smiled. "Hey, you're actually still up tonight," he joked, setting his backpack on the floor and setting himself in the recliner chair.

Laura looked up and smiled back at him. "Sorry, baby. Yesterday was tiring. I wanted to talk to you though and ask you how babysitting went."

Josh's smile faltered before falling completely. Today, Tyler had given him so much attitude he didn't understand how Kelly didn't smack him across the face every time he opened his mouth. Josh didn't even think he meant to give him attitude it just came out when he used his big dumb words and posh voice. All Josh managed to get out of Tyler today was that he's 16, a sophomore, and goes to the Christian private school by Tyler's house.

"He's not a child, Ma," he shook his head. "His damn mom hired a babysitter for a teenager and I have no idea why. Neither does Tyler."

Laura stayed silent, trying to fight back a smile.

"You knew about this?" Josh whisper yelled since he didn't want to cause a scene.

"I told you I met him," she defended.

"You didn't tell me he was 16!"

"You never asked."

"This is bullshit," Josh scoffed and stood up. "I'm gonna tell Kelly I quit. He's a brat anyway."

"Josh, wait," Laura stopped him. "Sit down."

Josh did as he asked because although he was upset, he still respected his mom. "What?"

"I told Kelly you could watch him because he needs someone like you," Laura began.

"What do you mean?"

"He's a good kid but needs a kid like you to rub off on him. He's lonely and shy and just... different. He's very uptight too and I think he needs you to show him how to be a normal teenager. Show him how to have fun."

"Easier said than done," he scoffed again. "That kid's a damn square."

"Josh..." Laura warned. "Be nice. Kelly's a little... overprotective and has that boy on a leash. You don't have to like him but at least loosen him up a little. He has the mentality of a depressed forty year old tax accountant."

Josh couldn't help but laugh at that. His mouth curled into a smile but dropped when he sighed slightly. "I really don't like him. He's a brat."

"That's not his fault," his mom reminded softly. "Just give him more of a chance. Please? For me?"

"Fine," he looked at her. "You're lucky I love you."

Laura chuckled too. "I love you too, baby. Head up to head. You look exhausted. Good night."

Josh picked his bag up and stood before slinging it over his shoulder. "Night, Ma."