blossom ↣ joshler ✓

8. Oreos

Josh pulled into the parent pick up and drop off lane just like Kelly had told him to. He didn't plan on parking and waiting for Tyler so he was apparently a parent now.

There weren't many people there in the lane since it was 3:15. He saw Tyler standing by the door with a scowl on his face. Josh rolled down his window and gave the younger a cheeky smile. "Hey, sweetheart!"

Tyler uncrossed his arms and made his way towards Josh's car. He threw the door open and got in, slamming it after and yanking on the seatbelt to put it on.

"Watch it, watch it," Josh grumbled. "My folks bought me this car. It's expensive."

Tyler turned to him and he looked so angry Josh thought steam was going to come out of his ears. He pointed to the time on the dashboard clock. "You. Are. Late. I get out of school at three! You were late yesterday too! I let that go!"

Josh put the car in drive and pulled away from the school. "Chill out, dude—"

"Did you just call me d—"

"I get out at three too it takes awhile for me to get here with traffic."

"Whatever," he scoffed and sat back. "Get here in a timely fashion. It's mortifying to stand there waiting on a ride."

Josh bit his cheek so he didn't say anything he shouldn't. "Okay. I'll try my best," he nodded slightly.

The two were quiet for some time. That is, until Josh saw a McDonalds and his stomach grumbled. The past two days at Tyler's has been hell. He'll choke down some nasty, bland food for sustenance and then go home and eat a whole shelf in his fridge.

"Hey," he began, slowing down to stop at a red light. "Would you mind if—"

"Yes."

Josh took a deep breath.

"Would you mind if I stopped at McDonalds and got something? I'm starving. I can get you something too."

"I do not think my mother would approve of such garbage. Besides, I can't eat anything there."

Josh sighed, knowing he was right. "Never mind."

He pressed the gas when the light turned green and the two continued to Tyler's in silence. However, the silence was eating Josh away.

"Do you like music, Ty?" He asked, not realizing he used a nickname until it was too late.

"My name is Tyler, Joshua. Do not shorten my name. It's ridiculous," he explained before pausing. "And I tolerate some music."

Josh smiled slightly. They we getting somewhere. Music was nice.

He had music playing before he picked Tyler up and had just turned it down when he pulled up. His playlist was on so he knew music was still playing.

Reaching over, he turned the music up.

"Ass, titties, pussy, money, weed—"

Josh instantly reached back over and turned it back down. He glanced over and Tyler's face was bright red. Josh was surprised the steam still wasn't coming from his ears. He looked furious.

"Shit, my bad."

"What on earth was that?"

"Logic," he smiled sheepishly.

"First of all," he began. "Watch your language! Using cuss words makes you sound like a neanderthal! Second, I cannot believe what I just heard! That was so vulgar—"

"Ty, calm down. I turned it off."

"It's Tyler!" He screeched.

Josh tried his hardest not to laugh but couldn't help it when a small giggle escaped his lips. He pulled into Tyler's driveway and parked.

The older looked over and Tyler was giving him a look that would send him six feet under if it could kill. "You are infuriating," he seethed.

Josh stifled his laugh this time but he couldn't fight the smile that made its way on his face. Who was this kid? Did he have a whole ass thesaurus memorized? "Tyler, I'm sorry."

Tyler grabbed his bag and got out, slamming the door once more before heading inside his house.

Josh laughed to himself before unplugging his phone and getting out. He opened the backseat to grab his backpack and paused, seeing a bag of food that he must not have seen when he threw his bag in after school.

He peered inside and saw a note.

Stop eating all the food in the house just because you starve there
- Mom

Josh beamed. "Thanks, Ma," he whispered. He grabbed the pack of Oreos before walking up to Tyler's door and going inside.

Surprisingly, Tyler wasn't up in his room doing his homework like the two days before. He was sitting at the kitchen table. Tyler must've seen Josh's confusion because he glanced up. "I do not trust you alone so I'm going to do my work down here."

Josh walked into the kitchen and set the package of Oreos on the table. Tyler watched him in disgust as he opened it and took one out, shoving it into his mouth.

"Want one?" He asked with mouth full of cookie, ignoring the two crumbs that fell out.

Tyler made a retching noise. "You are repulsive, Joshua."

Josh grinned, knowing Oreo was stuck in between his teeth. "Thank you."

"You are the bane of my existence."

"I know," Josh sat down in the chair next to him, sliding the package over. "You didn't answer my question. Want one?"

Tyler closed the film on top and flipped it around. "One cookie contains 53 calories. If you plan on consuming five of them you're up to 265 out of the 2500 you're supposed to eat in a day. I'm horrified to know what you ate for lunch."

"I planned on eating half the package..." Josh told him.

Tyler's eyes widened. "Do you know how much sugar you're intaking? That is so unhealthy, Joshua."

"Tyler, I'm fine. I'm big. I play baseball. I'll burn all that shi—stuff off," he corrected himself when Tyler gave him a warning look.

"You play baseball?" The younger asked, seemingly interested. "Are you good?"

"One of the best on the team," he replied. "I'm a pitcher and first baseman. I play both and switch out with other teammates."

Tyler looked like he took that information in. However, Josh wasn't paying complete attention when Tyler stood up and grabbed the package of Oreos. He assumed Tyler was going to eat one or take them and put them on the counter.

He did not do that.

Josh watched him open the trashcan and before he could get up, Tyler had dropped them in and closed the lid.

"Wh—" Josh began, speechless.

"Oreos will not supply you with the energy you need," he said simply as he sat back down and punched something into his calculator.

Josh scoffed and got up, taking his bag with him to the living room.

And Josh was the infuriating one.