glazed eyes ⤷ joshler

one

"stop pouting joshua, it isn't cute."

"i don't even know why you're making me go with you," josh says with a huff. "we always hang out together on friday nights."

"which is exactly why i'm making you go to this party with me," mel says. "plus, matt's going to be there and i really want you to meet him."

josh hums as he rummages through his closet, picking out a sweatshirt which he slips on over his plain white t-shirt. mel looks at him with a raised eyebrow. "that's what you're wearing?"

"it's cold out," josh counters. "besides, i can assure you that there is nobody at that party that i want to impress."

"really? you don't think there's going to be at least one person there that you're attracted to?"

"we're in high school, mel. people just want to mess around."

"what's wrong with just messing around?"

"nothing," josh answers quickly. he knew that mel had been with a good number of people before matt and it was something she was insecure about, so the last thing he wanted to do was upset her. "i just want something different, you know?"

mel nods and gives josh a small smile. "i know what you mean. that's how i felt until i met matt. he's so great josh, i can't wait for you to meet him."

"would you rather me sit here and listen to you gush about him all night or we actually go to the party so i can meet him?" josh teases.

melanie gives josh a playful slap on his chest before grabbing her purse and looking in the mirror one last time. "okay," she says as she turns to him. "let's go."

—

after fifteen minutes of arguing over who gets to control the radio and melanie almost making josh cry, the two finally arrive at a house that has drunk teenagers loitering in the front yard. a boy who's holding a red plastic cup in his hand makes his way over to the car in which the two are sat in. he taps on the driver's side window and melanie rolls it down.

"hi," she says with a giggle.

he flashes her a smile before moving his eyes to josh. "you must be josh," he says, extending his arm out.

josh gives a small nod as he shakes the boy's hand, who he's assuming is matt.

"you two ready to head inside? the party's just getting started."

melanie looks at josh, who grins at her before saying, "let's go."