the boy on the bridge ✔️

53. dance boy

Chapter 53 — dance boy

There is a knock on the door, but Josh ignores it and remains on his bed. As much as Josh pretends to be okay and throws himself into all kinds of work to keep his mind off of... things, he just can't do it on that day. He just can't.

It sounds very, very cliché, but it is the truth. He has been expecting and dreaming about this day for so long. It is winter formal, and there are two untouched tickets for the dance on his study table, and an ironed tux in the closet. It is the day where Josh was going to hold his boyfriend's hand boldly in front of everyone and smile and laugh and dance and maybe even kiss and not give a damn about what anyone else thinks.

It was going to be his day, and he was going to remember it forever. Or at least that's what he had hoped for.

And now all his hopes are down the drain.

"Josh," it is Josie, he hears a creak as she opens the door.

"Is he sleeping?" he hears someone else whisper — it is Valerie, he immediately recognises.

"Josh,"

The blond remains absolutely still, hoping that he'd be left alone.

"Are you pretending to be asleep or to be dead?" his sister calls him out, "You still breathe when you're sleeping,"

Josh huffs, breaking his pretence and turning around so he could face them. Josie throws the door wide open and enters inside, followed by Val, flicking on the light switch. Josh pulls his sheets up and squints his eyes from the sudden brightness, and as if that wasn't enough Josie goes to his window and draws the curtains open as well.

"What do you guys want now?" he grumbles.

"You can't be still mad," Josie pouts, "I've already apologised and bought you doughnuts even,"

"I bought them actually," Val intervenes.

"Yeah, but I'm the one who gave them to him,"

"I'm not mad," Josh butts in before they can start arguing, referring to the incident when she and Val had confronted him about something that he hadn't wanted to talk about and still doesn't want to talk about. "I know you guys were only trying to help,"

"But still... we shouldn't have done that and just left you alone," Josie shrugs sheepishly.

"Well at least now you get it,"

Both the girls then get silent, looking at each other awkwardly, before Val speaks up.

"You can still come to the dance you know,"

Josh blows out air, and just shakes his head, "I don't think I will," he says.

"Oh come on, Joshy," Val walks towards his bed and perches on the edge, "We all can go together, you, me and Zach — I even convinced my brother, Dan, to attend — and just have fun and be together. It's our senior year, last year of high school, we should have as much fun as possible,"

"Well if you've forgotten Zach and I aren't exactly on speaking terms either, remember the whole deal with my beloved father," he scoffs.

"Ok, so would you go if Zach talked to you?"

"Pretty sure he wouldn't even be in the same room as me,"

"Josie," Val nods at her and the younger one runs out the room, it takes a few moments but she comes back and says, "Alright then I'll leave you friends alone, and go meet mine. Bye,"

Josh raises an eyebrow at Val, and she gestures with her chin at his doorway again and when Josh looks there is his other friend, standing rather awkwardly, hands in his pockets.

"Zach?" Josh jerks up, surprised at his presence — he has been sure his friend hates his very guts and will never want to see his face ever again and yet there he is. He pushes the sheets away and stands up from his bed.

"Hey, man," Zach steps into his room, grimacing, lightly lifting his shoulders.

And then at the exact same moment, both of them blurts out, "I'm sorry,"

"I think the awkwardness in here is starting to choking me," Val feigns wheezing, and both the boys are grateful for the interference, "Just hug and get it over with already," she groans, going to Zach and pulling him towards where Josh is standing, and then puts a hand on both their shoulders, "Now hug," she all but instructs.

The both of them rolls their eyes, but reaches out and hugs, patting their backs.

"Yeah, this isn't awkward at all," Zach remarks, and just like whatever strain was present in the room disappeared.

"I really am sorry, Zach,"

"Me too,"

"And problem solved — phew," Val draws her two fingers across her forehead and flicks them, as if wiping away her sweat.

Josh shakes his head at her dramatics and turns to Zach, who has pulled out a chair and sat on it, "I'm sorry, man — I really should've told you when I found out,"

Zach just dismisses his comment, "No, I get why you didn't — it's not something you can just tell somebody,"

"But still I should have told you at least,"

"Tell me what — that your father and my mom are shagging behind everyone's backs," he deadpans.

Josh grimaces, shrugging.

"It's just.... it happened,"

"Yeah,"

"You guys," Val intervenes, waving her hands between them, "I don't mean to sound insensitive but, can we like not think about it anymore — at least for this one day?"

"Easy for you to say," Zach comments dryly.

"You already promised you're going, beanstalk, so shut up," she narrows her eyes at Zach, but quickly transforms them into pleading ones when she faces the blond, "Zach is talking to you — so can we go now?"

Josh groans, raking his hand through his hair, "Can I just skip this one dance? I promise I'll attend the next one,"

"But you helped decorate this one — you should be there, be proud of your work,"

"I don't think I'm in the mood to feel proud," Josh glances at the tickets in his table, a sense of longing wringing him tightly — this is pathetic, it has been two weeks and yet he is still pining for someone who would have most probably forgotten about him altogether already.

Valerie notices his glance and stands in his way, blocking his view, "You need to get out, breathe the fresh air, forget,"

"I'm getting plenty of fresh air from here itself,"

"Zach, feel free to cut in anytime," she waves her hand at the other boy in this room.

"Huh?" he dumbly questions, and Val has to threaten him with her round eyes to get him talking, "Oh, um... yeah. Uh... I.. I think we should all go together. Have fun. Forget about all the shit here — it's not going to go anywhere in one night, you know?"

"Thank you," Val clasps her hands together. "See, he agrees with me,"

"Is there any chance you guys are going to go without me?" Josh gives one last try to escape.

"Nope, not a chance," Val shakes her head, beaming.

Zach just shrugs sheepishly, "Whatever the boss lady says,"

Josh rubs his hands on his face, groaning and then sighs, "Okay, yeah, fine, whatever, we'll go,"

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