The door to Bose's house opened and he walked in, taking off his jacket.
Immediately after him, were Joey and Aaron. They'd decided to hang at Bose's today since Mace claimed to be 'sick'.
The gang still hadn't figured out what was going on with him but Joey and Aaron were soon beginning to worry about Bose's strange behavior as well. But every time they asked, he would shrug it off, saying it's nothing.
Pftt. Like they would believe that pathetic lie.
"Mom, I'm home!" Bose called.
"I'm just saying-"
Bose cut Joey off. "I mean it." He said, so Joey would shut up. "Just forget about it." Joey scoffed at him but he didn't care. "Let's make sandwiches."
Joey watched as his stubborn friend walked towards the kitchen.
"Ooh, food." An exited Aaron stood up and started following Bose.
But Joey quickly cornered them, blocking their way into the kitchen and stretching out his arms to restrict them access. "I'm not going to stop until you explain yourself."
"Joey." Bose warned while Aaron pouted at being denied food.
"I'm serious." Joey didn't budge.
"Stop it." Bose said, pushing down his right arm and making his way into the kitchen.
Joey sighed at his stubbornness and followed Bose and Aaron. "You can't tell me it's nothing."
Bose slammed a cup on the kitchen isle. "Dude."
But Joey wiggled his eyebrows and leaned close to him. "I know you're hiding something~" He said in a singsong voice.
Bose's face flushed. But he covered it up with a sarcastic smile. "No idea what you're talking about." He poured himself some orange juice and left the kitchen, no longer feeling like making himself a sandwich.
Joey sighed again. He turned to Aaron. "Come on. Don't you know anything?" He was desperate to get the real deets.
But Aaron shrugged, pouring himself some juice as well. "Sorry, I only did as I was told." He said. "I know nothing."
Joey, stood up and walked out of the kitchen, not bothering to help himself to juice and eyed Bose who was now on the couch staring blankly at the TV that wasn't even on.
Bose was undoubtedly in no mood for conversation. He hadn't been talking or joking as much lately. He'd seemed to have not remembered to bully one kid in school throughout the whole week and that isn't something that would ever go unnoticed to anyone who knows Bose. It's like he gets distracted all the time now.
He's fine? Pfft. Joey's foot.
Joey set his face in a determined frown and marched like a soldier towards the couch where his friend is sitting with a dumb far away look on his dumb face. He is making him talk.
Bose, already reading the room and aware of his friend's intentions, picked up a magazine on the small table and flipped it open to a random page, pretending to be interested.
Joey sat down and watched him for a while. Then he scoffed. "Come on, Bose."
Bose didn't speak.
"Are you ignoring me right now?" Joey said. "Because so help me, I will tickle you till you pee your pants!"
Bose still didn't flinch.
Joey playfully kicked his leg.
Bose groaned. "Do you mind?"
"Why did you ask Aaron to spy on her for you?" Joey asked, cutting to the chase.
Bose froze but his facial expressions didn't change.
Joey continued. "Are you keeping something from us?"
"As you can see." Bose said, boredly. "I'm reading."
Joey smirked. "Yeah?"
"Yeah."
Joey smirk grew. "Really interesting article, huh?"
Bose narrowed his eyes at him. "Quite fascinating."
Joey snorted out a laugh.
"What is funny?" Bose asked, already annoyed.
"Buddy." Joey, grabbed the magazine. "It's upside down."
Bose's ears turned read when he realized Joey was right. Blinking rapidly, he snatched it back from him. "I like it upside down." He shot and Joey let himself fall back laughing.
"You're so obvious, Bose." Joey said.
Bose rolled his eyes when Joey sat up again and pointed at his face in an accusing manner. "You have a secret." He said, proudly. "And I'm going to find out what it is." He threatened, confidently.
Bose closed the magazine and sighed. "Well, good look spending your whole life trying to do that." He got up. "'Cause I'm not hiding anything."
Joey watched as Bose walked back into the kitchen to meet Aaron who had already prepared seven different sandwiches and was preparing to feast. "Is your mom home?" He asked Bose.
"Probably not." Bose said. "And dad can't leave school till in about an hour." He sighed, sitting across from Aaron. "Principal things." He joked.
"Speaking of school." Joey joined them. "The dance is in two days." He said. "What are you guys gonna wear?"
"Ew, what do we look like, girls?" Bose said, wondering why Joey would ask such a bizzare question. "I'll just pick out a random tux."
"You should call Cori and ask what she likessss, ooooooh." Aaron childishly teased.
Cori was the girl Bose had impulsively asked to go with him at the cafeteria just to get Chapa annoyed. He desperately wanted to take her down a peg or two.
Now he totally regrets it. It was a heat of the moment thing.
He groaned now. He'd actually forgotten about that since that day. Darn it. "Ugh, I can't belive it." He whined as his friends laughed at him. "I'm gonna have to take that airhead to the dance."
"Well, maybe you shouldn't have tried to make Chapa jealous." Joey casually put in.
Bose dropped his table knife. "I wasn't trying to make her jealous!" He immediately defended himself. "I was trying to put her in her place!"
"And where exactly is her place?" Joey probbed further. He faked an old priest's voice and pretended he was having two people wed at an alter. "By your side forever and ever till death do you part?"
Aaron sniggered and his snack almost came out from his nose.
Joey was sincerely only joking about all that. But he had no idea how pressing it was to Bose.
"No." Bose answered him. He claimed. He looked off into the distance. "She's no match for me." He said, grimly.
"Whatever you say, buddy." Joey rolled his eyes. "Pass the mayo, Aaron, would ya?"
Preview
"I like you."
