It Goes There // Josh Dun + Twenty One Pilots

nineteen // there's nothing in the world that's gonna kill this mood

"By the way, Joshua invited me to go to the mall with him tomorrow," I said, attempting to change the subject to a lighter tone. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you tagged along. He's wanted to become better friends with you since you guys were first introduced. This way you get newer clothes that you actually want."

Aiden's eyes lit up. "He really wants to become better friends with me?"

I smiled. "Joshua is a nice guy, Aiden. Of course he wants to be your friend."

"I'm just not used to people actually wanting to become my friend after they figure out about me. I'm surprised that you, Garrett, Lilac, and Kailyn want to be my friend."

I reached out to squeeze his hand. "You are an awesome dude and everybody in this world would love to have you in their lives regardless of any gender." He smiled as I leaned my head against his shoulder. "Besides at the moment, I think Lilac is more interested in being your friend right now than mine."

"Why is that?" he questioned.

"Remember when I broke into her room that one time?"

"Obviously. You made me be the lookout."

I chuckled. "I forgot about that part, but she found out that I got into her room and she's been quite angry ever since."

Aiden leaned his head against mine. "Friendships are hard, aren't they?"

•••

I managed to skip sociology by saying that I was feeling faint. I was allowed to go up to the nurse and sleep the whole period, successfully avoiding Joshua Dun. The rest of the day he tried to chase me down, but I pretended that I didn't hear him at all and walked into the girls' restroom.

He was only curious and I understood that, but there was no way I was going to tell him what I told Aiden. I had only known him a few weeks and I didn't want to drop the bombshell that my father might get arrested for money embezzlement. That probably wouldn't go over well.

Besides after this day, I wouldn't have to avoid him anymore. Tomorrow was Saturday, meaning that Aiden, Josh, and I were going to the mall. He wouldn't dare question me about anything if Aiden was around. Once Aiden goes home, I planned to tell him to trust me and that he didn't need to know what I found. He wouldn't gain any satisfaction from that, but at least it would keep him silent.

I sighed as I walked into yearbook to see Tyler sitting in the seat next to me. He and I weren't particularly close, considering the fact that he was dating Elodie and because he thought I was his replacement with Josh. To me, I didn't see it like that.

"Hello, Chicago," he greeted as I sat down, pulling my laptop out of my bag. "How are you doing?"

"Fine," I snipped. "You?"

He shrugged. "Okay, I guess. Josh and I have been going through a rough patch, but I'm sure it will pass." Tyler turned his head to look at me, his brown eyes curious. "However, he did approach me fourth period and wanted me to ask you if you were anger at him about something. You seem to be avoiding him apparently."

Surprise registered across my face at the new information. As far as I knew, Josh hadn't talked to Tyler in days, but the moment he wanted to know something, he went to his best friend to figure it out for him.

"I'm not mad at Joshua," I responded. "Besides, I don't think my thoughts towards him should be any of your business. So if you would be so kind as to butt out, thank you."

Tyler raised his hands up in surrender. "Hey, my job was just to see if you were mad and you seem to be mad at me more than Josh."

I slammed my laptop shut, turning my body to face him. "One, I hate Elodie, so I don't talk to you often because you are always with her. Two, the fight you are having with Josh is so stupid. Finally, three, all of the conversations we have had together have been unpleasant or when I was in a bad mood, including this one, so Tyler, it'll be best if you stopped talking to me."

I was prone to being unreasonable when I was angry or frustrated about something and taking my anger out on Tyler was not the best therapy. However, he was a better target than Josh and Aiden were, but the main target was obviously my father.

Confronting him was totally out of the equation and there was no way I was going to talk to one of my brothers. I didn't trust them to not go running to our dad just to see me get into trouble. That only left my mother who practically already knew that my father was guilty. Did I really want to be the one to prove that he was guilty?

Tyler took my advice and remained quiet much to my relief. I pulled my laptop back open and loaded my email. Josh's email popped up in my recent contacts and I clicked on it, quickly typing a message.

I'm not mad at you, Joshua. I could never be angry at you over something you didn't cause. Just give me some time and you'll find out what's going on soon enough. I'm sorry.

A/N: I wrote most of this update in school and I finished it in driver's ed. I'm proud of myself. However, I did think of a plot twist that you guys will hate.

-L.A