Two Friends. {JOSHLER}

8

Tyler's POV

It was a strange week, not only for me, but for all of my friends and even my family.

Everywhere I went silence crept upon us and I always found myself drifting off into the vastness on my mind, searching for purpose. I didn't know what to do.

I constantly stared off during my classes, missing most of the lesson for some quizzes within the next week. I didn't care. Something just felt off.

I didn't know how to explain it. One day everything was peachy peachy and the next it was like My Chemical Romance broke up for the second time. It was very awkward, seeing the lives of other's go on while mine sulked away without me.

I always tried to start up a conversation with Josh, but he either ignored me or responded with one word. The rest of the guys were off doing their own things, which left me with no one. It bugged me, yes. It also reminded me of a couple weeks ago.

I don't want to talk about it right now, though.

Seeing everyone not being their happy selves made me not happy. One day at lunch, when Josh and I were eating, he broke the silence that had been going on for awhile.

"Hey, is everything okay?" he asked me, which startled me but I looked at him and he had a concerned look on his face.

I searched for the right words to say, and ended up saying, "What? Yeah, I'm fine," not knowing what else to say.

"Are you sure? You seem worried about something."

I rubbed my forehead, tired from my restless nights. My parents had been fighting for the past several days, and they constantly yelled at each other, even after curfew for us kids and none of us got any sleep. "It's fine, Josh."

He shook his head. "You don't seem fine."

I sighed. "Look, Josh, I've had a long day and I'm tired. That's it."

"That's not it."

"Leave me alone, Josh," I said, trying to keep my voice down. I didn't want to draw any attention to us, especially when the entire school was there.

He said nothing, just gaped at me and eventually shook his head again in disbelief. "What's gotten into you lately? One, you don't respond to my texts, two you ignore me all d--"

"JOSH, FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!" I screamed at him, at that point not caring if anyone decided to join our conversation. I put my face in my hands, embarrassed and upset, then said, "Sorry."

He said nothing again with a confused look in his face. He then grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the lunchroom and into a closet down the hallway and locked the door behind us.

"Tyler. You're not okay."

"What do you mean, I'm not okay?!" I was confused and angry at him. I wanted to eat because I hadn't eaten in a couple days and was starving. He didn't care.

"Tell me what is going on, and the truth. You've been acting weird all week." His grip was tight on my struggling arms, but I stopped and slide down to the floor. He followed.

"My parents. . ." I said, traveling off, "aren't happy anymore."

He wrapped his arm around me at that point, and I rested my head on his shoulder. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

"Because it's embarrassing. Your parents are perfect, they love each other. . ."

"Just because my parents love each other doesn't mean your's don't. They love each other, Tyler, no matter what. And they love you, too."

This conversation was starting to sound like an inspirational quote you'd find on the Internet, but I didn't say anything because I didn't want to ruin the moment.

"They're probably going to get a divorce."

"They will with that attitude."

"What do you mean?"

He sighed. "Isn't there anything you can do to help them?"

"They want nothing to do with me."

"What a shame."

"I'm not in the mood for your sympathy, Josh."

He laughed slightly, then said, "You're always in the mood for me."

"Is that a threat or a promise?"

"Whatever you want." He kissed me softly, but I pulled back, which left a confused look on his face.

"What? Did I do something?" He asked, but I shook my head.

"No. . . it just. . . if doesn't feel like it did last time."

"Not everytime will be the same as the last, Tyler. You know that."

I lifted my head off his shoulder and shifted away from him a little bit, and he sat up straighter.

"What's going on?"

I hesitated. I didn't really know how I felt, but for some reason my body just didn't want to be interacting with Josh's. "I need a break. From us."

"Are you breaking up with me?" He asked me, obviously heartbroken.

I didn't know what to say.

"You know what, it's fine. If you need a break, you can have a break." He stood up hastily, but I stood up and grabbed his arm just before he reached for the doorknob.

"Josh, I love you, but I'm in a really tough patch of my life and I need to figure things out."

He stopped trying to free himself and turned his head slightly to the side. "I wish I could say the same thing to you."

And he was gone.