i hired a hitman on myself // joshler [✓]

XXXII

by the time we got back to the building, the sun had already began to set. i helped carry some of the things out of the car and into the elevator. when we made it up to the 13th floor, there was a definite change.

most of the cubicles were shifted over to the outer corners of the room to make a circle-like-shape in the middle of the large room, looks like tyler wasn't kidding when he said there would be a circle.

tyler took the bag that had guns in it and took it to my room so he could combine the total we had with the ones raz gave me. i leaned back on the wall that was a few feet away from the elevator, just to wait for whatever was going to happen next.

before i knew it i saw jenna walk over to me from her room that was opposite from where i was standing. she was holding one red bull in each hand and gave one to me when she got to it.

"thanks." i smiled, not hesitating to open the can immediately and taking a 'few' sips. jenna chuckled at my excitement with a drink, but she still answered with, "no problem."

as we stood around by ourselves i decided to take the opportunity to ask her,
"so uh- how long have you known tyler?" i asked her as she was mid-sip.

she stopped drinking, "i would say maybe a year and a half?" she sounded unsure of her answer but when along with it anyway, "well something like that, anyway."

i nodded, and proceeded to drinking the carbonated heaven and that's when jenna decided to randomly question me,

"do you have a thing for tyler?"

i choked on my drink as i was mid swallow and it completely caught me off guard. i started profusely coughing in which jenna then stared firmly patting my back so i'd stop, though it didn't work well and i didn't understand why people did that to begin with.

i got my breathing back under control and that's when i looked at jenna, and to her my clear near-death-experience was funny as she tried containing her laughter.

i took a deep breath but all i could think of to say was, "what?" even though i clearly understood her, but i just wasn't able to comprehend what had just happened.

"you heard me," she smirked, "do you have a thing for tyler?" my mind went into a tizzy and my heart started pounding. i really wasn't sure how to answer.

"i-i mean..." i stuttered a bit when answering, "i've only known him for a few days b-but he seems cool--"

"you're avoiding the question." she stated, her tone suggestive. a warm and fuzzy feeling grew inside me whenever i really thought about the question. i hadn't thought about it much, but it was true i found him pretty cute.

or really cute.

"i don't know," i shrugged, honestly not knowing how to answer, "why'd you ask?" i wondered, jenna took another sip of her red bull before answering,

"coz you're all he's talked about ever since he met you," she playfully rolled her eyes at what she had just said, "i'm pretty sure he fancies you." she then concluded.

"y'think?" jenna nodded in response. before the conversation could continue, the elevator next to us dinged, signaling someone was stopping on our floor.

out came brendon and sarah holding large, handled, paper bags that had the taco bell logo printed into the brown bag. they immediately went over us while chucking about something we weren't sure about.

brendon asked jenna and i, "where's tyler?" and it was almost coincidental that as soon as he finished questioning us, tyler came out of my room, and his face lit up with excitement when he saw the bags brendon and sarah had.

tyler ran over and hugged the two. they swapped bags, tyler handing brendon the plastic bag that had the whiskey in it, then sarah and brendon handed him the taco bell bags.

"dude this is sick!" tyler gleefully exclaimed, causing everyone to chuckle at his excitement over taco bell. shortly afterwards, tyler, brendon, and sarah were beginning to set up the circle, i was about to go help until jenna stopped me.

"hey, can you go get dallon from his room?" she asked of me, her voice low. at first i was confused, until i realized dallon wasn't in the main area with the rest of us.

i nodded in agreement, which was followed by jenna leading me to his room, but she walked away as soon as i knocked on the door. after what seemed a minute or so, dallon opened the door and sighed,

"what d'ya need, josh?" his tone was a mix of tired and sadness, and his voice was low, too. i half smiled, "the circles starting soon," i explained, "so uhh-- yeah i just wanted to let you know that..."

he deeply inhaled before answering, "alright." in the same tone as before. he then walked out of the room fully, shutting the door behind him and walking ahead of me.

part of me figured that something was wrong, though i didn't know whether or not to say anything. but even before i could decide, the circle was starting, and i knew it wouldn't have been a good time to ask.

i just really wondered what was wrong with him.