"She won't be happy if she sees that."
I told Josh miserably as I showed him a screenshot of a skirt I liked. I've always liked 'girly' clothes even as a child. All the other boys in kindergarten liked cars and sports and I liked pink and pretty things. Unfortunately, society has created gender norms making me out to be the freak though I didn't really think I was, neither did Josh. I've always been an outcast, never truly able to fit in no matter how hard I tried.
"Who cares what she thinks."
Josh tipped his head back and exhaled the smoke he was retaining in his lungs. I watched how his neck curved elegantly as he did so. He snapped his head back up to look at me.
"She's a bitch."
I burst out laughing at his monotonous expression causing him to chuckle too. I lay back in the grass and Josh followed suit. I watched as the smoke from Josh's cigarette swirl up towards the sky, it made me think about how vast the sky is and how it stretches seemingly endlessly.
"How was school today?" I asked
"Shit. Mom's quizzing me about why I smell of smoke. I told her one of my friends smokes and she believes me. For now." He replied taking another drag.
"What are you going to do if she found out?" I ask
"Probably just run the fuck away or something-Come here."
Josh suddenly pulled my head onto his chest. I felt truly at peace when I was here, with Josh. The lake became our special place, a place where I can be myself without judging eyes. The place that I share with the most important person in the world. He exhaled again and the smell of smoke filled my nostrils but I didn't mind, not when it was him.
"You're my best friend" I told Josh without thinking and quickly clamped my hand over my mouth.
"You're my best friend too, Ty."
He began to run his free hand through my hair slowly, I winced slightly as his fingers tugged at knots. He chuckled slightly at this.
"Geez Tyler, did you even comb your hair?" he asked
"Nope!" I exclaimed, making him laugh more
"You're so cute."
After saying this he patted my shoulder softly signalling me to get up, which I did. His cigarette dangled from his lips as he strolled towards the waters edge. He crouched down, clearly looking for something. He shuffled through stones carefully inspecting each one before selecting one.
He stood up and brought the stone next to my face. I was beyond confused at this point. He noticed my confusion and smiled.
"It looks like your eyes."
He pressed the stone into the palm of my hand. It was perfectly round and a shiny brown. He smiled sweetly at me. I slid the stone into my pocket. He put out his cigarette and took my hand.
"Can I see you later tonight?" He asked
"Of course, why?"
"I'm planning a surprise."
I smiled at him and he returned my smile. He stroked my hair again before telling me he needed to get back before his mom started to freak out.
He made his way toward the forest but stopped and turned around, he held out his hand which I assumed he wanted me to take. I rushed to his side and took it. It seems as though our hands melded together perfectly together almost as if they were designed to fit together. We swung our hands in unison as we made our way through the forest.
