skatepark - joshler

eight

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"hey!" joshua called out as he approached tyler on the grass. "what're you doing today?"

tyler didn't look up from the bag he was digging through. "i have nothing planned but skating."

joshua scratched the back of his neck. "uh, do you want to go to the coffee shop up the road with me?"

tyler smiled down at his bag. "of course."

-

"what are you gonna order?" tyler asked, stepping up to the counter.

"probably just a black coffee, but that caramel macchiato is looking really good too." joshua said, almost mesmerized by the array of foods and drinks on the shelves.

"okay, i'll pay." tyler said, reaching into his wallet.

joshua grabbed his arm."no, tyler, i can pay for myself. you don't have to do that"

tyler smiled. "i want to," he said. "i mean, a man pays for his date, doesn't he?"

joshua let go of tyler's arm and stood, red faced and wide eyed. he stuttered nonsense.

tyler laughed. "i'm kidding, josh, but im still paying for you." he got to the counter.

as he ordered, joshua stood back, still blushing. was tyler catching onto him? probably. joshua was terrible at hiding his feelings no matter how much he tried, but with tyler it was extra terrible. he hoped his lust would just go away before it got worse.

tyler payed for their orders and grabbed joshua's caramel macchiato and his light pink cake pop and went outside, joshua following behind.

"i feel like i don't know a lot about you." tyler said as they sat down in the wire chairs at the wire table. joshua looked up at him from his drink.

"there's not a lot to know about." joshua said.

tyler frowned, studying joshua's face . "that's not true, josh. tell me about yourself."

joshua sighed and stared at his drink. "i'm being honest. i skate, i make music, and i'm depressed. i'm not interesting or funny or talented."

"what kind of music?" tyler asked.

"drums. i play the drums."

"that's cool. i'd like to hear you play sometime." tyler said, nibbling on the end of his cake pop.

"what about you?" joshua asked, changing the subject. "tell me about yourself."

tyler blanked on the question. he wasn't used to being asked.

"uhh..." he sputtered out, trying to answer. "i, um, i don't want to overshare." he lied, trying as hard as possible to change the subject. he hated talking about himself.

"there's no need to be embarrassed, tyler." joshua reassured, leaning forward.

tyler breathed. "i skate, i draw, and i make music too.  i'm depressed and i'm anxious and i'm schizophrenic. i ramble and i play with my hands too much and i talk to myself." tyler stopped himself and looked at joshua, who was listening intently. tyler sighed. "if i'm being honest, i have no idea why i'm here."

joshua frowned. "what do you mean?"

tyler looked through the wire table to his feet. "i have no idea what you see in me that's interesting enough to be friends with me." he confessed, refusing to make eye contact with joshua.

"i know how you feel." joshua said. "but i truly think that you're an interesting and talented person, tyler. i want to be friends with you."

they sat in silence for a while.

"i want to be friends with you too."
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