love notes // joshler a.u.

03

  Dear Josh,

  I wish you wouldn't sit all alone at lunch every day. You should introduce yourself to some people, I bet they'd love you. Who wouldn't? It can't be fun being alone. I would know. It won't hurt to try, right?

  Reason #3: You're really good at art. I'm in your art class, but I don't think you know who I am. The teacher always uses your stuff as examples; she knows you're talented. I wish I could draw like you, but all I can manage is stick figures. You're good at a lot of other things too, but I don't wanna use up all my reasons just on what you're good at, because you're so much more than your talents.

  Love,

    Your Secret Admirer

  Even though Josh had gotten notes like this for the past three days, he still couldn't hold back the smile he got as his eyes flitted over the words. The mere thought of someone putting actual effort into making him feel better about himself and actually not hating him still astounded him. He wished he knew who this was, then he could do something for him in return.

  Still smiling, he slid the note into his pocket. He had started saving the notes and putting them in his dresser drawer, so he could read them whenever he had a particularly bad day at school. The highlight of his day over, he grabbed his binders and headed to class.

  A few hours later, and it was time for lunch: Josh's most dreaded period. Most people loved it, but when you practically had a phobia of eating in public and sat alone, it wasn't exactly the most pleasant time. The words in the note swirled around his head:  You should introduce yourself to some people, I bet they'd love you. Despite the encouragement, Josh couldn't bring himself to do it. He hated rejection, and he knew that trying to introduce himself to people could only end badly. Sorry, he thought to his secret admirer, frowning a little and walking to the cafeteria.

  As usual, he stuck to the wall as he headed for an empty table in the corner. It was always best to not draw attention to yourself, he found. You'd think sitting at a table all alone would do just that, but you're actually surprisingly more invisible than before.

  Josh did feel guilty about letting his friend down, though- and, yes, that was what he considered him now. Figures; he gets his first friend in years and he's already disappointed him. He couldn't say he was surprised, though. Letting people down was practically his specialty. His friend should've written about that instead of his non-existent art skills.

  "Hey. Is this seat taken?"

  Josh's head snapped up faster than it ever had in his life. Standing right next to him was Tyler. The Tyler. Tyler Joseph.  The only person who was ever nice to him at school.

  "Um, n-no," he stammered nervously, watching somewhat apprehensively as Tyler sat down. "W-Won't your friends miss you?"

  Tyler smiled brightly as he picked up an apple from his tray- the opposite of people's usual reaction to the food. "You are my friend," he replied breezily. "And I don't sit with anyone else anyway. I don't like people." He took a bite of his apple. "You're okay, though."

  Josh watched him, a dumbfounded smile on his face. Two friends in less than a week? There was no way this way possible. These were probably the nicest words anyone had ever actually said, out loud, to him. He already knew Tyler was probably his favorite person in school, but this was only reinforcing that belief. "You're okay, t-too."

  Tyler chuckled, his cold eyes unusually warm and friendly. "Gee, thanks."

  Josh giggled quietly. He wished he would stop smiling so dumbly, but it was pretty impossible when Tyler kept laughing and talking. They chatted for the rest of lunch; Tyler even offered Josh a piece of his pizza, which was quite remarkable, as Tyler never shared food. Of course, Josh turned the offer down. He didn't want to drive off his new friend by taking his food and looking fat.

  The small boy could still hardly believe his luck. It seemed impossible that two people would actually like him enough to befriend him, even if one of them was only in the form of letters. He found himself hoping that Tyler would sit with him again the next day, and he preffered sitting alone to being around people normally. Then again, he supposed this day- no, this whole week- had been pretty far from normal. At least, his normal.

  He liked it.

///

changing half the author's note bc i hate my best friend lol

and then the day after i went to my best friend's house for a sleepover bc it was her birthday

and nOW IT'S SUMMER BOYS

this week has been amazing and this year has been, in the words of pete wentz, WIIIIIIILD

i hope your guys' weeks went good :^) hmu and tell me about it if you want, i got no life and i like chatting

votes and comments are appreciated as usual, thanks guys!