Hey... It's Me

Chapter 10.

*Rose's house, Josh's perspective*

I knocked on her door and her mother opened the door.

"Oh, hello!" I said. "Is, uh, Rose here?"

"No Josh I'm sorry, she said she was going to her friend's house." She said.

"Did she give a name?" I asked.

"Troy I think."

"Thank you, have a nice day."

"You too, Josh."

I walked down the street.

Great. Should I even bother?

*Tyler's perspective, his house, after school, *

I heard a knock at my door.

"One second guys." I said.

Will, Jake, Theresa, and Ellie were sitting on my couch. I opened the door to see Rose.

"Oh, uh hi." I said.

"Hey Tyler." She said. "Can I come in?"

I let her in and led her to the living room.

"Guys, this is Rose." I said.

Everyone introduced themselves.

"I was actually wondering if we could talk privately." Rose said.

"Oh okay." I replied.

Ellie looked annoyed as I led Rose into my backyard.

"What happened?" I asked.

"You and Josh, you guys need to make up."

"I don't want to talk to him."

"You need to. I can't stand seeing him so sad."

"He's not sad without me."

"He lost his best friend!"

"I was never even his friend to begin with."

"Yes you were, I know you were."

"Not anymore."

"Tyler, I can't change the past but you need to say something to Josh."

I rolled my eyes.

"He's fine without me."

"No he isn't!"

"Then why don't you tell him to apologize to me."

Rose sighed and left. I stayed outside for a few seconds. Then, Ellie came outside.

"Why is your girlfriend so mad?" She asked.

"Girlfriend? She's Josh's girlfriend."

"Well doesn't she like you?"

"No! Didn't you guys meet?"

"Josh never told me that they were dating."

"I'm sorry for shouting I'm just-"

"I understand.

"No you don't. No one does because no one cares enough to try to understand what's going on."

"I do care."

"Sure." I said with a sarcastic laugh.

Then she leaned in and kissed me.

"I do care." She said.

She kissed me again and then went back inside.

*Josh's perspective*

A few blocks away from Tyler's house, I saw Rose. She looked kinda angry. I ran up to her.

"Rose?"

She pushed me back a bit.

"You still haven't apologized?" She asked.

"I did." I lied.

"No you didn't, Tyler just told me."

"You were with Tyler?"

"No duh that's what I just said. Now let's go in there and apologize."

"Why should I?"

"Are you kidding me? You need to pull yourself together Josh, look at you! You're a mess and so is Tyler."

"I don't care about Tyler!" I lied once more.

I saw tears in her eyes. She walked away.

*Tyler's perspective*

How do I tell her that I don't like her like that without making her sad?

There is someone else I loved, I felt it. I just didn't know who it is exactly. We all sat on the floor in the middle of my living room doing homework. I caught Ellie glancing at me from behind her textbook. I really didn't feel the same way about her. I knew the kiss was wrong as soon as it happened. I don't love her.

After a few more hours, everyone left and I was home alone again. I was upstairs in my room and my mom was in her room, asleep. It was around 1am and I couldn't sleep. I looked at myself in my mirror. I looked small but not too small. My hands were bony, I had a small thigh gap, thin legs/arms, and a flat stomach.

I'm alive.

Sometimes I need to remind myself that I'm still alive.