SMITTEN🌹⌠J.T⌡

vii

this chapter is for DIGITALLYADRUGLORD because they have wonderful stories, and they left a bunch of comments that made me so, so happy :)

unfortunately, this chapter is not so happy, especially near the end. the trigger warning is in place for those who need it. please, be safe, i love you all dearly.

⚜🌹⚜

"STILL SULKING OVER your drawing?"

Josh glanced at Hayley without moving his chin from where it was against the lunch table. He quirked a brow, and she shrugged. "Ash told me."

Josh didn't even deny he was sulking; he knew he was. Sitting up, he ignored the grumbling in his empty stomach as he tilted his gaze back to Tyler, who was in his usual spot.

"I tried to redraw it last night, but it's way harder without a reference," he muttered. Hayley hummed, sitting down next to him. "Why'd you even rip it up in the first place?"

"Because I panicked! You are the only one who knows about my... hobby or whatever you wanna call it, and, well, I guess Tyler knows now too because of the project, but... I don't know, Ash doesn't really know that side of me, I guess."

Josh looked around, suddenly noticing the aforementioned girl to be missing.

"Speaking of Ash, where is she?"

"Skipping. Said something about meeting a friend she knows who goes to the community college nearby. Gerard or something."

"Gerald," Josh corrected. "Ash can't keep her mouth shut about him in study hall—and they're not friends."

Hayley cocked her head, and Josh just leaned back, hands behind his head. "Dating," he elaborated.

"Ah. Had my suspicions, but I didn't want to assume."

Josh nodded, before letting out a groan as he stretched his spine, hands linked as he pushed them above his head.

"I bet they're fuckin' around right now—god, I need to get laid, man," Josh sighed, making Hayley laugh. "Tyler keeps giving me 'inopportune erections,' as he called it—which for some reason sounds hotter than saying boners when it comes out of his mouth—and I don't think I've been this sexually frustrated since sophomore year."

Hayley whistled. "That bad, huh?" Josh let out a dry chuckle. "You have no idea."

He was staring again, but Tyler had yet to notice. The brunette was munching on some carrot sticks, eyes glued to his book, and glasses slipping down his nose. He looked up from his book and caught Josh's gaze, making the punk smirk. Josh winked and wiggled his fingers in a wave, watching Tyler roll his eyes.

The older almost laughed when the brunette held his book up higher to cover his face and turned away, not even needing to hear Tyler's signature scoff to know he had. Josh could see the bright red staining the boy's ears from across the lunchroom, and he smiled, humming contently to himself.

"You two are ridiculous," Hayley laughed, having watched the whole ordeal from next to Josh.

"It's weird," Josh stated, his gaze unmoving from Tyler. "Sometimes he acts like some high and mighty, little brat, but he blushes when I flirt with him, and other times he's like a fuckin' minx, flaunting himself around like the snack he knows he is."