--
(let it go, the neighbourhood)
▹ josh
maybe he was taking this the wrong way. maybe he shouldn't have left so harshly. was that dumb? probably. but he reminds himself that tyler didn't know what she was dealing with. he did it for her own good. she wasn't able to help him.
even though she said something along the lines of "i can't just sit there and watch you suffer", josh just ignored it because that's what everyone would have to do. that's what most people would say, whether they meant it or not.
he couldn't go home, and it was getting dark. he had nowhere to go.
not even brendon's house- of course not. that would be the first place his dad would look for him.
his phone battery was nearing 10%, fifty unread messages from all tyler, brendon and his father (each). he ignored them all.
he couldn't go near them. he was too scared. he opens it onto the lock screen, clicking on brendon's name, then the call button. he just needed to hear his best friends voice.
the phone rung not even twice before there was a pick up on the other side of the line. "josh? josh, what the fuck? are you okay?"
josh just sniffles, no, no he wasn't.
"where are you? are you safe? i saw your dad today. he came to my house asking for you. he seemed outraged. joshua, what's going on?"
he sounded perturbed, totally different to what josh was used to. his voice was breaking, and he was speaking incredibly fast. "i-i..." josh tries to form words, but he can't speak. he couldn't tell if there was a mental or physical reason for this, but it seemed impossible.
he hangs up, immediately beginning to text, instead.
josh: too scared to miss school. can't go home. what do i do ?
not even seconds later there was a reply.
brendon: you can stay at my house?
josh: no, he will find out easily.
brendon: who? where are you, josh?
the blue haired tries to stable his shaking hands.
josh: stop talking about it. stop asking questions about it. it's not a big deal. i can't stop thinking about it anyway, i don't need people to keep asking me for greater detail. i'm in a field. i'm fine.
brendon: no offence, josh, but people question you because they fucking care about you. especially me. don't tell yourself differently. have you spoken to tyler? did they do something to you?
josh: yeah we went to the beach for like two minutes but i left because i couldn't deal with it. she kept asking questions too.
brendon: oh
josh: anyway yeah what do i do?
brendon: go to tylers house. no one knows where she lives.
fuck no.
