Falling

Chapter 3

Elena sighed as she leaned on one of the elevator's wall.

"Bad day?" Josh asked, worriedly looking at her. "Please tell me you didn't fall over in front of Marisol during dance class."

Elena rolled her eyes. "No. I just- it's hard to explain."

"Maybe you can tell me once we get to your room?"

"Maybe."

The elevator doors opened and they walked towards Elena's apartment. As they entered, Elena's grandmother Lydia welcomed them with open arms.

"Took you two long enough." Lydia pinched Josh's cheeks and he blushed furiously at her loving affection.

Elena took a long breath in, taking in the smell of burnt cookies. "Schneider?"

"Pues quién más?" Lydia sat down on the couch, making herself comfortable. "His oven isn't working so he came here."

"Figures." Elena rolled her eyes. "If mom asks where I am, I'll be in my room with Josh."

Lydia smirked at her. "Dejen la puerta abierta..."

"Ugh, abuela! Do I have to remind you that-"

"Si si, yo se, sos gay."

Elena smiled at her grandma before leading Josh to her room.

They had spent a lot of time together over the summer, since Josh knew she needed a shoulder to lean on after what happened with her father. He tried his best to support her and be there for her, but sometimes it just wasn't enough.

"Do you want to talk now?" Josh nudged Elena's shoulder with his own.

Elena took a deep breath, falling into her back on her bed. "I really like her, like, really, really like her. It's kinda ridiculous since I've just met her, but it's so intense that I had a panic attack during dance."

Josh furrowed his eyebrows together. "Wait what? A panic attack? Why?"

"I just couldn't bring myself to dance in front of her. It's like the fact that I'm gay was dropped on me from 50,000 feet high and I crumbled."

Elena moved over to lay her head on Josh's lap. He didn't mind at all, and started brushing her hair with his fingertips, lightly moving it away from her face. The fairy lights hanging behind them on Elena's wall shined softly, creating shadows over them. 

"I'm so tired." Elena mumbled, clearly drifting away into her dreams. "Maybe we can study tomorrow morning?"

Josh smiled gently at her. "Yea of course."

He pulled Elena upwards on her bed, laying her head softly on her favorite pillow: a stuffed Mulan that Alex got for her for her 15th birthday. After placing a fuzzy blanket over her, Josh carefully climbed off her bed, trying to make sure to didn't squeak or dip enough to wake her. 

He walked back to the living room, finding Penelope watching a movie with Alex on his laptop. 

"Hey Penelope, hey Alex." 

They both turned around and grinned at him. "Hey!"

"Elena's taking a nap in her room so I thought I'd leave her to it while I got something to eat."

Penelope furrowed her eyebrows, glancing over at her kitchen. "My mom is making us all enchiladas, you don't need to go out and buy food."

"Yea dude, we've told you every time you're here that we'll feed you, no biggie."

Penelope glared at Alex. "Since when do you feed him?"

"Since I gave him my lunch last Thursday!"

"You gave him your lunch?"

Alex facepalmed. He knew what was coming. "Gemma offered to buy me some McDonald's so I just gave Josh my food."

"Who's this Gemma?"

Josh chuckled at their bickering. "I guess I'll go see if Lyd-"

"ABUELA!"

Josh spun around, face reddening once more, as Lydia walked out of the kitchen. She placed the plates she was carrying on the table before turning to face Josh. 

"I've told you muchas veces ya que no me llames Lydia! I am abuela!"

Alex snorted. "Come on man, you're basically Schneider number 2 at this point, get with the program."

"Come on man, we're not done talking about this Gemma." Penelope mimicked him. 

Josh shook his head, and sat down at the table, waiting for Lydia to bring him a plate of food. 

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author's note:

this is short af but i just wanted to update this story since i haven't posted in forever

hopefully the next chapter is longer than this (i'm not so sure it will be since my college semester isn't over until may so we'll see)