the boy on the bridge ✔️

9. skip boy

However, it doesn't mean the blond is entirely comfortable with suddenly leaving the campus; they always have a precooked reason and story, just in case, but not this time.

Val senses the boy's hesitation and sighs, rolling her eyes, "Don't worry — I told Ms Martha that we'll be missing the first two periods for a 'committee meeting'," she makes air quote signals to further emphasise that she has thought everything out beforehand, assuring the blond.

But still Josh is not fully convinced. He glances at his other friend, but he should have known better. Zach has always been a pretty laidback guy, and so he easily agrees to the plan, simply shrugging with a, "I don't really care anyways,"

Josh is about to sound his doubts but Val beats him to it, "Or I can always call Dan and have him–,"

That works like an efficient trick, and Josh doesn't say anything after that, even volunteering to drive them wherever it is that Val wanted to go to.

⋘⋙

Ten minutes later, the trio find themselves in a diner that all of them are very much used to — Lap-Up, a common hangout spot for the friends. Val went to buy food and drinks for all them while the boys occupied their usual booth at the far end of the corner of the diner.

"Why do you think she has brought us here?" Josh asks Zach, at the same time looking over his shoulder to make sure she isn't nearby.

The dark-haired boy shrugs, "Beats me. Maybe she wanted to give us a treat — wait," a small pause as if he's suddenly realised something, and Josh looks at him closely, expectantly, but once again, he should have known better, "Today's not her birthday or something, right?"

The blond drags a hand down his face — he doesn't know why he thought asking his friend for his opinion will enlighten him. Zach is literally the exact opposite of him. Where Josh is serious and tensed, Zach cannot be any goofier and more light-hearted. Josh prefers to be by himself, but Zach needs to be surrounded by people. However weirdly, the two of them get along well than most people do and has stayed close friends since they were small kids.

Josh does have a rough guess as to why Val has brought them to Lap-Up; well, he can at least guess for himself, but he has no idea about Zach. Maybe he's there just as a moral support or something.

Val joins them not long after with a tray filled with foods and beverages, all of their usual orders. Zach rubs his hands together gleefully, and immediately reaches for a hamburger, unwraps it and bites into it; Valerie hasn't even sat down.

Josh kicks his shin, and grimaces apologetically at the girl who only shakes her head with a small smile — the both of them are very much used to his antics by then. There's just no getting between Zach and food. The blond pats the spot beside and Val slides in next to him.

She passes him a glass of chocolate milkshake and his own hamburger and Josh receives it with a small thanks. He sets it aside for the time being though. There is something else that has to be said which is dangling over them like a dark cloud.

"I'm sorry," he blurts out.

It's fine even if that's not Valerie brought them there for. Josh definitely owes the girl an apology, more than an apology actually. He has been thinking over and over about what Val told him the other day and how stupidly he reacted to it. He still doesn't know why he did what he did.

He is fine with the fact that Valerie is possibly into girls, but he is sure his action proved otherwise. And frankly, he doesn't think he can be blamed for it — Josh has never been great at reacting spontaneously; he needs to be informed beforehand and given enough time for him to prepare himself for any kind of revelations. So, he's not saying that it's fair that he practically ran away after his best friend told him something that has to mean a great deal to her, but that's what he did.