puppet strings ♡ joshler

two

tyler and alex would sit in the library together as they waited for the school bell to ring last year, at the table by the window. it had a great view of the school's courtyard which seemed more like a garden of sorts. it's managed by the librarian and a few art teachers that tyler can't remember the names of—except one, ms proenza, his art teacher from last year.

ms proenza's one of the loveliest teachers he's had, if not the loveliest. she's very kind to her students—even the assholes who give her a hard time—and has taken a liking towards tyler, maybe because he's quiet and "shows great potential," as she put it. she even let him feed the fish in the koi pond in the garden.

tyler smiles a little as he gazes out the window to where he knows the pond is. he wonders how the pond is doing, if the same fish are still there, if there's maybe any new ones. maybe ms proenza will let him see the pond again today.

he flinches a little as he hears a thud across the table from him, but acts like it didn't happen as he faces the source. he refrains from bouncing in his seat excitedly as he meets eyes with alex, instead letting a wide smile show itself.

"alex!" he cheers quietly enough to not disturb other students.

said boy returns tyler's smile, "hey, how are you?"

"i'm doing okie!" tyler answers, looking out the window again, smile still plastered to his face. "wondering if i'll get to see the koi pond today. what about you?"

"that sounds so nice, i hope you can see it!" alex says, and tyler nods excitedly as he meets his eyes again. eye contact is easy with his best friend. "and i'm doing alright!"

"i'm so glad you're doing alright! you deserve to be always!" tyler says before reaching for his school bag to retrieve the year's schedule he printed for himself yesterday. "do you have your schedule?"

"yeah, i do," alex confirms, unzipping his own bag to get his schedule out.

the two compare their schedules, and tyler decides that this year might be better than last year; they have both lunches together rather than just on blue days, and they have two classes together—one being art with ms proenza.

"ooh, you're gonna love ms proenza!" tyler cheers, tapping his fingers against the table as he tried to contain his excitement. "and maybe she'll let you see the koi pond too!"

"awe, i can't wait to meet her and maybe the fish!" alex agrees happily, but then, "oh no, you have mr best fourth period."

tyler furrows his brows and tilts his head a little. "mr best?"

"i think i mentioned him a few times last year," alex says sadly. "he was my psychology teacher."

oh. tyler remembers now.

"rip," tyler sighs helplessly, slumping in his seat as he pouts pathetically. he's dreading his class so badly already—alex hated mr best last year and told tyler about it lots. tyler came to hate him too, and now he'll get to experience the wrath of the ironically named teacher first hand.