Requested by: Klance1298
Josh Wheeler stared at his phone. He had been for a while, contemplating how good of an idea this was. Wesley Fists had thought it was a good idea, and his boyfriend Turbo Pokaski had agreed (albeit with a judging grunt). Samaira Dean and Mona Lisa had encouraged it (of course) and even Angelica Green was practically begging to start the call.
How he'd ended up in this position, he just didn't know. How he'd ended up having an all-nighter with his friends and the girl he babysits, again, he doesn't know. All he knows is that if he didn't call up his crush right now, one of the others would and that just wouldn't be pretty.
Josh didn't understand why they were all being this way, they didn't even like Eli Cardashyan. But then again, they didn't know that it was Eli he wanted to call. Maybe if he called KJ instead... no, it wouldn't be fair to play with her feelings. Besides, he'd already done that.
Eli. He just needed to ring Eli. He wasn't sure why his friends just assumed he had his number - what creep has their crush's number? He didn't even talk to Eli in person, having his number is just a far off fantasy. Maybe he could use Snapchat instead.
"Hey Josh? You gonna grow some balls any time soon?" Angelica moaned, leaning against Wes. "Yeah dude, it's kinda embarrassing." Wes grunted. Josh sighed. It was hard. He hadn't told anyone he was bisexual and yet here he was, about to do something he would most likely regret due to peer pressure from those he called his "friends".
"Fine, I'll grow a pair instead. Even my vagina is more manly than your baby carrot." Angelica snapped, leaning over to grab Josh's phone. The boy snatched it away and quickly got onto Snapchat and searched for Eli's username. The boy didn't use it that much, his phone wasn't very good from what Josh could tell. He pretty much added anybody he recognised, or even who just went to the same school, maybe he heard their name spoken at the mall one time.
"Before I do this, there's one thing I need to tell you guys." Josh glances up at his friends, all whom were simply staring at him, waiting for something which they assumed wouldn't be as dramatic as he was making it out to be.
"I'm bisexual and my crush is Eli Cardashyan."
XX~•~•XX
Getting a Snapchat notification was weird. The notification being off Josh Wheeler was weird. The fact that it wasn't a snap and instead a chat was weird. The introducing himself part was weird. Eli knee who he was, why did Josh feel the need to remind him? The asking him out part was weird - nobody's ever asked Eli out before.
It was true that Josh infatuated Eli. The latter wasn't sure why, the boy was taller and older and cooler and hung out with the most popular girl in school, so it was probably just envy of all those things. Except Eli didn't like girls and didn't want to have friends who were girls. Except being taller meant he couldn't hide from bullies and teachers.
The boy just had something about him that made Eli question everything. Question why his stomach felt, question why he noticed things you generally don't notice about people you don't speak to.
He'd ended up at one conclusion - hate.
He obviously hated Josh. He wasn't sure why, but that was the only reasonable answer. It was the only possible emotion he could have been feeling. Yep, hate. He hated about he never spoke to. He hated a boy who'd never ended looked at him. He hated a boy who he only knew through one lesson in school. It had to be hate, no other explanation.
Except there was one, a bigger one, one so big that it couldn't even fit into Eli's house if it were materialised (though not much could if Eli was being honest). He liked Josh. Like, like liked Josh. With fluttery butterflies and jelly legs. He just seemed so handsome and easy going and like he knew how to treat a guy right.
More like how to treat a girl right. He'd dated Sam, the most popular girl basically ever. He'd dated KJ, a girl so badass none of the other boys dared to get into her way, she was just too cool. He was friends with Mona Lisa, head female jock. He babysit a pyromaniac who sold drugs at school who everybody loved. What did they all have in common? Girls. They were all girls.
But still, it wasn't Sam or KJ or Mona Lisa or Angelica who got a snapchat off Josh asking them to go to the mall with him tomorrow. It wasn't Sam or KJ or Mona Lisa or Angelica who had a date with Josh Wheeler. It wasn't Sam or KJ or Mona Lisa or Angelica who were getting picked up at eleven am to go an incredibly public place, a meeting point for all teens, drawn in like moths to a flame, by Josh Wheeler. It was Eli Cardashyan. As soon as he said yes. And sent him the address. And stopped having a mental fucking break down because, shit, this was really happening.
Josh Wheeler had asked him out. Josh Wheeler was picking him up at eleven am to next day. Josh Wheeler was taking him to the mall. He was going out with Josh fucking Wheeler.
Nothing could ruin this at all.
XX~•~•XX
He woke up at 6am. He'd finished showering at 6:15am. He was dressed come 6:30am. He'd eaten breakfast by 6:45am. He watched his phone anxiously until 11am with random old CD's playing in the background (literally the cheapest ones his family could buy).
When 11am finally came around, he waited for the knock at the door. Waited for Josh. Waited for his first ever date. With Josh Wheeler.
And then he heard it: the beeping of a carb horn and, two minutes later, a knock at his door. Eli raced for it. Smoothing down his jumper (it was cold, ok?) he opened the door, trying not to show too much excitement or nerves. Truth about Eli? His confidence was a fucking facade. At least he found it easy to keep up at school. It's the only way he'd survive.
Josh wiped his hands on his jeans, staring at Eli awkwardly. "Er... hi." Said the shorter, unsure of what to do. "Hi." Josh said back, for some reason looking like he was snapping out of a trans. "Ready to go?" He held his arm out for Eli to take. Eli grinned and nodded. "Ready to go." He smiled, taking the arm in his own and allowing himself to be dragged outside to Josh's car (Josh had a fucking car - beat that Kim Kardashian) to be taken on what he was certain would be the best date of his life.
XX~•~•XX
"What do you want to order? I'm paying, just for your information." Josh smirked, standing up to go stand by the counter. Eli grinned up at him, adoration blazoned on his face. "Whatever you want, I've never eaten here before. Surprise me." Josh winked at him as he walked away. He'd make sure Eli had the best meal of his life, the restaurant was expensive after all. It was obvious after about two hours of shopping that Eli didn't have much money. He only bought small things - "Easier to hide," he'd said - and the only bigger things he'd gotten were paid for by Josh. The older lad had sneaked a look at his wallet - barely counted as a wallet at that - and after buying about three small things, he only had coins left. Josh wondered why he'd agreed to come on a shopping date if he had no money, but he guessed that a shopping date with no money was better than no date at all.
"Hi, my name is Ella. What I get for your today?" Asked the lady at the counter. It was an odd little restaurant, you had to get up to order your food, the food was expensive, they served it to you, and you had to stand back up and go back to the counter to pay again. Still, the food was good so all the moving was worth it to Josh. "I'd like the spicy paprika chicken and a double beef burger. Oh, also two cherry sodas please." Josh grinned, watching the worker write that all down. "Right, and that'll be all?" She asked, smiling the same fake smile she'd given every other customer. "Er... Nutella pancakes for desert. Two, please." Ella nodded and Josh walked back to his and Eli's table.
"What did you order me?" The younger boy asked eagerly. "Just wait and see." Josh smirked, taking Eli's hand in his own. Something about this boy made him feel and awful lot more confident, like he could stand up on top of Mount Everest and process his love on international television and still not give a fucking damn about it.
XX~•~•XX
After five hours of shopping, eating, and holding hands (and ignoring a few small-minded slurs and stares) Josh drove Eli home.
"I really enjoyed myself today." Josh said, parked up on the public car park for the flats like Eli's. "Me too." The younger boy whispered, leaning over to kiss Josh's face. "Also, that restaurant was fucking epic. You can take me there any time you want."
