I was surprisingly happy to be back at school. Three days of doing nothing really wasn't much fun. And.. I really wanted to see Timothy. After speaking to his dad and having everything I thought confirmed to me I was kinda nervous. Apparently he was really mad at me.
Math and history dragged on. I was glad to finally hear the bell.
"I'm going to the bathroom, I'll meet you guys later." I said to my friends just to get rid of them.
"Oh, me too." Taylor said.
Ugh!
We walked to the bathroom together.
"Still can't believe that freak got away scot free." He grumbled.
"Me neither." I would have to find a way to get back at Charlie.. Without T finding out. That said, if he already hated me it wouldn't make a difference. I had to talk to him.
How was I going to get rid of Taylor in a way that didn't make me seem suspicious?
I watched as he went into one of the bathroom stalls. I waited for him to lock the door and turned right around again. I would just tell him I was done and headed back to the boys. Then I'd say I got side-tracked by a teacher that wanted to discuss my terrible grades. Perfect.
With a proud smirk I opened the bathroom door and walked out.
Immediately, some idiot bumped into me.
"Hey, watch where you're going, asshole!"
The idiot was Timothy.
I bit my tongue and waited for him to say something.
He didn't look angry. How could anyone, wearing something so ridiculous?
It seemed his obscene fashion choices always involved the color black, matched with some other color. Today was white. Black ripped skinny jeans, white converse with black laces, checkered wristbands and a white over-sized zip-up hoodie with a massive sad smiley on the front.
....Who'd do this? Does this guy not have any understanding of embarrassment?
Without saying anything at all, T walked right past me.
I grabbed his arm. "Seriously? You're ignoring me now?"
"I have nothing to say to you."
I laughed. "Well, I have some things to say to you, so," I pulled Timothy in the opposite direction.
"Stop!" He struggled against my tight grip but... compared to him I was superman. Who was I kidding? Compared to anyone I was superman.
The last thing I wanted was for Taylor to see me even talking to him. That would destroy me.
"Fuck it." I scooped Timothy up in my arm and carried him down the hall.
"I told you no!"
"I'm gonna beat him up." I clarified to some guy giving me a weird look. He nodded and raised his thumb in response.
Once we were inside the janitor's closet I put him back on his feet. Timothy refused to look at me.
"I know you think he's a saint but your boyfriend slashed my tires."
"Charlie wouldn't do that."
"Oh come on! You and I both know he's intense! He'd totally do that. And are we forgetting that he literally punched me in the face that same morning?"
Timothy sighed in defeat.
"Yeah. Think about that. Your boyfriend is just as bad as I am, maybe even worse."
"At least he didn't punch you out." Timothy said.
"And that is why I keep telling you that this whole not eating meat thing is ridiculous,"
Timothy attempted to walk away but I pulled him back.
"Why are you so mad at me? You're acting like I scarred him for life."
"He's at home right now because he can barely see with his right eye and his headaches are driving him crazy."
Boohoo.
"I know you don't think that matters but you can't just beat people up and think it's okay."
No, but slashing someones tires is fine.
I was still holding Timothy's arm and as I looked at his face I could see the worry in his eyes. That, and his endless love for Charlie.
I realized that this wasn't about my pride or ego. I didn't want to be the reason he felt bad. Even if his boyfriend had it coming. T had nothing to do with it.
I sighed. "Fine. I'm sorry."
T almost looked at me like I'd lost my mind, that's how shocked he was to hear me say it.
"You're sorry?"
"Yes. Is it that hard to believe?"
"Yes." Timothy simply answered.
"I went too far. I probably knocked his last brain cell out and now he probably won't ever graduate. But hey, at least he can stay where the fifteen year olds are."
"That's not funny." T said as he averted his gaze. He was lying, I could see a small smile on his lips.
I made him smile. I made him happy. Maybe not as happy as the leech he was dating but.. maybe in time..
Maybe in time, what? We'd get married and go live on a graveyard somewhere? God, I was so whipped. By a fucking guy. Kill me!
"So you like me again, right?" I asked.
"Did I ever say I like you?" T cocked his head.
"Shut up, loser." I pushed him softly and he giggled again. He'd have to stop soon or I could not be held responsible for what I might do.
"You think you could apologize to the one who's sick at home?" T asked.
"No."
"You said you were sorry."
"I am but he doesn't need to know that!" It wasn't like I felt sorry for him!
"Doesn't sound like you mean it, then." Timothy crossed his arms.
The bell rang and Timothy picked up his bag. "I gotta go."
"Fine. I'll apologize."
What the hell was wrong with me?
"Okay." Timothy said.
"What, aren't you proud?"
"Maybe when I see it." He walked out of the room.
When had the tables turned like this? Now all of a sudden it mattered how he felt about things and I was trying to impress him. This was getting sad now.
"What the fuck?" I mumbled to myself.
✪
After school, Dave had dropped me off at my place because obviously I couldn't tell him I wanted to go to the weird emo gay all my friends hated.
So, I rode my tiny, rusty old bike from when I was ten to T's house. I already felt sufficiently humiliated without anyone commenting but when I turned up at T's place, I noticed Timothy, his dad and his vampire boyfriend were all collected in the front yard, barbecuing.
Fangs immediately began to laugh when he saw me.
I was so goddamn embarrassed, I wanted to rip my skin off.
He was wearing an eye-patch over the eye I'd punched. That made me feel a little better.
Even Joe had to turn away from me cause he couldn't help but laugh a little.
I got off the bike and kicked it aside. "Ha-ha." I said sarcastically.
"Josh, it's good to see you, buddy." Joe chuckled.
Joe seemed to notice my chagrin cause he fought harder to hold back his laugh.
"Whatever," I ignored him and walked up to Jack Sparrow himself.
Even his outerwear was ridiculous. His black knit hat was punctured with safety pins.
I rolled my eyes.
"Look man," I tried to work up the courage to tell this horrible lie.
Timothy looked happy I was following through on my word. Charlie looked smug and seemed to be enjoying my pain.
I don't mean it.
I don't mean it.
I don't mean it.
I pretended like that would make up for crumbling my pride right here.
I looked back into the serpent's eyes.
"Are you alright? You don't look so good." He feigned concern.
I swallowed my anger and pride.
"I'm sorry I knocked you out." I spat out the words.
"Hey, no worries." Charlie slapped my arm.
"Charlie," T whispered as he nudged Charlie lightly.
Charlie sighed annoyed and rolled his eyes. Then he faked a smile. "I'm sorry I punched you." He said through clenched teeth.
"That's okay. I didn't even feel it." I gave Charlie a pat on his shoulder.
His look turned sour real fast.
"Great. Now that you guys have made up, Josh, why don't you grab a plate and join us?" Joe asked.
"I'd love to, thanks." I shot Charlie a smug glance.
The meat was divine and we were sitting around a little fire outside, covered in blankets. Timothy looked so cute with his white cat hat and his little scarf.
He was smiling at something his dad said and then he looked at me
I was so caught. I looked away.
✪
After we were done eating T and I were cleaning up the plates and things. He'd said goodbye to his lame boyfriend in the most obnoxious way which had put me in a bad mood.
The weird thing was.. T was kind of smiling at me. As nice as he looked, it was weird. I felt suspicious.
"Why are you smiling like that? Have you finally come to your senses and realized you like men as opposed to butch-lesbians?"
A little chuckle. "I'm surprised you apologized. I'm surprised you even came at all."
"I said I was going to."
"I know.. I guess you do have some redeeming qualities then."
"What do you mean redeeming? I'm a great person, I'm strong-"
"Cocky." T mumbled.
"Self aware." I corrected him.
T shook his head.
"I'm confident. What's wrong with that?"
"You know what? We just made up, let's not fight again." Timothy threw out some single use plates while I collected the leftovers.
"So I'm forgiven, then?" I smirked.
Note to self: What the fuck, man!
"Sure."
"Will you ever show some kind of emotion? You're not even proud I overcame my big ego and apologized?"
Timothy laughed. "You're totally right. I am incredibly proud. I have raised you well."
I scoffed and turned away. Timothy could very well be the most sarcastic person I've ever met. Besides myself, anyway.
"If I'm really forgiven, I think I deserve some kind of reward, don't you think?"
"No, your reward is that I forgive you."
"That's definitely not enough. You don't understand the size of my ego."
"Oh, I think I do, actually."
"Right. So a massage, then. I have tight muscles from being at home these past few days."
"No."
"I remember you saying I could have whatever I wanted that day I drove you to school."
"I don't remember that." T said with a straight face.
"Oh no?" I trapped him in my arms by holding the table behind him.
"No. "
"No?" I kept getting closer and Timothy began to giggle.
Fuck it.
I wrapped my arms tightly around him.
"What the hell?" Timothy's voice was muffled by my shirt.
None of this was homo. I hadn't seen him in a long time and.. I just had to make sure..
I wanted to hug him, okay? I just wanted to. No use denying it to myself.
T reluctantly held my back. His touch was so soft. Like a feather.
I could feel Timothy's face wiggle around against my chest in an attempt to pull away but I didn't really want to let go yet.
Although, the longer I held on, the gayer it looked. I freed T from my grasp.
"Boys! Get inside! It's gonna rain soon!" Joe called.
✪
"So, Josh. Now that I have you alone I... I wanted to talk to you about something."
I was on the couch watching football with Joe. T had gone upstairs to get ready for bed.
I was wary. What was suddenly so serious?
"Did I do something wrong?"
"No, kid, of course not. I just.. I've been thinking about your situation.."
"Not 'my situation', Joe, I told you I'm fine. It's just four days and I especially don't want you giving me money again! That was real sneaky by the way."
"Just listen, please." Joe grabbed my shoulder. "Josh, I want you to stay with us for a little while."
Fucking Timothy. He snitched on me!
"Did Timothy tell you-"
"Timothy didn't tell me anything specific. Just that things aren't going great at home, which didn't come as a surprise."
I sighed and turned away. "It's just four days, Joe."
"Until he messes up again. He's in jail, Josh. It's not nothing. I don't feel comfortable having you living in such an unstable environment."
"Well you don't have to fucking pity me, okay?!" I got up. "I'm not your fucking little project! I don't need your help!"
"I know."
Joe didn't look like he pitied me. He looked like he always did. A friend. A hero.
"How long?" I asked.
"Until things get better with your old man. Couple months maybe. Just until things settle down at home."
Living here for a couple months? It almost sounded like a dream. Living somewhere I didn't have to worry what state I'd find people in. Somewhere homey and welcoming. And... I'd see Timothy a lot more..
And meat. Oh my God, meat!
"But wait.. Hold on, captain. I think you're forgetting something really important here,"
"What?" Joe asked.
"Timothy! There's no way in hell he'd be okay with me living here, even if he brought all this up."
"Josh, it was Timothy's idea."
"..Huh? Seriously?"
"Yep. So, what are you thinking?" Joe seemed to want me here too. He could probably use a football buddy. A real man around the house.
"Okay. Can I get my stuff tomorrow?"
"Sure. I'll drive you." Joe seemed overjoyed. He slapped my arm and we finished watching the game.