The bell rings, and the door is thrown shut.
"Salvete, discipuli et discipulae!" Mr. Liddell greets the class, who returns his greeting with their usual, "Salve."
Tyler glances to the empty seat at his right; the familiar sinking feeling returns to Tyler's stomach, because Tyler was honestly kinda looking forward to seeing Josh again, despite the fact that he just saw him an hour and a half ago. He's probably skipping again, Tyler decides.
Tyler perks up a little as someone starts knocking on the door, because something in the back of his mind makes him aware of the possibility of the source being Josh, and that he's just late for class.
So, Tyler watches hopefully as Mr. Liddell strides back to the door. Tyler's eyes light up as the door opens, revealing Josh— wait, Josh looks kinda annoyed...
"Our sub wouldn't let us out because she was upset with one person," Josh drones out in response to Mr. Liddell's raised brow, tone laced with annoyance. The teacher doesn't question him as he nods, motioning for his student to come in.
Tyler greets Josh with a small smile as he fills the previously empty seat next to him, and despite Josh's obvious sour mood, he returns it with his own genuine smile.
Mr. Liddell instructs the class to get out some paper so they could take notes, and Tyler waits for Josh's inevitable question.
"Hey, can I borrow a pencil?"
And there it is.
This is also the moment that Tyler actually has to say no to Josh upon requesting the (permanent) use of one of his pencils.
Tyler doesn't allow himself to think about it before shaking his head. He starts to feel a little anxious at the surprised expression on Josh's face.
"Why not?"
"You, uh, have them all," Tyler mumbles, looking to the hands nervously picking at each other in his lap. A brief moment of silence passes before Josh speaks again.
"Well, shit, why didn't you say anything?"
And that's a pretty damn good question, and Tyler knows the answer to it, but he only shrugs his shoulders in response.
"I'm sorry, Tyler. I'll get you some new ones, alright?"
Tyler nods his head; Josh isn't gonna get him anything—people make promises like these all the time and never fulfill them.