summer child // joshler

49

josh's point of view

i'm awake before my first alarm.

i turn all three of them off, sitting up and running a hand through my hair. my mind is already racing.

graduation day.

after today, i'll be a freshman all over again. the thought is terrifying to me and i try to pretend it doesn't make me a huge ball of anxiety, though i'm still not sure i'm very good at pretending.

i stand up and walk over to my window. tyler is buttoning his shirt. he's probably only up before me because he hardly slept. he must feel my eyes on him because he turns around to look at me with a grin and waves. i wave back to him and then start the process of getting myself ready.

i shower, brush my teeth, and get dressed. putting my cap and gown on after feels... weird. it's the end of this chapter and the beginning of a new one. so much has changed since freshman year. it all seems so far away now.

i walk out of my room and down the hall to find my mom, kelly, and tyler standing in the living room. tyler's also wearing his cap and gown, a small smile on his face.

"josh! come take pictures!" my mom waves me over and i do so, coming to stand in front of tyler.

"hi." i smile back at him, my heart beating fast and loud in my chest.

"hi," he repeats.

"okay, okay. picture time!" kelly claps and both of our moms get their phones out. tyler and i stand next to each other and i wrap my arm around his shoulders.

"look at our boys. so grown," my mom says, her eyes watery.

"mom..."

we finish taking pictures and then get ready to go our separate ways. i hug tyler before he leaves, squeezing him tightly.

"i'll see you there."

"not if i see you first."

after they leave, my mom walks into the kitchen and comes back holding a large envelope.

"i wanted this to be a surprise for just us," she hands it to me.

i see the logo for centerstone on the front and open it slowly. i doubt it's bad news, but i'm scared nonetheless.

congratulations! we are pleased to welcome you to centerstone university! we can't wait to see you next fall.

"oh my god." i step forward and hug my mom, feeling a million and one emotions. the second thing i want to do after hugging her is call tyler. i pull away and tell her, "i'll be right back."

"no worries, sweetie. we still have a few minutes until we have to leave. i love you and i am so proud of you." she kisses my cheek before letting me go to my room.

i dial tyler's number and he picks up almost immediately.

"hey, j. what's up?"

"i didn't want you to climb through the window in your nice clothes but come here." i walk toward the window, my acceptance letter in my hand that's not holding my phone. i watch as he comes to the window and i hold the paper against the glass.

"what's that?" he asks, squinting.

"my acceptance letter to centerstone." i can't even help the huge smile that's still playing on my face.

"josh, that is awesome! i knew you would get in. im proud of you." he says. i see him smiling back at me through his window and then he goes further into his room to grab something. "i have a surprise for you too," he says, coming back to hold a paper of his own up to the glass.

"is that...?" i ask, not wanting to get my hopes up (and failing).

"i got in too."

"i didn't even know you applied!" i feel my eyes fill with happy tears at the thought of getting to experience college with him.

i was so scared i'd lose him, that we'd only see each other on weekends and holidays. i never got real confirmation that he applied to any school, much less the same ones i applied to.

"of course i did. i couldn't imagine not going to the same school. and i told you, my five and ten year plans always included you. i'd follow you anywhere, j."

"i love you so fucking much, tyler joseph."

"i love you even more, joshua dun."

the end.

(an: ill do a big cheesy note at the end of the epilogue but for now. WAHHHHH.)