clementine // joshler

64

josh's point of view

after hayley begs us to cancel our plans to have dinner with her and taylor, we end we end up sitting around my kitchen table eating mcdonalds. it's in celebration of her being done with one of her classes for the semester (and finishing with an a).

tyler assured me when she called that it was fine, that we could eat together another time. he's nodding along with a smile to a story taylor is telling. he seems so comfortable with them now, not at all anxious or awkward.

i vaguely hear taylor switch the focus to tyler, asking him something about his plans for college, but i'm still not paying full attention to the conversation. i'm too enamored, too enthralled by the man next to me. i know i'm staring, but i can't help myself.

i can't help but to feel sappy, to turn into complete mush at the same thoughts that run through my mind every time i'm around him. he's just so important to me, and so perfect for me. i've never loved this way. i'm so incredibly lucky.

"josh..?" hayley calls my name and snaps me back into the conversation.

"huh?"

tyler giggles a little, sitting next to me with pink cheeks. he gently nudges my side, "who's staring now, huh?"

"i was asking if you'd told tyler about any of our college misadventures," hayley repeats herself.

"no, not many that i can think of."

"he did tell me the prom story the other day though," tyler adds.

"oh, god. don't remind me," hayley grumbles, leaning back in her seat.

"hayley threatened him every single time he looked in our direction after that," i tell him.

"this is true. i did. i'm a dangerous felon."

"ah, i guess i'm britney spears then," taylor smiles softly and kisses hayley's cheek.

"what..?"

"the song? criminal? as in, 'mama, i'm in love with a criminal,'" tyler looks over to me now with slight shock on his features, "really?"

"keep him," taylor points a finger at me for emphasis then gives tyler a high-five across the table.

"i plan on it."

tyler's cheeks turn a darker shade of pink and his gaze casts downward.

"blegh," hayley scoffs but can't keep the smile off of her face.

"oh, don't listen to her. you two are adorable," taylor says.

"yes, you are. but you're also annoying."

i throw a fry at her, "says you."

hayley turns to taylor with a hand dramatically up to her chest, "are you gonna let him insult me like this?"

"yes."

"see?"

-

hayley and taylor leave after awhile, hugging us goodbye and heading back to their own apartment. tyler insists on helping me clean up the trash and i steal glances at him while i dump the melted ice and discarded drinks into the sink.

it's a peek into domesticity, into what could continue to be. it's a soft, quiet moment, one that's warm and small. just us.

"i love you, you know."

"i love you too, j," he walks up to me and kisses my cheek, "i'll throw these away. you go sit down," he says, taking the now empty cups from me.

i follow his instruction, but stop him before he sits down next to me.