Just Friends //joshler&bryler [✔]

fourteen

josh had never been so worried.

tyler wasn't answering his texts or his calls. he didn't show up at school on monday or even tuesday.

debby was starting to get mad at josh for worrying about him so much. he tried hard not to talk about tyler when debby was around. he let her say mean things about the boy because she would get mad if he stuck up for him.

"are you in love with him or something?" she would ask.

josh would just shake his head, but of course he loved tyler.

tyler was his best friend. he worried about him all the time. that's why he decided to stop being so scared and go to tyler's house after school. he couldn't stand not knowing if the boy was alright or not.

he saw no car in the driveway, taking that as a good sign. he entered the tiny house, instantly overwhelmed with the smell of alcohol. it was repulsive. josh hadn't been to tyler's house in years. not ever since his dad changed. it looked like a wreck.

dirty dishes lay everywhere. beer bottles and various cans were scattered along the floor. the ground was filthy and josh swore he saw a needle amid the junk.

wow. he didn't know it was this bad.

he silently turned down the hallway, in case tyler's dad was home. josh swore he could hear crying. his heart dropped.

he flung tyler's bedroom door open, but he wasn't in there. he flung the next door open, nothing. he paused at the bathroom door, certain the noise was coming from inside. he didn't know what to expect behind the door.

he swung it open fast, as if he was ripping off a bandaid, and nearly passed out at the sight.

tyler.

sitting against the wall.

covered in blood.

covered in bruises.

cut wide open.

josh was so scared.

tyler jumped as the door swung open, eyes widening when they landed on josh.

tyler didn't have any energy. he didn't scream, or cry. he simply stared at josh wide-eyed, silently begging for help.

"oh my god..." josh whispered, bringing a hand up to cover his mouth.

"p-please..." tyler choked out.

"what did you do ty...?"

"p-please j-josh..."

"w-what am i supposed to do?"

"j-just g-go home..."

josh ignored what he said, suddenly rushing around the bathroom like a mad man. he lifted the boy's shirt over his head, tying it around his bicep. josh saw that in a movie once, hoping it would help stop the blood flow. he grabbed a towel and tightly wrapped it around tyler's bleeding wounds.

tyler watched josh, beginning to slip in and out of consciousness. he didn't even care that he was shirtless, exposing his abused skin to the redhead.

"stay with me ty, okay? don't fall asleep."

"want to," tyler mumbled, struggling to keep his eyes open.

"oh my god," josh mumbled. "oh my god. oh my god, just... i don't know what to do. oh my god. i'm so sorry, tyler. i'm so sorry."

tyler shook his head. josh wasn't sorry.

"l-leave me alone..." the boy choked out, even though he really wanted josh to stay.

"i can't leave you alone, ty. oh my god i'm so sorry..."

"p-please don't t-tell..."

"i won't, ty. you know i won't. why didn't you answer me? why didn't you call me? goddammit..."

"you don't l-like me anymore," tyler spoke slowly, his words slurring together. josh was so scared he was going to fall asleep, so he just kept talking to him.

"yes i do. i love you. you're my best friend..."

"you love d-debby more."

josh sighed. "doesn't mean i love you any less."

tyler's heart tugged. it was true.

"she's gonna m-make you s-stop being my friend."

"stop, ty. that's not true. she wouldn't do that."

"i d-don't like h-her..."

"i'm sorry, but i do. can we stop talking about her?"

tyler frowned, eyebrows knitting together.

"you w-wouldn't say that to her a-about me.."

"i said drop it."

tyler dropped it. they both knew he was right, but josh wouldn't dare admit it.

__a/n__

hiii everyone i decided i'm going to update twice a week on monday and thursday so updates will be coming slower but only because i don't want this book to end quickly :-)