Colors // Joshler

// 24. He Also Loved Cats, And Was Unashamed Of This Fact //

TRIGGER WARNING: Homophobic parents (just a mention)

As time passed, the weather grew colder. Tyler found himself around Brendon's group (or clique, as Josh called them in a teasing tone) nearly every day. They ate lunch together, entered and left their classes together, and hung around outside the front of the school before classes started.

Tyler slowly grew to know the others better. He learned that Brendon had strict, homophobic parents, and was obsessed with horror movies. Gerard drew comics and was a member of the art club, while Frank was a member of a garage band, along with a few other students. Pete was skilled at fixing cars, and had been best friends with Brendon since they were practically babies.

And of course, there was Josh. Tyler learned that Josh was very smart; he got good grades in school and studied at night, when he couldn't sleep. His favorite band was Green Day, but he wasn't excessively rebellious or punk like you'd expect a Green Day fan to be. Really, he was rather nice, even to the principal, whom the rest of the clique hated. Josh's favorite subject was English, and he liked writing in his spare time.

He also loved cats, and was unashamed of this fact. Tyler liked that.

Tyler hadn't had people he really hung around with since he was very little, and it felt good to have them now. He hadn't realized just how utterly lonely he was before he started socializing. He was still wary, and didn't talk too much about himself, but the others seemed to respect that. He was allowed to be the quiet one, if he so desired.

On the morning of December 1st, his birthday, Tyler opened his eyes and scrambled out of bed. It was six in the morning, so he had a bit of time before school. After going downstairs, he returned with a cup of tea, and sat in the window seat in the clothes he'd slept in--a t-shirt and his boxer shorts.

Every birthday since he could remember, Tyler would take a little time out of his morning to himself, to take a break from painting and homework and just think about what this new age would bring for him.

And so, Tyler sat in the window seat, blanket wrapped around him and mug of tea in his hand, looking outside.

This was his seventeenth birthday, the last year of (legally) being a minor. This time next year, he'd be an adult. He'd be on his way out of high school, too. He didn't really know what he was going to do afterwards. His parents probably wanted him to go to college, but he wasn't sure if it could offer him anything he really wanted.

After quietly musing for almost half an hour, Tyler rose from the window seat, and got dressed into his school uniform. He headed downstairs with his empty mug.

"Happy birthday, sweetie," Tyler's mother said as he came into the kitchen. She was drinking coffee and reading the newspaper, as per normal, but this time she put her paper down.

"Thanks, Mom." Tyler put his cup in the sink.

"Your father had to go to work, but he wanted you to open your present before school." Tyler's mother got up from her chair and went into the other room, bringing back a box wrapped in pale blue paper.

Tyler sat at the kitchen table and carefully unwrapped the box to reveal a gift card to Blick Art Materials, and a new black winter jacket.

"Thank you," Tyler said, with a bit of a smile on his face. He put the gift card in his back pocket; he was surprised his parents even knew about Blick, much less cared enough to buy him a gift card for it. He lifted the jacket out of the box, sliding it over his shoulders. Tyler was glad that he got it--his old jacket was a bit small.

"Of course." His mother kissed the top of his head. She may not pay much attention to him the rest of the year, but on his birthday, and on Christmas, he was noticed. "Have a good day at school."