Colors // Joshler

// 45. Generally Quiet There //

Tyler found himself anticipating the visit to Josh's house after school. The two had agreed that Tyler would stay for dinner, and they could hang out together and just do whatever they liked. Truthfully, Tyler was anxious about going to a strange place, and meeting Josh's family, but Josh had assured him that all would go smoothly.

After school, Tyler and Josh went their separate ways so they could change out of their school uniforms. Tyler found himself experiencing something he rarely did--he worried about what to wear. After about fifteen minutes of going back and forth, he finally settled on a pair of skinny jeans and his favorite pale yellow hoodie. After dressing, he brushed his short hair and put on his red converse before going to sit on the front step and wait for Josh.

It wasn't long before the blue-haired boy came back. He wore a pale gray hoodie and skinny jeans with sneakers almost the same color as his hair. There was a smile on his face. "Ready to go?"

Tyler put on a maroon smile. "Yeah."

Luckily, Josh's home wasn't too far off, just down the street and around a few corners. Tyler didn't mind the walk; he and Josh were back on regular terms again, and he was content to walk and talk with him like they had been.

Before Tyler knew it, they had arrived. Josh's house was beige brown, like all the other houses in the neighborhood, but somehow it wasn't as awful as the others; maybe it was a bit less orange. It had white trim, and big, clear windows, with a nice green yard and big round flower beds full of brilliantly colored flowers.

"My mom gardens," Josh explained as he led the way up the steps and opened the door, which was unlocked. Tyler felt lavender nervousness in his stomach, but strangely, it wasn't as bad as he thought it would be.

There were three kids in the living room, playing MarioKart together: two girls, and one boy. They all looked a little bit like Josh, with similar eyes and natural hair color. They were all shouting--at the screen, or one another, Tyler wasn't sure--but they were all smiling and laughing too.

"Guys, where's Mom?" Josh shouted over the noise as he led the way into the house. Tyler wasn't used to so much sound; at his house, he and his siblings usually stayed in their rooms, and were generally quiet there. It was kind of strange to be in a room with three noisy kids.

"She's in the backyard," the oldest girl said, swerving her kart on the screen and firing a turtle shell. "Ha! Got you, Jordan!"

Josh looked back to Tyler, who was standing just a few feet inside the house and looking nervous. With an encouraging smile from Josh, however, the other boy was able to smile, too.

"Come on, this way." Josh lightly took hold of Tyler's wrist, gently leading him through the living room and to the back door. A jolt of pink, like electricity, raced up Tyler's arm, and he found himself grinning widely as Josh led him outside.