the boy on the bridge ✔️

9. skip boy

Chapter 9 — skip boy

In trying to not run into a certain someone at school, Josh walks straight into a wall instead and falls down. A perfect start, the blond thinks to himself begrudgingly. He hears snickers around him but still he does not make any movement and lies flat on the floor.

That is until he hears a booming voice from above him, "What — never seen anyone fall before? Get your asses moving,"

Josh looks up and sees a very familiar face towering over him, smirking.

"Josh, as graceful as ever I see," he says before giving him a hand to pull him up back on his feet.

"Always," the blond replies, standing up and brushing his pants off of any dust.

It's his other best friend, Zach. Josh has known Zach since forever, growing up together and all. They have always clicked and stayed by each other's side through well everything. Zach is actually the only friend Josh really had before Valerie moved to their town and after Valerie, it have always been the three of them.

Josh is glad that Zach came to him before school started because there is something that he wants to talk to him about. But before he can even open his mouth, he hears another voice calling his name — the very person he was trying to avoid.

"Ooh, it's­–," Zach starts to say but Josh has already taken off in the opposite direction. Zach quickly joins by his side, "Um, why are we running away from your girlfriend?"

Yes, it is Valerie who Josh is trying to avoid, although he is not very sure about the why.

"Ex," he quickly clarifies, "And... I don't know; don't ask me. Is she still behind us?"

However, it turns out to be the opposite, because the next turn they take and there she is standing in front of them, both of her hands on her waist, eyes narrowed, breathing heavily.

"Don't you even think about it," she warns just as Josh tries to take a look back.

He faces her innocently, "No, I'm not thinking anything," and then a beat later, "Hi, Val,"

"That doesn't mean you can leave, Zach," Val addresses the other boy, who has silently taken a few steps away from the duo and would have escaped if only Valerie hadn't noticed him.

Like a deer caught in headlights, he looks at Val with wide eyes and then masks it with a forced chuckle, waving his hand, "Me? Leaving? Pfft, don't be silly. Where would I even go without you two?"

Josh turns to him with an incredulous look and mouths silently, "Just shut up,"

Zach nods and zips his mouth. The both of them turn around to face the girl before them — although she is very much smaller in size compared to the both of them, she is the most intimidating and neither of them want to get on her bad side, so they stay quiet.

She simply looks at them for a while and then with a small huff, turns around and starts walking, "Come on, let's go," she calls out.

Both the boys share a confused look but follow after her anyways.

"There's only a few minutes left until the last bell goes off," Zach is the first one to speak up.

"And that bothers you because?" she shoots back, and Zach draws back.

Josh doesn't say anything either that is until Val heads out the school corridors and into the parking lot.

"Wait, do you want us to skip school?"

"Oh, don't act like this is your first time skipping school," she retorts.

Josh can't deny that statement because well, it is true. This is not his first time skipping school. Not even his second or third. The three of them have cut classes quite some times before, using their good students reputation as best they can. Josh has to admit, sometimes being the golden boy has its own perks — they have never been caught once skipping school.