Short Stories (Multifandom)

Rose-Colored Boy Pt. 3

I'm so annoyed, cause I've just killed the rest of the optimist in me.

Josh sat on his unmade bed with several empty Red Bull cans surrounding him, a half empty can in his hands. He didn't believe in sleep anymore because once he falls asleep he dreams of a place he'll never be, only to wake up and realize he's stuck in a shitty world with shitty people. Don't get him wrong, he loves Hayley and Brendon, but sometimes they were right dicks and never stood to agree with him on his standards and opinions on his own life.

Matter of fact, Josh could care less about his life. As he could care less about what Tyler had said yesterday. "Humanity," Josh scoffs. "Fuck humanity."

His phone rang shortly after saying those words and with the roll of his eyes, he didn't bother looking to see who it was, he answered. "Hello?" He asks rather grumpily.

"That's no way to answer the phone."

Josh sat up from his laying position on his bed, eyes wide and phone pressed to his ear. "Tyler? How the hell did you get my number."

"Hayley gave it to Jenna so Jenna gave it to me." Josh could just hear the smile from Tyler's end. How could he always have a smile on his face? Maybe it's fake, yeah that's it. "Anyways, Josh, I was wanting to know if you wanted to go to the skating rink? My little sister is having her 13th birthday there and she wanted me to invite somebody other than Jenna." Tyler laughs.

"Uhh--"

"I could pick you up? Please, I need somebody other than my mother or my brothers to talk to at this party. Plus you could be my skating buddy." Tyler singsonged, crossing his fingers in hopes of Josh saying "yes."

Josh couldn't help but cave in just a tiny bit. He was still down in the dumps, still as emotional as ever. He was still an angsty teenager. "Tyler-- ugh," Josh rolls his eyes as he runs a hand through his hair, falling back onto the bed. "Will there be food?"

"It's a party, so yes. I think my Mama is baking a cake and my sisters friends mother is making baked-ziti."

"What the fuck is a baked-ziti."

"It's pasta you bake in an oven."

"Sounds like a Thursday dinner."

"It kind of is since tomorrow is Thursday." Tyler giggles as Josh goes to check the calendar he has on his wall. "So are you coming?"

Josh shrugs his shoulders. He has nothing else better to do tomorrow after school and certainly didn't want to hear his mothers mouth. "Sure, I'll be ready outside before you get here."

"Great! I'll swing by to pick you up at 6:30 and then we can go get a card for her together since I'm bad at remembering those things. You'll be my excuse this year. See you tomorrow!" At that, Tyler hangs up and Josh rolls his eyes with a scoff.

"Did I really just agree to this." Josh scratches at his head before heading to the bathroom, starting a shower for himself.

Josh never went to school the next day, claiming he had a raging headache and a horrible upset stomach. All to which, props to his excellent acting skills, his mother believed the fake moans and groans and sweaty forehead. Don't ask him where the 'sweat' came from and why it smelt so yuck.

Josh wasn't in the mood to do anything today. All he wanted to do is occupy himself with sleep and maybe a wank here or there and then even more sleep. But just as he was about to lay down underneath his covers and slip his pale hand into his pants, his phone rings. "God!" Josh threw his head back and not in the way he was wanting to. Grabbing his phone, yet again not seeing who it was, he answered it. "Hello?"

"That's still no way to answer the phone." Tyler giggles, covering his mouth as he leans against his mint green bug car. "Are you ready?"

Josh's whole demeanour went flat and the hard-on in his pants actually deflated. Brendon would have laughed then make a joke on how he used his voodoo powers to make it go away, which we all know if he actually tried and did research, he could make it happen. "Fuck, I forgot. I-I'm sorry I can't go, I've got--" Josh turned over and tried to find something as an excuse but all he could find was the porn magazine he'd been using since the wifi had been disconnected. "Work to do..."

"Mhm, sure. I can tell you're lying by how heavy you're breathing. I'm gonna go knock on your front door and ask your parents if you can come out and play."

"Play? No, Tyler stop. I don't want to go, now leave." Josh hurried up out of bed then made his way to the room across from his, looking out of the window and into the front yard. Tyler was stood leaning against his buggy with his eyebrows raised.

"I see you staring at me." Tyler looks up at the window with a cute little wave, the bracelets on his wrist moving along with it. "You look very comfortable, do you work from home?" Tyler wears a smirk now.

"Oh shut up. Okay? Fine, I'll go, just give me ten minutes--"

"We don't have ten minutes, we're already late as it is. You have five, now make them count." Tyler grins a toothy smile up at Josh before hanging up and climbing back into his car. The heat out today was unbearably humid and he was so glad his car had good working air. "Thank God the party's inside. Sweet, sweet air-conditioning."