blossom ↣ joshler ✓

54. Always

"Tyler! Unlock this door! You're going to be late for piano lessons!"

Tyler didn't reply as he laid in bed, flipping the page in his book and continuing to read.

Once his mom has fallen asleep last night, he snuck out of his room early before she woke up to shower and use the bathroom and steal food to hide in his room. Was it logical? No, not at all. Was it what Joshua had called petty? He thinks so.

"I will take this door off its hinges."

"So do it," Tyler responded in a bored voice.

He heard his mom let out a frustrated sigh before walking off. It was silent for a moment before he heard her voice again but it was coming from downstairs. He realizes she was on the phone.

"John, I know you're upset with me and you might not want to see me ever again but I need your help..." pause. "Tyler won't leave his bedroom..." pause. "No I've tried everything..." pause. "What do you mean 'have I tried being nice to him'? I've always been nice to him..." pause. "No I already tried threatening that I don't know how to take it off..." pause. "No I lost the key years ago. You really think I know how to pick a lock?" Pause. "Okay I won't talk to him until you get here..." pause. "Okay..." pause. "I'll see you soon."

Tyler smiled to himself. As much as he likes Pastor John, he wasn't opening that door. Let them take it off. He was proving a point and he wasn't letting up until his it was proven.

About ten minutes passed before he heard the doorbell and his mom talking to his pastor in a hushed tone downstairs. He couldn't make out what they were saying but his mom sounded mad. Good.

A couple more minutes went by and then he heard a soft knock at his door. "Tyler? Hey, bud, it's Pastor John. Can you open the door so we can talk?"

"I can hear you perfectly fine with the door closed," he flipped another page.

There was a quiet sigh. "Why are you doing this?"

"To prove a point," Tyler answered.

"What point?"

"That I won't let my mother control my life like she was before."

"And that's completely understandable, Tyler," Pastor John replied. "But can you at least come out of your room so we can talk about it? Set boundaries and stuff?"

"Hmm..." Tyler hummed, pretending to be in thought. "I'm alright. Thank you though."

"Tyler," Pastor John sighed. "Please? Look, I don't like seeing you like this. This isn't you. You don't act out. I told your mom off last night for how she was acting."

"You didn't do anything to fix it, however, so as soon as you exit my house I have to continue to deal with it. You do not."

He assumed Pastor John was about to reply but he was cut off. "John," he heard his mom call. He then heard Pastor John walk away and heard hushed tones on the staircase.

He walked back over and spoke again. "Tyler?"

"Hmm?"

"Josh's here."

That may have been the one thing that got him out of his room.

He also knew that could be a complete lie. Getting up from his bed, he went over to his window and peered out the blinds. He saw Joshua's car parked in the street and his heart started racing.

Joshua didn't hate him.

"He wants to talk to you, bud," Pastor John added. "I'm not tricking you or anything. I promise."