the boy on the bridge ✔️

17. caught boy

Chapter 17 — caught boy

"El-li-ot," Josh sings out each syllable as he approaches the bridge boy, plopping down beside him.

The said boy turns to him inquisitively, a smile playing at the corner of lips even then, "Who are you and what have you done to my grumpy golden boy?"

My grumpy golden boy, the words are a melody to his ears despite the choice of adjective inserted in. Josh's grin only grows wider.

Josh tugs at Elliot's little ponytail, letting the latter's hair fall free. The past couple of days Josh has grown to be more and more at ease around Elliot, and so this is something he does regularly now. Josh likes it better when his curls bounce around freely, but the latter always insists on tying them since they always fall before his eyes — 'a nuisance' he calls it. He has tried telling Josh no the first few times he did it but soon gave up when it didn't seem like the blond was stopping any time soon.

Rolling his eyes, Elliot runs a hand through his hair, messing it a little, before pushing it back his forehead. He turns his attention back to Josh, studying him closely, "No, really what has gotten you in such a good mood?"

Yes, Josh does feel more at ease with the dark-haired boy now, but that doesn't mean he has grown out of the effects the latter has on him. For instance, right then, feeling his eyes on him, watching him intently, Josh grows flustered and he is sure his face resembles a ripe tomato.

"Nothing," Josh shrugs trying to appear casual but even that little movement comes out jerky, and his voice high-pitched. He clears his throat and tries again, "Nothing. Just today was a good day,"

"Really?"

"Really," he nods, sighing contently, "It was a good, good day,"

And it really was. Josh has taken a new decision — he is going to try his mighty best to focus on the positive side of things instead of the downside. He always does that; he has started to realise. And this is his first day of giving that attempt a shot, and he has to say it actually proved to be better than he expected.

His father wasn't at home when he woke up or when he came back from school, or even after that — so he hasn't seen the man for the whole day and that is a big whoop by itself. He hung out with Zach and Valerie and also Ming. His mother was surprisingly at home and cooked dinner and he, his mother and Josie all ate together. It was awkward, but a good kind of awkward and there was none of that tension in the air whenever their father would be around. And now, Josh is with Elliot.

So really, it was a good day.

Or maybe he spoke too soon.

It is quite or early, depends on how you look at it when Josh returns to his house. He isn't expecting anyone to be awake and so he isn't as careful as he usually will be when he sneaks back into his house. He doesn't climb up the roof and enter his room via his window like he usually will — instead he risks it and goes in through the front door.

Josh is also maybe still reeling from absolute giddiness from having just met up with Elliot that he doesn't pay much attention to his surroundings.

If he had, he probably will have noticed that the kitchen lights are on which meant that someone was awake. Josh will have waited until whoever it was to turn the lights off and return to their room, and he will have definitely gone back in through his room window.

But he doesn't notice and there's no one to blame here except himself when he hears a very distinct and surprised, "Joshua,"

He stops like a deer caught in headlights and slowly turns around. The only thing he supposes he can find consoling about all this is that it's Josie who's found him sneaking in. It might as well have been his either of his parents and that is a thought Josh does not even want to entertain.