the boy on the bridge ✔️

20. talk boy

Chapter 20 — talk boy

Josh, of course, goes to the bridge that night again. He doesn't know what he is expecting or hoping to see there. Or maybe he does.

He is hoping that maybe after seeing Elliot at the bakery, he will finally come to the bridge again, but to be honest, he really isn't expecting him to. Because, after all, what will it even matter to him? They just happened to be two strangers meeting at the bridge every night, without actually agreeing on it. He isn't even sure if he can even call themselves friends, and he is the one who's developed an unnecessary crush and now suffering because of it.

It doesn't seem like Elliot cares all that much really.

An hour passes, then two and later on three — the bridge boy still doesn't show up. Yes, Josh did expect him to not show up, but still he can't help but feel a little disappointed. Maybe his hope of Elliot of showing up and proving him wrong was stronger.

Josh pushes his hair back, letting out a long exhale through his mouth, very much exasperated. He is nothing short of confused... and maybe a teeny bit irritated. Is it wrong for him to expect at least a small explanation? Yes, fine, maybe they aren't explicitly established as friends but what about all those nights they spent together on the bridge? Don't they amount to anything at all?

All these unanswered questions only feeds to the anger that is slowly building up in Josh. With that, he stands up and leaves the bridge.

The next day at school, he is barely a functioning human. Everything he does is in a robotic, routine manner. He doesn't really pay attention to any of his classes — fortunately for him, he has already revised all those lessons beforehand, so he can still keep up with his schoolwork although he actually has next to zero motivation to do so. But he doesn't want to face his father even more, so he forces himself to keep up.

Even though he has all this expectations on him to be the top student in his school, it has never quite felt like a burden to him before — he actually liked studying. But for the first time, he feels the pressure and he hates it, and that makes him hate himself more; more than he already does, that is.

His own mind is starting to feel a little claustrophobic. He can't focus or think of anything else than the bridge boy. It is starting to get on his nerves really. Just because he developed some feelings for the boy, does he really have to think about him all the time? Why is he doing that?

He cannot be any more embarrassing.

The one time he catches feeling for someone and he's all clingy. Maybe feelings are overrated.

He is mad, but he is also tired of being mad. He feels it will be somewhat better if he can at least talk to someone about this. And the one person that comes to his mind instantly is Ming.

So, he seeks her out during lunch hour. It's not very hard for him to find her since he knows her usual spot. Unlike most of kids their age, who prefers stay in cliques and think it's uncool otherwise, Ming actually prefers to be sat alone. It's not because she's unsociable, it's just she can be quite choosy and has a specific way of spending her time.

Lunch time is solely reserved for her eating and catching up on tv shows or movies that she's missed. Occasionally, she allows time for a little chit-chat but that too is only with specific people. Josh is lucky to be one of the 'specific people' Ming will spare her time for.

As expected, Josh spots her at her usual spot — right by one of the windows that overlooks the field. There is a half-eaten sandwich in her hand, and earphones are plugged into her ears, eyes completely focused on her phone.