the boy on the bridge ✔️

24. out boy

Chapter 24 — out boy

It is the weekend and both of Josh's parents are out of town for his father's medical conference — his mother has gone along with his father as well. If he had wanted, Josh could have actually stayed in his bed all day, doing absolutely nothing.

And usually, he would have done just that. But not today.

Today, he has different plans in his head. He has thought about this one too many times before, and this is something he wants to do, he decides. Since his parents weren't at home either, a more perfect opportunity can't present by itself and he takes it as a sign.

He is out of his bed before it's seven o'clock and even goes for a jog. He doesn't do that even on school days. After the jog, he bathes, and heads straight to the kitchen, and ties an apron around his waist, clasping his hands together, nodding to himself. He's going to cook breakfast, preferably before his sister wakes up.

Josh is aware that all of his previous attempts at cooking has been an absolute failure, but that is not going to stop him. He is determined to tap into that hidden (according to only Josh) cooking potential of his.

He decides he'll go with something simple — pancakes. He has seen Josie prepare the batter quite a few times and it didn't look that hard so he should be able to do it. If only he could remember the ingredients now... But it's still fine, he's sure he can find a tutorial video on YouTube.

Thirty minutes later, Josh has managed to prepare the batter. Yes, he did take thirty minutes just for that, and yes, he is going to pretend that the lumps in his batter didn't exist. This is still an achievement for him — he hasn't burned or broken anything (yet).

Josh brings out the pan and keeps it on low flame, according to the tutorial video he's been following. And just as he pours his first pancake, he is startled by a voice from behind him:

"Oh, it's you,"

"Gosh," Josh yells out, splattering some on the batter on the stove and some on himself too, "Josie!"

She yawns in response, rubbing her eyes, "What are you doing up so early?"

"It's half past nine,"

"It's the weekend," she retorts, "And mom and dad are not home,"

"I'm aware, thank you,"

"Why aren't you sleeping in then?"

He gives her a half-shrug, "Wanted to cook, I guess,"

"Yeah, that's not weird at all,"

He knows she's being sarcastic but he nods anyways, "Nope, not weird,"

Josie waits for him to say more, buy sighs when he doesn't and moves to the fridge taking out the milk and drinking straight from the carton. Josh bites his tongue, knowing she's purposely doing it to annoy him and instead focuses on the pan — according to the tutorial he has to wait until the sides turn a little golden brown and then he can flip it over, but so far, he cannot see any change to the batter. It stays in its thick liquid form.

"No, you cannot flip it yet," Josie intervenes when Josh brings his spatula to the pan, "Patience,"

Josh lets out a small huff, retracting his hand back. This is taking way longer than he anticipated.

"So, what's the occasion?"

"Huh?"

"You only cook when you're happy," she points out, but then narrows her eyes as she regards Josh up and down, "Hmm, but you don't look too happy right now. Not sad either. More... nervous?"