"you look like shit." brendon said, eating a handful of frosted flakes. i grimaced, who eats dry cereal? (A.N. me)

"i was up until four." i gave him a deadpanned look, too tired to say anything else.

"were you cramming for mayer's exam?"

i nodded slowly. he pulled my hoodie over my head for me when he saw me shut my eyes, trying to take a tiny nap.

"sweet dreams, ty." he patted my cheek.

i swatted his hand away, shooting him a playful look and rested my head in my hands. fuck, i was so tired. i don't even remember the answers i bubbled in for the exam, all i knew was that i erased several answers because they were the same letter three times in a row, and usually that means it's wrong. brendon poked my cheek, trying to wake me up again.

"tyler, stop sleeping. i'm bored." he frowned.

i hummed, turning my head away from his hand. he poked my head, tugging on my fluffy hair.

"tyler." he whined.

"no."

"please?"

"no."

"okay, well i'm going to continue eating this cereal. by myself. alone. with no one to talk to." he sighed dramatically, trying to guilt trip me into waking up.

i felt someone poke my shoulder, and i hummed again.

"hey, sir? did you go to sleep late last night?"

what the hell?

who's voice was this?

i couldn't place my finger on who was talking to me. i turned around to meet him, coming face to face with a reallyattractive guy. i've never met him before in my life, as i would've recognized black gauges and a silver nose ring from anywhere. he seemed to be one of those people who looked hard on the outside, but he was probably easier to open up to than most. i actually kind of wanted to be friends with him from first glance.

"yeah." i sighed, propping my head up on my hand, trying not to overthink. this guy was hot, and i didn't want to ruin my chances of him ever talking to me again.

"do you want a red bull or something?" he offered.

"i didn't bring any money." i pouted.

"that's why i'm here, duh." the guy smiled, pulling out a green dollar and going to the vending machine in the corner of the cafeteria, purchasing a red bull for me.

he came back, handing me the blue and grey can. he smiled again as i took it.

"thank you."

"anytime. i'm josh, by the way."

josh.i liked the way it sounded when he said it.

"tyler."

"brendon." brendon said, nodding his head at josh.

josh returned it, walking off.

"whoa, eye candy." brendon raised his eyebrows twice at me, smirking.

"i mean..." i looked up at the ceiling in mock thought, sipping the cold energy drink.

josh was beautiful. he had both chiseled and soft features, a voice that sounded like warm honey, and the prettiest smile to accompany theprettiest laugh. his partner sure is lucky.

"i'm going to set you two up." brendon said, leaning on the table and looking at me with an overjoyed smile on his face. it actually scared me at how excited brendon was over this.

"no! i don't even know if he's single." i tried to dispose the idea, not wanting josh to get the idea.

"there's only one way to find out." he smirked.

"brendon, i swear if you-"

"josh!" brendon called him over from across the cafeteria, receiving looks and causing me to blush in embarrassment.

i hid my face in my hands, covering my cheeks as josh looked at us when his name was being called. should i duck so he doesn't see me? act normal like my asshole friend didn't just scream his name out to try and set us up? brendon gestured for him to come over, and he did. my heart sped up at what brendon could blurt out. i didn't want josh to know i was interested! he would probably think i was thirsty and-

"are you single?" brendon outright asked, turning so he was facing josh on his side of the table.

oh god, take me now.

"i am." my heart jumped in my throat as he flicked his hazel eyes at me, smiling slightly as brendon continued talking.

"do you like boys or girls?" brendon squinted at josh.

why was he so straight forward?

"everyone." josh shrugged.

i internally sighed in relief, i had a shot at this.

"so would you consider dating a boy specifically, getting married, all that mushy-gushy shit?" brendon asked.

josh smiled awkwardly, nodding his head.

"okay, thank you. bye." brendon waved.

josh waved back hesitantly, walking back to where he was in the first place.

"i honestly hate you so much." i said, blushing furiously.

"you love me. you're welcome, too. he's pan and he's single. and hey! so are you!" he said, poking my chest.

i shot him a look.

"come on," he dragged out, "what's there not to love? you're cute, look at these cheeks." brendon lightly squeezed my cheek, causing me to smile.

i swatted his hand away, laughing at him. i'll have to admit, i was thankful that he got that out of josh, i wouldn't have ever been able to ask him that myself.

okay, maybe i didn'thate brendon so much.

...

i looked up from the textbook when i heard a knock on the door.

i peeked through the peephole, my eyes going wide as i recognized the pink hair and gauges. what is he doing here? did i do something wrong? who other than brendon would visit me voluntarily? he's probably working for someone to embarrass me. someone probably set me up and there was hell no way i am stepping foot out this apartment.

he knocked again and i jumped, snapping me out of my thoughts. i smoothened out my shirt, opening the door for him.

"tyler?"

"i only went up to the roof last night, that's it!" i rambled, my thoughts spilling out of my mouth when i remembered he was an r.a. and i wasn't supposed to be on the roof at night.

josh squinted at me, giving me a confused look. "what?"

"nothing." i said quickly.

"okay...uh, i just came to ask you if you were free tonight." josh said politely, his hands in his pockets as he looked at the ground.

"what?"

is this a joke?

"well...yeah. brendon said that you like going out on fridays. so, can i take you out?" he asked, smiling slightly.

brendon had something to do with this? there must be something else. brendon was a trickster, and his idea of setting someone up is one out of two things, both of them possibly dangerous. i didn't question it, though, there was a pretty guy out here asking me out right now.

nice.

"um, sure! let's go out tonight. where to?" i asked, my palms slightly clammy as i realized that i'd be hanging out with josh. by myself.

"my apartment is right across from yours."

oh, boy.

...

josh led me to his apartment, which was much cleaner and more organized than mine. he had no clothes strewn on the floor, nothing was out of place, and he even had a bowl of fruit on his gleaming countertop.

"do you want food?" he asked.

silly josh. i always want food.

"yeah, food would be nice."

"okay, i'm going to make you dinner. help yourself to anything you want." josh gestured to his kitchen, then practically ran to it to make food.

i didn't know he would cook, though. i didn't want him to go through all of that trouble when we could've easily gone to a diner or something.

"josh, are you sure? we could go out?"

"nope, i like cooking, i don't mind. do youwant to go out?" he called from the kitchen.

"no." i said honestly.

"okay."

i sat down on the couch and looked at my hands, debating between whether or not i should watch his television. i glanced at the remote, taking up his offer to help myself, and turned it on. it was already showing spongebob, so i left it on there and laughed at the dumb things he did. it was one of the old shows, and it was definitely funnier.

josh called out from the kitchen every so often, just to make sure i was still there. i got to know him a little, though. i was kind of freaked out when i remembered he was an r.a. at first, but calmed down after he said he just takes naps in the lounge when it's his shift.

"dinner is served, monsieur." josh said, carrying two plates of spaghetti to the living room.

it looked fucking amazing. like, not even restaurants could top this.

"would you like anything to drink? red bull, water, sparkling cider?"

"you have sparkling cider?"

"no, i just said that to impress you." josh smiled, coming back with two cans of red bull, already knowing me enough.

the television was forgotten about, and soon josh and i found ourselves having a full-fledged conversation. no awkward silences, just laughs and talking. he was so easy to talk to, and i was so relieved that he wasn't offended easily. i make a lot of jokes, sometimes a littletoo many.

i had just calmed down from a laughing fit at a joke josh said, my stomach hurting and my eyes tearing up.

"i just got abs." josh remarked, holding onto his abdomen.

"don't you already have abs?"

"...you want to see them?" josh sent me a smirk, making my cheeks heat up again for the millionth time since i was with him.

why did this guy make me blush so much? i'll look like a red crayon if he keeps this up.

"no!" i hid my face in my hands, trying to not let him see my embarrassment.

my stomach filled with butterflies when his laugh filled my ears, causing a smile to crack through my features.

"what time is it?" josh asked, looking around the room for a clock.

i pulled out my phone and looked at the time.

"11:11. make a wish!" i said.

josh nodded, closing his eyes and crossing his fingers. i did the same, crossing my pointer over my middle and making a wish that i kind of, maybehoped came true.

just maybe.