denial
[dih-nahy-uh l]
noun
refusal to recognize or acknowledge.

"Who the fuck is this and why is he asking if you made it home safely?"

Tyler just wanted to run away, but he couldn't, he was stuck under Josh.

"I-It's my friend! Let me go!"

"Your friend?" Josh was seething, his jaw clenched tightly. His elbow was pushing on Tyler's chest so hard now that the boy could barely breathe.

Tyler watched Josh's thumbs pound against the screen. "What're you doing?" he choked out, his voice croaking from the pressure on his chest.

"Nothing," Josh spoke with venom, it made Tyler even more scared.

"Please J-Josh you're really hurting me..."

Josh removed his elbow but grabbed Tyler by the front of his shirt instead. He tossed his phone somewhere on the ground and leaned in real close, making Tyler feel threatened.

"You left the house." It was a statement, not a question.

Tyler didn't bother lying. He nodded his head.

"Fuck you!" Josh screamed in Tyler's face, shaking him by the front of his shirt.

"I-I didn't cheat o-on you Josh... I-I love you!"

Josh responded with a single hard smack across Tyler's face, making the boy cry out. Josh was shaking, Tyler was crying.

"Tyler.. I didn't-"

"Don't talk to me! Don't touch me!" Tyler yelled, finding the strength in him to push Josh away.

Josh looked worried, his usually squinty eyes now wide. Tyler picked his phone up off the ground and read what Josh had texted Brendon.

Tyty: Who the fuck are you? Why are you texting Tyler? Leave him alone.

Beebs: Woah I'm his friend? Is this Josh?

"I hate you!" Tyler yelled, suddenly.

"Tyler, I didn't mean to..."

"Don't talk to me!" Tyler dialed Brandon's number with shaking hands.

"Hello?"

"Brendon?" Tyler couldn't stop his voice from cracking.

"Ty? Are you okay?"

"N-No... Can you pick me up?"

"Where are you going?" Josh butted in, his hands running through his pink hair.

"I'm leaving you," Tyler told him.

"What was that?" Brendon asked.

"Nothing, can you pick me up. Please?"

"No you're not! You're not leaving!" Josh yelled, looking like he was struggling for air. Tyler didn't fucking care.

"Yes I am! Get here soon, Bren. I'll be waiting outside."

Tyler hung up and anxiously looked at Josh, who was totally freaking out. He was pale white, hands grabbing his hair like he was going to rip it out. Tyler sighed. Okay, he actually did care. The stinging sensation on his cheek made his heart ache, a constant reminder of what had just happened. Josh hit him. Josh broke his promise.

But seeing Josh this way, freaking out, breaking down, made Tyler feel bad. He couldn't leave Josh forever, he'd miss him too much. Josh obviously didn't want him to leave, either, considering he was having a full on panic attack.

"Joshy," Tyler sighed. Josh looked up at him in the midst of trying to catch his breath, eyes wide. He was scared. Tyler was, too.

"I'll be back, okay? I promise. I just... Need a night away."

"A-Are you g-gonna cheat o-on me?" Josh choked out, his eyes wet with tears that hadn't fallen.

"No," Tyler frowned. "I wouldn't ever do that. I just need to clear my mind, I guess."

"What if y-you don't come ba-ack?"

"I will. I don't break promises."

Tyler could tell it hurt for Josh to hear that, but oh well. It was true. He promised Josh one last time that he'd be back and left without giving him a hug. Tyler went and sat on the curb while he waited for Brendon.

"Please, T-Tiger... Come back inside.."

Tyler ignored him, picking at the skin, around his fingers. He wouldn't go back right now. He knew they needed a break from each other.

Brendon's car pulled up beside Tyler, and he gratefully got in, glad he wouldn't have to listen to Josh beg anymore. Brendon sat there for a moment, so Tyler asked what he was waiting for.

"Is that Josh?"

Tyler looked to find Josh still standing in the doorway, he was watching him and Brendon.

"Yeah," Tyler sighed. "Can we just go? I don't want to be here right now."

So, Brendon left. After a few minutes of silence, he asked, "What happened? Was that Josh that texted me?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Tyler mumbled.

"Did he hit you?"

"No. Why?"

"Because that's a pretty gnarly handprint on your face."

Tyler instinctively brought his fingertips to touch his still burning cheek. He winced, hoping Brendon didn't notice.

"No I just... It doesn't matter."

"Don't lie to me, Tyler."

Brendon sounded like Josh. It was scary.

"I-I'm sorry, please don't be mad at me..."

"I'm not mad at you," Brendon frowned, reaching over to grab Tyler's hand. Tyler was glad, it was comforting.

"Are L and Dal still at your house?"

"Yeah, L was just about to leave but then you called me."

"Do I have to tell you guys what happened?"

"It would be nice."

Tyler sighed, seeing Brendon's house approaching in the distance. He really didn't want to tell them. He already knew everything they'd say. Regardless, he still went over some excuse as him and Brendon walked inside together.

"Ty!" Elsa called out, capturing him in a bone-crushing hug. Tyler grunted.

"Tyler's going to explain," Brendon announced, joining Dallon on the couch.

"Yeah..." Tyler mumbled, joining his friends in the living room.

"So?"

"So... Josh and I got in a fight."

"That's obvious. Was it my fault?" Brendon asked, eyebrows knitted in concern.

"No, no, no, it's not any of your guys' faults. He was mad at me for leaving without him knowing and I didn't do the laundry like he asked and then he saw you texted me and-"

"He hit you because you didn't do the laundry?"

"He hit you?!" Elsa gasped.

"Wait, what?" Dallon looked mad.

Tyler was scared again. "N-No... I... I hit him first," Tyler lied.

"Why'd you hit him?"

"He accused me of cheating on him with you and was saying all this stuff and I just got mad and I hit him so he hit me."

Tyler felt awful for lying, but he didn't need his friends to worry about him and Josh. They would be fine.

"Ty, if you and him are hitting each other I think-"

"No," Tyler cut Elsa off. "Don't even say it. I'm not breaking up with him. You don't know him like I do."

"That's what everyone in an abusive relationship says," Dallon pointed out.

"Josh isn't abusive! We're fine, okay?!"

"Okay," Dallon mumbled, followed by a sigh.

"Can we just have a sleepover or something?" Tyler asked, ignoring the vibrating phone in his pocket.

"Yeah, that sounds like fun."