Yes, I am aware that Josh was born June 18th but for the purpose of this story I changed it

As Tyler was pulling away from his house, he let his fingers drum against the steering wheel. It started out casual but quickly turned anxious. "Josh?"

"Yeah, Ty?" Skip.

"Um," he sighed. "I need a cigarette. I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Josh shook his head. "Hey, Trick?"

"Yeah Joshie?" Patrick replied.

"Tyler is gonna smoke, okay?"

"Alright," he replied carelessly.

"Are you two okay with it?" Tyler asked.

"Yeah," Josh assured him. "My parents smoke around us all the time," he noticed Josh grimace as he lit his cigarette.

It was silent as Tyler drove down the road, every few seconds inhaling the nicotine and exhaling the smoke.

"Tyler?" Patrick finally spoke up from the back seat.

"Yeah bud?" Tyler answered, glancing at him through the mirror.

"Josh told me you know."

"Crap," the mentioned mumbled.

"Know what?"

"That you know about us," Patrick clarified. "That we're being fostered."

"Uh," Tyler stumbled. "Yeah. I do."

"Did he tell you anything else?"

Tyler glanced at Josh for permission as he let his cigarette fall out of the window. He nodded as if letting him answer.

"He mentioned that your parents aren't nice to you..." he said loosely.

"So you know about the hitting?"

Well, that was blunt. Tyler thought then instantly frowned when he thought of the word 'blunt'.

"Yeah... I do," he repeated.

"Are you gonna tell anyone?" Patrick asked. "Cause Josh said if anyone finds out we'll be separated and I'm sorry to Dallon but he's my best friend and I'm not losing him."

Tyler looked at Josh and they laughed. "I won't tell anyone right now. But if it gets bad then I have to let someone know."

"Joshie told me that as soon as he's eighteen he's gonna move out and take me with him," Patrick told him. "And if I remember correctly, that's–" he paused to count on his fingers. "–I don't have that many fingers–" he whispered. "–about twenty days."

"When is your birthday?" Tyler asked.

"May twenty first," Josh answered. "Okay, you're gonna want to take a right up here," he said as Tyler drove past a bank.

"That's like, what? Two days after we graduate?"

"Yeah. I'm just glad that I don't have to be stuck there forever after school's over."

"Josh?"

"Hm?"

"Do you have any money saved up for moving out?"

It was quiet for a second as Tyler waited for his response. "I didn't think about that."

"Wait so we can't leave now?" Patrick piped in.

"No," Josh turned around and faced him. "We're leaving. I'll figure something out. I always do," it was quiet until Josh pointed out the window. "This one is ours."

Tyler took a minute to survey the house. It was a sandy tan color with what used to be white shingles before they got all dirty. The steps were cracked and the railing on the porch was busted. To top it all off there were massive weeds growing out of the ground and the lawn hadn't been mowed in forever. He could understand why Josh wanted to cover up the fact he lived here.

"Thanks for the ride, Ty," Josh smiled as he got out of the car. Skip.

"Anytime," Tyler smiled back weakly.

"You gonna be okay?" Josh asked.

"Eventually," he shrugged.

"I hope so," Josh said sadly. "Bye."

"Bye guys."

---

After dropping Josh and Patrick off, Tyler stopped by the convenience store up the street from his house. There was one cashier that sold him cigarettes despite him being underage.

"You doing okay?" he asked Tyler as he tossed a pack of wintergreen gum onto the counter.

"'M jus' tired," he responded. "How're you, Ray?"

"Pretty good," he smiled, turning around to get the Marlboros Tyler bought every time. "Just one?"

"Actually, two packs," he decided as he pulled out his wallet.

"You don't seem just tired," Ray pointed out. "You always buy two when you're stressed."

"I've just been thinking about my dad again lately," Tyler mumbled, putting a twenty dollar bill on the counter. Ray scanned his items and was about to total it when Tyler stopped him. "Wait."

"What?"

Instead of answering him, Tyler walked over to the fountain drinks and grabbed a styrofoam cup.

"Dad, please!"

Chris laughed. "Tyler, no. I told you we were just going inside to pay for gas."

"Pleeeaase?" Tyler asked, giving his dad his best puppy dog eyes.

"Fine, but hurry."

Tyler cheered, running over to the slushy dispenser, grabbing a cup and setting it under the blue raspberry sign. He held down the handle and watched in awe as the blue ice came down, swirling at the top.

"Tyler!"

"Coming!" he called back as he popped the lid on and grabbed a straw. He set it on the counter next to the pack of wintergreen gum his dad placed there.

"Twenty dollars on pump five," Chris told the cashier. He pressed a few buttons before there was a loud beep and he groaned.

"You okay?" Tyler asked.

"Yeah," the employee shook his head before trying again on the computer screen. "It's my first day."

"Today was my first day of high school," Tyler offered.

"Would you look at that?" he laughed. "Guess we're both newbies."

"Guess so," Tyler glanced at his name tag. "Ray."

Tyler showed the cup to Ray and he nodded, adding that with the other three items. He grabbed the twenty dollar bill off of the counter and quickly got Tyler his change. "Thanks."

"Yeah," Ray smiled. "Have a good day, Tyler."

"You too, Ray."

---

Tyler walked in, sipping his slushy. He poked his tongue out and stared down at it, laughing at how blue it was.

"Hey, honey," Kelly started. He looked over and saw her on the couch, changed out of her scrubs and into some sweats. Her legs were propped up on the coffee table underneath a pillow. Jay was laying on the end, watching the TV show his mom had on, falling asleep.

He didn't answer her but instead went and sat on her other side of the couch.

"Are you alright?" Kelly asked, surprised, muting the show Tyler now identified as Law and Order. He stayed silent and set his drink on the coffee table, on top of a coaster. "Tyler?"

He didn't reply but instead he just burst into tears. "Mom, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have blame you for dad's death he just meant so much to me and I needed someone to be mad at," Tyler gasped out, burying his face in his mom's chest.

"Honey..." Kelly took her feet down and sat up a bit, pulling her son into a hug. "It's okay."

"No it's not. I was talking to Josh about it today and I haven't been okay since," he cried out. "And I'm starting to realize that you weren't the one to kill him, it's not your fault. I'm the worst son ever, I'm sorry."

"Tyler, you're not the worst son ever," she assured him.

"Mom, I've done some things you wouldn't be proud of."

"Well, I'm not ecstatic you smoke cigarettes but-"

"Can we talk about that later?" he asked quietly.

"Of course," she squeezed him tightly. They were interrupted when Jay sat up and crawled over to them, joining the hug.

"I love you guys," the three year old said sleepily. "It'll be alright."

"We love you too, buddy," Tyler sniffled. "I hope so."