Chapter Text
Josh had spent that whole week editing an article on the basketball game that their college’s team had won.
Truck guy Tyler was on the team.
Their team had won by a mile, which was surprising, as they had a bad season so far. Josh drew the short straw again and he could only edit the paper as opposed to being on the sidelines actually taking notes.
Josh looked in annoyance at Tyler’s stupid face in the team photo on the cover. Josh had opposed the photo choice, he wanted a photo with the team captain, Paul, but Mark and the others overthrew his ideas.
Josh was instead leaning over a computer in a room with four other editors, reading and scrutinising every word.
“Hawthorne College basketball destroys Westbridge by astounding numbers,” The headline read.
Josh scoffed.
“Is it not a bit uh…” Josh struggled to find the right words. “..proud? In a sense?” He asked the others at the table. He really wanted to say, ‘Can we stop dickriding our own team,’ but he felt as if wasn’t professional enough.
A girl next to him, Amanda, sighed.
“It is, a bit. But that’s the best one we can get. The writers suck.” She said, rubbing her eyes.
Another fellow editor, Noor, shrugged.
“I ‘dunno. I like it. I think our college should be recognised for our greatness.” He said.
Josh sighed.
No one at this table was very helpful.
“Whatever.” Josh said.
Josh began highlighting all the grammatical errors in the text. There was a lot, so much so that Josh was astounded on how the writers even got into the club.
Josh scoffed as he corrected a quote which the writer had made a serious grammatical error on.
David Andrew, the coach of Westbridge says; “There a good team, no doubt.”
Josh felt like launching his laptop across the room. How does someone in college get that wrong?
“They’re a good team, no doubt.”
As Josh angrily typed on his laptop, Amanda studied the photo on the cover of the paper. She clicked her tongue.
“That Joseph guy is really hot.” She said.
Josh didn’t look up.
“Who?”
“Tyler Joseph, the guy in the middle.” Amanda replied, pointing to him.
Josh rolled his eyes.
“He’s an asshole.” He said, still refusing to look at the photo. He couldn’t believe Amanda found him attractive.
Amanda nodded.
“Yeah, he is. He’s a player. Like, every girl has slept with him. Not me, though. I don’t think he’d even notice me.”
Josh rolled his eyes.
Of course Tyler would be the guy to sleep around. It didn’t even surprise him. Even though he had a girlfriend, Jenna. She must not mind.
“Maybe it’s for the better.” Josh grumbled.
Amanda sighed.
“Maybe. He doesn’t have a girlfriend, though. I could get a chance.” She said, still looking at the picture.
The comment made Josh look up.
“What? Yes, he does. Jenna.”
Amanda scoffed.
“No, not her. I went to high school with them, they’re like best friends. Not dating.”
Josh was surprised, he had assumed the two were in some kind of one-sided monogamous relationship.
“Oh.”
~
That night, Josh was sat in his dorm room, slumped over his laptop, going over the notes he took from his Media Ethics class.
As he was typing away, a knock echoed through his bedroom.
Josh sat up in surprise. He looked at the time on his laptop.
9:56 PM
Who would be at his dorm so late?
Josh’s mind immediately turned to the worst possible outcome, a knocking prank. Probably some guys wanting to bother their neighbours. Josh ignored the knock and continued typing.
Josh groaned with annoyance as the knock fell upon his ears again, this time significantly louder and laced with urgency.
Josh sighed and stood up, approaching the dark blue door.
He looked through the peephole. He was surprised to see Mark standing outside.
Josh opened the door and Mark rushed in.
“Mark? What are you doing here, man?” Josh asked as Mark shoved past him.
“Close the door.” Mark said urgently.
Josh obeyed and shut the door.
Mark sat on Josh’s bed, running his hands through his hair anxiously.
“Listen man, we need to talk.”
Josh’s heart began beating two beats faster.
Trying to be nonchalant, Josh sat on his deskchair, spinning it to face his cousin.
“What is it?” He asked.
Mark sighed.
“Listen. Some people from the frat, my frat, did something really bad.”
Josh’s interest piqued.
“What? Who? What did they do?” He asked, leaning forward in interest.
“It doesn’t matter. This happened a few hours ago.” Mark said.
Josh nodded.
“Why tell me this?” He asked.
Mark sighed.
“Because I want you to help write the article on it.”
Josh tilted his head.
“About what?”
Mark ran a hand through his head.
“Two guys from my frat, James and Eli, were harassing this girl. They followed her home and tried to break into her house. Turns out she was the Dean’s daughter. They’ve been expelled.”
Josh nodded.
“Listen, I know how bad this sounds, but I came to you for help. Tomorrow, when the news comes out about it, and when we need to write an article on it, please help me make sure it doesn’t throw any shade to the frat. That would be really bad. It’s not big enough to make the local news, but we obviously have to write about it. Can I trust you to help me take the blame off the frat?” Mark pleaded.
Josh leaned back in his chair, exhaling.
Josh would leap at an opportunity to expose one of the biggest frats in the state, he’d love to tear down the fundamentals of frat culture and how it shapes young boys into predators.
But Josh also knew that that would give not only Mark and the frat a bad rap, but also him. He’d obviously be listed as a writer, and he’d likely get harassed by the frat guys for the rest of college.
Josh was torn between his humanity and his selfishness.
Tyler was in that frat. Most of Hawthorne's basketball team was in the frat, they’d likely cancel the season.
The controversy would be insane, Josh would write such a good article that he’d convince the entire college the frat was evil, it harboured toxic masculinity.
But he’d likely be a target for the rest of his college career.
And Mark would hate him.
Mark wouldn’t be president anymore.
Josh would get Mark in trouble, considering Mark was the face of the frat.
“Fine.” Josh finally said.
The words felt like poison on his tongue.
Mark exhaled in relief.
He stood up and hugged his younger cousin.
“Thank you, Josh. It will just be you and me writing it. No one else. Not even editors. Just us. I really appreciate this, man. Like, a lot. I know it feels wrong, but overall, it’s for the better,” Mark assured him.
Josh couldn’t look him in the eye.
“Josh, they’ve been expelled. That’s all we need to write about. They’ve gotten their punishment, don’t make the entire frat get punished, too.” Mark said.
Josh felt like he was censoring that poor girl's experience. He felt that she didn’t get her justice. She’d read the paper and think, ‘wow, my college is covering for a frat that breeds rapists.’
Why was this up to him?
Mark thanked him again and abruptly left; leaving Josh standing alone in his room, debating his morals.
Josh sighed and sat back down at his desk. He opened up the reading he was assigned, and the first line struck him deep.
A lot of journalists will have to write about topics they disagree with.
~
The next morning, Josh had decided to go to the school library to catch up on some study after his run. He found that he studied better in the library as opposed to his dorm because he got too distracted in his room.
Josh gingerly entered the crowded yet quiet library. It was an entire building, a large wooden thing. The building had multiple stories purely dedicated to the library; Josh had heard that it was the largest, oldest, wooden building in the state. It surely lived up to its glory.
Josh entered the foyer, which had two large staircases enveloping it. The reception was to his left, and to his right was the beginning of the book-filled halls.
Josh went up the stairs to try and find a quiet place to study and actually get some work done.
Josh walked through the library quietly when he heard his name.
He whipped around to see Debby sitting at a table along with Jenna and Tyler.
She was waving at him.
Josh wished he hadn’t turned around.
He knew that she wanted him to sit with them, but he wasn’t sure if he wanted to sit with Tyler.
Josh looked at her blankly, but she ushered him over.
In defeat, Josh walked over to the table.
“Josh!” Debby said. “You remember Tyler and Jenna, right?” She asked, pointing to her friends.
Josh looked at the two.
Jenna was smiling and friendly like she usually was, but Tyler had a blank, unreadable expression scouring his face.
Josh nodded. “Uh, yeah. Hi.”
Debby pulled out the chair next to her, opposite Tyler.
“We were actually just catching up on some econ work, you should join us!” Debby hesitated. “Unless you have other stuff to do.” She added.
Josh shook his head and dropped his backpack next to the chair Debby pulled out for him.
He reluctantly took the seat. For some reason, he stared right at Tyler.
Tyler quickly looked back down.
Josh felt his ears turn red.
The four began going over some of their notes and exchanging them. They had light chats about useless things, like the weather, how crazy their professor was. It was mostly just Jenna and Debby talking, occasionally forcing Josh and Tyler to contribute.
Josh wanted to die.
For some reason, he couldn’t stop looking at Tyler.
That was until Jenna looked at her phone and gasped.
“Oh my god!” She said, covering her mouth.
Everyone looked at her in surprise at her quick outburst.
“What?” Debby asked, leaning forward to look at her phone.
“Ty, two guys from your frat got expelled!” Jenna said, showing Tyler her phone.
Tyler nodded.
“Yeah, I know.” He said.
Jenna looked at him in surprise.
“Who? What? When? Why?” She asked.
Tyler sighed and began playing with a piece of his hair.
“Uh, James and Eli?” He said. Jenna widened her eyes.
“Those two? What did they do? Did they finally get caught smoking on campus?” She asked.
Tyler shook his head. He looked uncomfortable.
“Nah, a lot worse than that.” He said, looking down.
Debby and Jenna glared at him, their eyes pleading for more information.
Josh knew.
Josh hated that he knew.
Tyler looked up, surprised at everyone staring at him.
He leaned his arms forward, resting his elbows on the table.
“Um, they, like, assaulted the Dean’s daughter.” He said.
Jenna and Debby looked at each other in horror.
“Who? Kylie?” Jenna pressed.
Tyler groaned.
“I’m not really meant to say.” He said.
Josh almost scoffed out loud. Tyler just wanted to cover for his frat brothers. That’s why he was acting so shifty.
Jenna sighed.
“Yeah, it was probably her. She’s been away since yesterday, she said she was going home. I assumed she was sick, or like, burnt out or something.”
Debby’s mouth was wide open in shock.
“I always knew they were shits, but this is unexpected.” She said,
Tyler just nodded.
Josh had a problem. He had a loud mouth. Any more of this conversation and he’d be spilling everything he knew. It was likely that Tyler knew more about it, but Josh could barely hold it in.
Josh stood up.
“I’m going to the bathroom.” He said.
Jenna and Debbie barely registered what he said, but Josh felt Tyler’s eyes following him as he walked away.
~
In the bathroom, Josh was unsure of what to do. He had planned to just stand there for a few minutes until he assumed the conversation was over. He knew himself too well, he’d end up saying everything Mark told him.
Josh quickly looked over as the bathroom door opened.
It was Tyler.
Josh quickly looked away, but Tyler approached him.
“Uh, Josh, right?” Tyler asked.
Josh looked at him, confused.
He just nodded.
Tyler sighed.
“Mark said he’d talk to you.” Tyler said, his voice cautious.
Josh rolled his eyes, Tyler caught it.
“What?” Tyler asked.
“Are you coming in here to make sure I don’t spill all the frat secrets?” Josh said with a scowl.
Tyler huffed and held up his hands defensively.
“What? No, I was just-”
Josh cut him off.
“Look, man. Mark did talk to me. He asked me to make sure the blame didn’t land on your frat, but I'm not sure I'm comfortable with doing that.”
Tyler looked fakely confused.
Josh continued.
“I’ve dealt with so many frat guys like you and those two evil fucks, and I just know your frat has more shit they’ve kept under cover, and trust, i’m not afraid to call you out on it.” Josh snapped.
Tyler looked at Josh in horror.
“What the fuck are you talking about? You’re saying i’m like James and Eli?!” Tyler asked.
Josh shrugged.
“You sure act like it. I’ve heard a lot about you. You sleep around, whatever. I wouldn’t be surprised.” He replied.
Tyler looked like he’d seen a ghost.
“You fucking evil cunt.” Tyler hissed.
Josh was taken aback by Tyler’s sudden profanities.
“How dare you assume I'm like them? You don’t even know anything about me.” Tyler spat, walking towards Josh.
Josh backed away instinctually.
“Y’know, it’s just like you stuck up journalism fuckers who try to act like you’re all victims of the ‘jock’ epidemic. You think i’m like the rest of them but you don’t know a fucking thing about me.” Tyler said angrily.
“I just came in here to tell you that I was sorry for the fucking car accident, that I was sorry for getting mad at you,” Tyler said.
Josh noticed Tyler’s eyes seemed to tear up a little bit.
Fuck.
Tyler continued his rant. “,But you just assumed I was some kind of pervert like those two, instead.”
Tyler backed off.
“Fuck you.” He snapped one last time before yanking the bathroom door open and marching out.
The room was left in silence, Tyler’s words hung onto the walls.
Josh groaned. Perhaps he had been too harsh.
What if Tyler would tell Jenna and Debby what Josh said?
Josh pushed the thought from his mind. How selfish. He hadn’t even considered how Tyler must’ve felt. Josh knew that if he was accused of such a thing he’d probably get mad too.
Josh looked at his reflection in the mirror.
He felt like an asshole. Tyler was right, Josh didn’t know anything about him. He only spoke to him once, and that was heated because of some stupid fender-bender.
Josh tried to collect his morals, which were splattered all over the place.
He knew he still had to write the article.
~
When Josh returned to the table, Tyler and his things were gone.
Josh tried to act nonchalant as he sat back down.
“Where did Tyler go?” He asked, as casually as he could.
“Oh, he had some other stuff to do,” Jenna said, scrolling mindlessly on her phone. “Some frat stuff, I think.” She said.
Both Jenna and Debby seemed like nothing happened. Maybe Tyler didn’t tell them about their little spat.
Josh tried to finish his work, but his mind was scattered thinking about Tyler. He had every right to be upset. Josh was acting like a dick. Josh found himself spiralling into a self-hating mind bubble, thinking of every other reason on why he was mean.
He felt bad. Really, really bad.