Twenty Five

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"Josh, I- we can explain." I tell him, stretching my arm out as he begins to back away.

"Why feel the need to? It's obvious, my best friend went and sabotaged me." He says, flailing his arms like he is exhausted.

"Sabotaged?" Tyler strained to whisper.
It's obvious Josh's words are getting to him. Josh is his best friend, the man who kept him upright when he is leaning backwards, and now Tyler's support is turning on him.

"Yes! Sabotage, I brought my best friend who was hurting on a trip to make her happy and here Tyler comes, tearing everything apart!" He rants, moving his arms back and forth like he's ripping imaginary paper into microscopic pieces.

My mouth falls open at how cruel Josh is being. He exaggerates so harsh, and all of this was unlike Josh. Josh usually keeps his cool, finding his inner peace to calm himself down.

As if he read my mind, he shakes his head. He turns and begins to leave but not before turning his head back around once again.

"I just don't see why you would do this to me."
And with that, he flees.
~~~
"Tyler, open up the door." I beg, my hand resting on the bathroom door. "Please, you're scaring me."

I hear little muffles of sniffs and coughs and it is obvious Tyler is in pain. He just managed to tear everything apart, no. No, he didn't, I did.

"Tyler! Let me in right now!" I demand, pounding my fist once on the door.

"I-I don't want to make it any worse..." He stutters.

"The only way this is going to get worse is if you don't let me in!" I say, waving my arms to emphasize although he can't see me.

I sigh, placing my back against the door and sliding down.

"Will you at least come to the door?" I ask, tilting my head against the scratchy wood.
I hear quiet thuds and a newly found presence appears from the other side of the door.

"Tyler, please just talk to me." I plead, my eyes watering. Tyler doesn't deserve to be hurt, he's an innocent soul in a cruel world. It sounds so naïve but it's true... he shouldn't bear all of this pain.

"What do I say?" A quiet voice spoke, a large count of moments later.

"Well, tell me how you feel."

"I feel crappy. I just tore up a relationship between me and my best friend because I love his best friend."

I am in shock from that strong of a word. I close my mouth, hoping he senses the urge to continue with his feelings.

"You know, we were so tight. We were there for each other when no one but our friends and family knew who we were. We went shopping and found crazy suits to wear to concerts so people would recognize us, hence the reason I always wear my skeleton hoodie." He sniffs loudly and chuckles. "We'd drive miles from Columbus just to perform nowhere."

"Nowhere?" I question.

"Nowhere. For no one. We just... played. Oh, the good old days."

"Yeah..." I agree.

"We have two matching tattoos. We know more about each other than we know about ourselves. We are so close that if we morphed into one we could probably rule an entire planet."

"What?!"

"Okay, I don't know what I was saying right there."

"You think?" I laugh, turning to face the door. "You mind opening the door now?"

After a few moments of silence, the golden knob slowly turns and releases, a small sliver of light shining into the dark, cramped hallway.

I lean forward slowly and push the door open a bit more, just wide enough for me to crawl in.

I can't help but admire him, even when Tyler's eyes are bright red and glossy, tears drying on his lovely cheeks and sad, he still manages to be the most beautiful piece of art I have ever seen.

"Tyler," I say, placing my hands on his wet cheeks, providing my thumbs as a wipe to his drying tears. "This was all be over soon, everything will be okay. It might take time, but all wounds are eventually healed."

"This isn't a wound that disappears, Olivia. It leaves a scar." He tells me, shaking his head.

"But scars don't always hurt now do they? They might leave a nasty looking souvenir, but they look cool."

"What are you even saying?" He asks, raising a thick eyebrow.

"To see the positive in things. Tyler?"

"Yes?" He's says exhausted, lifting his head wearily.

"I love you too."

I press my lips against his, his lips already wet from the tears that minutes ago framed his face. I run fingers through his hair, making a point to calm him. Leaning into the kiss, I still have no response.

I slowly stop, realizing maybe he lost all his passion towards me after he most recent event...

He places his thumb on my chin and his pointer finger beneath my jaw, smiling at me.

"But you never let me properly say it."

"What?" I ask, a bit disorganized by the lack of effort he'd just shown.

"Olivia, I love you."

I must have smiled harder than I thought I did because I think I just saw Tyler regain color in his face.

"You know I love you too."

He cups my face, pulling me towards him for I was just leaning over his sitting posture. I fall into his lap, wrapping an arm around his neck and placing one on his muscular chest.

"Any idea how many times we said the word love?" I ask between kisses.

He laughs into our contact before replying, "Not enough."

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