⚘ Synesthesia ⚘

Chapter 2 ⚘

"So, how have you been?" Dr. Hughes asked. Avery mumbled a 'fine', but he refused to look his therapist in the eyes.

"Now Avery," Dr. Hughes started, "what have we said about eye contact?" Avery gave the meanest glare he could muster, and directed his attention towards his therapist. Dr. Hughes sat back, startled, but maintained his professional attitude.

That was one of the many reasons Avery didn't like Hughes. Dr. Jackson always seemed like a friend, but Hughes seemed cold and distant.

"Now about you and Ryder," Hughes began.

Avery's glare hardened.

That was the other big reason Avery couldn't stand the doctor. He was always trying to say that Avery and Ryder shouldn't be friends. Avery hated that. It made him feel a red-orange, but with way more red involved.

"What about him?" Avery asked, doing his best not to get defensive.

"Are you still maintaining a friendship?" Dr. Hughes asked. Avery nodded.

"Yes." Avery answered. Dr. Hughes sighed.

"I'm not trying to be a dictator here, but do you really think that you and Ryder are compatible?" Hughes questioned. Avery became stiff.

"Yes." Avery spoke. This whole situation was making him feel cold and not in a good way. This wasn't him and Ryder building snowmen or sledding down steep hills, this was the cold that bit at your face and made your nose bright red and runny. The type of cold that made you sick.

"Look, you're not in the best state of mind-"

"I know."

"What I'm trying to say is-"

"Is what?" Avery asked, interrupting his therapist again. Dr. Hughes sighed and gave a disapproving look.

"You and Ryder are not the most stable people." Dr Hughes said. Avery nodded.

"Yeah, I know." Dr. Hughes frowned.

"When you have two unstable people in a relationship, it ends in disaster."

"We're just friends." Avery said. Dr. Hughes ran a hand over his face.

"I don't think you quite understand. Even in a friendship, two people who have severe issues are typically not well-matched." Dr. Hughes explained.

"But there's some exceptions, right?" Avery asked. Dr. Hughes nodded.

"I suppose so, but-" Avery cut his therapist off.

"Then, we're the exception." Avery said. Dr. Hughes was growing more and more impatient.

"No, you aren't." He said, his voice strained. Avery shook his head and stood up. "Where are you going?" Dr. Hughes asked.

"Every single time we have this same conversation." Avery said. "I don't want to have it again." Dr. Hughes put his head in his hands and made no attempt to go after Avery.

Avery opened the therapist's door and marched right out of the place that he despised so much.

It was a relief to be honest. Avery felt quite red-blue walking out, with a hint of orange. This was the feeling that Avery got when he had finally told his absent father that he was done trying to fix things. It was a tad proud, and a tad emotional.

Ryder was startled when Avery walked out of the therapist's office and grabbed his arm.

"Let's go." Avery said. Ryder wiggled his hand of out of Avery's grip.

"Avery?" Ryder asked, tucking his phone into his pocket. "You were only in there for fifteen minutes." Avery shrugged.

"We ran out of things to talk about." Avery said. Ryder raised an eyebrow.

"You're a bad liar." Ryder said. Avery gave a huff of annoyance.

"He said the same thing he always does." Avery said, twisting his brown hair in his fingers. It was a bad habit he had developed after his dad left, and he had never been quite able to shake it.

"He doesn't want us to be friends." Avery explained. Ryder nodded. Avery had expressed his anger about this particular subject many times before.

"Well he's just an ass." Ryder said. Avery nodded in agreement.

"Let's go back home." He suggested, beginning the trek back to his house.

"Won't your mom notice that you're back early?" Ryder asked.

"We'll walk slow." Avery offered a solution. Ryder gave a smile and shook his head. They two boys walked in silence once again before Ryder's phone chimed. The blue haired boy pulled his phone out of his pocket and his face seemed to pale upon reading the screen.

"Avery?" Ryder asked. Avery turned to look over at his friend, who still had his eyes glued to his phone. He noticed the fear in Ryder's face and immediately felt a dark purple.

"He's home." Ryder whispered. Even though Avery wasn't the one that had to deal with Ryder's dad, he still felt a sinking feeling.

"You're not going to go home, are you?" Avery asked, praying Ryder said no. Ryder swallowed.

"I have to." He whispered. "You know what happened last time." Avery did in fact remember the incident from last time and just thinking about it made him feel a very dark grey.

"Ryder," Avery began, but his friend cut him off.

"Stop. I have to." Ryder said. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine." Ryder tried to convince his friend, but Avery wasn't buying it. Avery wanted to drag Ryder by his ear to Avery's house, but he knew that wouldn't accomplish much. It would just put off what was bound to happen. Avery had learned pretty early on, that the longer Ryder hid, the worse the beating was.

Ryder noticed his friend's skeptical face and shrugged. "I'll be okay. I promise."

***

"Avery?" Avery's mom asked. "Can you set the table?" Avery nodded and started grabbing some plastic spoons from a box. Avery was about to return to the kitchen to grab some napkins, when he heard a knock on the door.

"I'll get it!" Lily answered, getting up from the couch. Avery rolled his eyes at his sister's enthusiasm. A high pitched squeal that Avery immediately recognized as his sister's was heard.

Avery rushed to the front door, ready to save his sister, when he was met with one of the most terrifying and disgusting sights of his life.

Upon looking at the almost six foot man at the door, Avery felt a very dark color. It reminded him of drowning in a sea of blacks and greys and the feeling only intensified when he realized that the boy in front of him probably felt this feeling times ten.

"Ryder?" Avery asked, his voice barely audible. Ryder was covered in purple and black spots, all over arms and neck. There were cuts on his wrists and tears were spilling from his eyes. Lily just stood there gawking at Ryder while Avery reached out towards his friend, who hissed in pain when he was touched.

"Avery," Ryder begged. "Help me."