Tortured Mind

4

Thank god it's Friday.

Tyler glanced at the clock in the corner of the class, hanging right above the door.

1:45

Just two more hours and he'd be out of here.  Just two hours away from freedom.  He'd be home free for the weekend.

Freedom?  What freedom?  Did you forget about me?

Tyler groaned internally, memories of what had happened early that morning flooding back, dragging his mood down with his confidence.

You didn't think I'd leave, did you?  C'mon, you need me.  Admit it.  It didn't feel that bad.  It felt-

"Hey, Tyler," Josh said as he took a seat next to Tyler.  "Anyone sitting here?"

He just shook his head in response, thanking God that Josh came in when he did.

"How's it been," Josh asked, completely ignoring what the teacher was saying.  "I didn't see you at lunch.  Everything alright?"

Tyler nodded.  "Yeah.  I just didn't get a lot of sleep last night."

"Yeah, me neither.  It's one of those toss ans turn nights, huh?"

Tyler nodded.

"Joshua and Tyler," Mr. Muchmore bellowed.  "Do I need to split you two up?"

The boys both shook their heads, Josh rolling his eyes when he turned back to the board.

"Teachers, am I right?"

Tyler giggled and shushed Josh, trying really hard on focusing on the task at hand.  Algebra was no where near easy, and he was failing.

A piece of crumpled up paper landed on his desk, distracting him from the notes he was supposed to be taking.  He uncrumpled the paper and read the writing, causing the events from earlier to be shot out of his mind, his smile falling.  He crumpled the paper back up, turning to the duo a few rows over, snickering.  Those two were obviously the culprits.

Instead of saying anything, Tyler ignored them and turned back to his notebook, occasionally looking over at Josh's notes.

The bell rang ten minutes later, Muchmore handed the students their homework as they left to go on to their next class.

"Tyler," he called, stopping Tyler in his tracks as he slowly turned and walked towards his teacher's desk.

"Yes sir?"

"I want you to come after school today.  I have noticed a significant drop in your grade and I want to help you understand the material.  Are you able to come after today?"

Tyler shook his head, saying, "I have a family thing today.  I can maybe come tomorrow if I talk to my parents about it."

The teacher nodded in understanding.  "Very well.  Here's a late pass since the bell is- " he was cut off by the sound of the bell.

"I'll see you tomorrow, sir," Tyler replied as he turned and headed to his final class of the day.

As he turned the corner into the hallway to his final class, pulling the paper out of his pocket, starting at the sloppy handwriting.

Kill yourself fag!

He sighed, putting the paper in his pocket and entered his class, seeing one of the two boys.  His name was Brendon, he was pretty sure.

"Pass?"

He turned to his expectant science teacher, handing him the pass.

"Thank you Mr. Joseph.  We got new seats today.  You're seat is right next to Brendon."

The color drained from his face and his breath caught in his throat.  He didn't want to sit next to someone who had been bullying him since their friendship ended back in third grade.  He didn't want to sit next to someone who had instigated a physical altercation between the two back in fifth grade, sended Tyler home with multiple bruises and a jammed wrist because he refused to fight back, causing the boy and his new friend to verbally harass him via homosexual slurs.

He nodded, his head hanging low as he made his way to the lab table on the verge of tears.  He refused to let any fall, though.  He didn't want it to get any worse.

"Hey," Brendon whispered, receiving no reaction from Tyler.  "Tyler.  Ty.  TyJo.  My man."

"Leave me alone, Brendon," Tyler replied, slightly annoyed.  "I don't want to hear it."

"C'mon, man.  We were best buds.  What happened to us?"

Tyler sighed, looking around to find Mark, who sat at the front of the room.  He looked back and made eye contact with Tyler, sending him a sympathetic look before turning his attention back to the teacher.

"You met that Dallon guy and listened to the rumors he spread about me and completely backstabbed me," Tyler retorted.  He could have sworn he saw a hint of regret in Brendon's eyes but he was too worn out to care.  "That's what happened to us."

Before Tyler knew it, the dismissal bell rang and everyone got up to leave, Tyler being one of the last ones with Mark waiting for him.

"You alright, man?  Ya know, besides sitting next to Brendon," Mark asked, eyeing his best friend carefully.

Tyler shook his head no.

"What happened?"

Tyler pulled out the piece of crumpled up paper out of his pocket and handed it to Mark who scowled when he read what was written.

"I'm telling you," he muttered under his breath as they attempted to dodge fellow middle school students.  "One of these days, I'm gonna put him in his place and he won't like it."

"Mark," Tyler moaned.  "Please don't.  It's not gonna do anything anyway.  It'll just make things worse."

Mar sighed but muttered an irritated "fine."

Wow, Tyler.  You can't go a day without annoying anyone, can you?  Maybe you should listen to the paper.

"Look, Ty.  I know this is something you're tired of hearing but just ignore them.  At least until we can figure out a way for the school to listen to us and actually do something about it.  Because, you know, Brendon beating you up last year wasn't enough proof for them to do something.  I can't believe they thought you did some of those to yourself as well.  You wouldn't hurt yourself."

Tyler held his breath.

Another disappointment to mark off the list.

Shut up.

Aww is someone gonna cry?

Shut up!

What are you gonna do about it?

"Are you listening to me," Mark asked, interrupting Tyler's mental argument.

"Uh, no.  Sorry.  Must've zoned out the annoying sound of you talking," he joked causing the latter to chuckle.

The worry didn't leave Mark's thoughts.