a fallen angel | tyler joseph

two : tyler

  "hello, you're tyler right?" a small voice says from behind me.
i turn around to see ruby, standing there looking at me. i try to read the expression on her face but she's unreadable. 
   "yeah, come on i'll show you 'round," i say starting to walk off.
firstly i show her the music and art rooms because i know she likes to paint.
   "so this is one of our many i guess state of the art facilities here, they don't really mind what you do each day as long as it's something other than sleeping or just staring at a wall."
she doesn't say anything.
    "so you mentioned you like painting?" i say in an attempt to strike up a conversation with this girl.
    "yeah i do," she replies.
    "what do you like to paint?"
    "people."
    "cool."
for the rest of the tour, it's just me talking and her listening. i can't help but wonder to myself why dr sara chose me out of everyone to take ruby on her tour. why not jenna or debby? 
    "she thinks you're a freak," blurryface says.
i ignore him and continue on, trying to talk to ruby.
 

--

by the end of our tour, we've reached the dining room and it's conveniently time for lunch.
     "at lunch you have to eat, even if it's just one bite. they will make you eat. you're not anorexic or something are you?" i say to her.
     "no i'm not," she replies in that quiet voice of hers.
     "well considering some of the people here are bulimic, they lock the bathrooms while we eat but if you really have to go to the toilet then a nurse has to come with you and be with you the whole time. a pretty uncomfortable situation if you ask me." 
    "you're such a freak, you sound like a complete and utter idiot. stop trying and just leave her alone." blurryface says.
    "well i'll leave you to it then," i say, walking over to get a tray of food for myself and sitting down next to josh. 
josh is one of my only friends here at the hospital, he's here because of his anxiety and a failed suicide attempt. he doesn't talk much to me but i know he still values me sitting next to him during meal times.
     "who is that?" josh says gesturing to ruby who's sitting by herself.
     "she's new, her names ruby."
     "she's pretty," josh mutters.
i want to say i know but i only just met her, plus what kind of guy would i be if i went off of her looks? she could have a bad personality. 

later that day i'm in the music room, playing a song i wrote called addict with a pen when ruby comes in. 
     "hi tyler," she says in a quiet voice. i turn away from my keyboard and look at her.
     "hey, how's your first day going?" i reply trying to lighten the mood.
     "i'm in a mental hospital, how do you think?" 
     "why are you here? at the hospital i mean." 
     "i tried to kill myself last week, they think i'm crazy. they've got down that i'm a schizophrenic pathological liar. it's all bullshit. what about you?"
      "i'm schizophrenic too."

      "opening up are we?" blurryface says.
not now please not now.
       "you didn't think i'd be gone for that long did you?" he snickers.
       "foolish little tyler."