strangers // twenty one pilots

what is going on inside my head?

Tyler's POV

We left the festival grounds about an hour ago and for some reason, I offered to sit up front with Mark and Josh sat in the back with Kylie. I don't know why, or understand, but I regret that. This could be the last few hours we ever get to interact with Kylie before we drop her off in Cleveland and I just offered to be up front and away from her? Why did I do that? Wait, why do I want to be around her more? What is going on inside my head?

I could sometimes hear Josh or Kylie laugh at what was being talked about. It made me feel left out. I know I just met Kylie, but something about her is pulling me in. I want to know more. I think maybe I just feel bad for her since I was the one who gave her a panic attack last night. So bad that she was physically shaking. That has to be it, I just feel bad. When she's gone, those feelings will go away and I will never think about her again.

But for now, I want to be in the back. Not Josh.

"Hey Mark," I started, "Can you stop at the next gas station?"

He looked over at me briefly before putting his eyes back on the road, "We are good on gas. But I can still stop."

"Thanks," I mumbled, feeling stupid.

About ten minutes later and Mark parked outside. I hopped out and opened the back of the van. Kylie and Josh stopped their conversation to look up at me. "What's up, man?" Josh asked as I was staring at him.

"Come inside with me?" I asked, even though it was more of a command on my end.

"I don't need anything, but thank you." Josh smiled.

I looked at him with an almost pleading look, "Please?"

He squinted his eyes in confusion but agreed nonetheless and stood, following me inside. "What's wrong, Ty?" He asked as soon as we stepped foot inside.

"Nothing, I just-" I cut myself off and held the bridge of my nose in frustration with myself, "Can we trade spots in the van?" I blurted out.

"Uh," Josh squinted again. "Sure?"

I sighed, "Thanks."

"You offered to sit up front, what's going on? What changed your mind? Is it Kylie?" He asked.

"No," I lied. "I didn't get much sleep last night and Mark is annoying me up front."

"No problem man, we can switch." He patted me on the back. I nodded with a small smile and shopped for a bit. I ended up getting a red bull, a bag of pretzels, and a small hot coffee for Kylie. I know she likes coffee, so why not? Josh raised his eyebrows at me when I paid for the coffee. "You like her, don't you?" He smirked.

"I don't know," I answered truthfully as we walked back to the van. Josh chuckled and got into the front, earning a small "aye" from Mark.

I opened the back door to see Kylie sitting with her back facing me and her head down looking at her phone. "Boo," I said to announce my arrival.

She spun around, "Hey Ty, are you keeping me company back here now?"

I nodded and closed the door behind me, "Yup. Here I got this for you." I handed her the hot coffee.

She gasped and grabbed it, "Thank you! I needed coffee so bad!"

I chuckled and laid in my normal spot, "I assumed. We didn't get too much sleep last night."

She looked away from me with a shy smile.

"Wait, ew, that sounded weird. I didn't mean it in that way!" I said as I thought about my comment.

She chuckled, "I know, I know."

I changed the topic and handed her the bag from the gas station, "I grabbed some sugar packets and creamer because I didn't know how you liked your coffee."

"Amazing, thank you." She said as she carefully took the lid off her coffee to put two sugar packets and three creamers into her coffee. She stirred it with her finger before sucking the coffee off it and placing the lid back on. I couldn't help but watch her every move. Why? I'm not sure. "Take a picture, it would last longer." She joked, taking a sip of her coffee.

I scoffed and turned away, "Whatever you say."

We sat in silence for about half an hour before conversation picked up. Then we talked about music and live shows and music videos and lyrics and instruments for hours.

"Well," I said as the conversation about hometown shows being better than out of town shows died down, "I'd say we talked enough about me. What about you?"

Her smile faded as she looked at me, "What about me?"

"Tell me something. Like," I thought for a moment. "What do you do for fun? What's your favorite childhood memory? What's your biggest fear? What do you want to do for a living?"

"Jeez," she leaned back and I could tell she was in deep thoughts inside her own head. "I like to paint for fun, which I haven't been able to do whilst traveling the past week or so. My biggest fear would be drowning, it scares me but I also feel like that's how i'm going to die. I've had many nightmares about it in my lifetime. I'm not sure what I want to do for a living yet. I'm 18 and I haven't the slightest idea. Maybe i'll just be a roadie and sell band merch forever."

I smiled, "You are pretty good at that. What about best childhood memory? You forgot to answer that one." I reminded her.

She shook her head, "I didn't forget to answer it. I just don't have an answer for it."

My eyebrows furrowed, "Not one thing sticks out to you about your childhood?"

She shook her and remained silent, looking anywhere but at me. I felt bad as I clearly struck a nerve in her. I didn't mean to bring her down, yet again.

"I'm sorry..." I said, reaching out to gently touch her arm.

She flinched away for a second before relaxing and setting her hand on top of mine, "Nothing to be sorry for."

"I think-" I started but got cut off.

"Cleveland exit is about two miles out, what address are you going to?" Mark shouted back at us, causing Kylie to retrieve her hand from on top of mine quickly.

"Oh, um-" she grabbed her phone and clicked a few buttons before reading an address out loud. Josh put it into the GPS before giving her a small thumbs up and notifying us that we are only about ten minutes away from there. Why am I sad?

"Do you guys ever play in Cleveland?" She asked me, making eye contact. Her brown eyes piercing into mine. The shade of brown that hers were made mine look like nothing.

I nodded, "Sometimes. There's a few good venues there."

"I'm not sure how long I will be here," she smiled at me. "But I will keep an eye out for twenty one pilots."

~

"Thanks again, you guys." Kylie said as we dropped her off. The address wasn't to a house or anything, it was to a book store. Maybe her uncle owns it? Maybe she doesn't want us to know exactly where she is going.

"No problem, it was fun actually. You made our usual boring rides a lot more entertaining," Josh said as he embraced her in a final hug goodbye.

Mark said something similar and hugged her goodbye. Then she turned to me.

"Thanks for coming along and selling our merch," I mumbled, avoiding eye contact. I'm not good at goodbyes.

"Thanks for allowing me to do so," she said, wrapping her arms around my neck. I slid my arms around her waist to hug back. The hug lasted a few seconds before she pulled back to grab her suitcases from Josh. "Hopefully I will see you guys again soon." She waved one final time before turning away.

"Wait!" I heard Josh yell from beside me and he fast walked to where she halted. "Take our address down so in case it doesn't work out with your uncle, you have somewhere to go."

Yes great idea Josh, give a stranger our address. But then again, thank you Josh, for giving Kylie our address. Maybe she will come back. I hope so.