Dive: A TharnType Story

13

"Maybe the reason she dragged us out to do something adventurous every weekend was because she needed to get it out of her system before she had to resign into joining the family business. She had no other option given she's the only child," Tharn said. Type turned to look at him in interest because his words did make a lot of sense. "Well, I'm glad she did because, that way, at least we had a freshmen year to remember," Type said. Tharn nodded in agreement and smiled at him, recalling just how amazing last year was.

"How are you doing?" Tharn asked after a moment of silent chewing and Type turned to look at him, very puzzled. He couldn't understand what he meant because Tharn was the one who was pining after his girlfriend. "What do you mean?" He asked, staring at Tharn quizzically. 

Tharn, seeing his reaction, couldn't help but be amused when he recalled how much better Type had looked after he came back from the semester break. He had improved even further in the last two months since their new semester started. He seemed to be doing so much better now than the time he spent moping around Tharn's apartment in a depressive state post Nicolette's departure.

Those two depressing weeks, for Tharn and Type both, had felt like two decades to Tharn. He had watched his friend suffering silently, making a nest of cushions and blankets on his couch that he refused to leave for that entire duration. Tharn had never been that worried in his life. What made it worse was knowing that he couldn't fix it for Type, no matter how much he wanted to. So, he sat right next to him for those two weeks, lending him his silent support. Tharn just felt glad he could be there for Type, even if the only thing he could offer him was his company. He knew perfectly well how awful and lonely it felt to go through that alone. 

Tharn looked at him, his brows knitted in confusion, looking like the old Type again: the Type that hadn't been through a heartbreak; and felt a little glad that he had bounced back. 

"I'm asking how are you doing now? Everything okay with…. everything?" Tharn asked, still not being able to utter her name in front of Type, afraid he might trigger him. He did not want to deal with it again because it took a big toll on him to see Type go through that.

Type just furrowed his brows in further confusion. He couldn't, for the life of him, understand what Tharn was trying to hint at. "Can you explain, you know, in human?" Type asked, perplexed but amused. Tharn sighed, knowing he had to cut to the chase and stop beating around the bush. "About everything with Nicolette," he said in a small voice, avoiding Types gaze. He was scared to see if his words affected him.

Type, seeing how nervous Tharn looked to broach that topic when it had already been months, couldn't help but start laughing. Tharn turned to look at him, bewildered at his reaction. "It's been 5 months, Tharn. That's almost half a year. I'm fine. She's fine too. We do still talk to each other sometimes. She has even started dating someone new. We've both happily moved on," Type said truthfully because Tharn had been instrumental in his process of healing. He had been there for Type every turn of the way and Type felt thankful to have him in his life again. 

Tharn smiled at hearing his friend was doing better and that he had gotten over what he was sure was the most traumatic episode he had ever gone through in his life. He felt a huge sense of relief as the invisible weight that had been on his chest since that day finally lifted. 

"I'm glad to hear that," Tharn said sincerely. Type raised his eyebrows, a little thrown at how Tharn had turned the topic of discussion from his problem to being concerned about Type again. He couldn't figure out why Tharn always put everyone and their issues before his own. That thought bothered him a little. 

"You're too fucking nice. You're going to be steamrolled on the pavement if you keep that up," Type said which took Tharn aback. "What?" 

Type looked at the genuine confusion on his face and smiled in frustration at how slow his incredibly smart friend could be sometimes. Tharn always looked so sure, put together and mature from the outside but, in the time he had gotten to know him, Type had realised that Tharn was the exact opposite of that. He was, in actuality, a ball of self-doubt and frustratingly masochistic. Type knew that he had to be the one to protect his friend from his own ways.