Tyler hated feeling weak to the point where he had to turn to the blade he hit behind his phone case. He was in school after all but hey, anxiety attacks don't clock out, do they? That's when he heard it, the footsteps of someone else and then the name, Josh.
He cleaned up quickly and returned to class, pulling his sweater down a little more so he wouldn't be caught. He couldn't wait to return home, to pull on that mask and be faceless once again.
The day seemed to last forever. When it was finally over and the sun was setting, Tyler headed to the swing sets where he hoped to see Josh. He sat down and swung quietly until the familiar sound of tires rolling on gravel and a bike being thrown against the tree was filling the empty air. Josh made his way to Tyler's side and sat down beside him, kicking his feet as he swung.
"I heard you today."
Tyler was expecting this. It doesn't mean he was any more ready for it.
"I recognized your vans, they are pretty awesome."
Tyler chuckled. Yet, he still didn't say a word.
"I also listened to that CD you gave me. I really loved it. Who sings, their voice is honestly the greatest thing I've ever heard."
Josh's stomach growled and he gripped it. His parents hadn't fed him, obviously.
"Sorry, I'm just hungry."
Tyler pulled out a sandwich and an apple. It was supposed to be his dinner but he didn't mind skipping a day. Worst case scenario, he'd eat when he got back home. He holds out his arm and stops his swing, waiting for Josh to take the food.
"No, I can't."
Tyler doesn't speak, he just nods his head and nudges the food closer to him. Josh gives out after another cry from his stomach. He grabs the food and unwraps the sandwich, biting into it.
"Oh my God, this is so good!"
Tyler chuckled, it was just a plain sandwich: white bread, mayonnaise, chicken, lettuce, and tomatoes. Nothing he hadn't made before, but he figured, to this boy it meant the world. In between bites, Josh still managed to mumble.
"So, I've gotta ask you something."
They were both still, neither of them bothered to swing or move at this time but it was perfectly okay.
"What were you doing in the bathroom, at school? I mean, I saw blood."
Tyler was staring at Josh, watching him devour that sandwich as he spoke but then, he turned his head to the ground.
"I'm sorry, it's just, I wanna tell you that it's okay. I've done it before and I've been through that kinda stuff, so if you ever need to talk or whatever, you can. Just come find me at school, or there's always here."
Tyler turned back to him and Josh was staring into his big brown eyes that glowed in the dark. Tyler nodded and got up, leaving Josh to finish his sandwich.