We're broken people // twenty one pilots

Chapter 3

Josh's POV

Once Leah has left my room, I sit on my bed and bury my face into my hands. Pictures of her arm flood my mind, the make up she had put on did no help to cover them up. I could distinctly see the cuts she had made earlier today, and there were more, some faded and hardly visible but others were still red, who knows when she had made those.

I sit there for a while, not moving, just thinking. My phone buzzes and I pull it out of my pocket to see that my best friend, Tyler, had texted me.

Tyler is a cool guy, he's great at singing and he and I are in a band together called twenty one pilots. I play the drums and he sings and plays the piano and ukelele. We're not too well known yet, but we're just getting started. We have plans to get a house together so we can focus more on music and hopefully start a successful career. The band is my escape from the world, I love to play drums and I practise when ever I can- apart from when Im shopping with my mum and finding out that my sister self-harms, of course.

The text simply says:

'Wanna come over? My parents aren't home and Im kinda bored'

I reply with:

'I can't rn, got some family stuff going on, sorry dude'

I can't just get up and go round someone's house after what has happened with Leah. I don't want to leave her because I'm worried that if I do and she does something stupid, I won't be there to help her.

Then an idea pops into my head and I text Tyler again:

'Although you could come round mine if you want? My parents are home but they won't mind'

Tyler: 'I thought you had family stuff? But yeah ok, be there in ten'

Josh: 'Yeah dw I'll explain when you get here'

I press the button on my phone that puts it to sleep and go downstairs to tell my parents that Tyler would be coming round. Luckily they don't object (after me persuading them that I feel well enough). He'll probably end up staying the night and maybe even tomorrow night too. My parents love Tyler and his mum and dad don't mind him living at my house every so often- its the same when I go to his house.

10 minutes later Tyler knocks on my door, and I hop off the sofa whilst calling to my parents that I'll answer it. I open the door and smile at my best friend who is dressed in skinny jeans, a hoodie and a beanie.

"Sup?" I ask as he walks in and I shut the door. He shrugs while pulling off his beanie and ruffling his short brown hair.

"Not much, that's why I came over, Im just bored as hell." At that point, my parents come out of the kitchen to say hello. My mum has a huge smile on her face and holds out her arms.

"Tyler, honey, how are you?" She says whilst pulling him into a hug. Tyler's expression shows he's surprised by the sudden gesture and he makes a face whilst he leaves his arms at his sides.
He reminds me of Leah, who did the same thing only 15 minutes earlier. I drift off and get lost in thought about my sister again:

All I can think is why? why would she do it? there has to be a reason.. what if there's even more that she's not telling me, what if she has depression? How have I not noticed? How have my parents not noticed?

"Josh!" My mum says sharply, snapping me out of my daze.

"Huh?" I stare at her, completely clueless of what had just been said. Tyler and my dad are also staring at me with confused expressions.

"That's the second time you've done that today, what's happening? What are you thinking about?" My mum questions me. I hesitate, trying to form a decent answer in my head before I blurt out what I was actually thinking about.