Heart strings

Guilt and shoulder

(*click*) (*clack*)

The walk from school to the house was quite tiring since Matthew didn't see the point of bringing his bike when he couldn't take two person at the same time and it was too early to call for a car. Lauren was sleeping already on Matthew's back who gently proposed to carry her. Wyatt on the other hand had the whole path to think about what he went through but more specifically about that memory that emerged from the depth of his mind. He was so focused that he didn't realize he had opened the door yet stood like frozen holding the door handle. Matthew used his tail to nudge Wyatt's leg to make him get out of his trance. Wyatt jolted and turned back.

Matthew: "sorry if I startled you...you were spacing out i think, you okay?"

Wyatt rubbed his forehead a bit then turned to open the door widely.

Wyatt: "I'm fine...just tired is all"

Matthew didn't want to rub more of it so he just sighed and followed the german shepherd inside. The latter turned on the light and removed his shoes. He proceeded to walk towards the kitchen while Matthew closed the door behind him trying his best to make as less noise as possible to not disturb Lauren sleeping quite deeply.

Wyatt got to the fridge and grabbed a water bottle and drank it in less than seconds. He leaned on the counter, he was feeling a bit lightheaded and breathed heavily. He closed his eyes, flashbacks of that day...he was there.

Wyatt's heart started beating fast, sounds seemed amplified, he could hear the neon light making such an annoying buzzing sound, or the soft snores of Lauren in the living room still on Matthew's back. Wyatt walked but he couldn't feel his legs moving although they were, Matthew said something but he didn't hear it and kept walking upstairs to his room stumbling on the door and limping on the wall towards the bathroom and opening it weakly. He didn't bother turning on the lights and got to the cabinet under the sink. He opened it but crashed to the ground, his body shivering as he tried reaching for his pills. His hand couldn't reach it as he breathed heavily. His eyes were closing then it was dark again.
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Wyatt jolt up, coughing a bit, he was sitting on his bed helped by Matthew on the side. The latter was looking at him with a worried expression and had a glass of water in his hand almost empty.

Matthew: "Wy..t...Wyatt..."

Wyatt saw the gator's mouth moving yet he could barely make anything of it. Matthew put his hand on Wyatt's chest and looked at him in the eyes and breathed in then out and said again something that the shepherd couldn't understand. Wyatt followed the gesture and tried breathing slowly. His heartbeat started to slow down.

Matthew: "In...and...out, good"

Wyatt felt better and looked at Matthew whose expression was still of concern and fear. It was unusual to see such a fear in Matthew's eyes. Matthew's hand was still on Wyatt's chest, it was gently feeling his heart and he could notice the shepherd was calming.

Matthew: "You good buddy?"

Wyatt: "Thanks...I am..."

Matthew sighed then looked down for a moment. He looked at the shelf behind him, on it, some pills.

Matthew: "I know we haven't been friends for that much time...but I want you to know that I...I want you to ...know..."

The gator turned to the shepherd again whose expression was mostly tired but not physically. It was clear on the shepherd's face that he was not good despite his prior statement. Matthew seemed genuine with his concern yet it felt like it was deeper than that, like somehow he could feel it, that pain Wyatt's burying without doing much to hide it. Matthew's eyes were sharp and looked at Wyatt's own ones deeply.