Empathy on the Brink - Joshler

Chapter 2

Josh's POV

Summer break is finally over, and as much as I hate school, I'm glad to see my friends again, and I'm excited for senior year. We all agreed to meet before school to compare schedules and see what classes we have together, and I overslept, so I quickly pour myself some cereal (milk first). I grab my skateboard and a hat and rush out the door.

"BYE!" I yell to my parents as I slam it shut. I skate as fast as I can to school and immediately find my friends. I find that none of them are in my first period class, physics. Oh well, maybe I'll meet someone cool. About five minutes into class, a boy, a junior I think, barges in. He looks unfamiliar, he's probably new and got lost on the way to class. That would explain why he's out of breath. He introduces himself as Tyler Joseph and takes the empty seat right next to me. He seems shy and he looks uncomfortable. It also looks like he's having trouble paying attention in class, he's missing a lot of the notes. I kinda feel bad for him, I bet he has anxiety or something, and I know what that feels like.

"Do you want to copy my notes?" I ask. He nods politely and says thanks, seems nice.

I see Tyler again at lunch. He runs straight into me at full speed, knocking me over. When I sit up, I notice that he's crying a little but I don't want to say anything to embarrass him. I start to help him with his things but he just runs straight out of the school. I hope he's okay.

Basketball tryouts start after school today. I'm no good at it, but my friends are making me try out with them anyway, which is going to be embarrassing. When I walk into the gym, I notice that the girls are holding cheer team tryouts, too. Directing the tryouts is Debby Ryan, cheer captain and my ex-girlfriend. Her eyes catch mine, but I avoid her gaze, it's too painful. I still love her and having to see her all the time will be hard, she broke my heart.

The tryouts start and as I suspected, I suck at basketball. It's okay though because my friends suck also, we're just having a fun time.

"Josh, catch!" I turn too late and get nailed in the back of the head. I laugh and throw the ball back at my friend, Dustin.

"Frick you man!" I shout.

"Josh what the fuck you're a SENIOR you are allowed to fucking swear!" My friends always tease me about never cursing but I don't know, it just doesn't feel right. Those aren't the words I want to say. Dustin and I chuck the ball back and forth at each other until the coach yells at us. I'm so busy goofing off with Dustin that I don't notice a small figure enter the gym and grab a basketball.

The cheer team has just finished and we're wrapping up for today as well. The coach calls a meeting in the middle of the court but as he's talking I see Tyler, who is taking free throws over and over again, not missing a single one. It's almost as though he's in a trance, I don't think he heard the meeting being called. Everyone turns their head one by one, and all of us, even the coach, end up watching him in awe. Then some jerk speaks.

"Hey! Skeleton boy!" Tyler's head snaps our way and when he sees everyone staring at him I can just see him crumbling inside. The tormenter continues.

"Notice how we're all over here, dumbass." Any previous thoughts about Debby flee my mind as I feel a strange urge to protect Tyler, he hadn't done anything to deserve this. I walk over to his tormenter, some guy named Harry, from behind and push him to the ground.

"Dude back off, you're just jealous because you know you'll never be able to shoot like that." I say. That makes him mad. He jumps up and swings at my head, but I duck just in time. He is about to go for another one, but the coach gets between us.

"Both of you to the principal. Now." He has Dustin go with us. So we don't beat each other up on the way there, I guess. As I'm leaving the gym I see the coach talking to Tyler.