By Your Side (Twenty One Pilots)

Delightful Recovery

Josh was on his third day of work. He may have just been cleaning tables and washing dishes in the back, but he loved it. Everyone was so nice and genuine. He even made friends with one of the hostesses. Her name was Sarah and she had just recently dyed her hair dark blue, which is why Joash went up to talk to her in the first place.

The job had great hours too. They opened at seven, so he only had to be there at six thirty, and he could leave by noon since the other shift started, but he usually just stayed the whole time until an hour before closing, which was at ten thirty. They paid him extra and it gave him another thing to fill his time up with. Tyler had been spending all his time, leaving early and coming home late, at the bakery trying to fix it up and get it back to where it was during its glory days. Tyler always came home tired, but he never let a smile leave his face. Tyler loved Matt and Owen. He was basically part of their family by now. Josh was happy for him, but he still missed his best friend.

"You alright there, Josh?"

Josh looked up from the table he was staring at. "Oh, yeah. just thinking."

Sarah smiled and gestured at the table. Josh nodded and she sat down across from him.

"You look troubled, Josh. What's on your mind?"

Josh sighed. "It's nothing really. Just, you know why my friend and I are going on this road trip?"

"You mentioned you just wanted to have a change of scenery," Sarah replied.

"Well, that's kind of it. I broke up with the girl I had been dating for about five years or so. I thought that's what I needed; I wasn't happy anymore. So Tyler and I got in a car and drove off to try and fill the hole I keep feeling in my chest. I needed change and he wanted to tag along. And I thought I was getting better, you know? The three weeks we spent on the road before this I felt like it was getting filled again. when we got here I almost felt complete, but now. I don't know. It's gone."

Sarah grabbed one of Josh's hands and held it tight. It didn't feel right, but it was comforting.

"Well has anything changed since you've gotten here?"

"No, just me and Tyler got jobs. I don't see him much anymore."

"Did you see him everyday before this?"

"Yeah, and even before the trip. We're roommates."

Sarah smiled, but this was a different smile than Josh normally saw. She knew something.

"What is it?" Josh asked. "Why are you smiling like that?"

"Oh, Josh," she laughed. "Haven't you ever thought that maybe it's Tyler that has been filling the hole in your chest?"

Josh was confused. "But I don't love Tyler like that. I mean, I love him, but not the way I loved Debby."

"You'll see one day, Josh." Sarah stood up and smiled again. "Come on, breaks over and the lunch rush is just about to start."

Later that night at seven Josh drove up in front of Delight Bakery. He missed Tyler. He couldn't take it anymore. He thought maybe they could use an extra set of hands. Tyler had mentioned something about renovations.

The first thing Josh noticed was the sign. It was freshly painted and stood out amongst the old brick buildings surrounding the bakery on either side. Josh smiled. It already looked better than it had when he went looking around for jobs.

Once Josh stepped inside, he had to check that he had walked into the right store. The floors were newly polish and the ceiling had been touched up. The glass in the display cases had been replaced and the counters were fixed. An old chandelier hung about the cash register and the menus were decorated in fancy script. There were tables in the bakery too, each painted a different color, and the amount of food in the display cases was triple what Josh had seen last time. He could pick out a few of Tyler's creations amongst the other pastries.

"Oh my God," Josh whispered.

"You like it?" Matt came ou8t from the back room with a big smile on his face. Tyler really lived up to his promise of making this place better. I mean look at it! Your friend surely is something. He did most of this after Owen and I had left for the day."

Josh was taken aback by the change that had occurred. He was really proud of Tyler. His heart did a little something in his chest. He ignored it.

"Is that Tyler?" a voice called out from the back room.

"No," Matt called back. "It's Josh."

Matt turned back to Josh and explained that Tyler had gone to neighboring business to have them taste test a few products and hang up fliers. He had been promoting them on social media all day, advertising traditional with a twist. Tyler's last stop was going to be the resturaunt that Josh worked at to see if they would sell a few pastries and breads to promote Delight.

"I had no idea he was doing all of this," Josh commented.

"He's a good kid. Thank you for stopping here. Whether it was God's will or a happy accident, thank you. You've helped us so much."

Josh smiled. He said his goodbyes and drove back to the apartment Tyler and him had rented and started to make dinner. Tyler had been working harder than Josh had known. He deserved a celebration.