You're an Angel

part seven

Josh yelled out in frustration. He had decided if Tyler wouldn't write more music, that he would, but it was harder than he had anticipated. He had sort of worked out a melody and an okay beat, but the lyrics weren't coming out right. He threw yet another piece of paper into the small bin by his bed, and went back to writing. He'd tried everything that Tyler wrote about, pain and loss, hope and love, fear, confusion, Josh had even tried writing about Taco Bell. But it was all crappy and useless. He put his head in his hands. 'This would be so much easier with Tyler,' he thought, which only discouraged him further. Tyler had ignored Josh for three days now. If Josh wasn't sure the band was done for before, he was sure now. He grunted and turned back to the half-empty notebook, trying yet again to find the right words. Then, a knock at the door. 

Josh stumbled to the door. He peeked through the front window before quickly unlocking the door and opening it. Tyler stood there, in all black, a hoodie pulled over his head and blocking out his eyes. "Hey," he said. "I... what I said before... I'm sorry. I want to make music. I want to help. I'm sorry," His voice cracked toward the end. Josh motioned him inside the dimly lit apartment. "I'm sorry too. I was being harsh, we both deserved the break, but we both need the band too." Josh led the other boy up into his room. Tyler took one look and pushed past him into the room, straight for the bed. No, straight for the notebook.  "Were you trying to write songs?" Tyler asked, flipping through the scribbled-on pages. "Well, yeah, I mean, I couldn't just leave the clique hanging. I had to give them something, I had to give you something. Whatever, though, you're here now, so I guess there's no need for it," Josh admitted, and went to grab the notebook. "No, Josh, these are really good! We can use these!" Tyler looked up, and smiled, and it was genuine, but only for a second, and then he looked back down at the page. "Ty, why are you still wearing your hoodie? Aren't you hot?" Josh asked. He always kept the heat up while he was home, cold reminded him of sadness. Tyler just shrugged. "cold," he said, without looking up. Josh raised an eyebrow. "Dude, it's like 80 degrees in here, how are you cold?" "Just cold, I dunno," "Tyler." Tyler looked up. "What?" "What's wrong? And where were you?" Tyler removed the hood, revealing a newly buzzed head. "On second thought, it is a little warm," Josh grabbed his notebook as Tyler took off his jacket. "What's up with you tonight, Tyler? You seem..." Josh stopped as Tyler set down his hoodie. Even through Tyler's shirt, Josh could see blood. "Tyler..." The other boy looked down, and shrugged, like it was no big deal that he was bleeding through his shirt. "Tyler, are you okay?" Josh asked, eyes wide and unblinking, stuck on his friend's reddening t-shirt. Tyler's eyes had glazed over a little. "I don't know," he said, and collapsed onto the bed.