House of Gold // Adopted by Tyler Joseph

Tyler

   I was walking to the recording studio downtown, passing by the middle school as I always did.

Except now school was in session, my feet carried me past the children in recess, the little metal fence between me and the screaming kids.

Turning my head I heard crying. Those kids are just loud like that. I thought.

But it was a girl's cries that I heard, my head turned to the left to see a tiny figure with her head tucked into her knees. Someone was pulling at her hair.

"Hey! Knock it off!" I ran over hurriedly. The fence entrance nearby as I called out and ran onto the plush grass.

More kids teased the girl, and cheered on the one hitting her. "Stop! Stop!" I ran up as the kids left scared.

They scrammed, all in different directions.

The little girl had her head still buried in her knees as I spoke up.

"Hey... it's okay, it's just me." I said softly and bent down so I was level with her.

She raised her head slightly and wiped her eyes on her arm at the sight of me.

I wanted to reach out and touch her, console her, but a recess duty came out.

"What are you doing on school properties? Sir I'm calling the police." She spoke.

I immediately jumped up and went to walk to the sidewalk again. "Whatever, I was helping this girl. Did you not see those kids hurting her? Look at her wrists!" I pointed out as purple bruised showed.

"I'm giving you five seconds to get off of school property." She threatened.

It made my blood boil, how this school duty, would completely fail at her job, which is to make sure kids wouldn't get hurt at recess.

"Whatever. Learn how to do your job." I huffed and looked back at the little girl. She smiled up softly at me, I had to keep walking to the studio.

Josh would wonder why I was late.

|-/

Again, after walking back from the session we had in the studio, I walked the same street near the school. This time, class was over it seemed.

What a coincidence, my studio work ending the same time school did.

Good thing I hadn't bothered with my car, the traffic in these zones was ridiculous.

Several kids walked past me on the sidewalks, it began to rain, cars driving extra slow to avoid skids.

The same little girl who was being bullied at recess, started on the sidewalk towards me.

She had dark long hair, probably why those girls were tugging at it earlier. A thin pale face, it hung low as her wet strands of hair clung to it.

Big brown eyes, honey-colored, but sad. If only she smiled.

And a terrifyingly thin figure all over. Now I was thin, but she made me wonder if her parents fed her.

Her nose was thin, and pointed elfishly at the end, with big pouty lips, child-like.

I frowned as everyone had coats of some sort, but her.

Don't get yourself into any more trouble Joseph. I told myself.

Look how helping her earlier could've turned out.

But my instincts told me that no middle school kid should walk home in this rain without a coat. Not even did she have long sleeves.

"Hey." I tried to get her attention but she walked right past me.

"Hey." I spoke up as she looked at me, fear in her eyes. "Look I'm not some creep. I get it, stranger danger." I smiled softly, but she didn't return it.

I cleared my throat. "Um, I have a sweatshirt if you'd like it." I took off my windbreaker, and pulled out my thin, much shorter, red Ohio State sweatshirt.

She shook her head slightly. That's another thing, she didn't talk.

"Look I'm not a weirdo. I promise, just keep it, you'll never see me again." I assured her as she nodded and took it with shy hands.

"Well?" My lips curled upwards as she mouthed, "Thank You." While throwing it over her, it went down to her knees almost.

I decided against reaching out and tucking her soaking wet hair behind the hood. She'd really think I was a creep then.

So my feet carried me back home. My back turned to her, I heard a soft, smooth voice call out. "Thank you Mister... " She began.

"Tyler. Don't mention it kid." I smiled as she'd finally spoken. Her voice had a bit of a waver to it, she was unconfident. I knew how she felt.

And went back to walking to my apartments.