Run Away

Ch 3

Note: I didn't write this chapter. All credit goes to a good friend of mine who is helping me write this story. Thanks for reading. And now I'll let you get back to the story

I woke up to the sound of Vic and the rest of the gang laughing. I got dressed and slowly walked out into the living room of the tour bus.

"Oh hey, how are ya?" Jaime asked.

"I'm fine." I mumble, pulling down my long sleeves.

"Okay well we are here at the arena to play and we need to do a sound check. You can hang out backstage if you want." Vic said, smiling.

"Uh, sure." I say looking down.

We all walk out into the arena and I take a seat in one of the back rooms. I can hear the guys doing their sound check, but I don't really care. Sure Peirce the Veil was playing and they are my favorite band, but my mind was wandering to what Kevin had done. Before I knew it a couple of hours had passed and the arena was starting to fill with people. Bands were walking back and forth, sound guys rushing to perfect everything, and all of a sudden I felt a firm, but loving hand being placed on my shoulder. I looked up to see non other, than Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun, Twenty One PIlots was right in front of me.

Josh, who was the one who placed his hand on my shoulder, started to talk to me. "Hey, you okay? Why the tears?"

I reached up and wiped my eyes, I hadn't even realized that I was crying. "Oh nothing's wrong. I'm fine. And wow, this this this is such an honor." I say shakily looking down to my feet.

"Oh come on, stop you're flattering us too much." Tyler said with a soft chuckle.

"Hey Josh, I have to go and do some more sound checks for our surprise performance, see ya on stage." Tyler said, giving me a quick smile and turning on his heel, leaving Josh and I alone.

"Okay, what's wrong? I know there is something wrong, you don't just cry over nothing." Josh said looking straight into my eyes.

His gaze wasn't piercing or mean, instead it was nice and warm, the complete opposite of Kevin. " Sorry, it's just been a really long weekend. My dead mom's husband tried to strangle me, I got saved by Pierce the Veil, and now I'm here." I say pulling on my shirt sleeves.

Josh looked mortified, "Wait what, your mom's husband tried to kill you?"

"Yeah. He's been abusive for most of my life so it wasn't anything out of the ordinary." I state trying not to look into his eyes.

Next thing I know Josh's arms are around me and I hear light sobbing. "Why are you crying, Josh?" I ask dumbfounded.

"Oh, you've been through so much. I don't even know your name, but I can feel your pain. I can hear it in your voice. What is your name by the way?" he asks, tears still running down his face.

"I'm Skylar." I say trying to muster up a smile.

" Well Skylar it's nice to meet you. Really I am so sorry for you, it sounds like you have been through so much pain in your short life. No one as beautiful and kind as you should have to endure that." he says, his voice sounds as if it's breaking for me as he speaks.

"Oh it's okay Josh. I've gotten used to the physical abuse. It's the mental abuse that I will never get over." I say absent-mindly, not even realizing what I'm saying.

"What do you mean by mental abuse?" Josh asks with wonder in his smooth voice.

"Well the physical abuse you can get over, but the things that go on in your head never end. The fears, the demons, the voices, they never go away. They're always there. Never ceasing to torment me. I sometimes think that I am better off dead." I say gazing off into the distance, a sad, dreamy look in my eyes.

"Oh, Skylar, don't you dare say that. You were put on this Earth for a reason. You are beautiful and are going to do something amazing. You know I have my own demons too. I haven't really told many people besides Tyler, but I have major anxiety. Like so bad that sometimes I don't even want to get out of bed in the morning. But I've realized something. If you pour your soul and heart into something you love then the bad thoughts go away. For me that art is drumming. When I'm behind my drums I feel fearless, in control, like I can do anything. You know in the music video for Guns for Hands where I wear the mask when I am standing in front of everybody, but then as soon as I get behind the drums I take it off? Well that symbolizes my anxiety. I feel vulnerable, scared, and like I'm under constant scrutiny when I am in front of people. But then when I get behind my drums it all melts away, I feel invincible, that's what art can do for someone. Or at least that's what it has done for me. So find something you love, whether it be art, music, writing, whatever, find something you love and pour yourself into it." Josh says with so much love that I can feel it in his voice.

"That was so amazing. I don't think anyone has ever cared for me enough to say anything like that." I say looking up at him.

All of the sudden he hugs me, the tightest hug I have ever felt in my life. He just made the saying "One day someone is going to hug you so tight that all your broken pieces will stick back together," come true. I could feel myself start to mend as he hugged me. Finally, he reluctantly let go.

"Well I have to go and perform. You are an amazing girl Skylar don't let anyone tell you different. Stay alive, fren." he said smiling.

"You know you really are pretty sick." I say a small smile appearing.

"Sick as frick!" he says and turns to walk out the door. He turns back and looks at me.

"Real quick do you have a phone?" he asks.

"Yeah I do." I reply, holding my phone out to show him.

"Hear, I'm going to give you my number and I'll take your number so we can keep in contact." he grabs my phone and types something in. He then types my number into his phone.

"Alright here ya go." he states, tossing my phone back to me. "Well bye, fren. Enjoy the sick as frick show," and with that he turns and leaves.

I sit there, dumbfounded, staring off into space wondering why someone as famous as Josh Dun would care about someone as messed up me.

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