The walls were barren now, along with most of the drawers and closet. Her bed was made, her favorite blanket draped around a sad boy's shoulders. It still smelled like her. She was gone.
Tyler didn't know what to do with himself. He aimlessly wandered the small apartment, stone faced. Melanie had tried to talk to him during school, but the boy was always the last one in and the first one out of the class.
His grades were slipping, and he knew that if he didn't get them up, he'd ruin the rest of his future and destroy the work of his past. Yet, the boy knew he couldn't time travel, knew he was stuck in the present. And in the present, all he wanted to do was cuddle up on the couch with Jenna's blanket wrapped tightly around his body like a cacoon but with more meaning and do nothing.
Joshua had noticed the change. For most outsiders looking in, there hadn't been much shift in the kid's behavior, but Joshua knew his secret; he knew what kind of effects that kind of awful secret could have on someone.
Things had gotten so terribly dismal for Tyler that he stopped living. He wouldn't get out of bed for any reason; food, bathroom, phone calls, visitors. For 48 hours, the skinny boy laid still, holding his breath and pinching his dry skin until it turned bright red.
That was when he reached his lowest-most point.
That was when Joshua knew he had to intervene.
;
The skinnier-than-usual boy walked into class a good 20 minutes late, with his head down and body engulfed in loose, black fabrics. Bags hugged the bottom of his eyelids, making him look like a victim of a violent mugging. He looked as if someone had just died.
This time, it wasn't the selected few with observant eyes and he the wandering brains who could tell something was wrong, oh no. If you had two eyes - hell, maybe even one eye - and some sense of empathy, you could clearly see the depression cloud practically encasing the poor boy.
Joshua cleared his throat, snapping the attention back to himself.
Of course. Tyler wasn't surprised.
"Like I was saying, I hold one on one practice sessions after school in this room. I always make sure it's private, so there is to be no sneaking around this hallway while a student is partaking in a closed session; you wouldn't see much anyway, I make sure to close all the curtains."
The instructor wanted the boy dressed for an unhappy occasion to make eye contact, but of course, all Tyler did was stare at his toe that still peeked through the hole in his slipper.
"I'm here for you" was all the man wanted to say with his soft, almond eyes. "I care".
But he couldn't, because that damned kid would just not look at him.
"If you feel as if you're falling behind or you just want some extra time or advice on something, just let me know and I would be happy to set up a time." Heads bobbed up and down in unison and understandment. Joshua couldn't help but glance at the dismal boy yet again, hoping for some kind of visual response, but there Tyler stood, playing a soundtrack of white noise on constant loop, staring at his unprotected toe.
;
Class droned on as usual, with barely any conversation or smile of any kind. Joshua hurled harsh words at everyone's shaky relevé, causing them to fall out of the position and stumble in embarrassment and fake determination for a "better" next time.
Tyler barely tried; his feet were sickled, his elbows too bent or too stiff, his kicks half-assed and sloppy. Joshua howled with frustration but Tyler didn't care. Sadness was the only thing on his mind that mattered.
By the end of class, the teacher had broke a steady sweat due to all the vein popping, ear ringing screaming he had accomplished. Joshua let everyone off the floor 5 minutes early.
Melanie packed up her things while chatting with the boy Brendon had walked to class with, giggling and smiling greatly with that exuberant gap between her two front teeth.
Tyler watched, cautious enough not to get caught staring. He felt the intense sadness gnawing at the dry skin of his elbows and the inside of his knees, but the majority had slowly sunk to the bottom of his anatomy, rushing to his toenails, making them burn like hell and fall off, like dead flies stuck in a window screen during the hostess night of summer.
Something else filled the boy, and he couldn't tell if it were better or worse. But before he could dwell on the sensation too long, a voice called out.
"Tyler," the instructor spoke (the boy had only then realized how faded the color in the man's hair had turned).
The room had turned uncomfortably silent, causing the brunette to sigh and walk over to the teacher with wobbly, insecure steps. Some of the chatter started up again, but it was quickly shushed by the majority of the group (or the most nosey).
"I want you to stay after school with me today for a one on one."
The bell rang and people groaned, but left the room nonetheless.
"You're falling behind by a whole lot, and I know how talented you are." The pink hue wanted to say more, but was afraid he'd ramble so much his jaw would come unhinged.
Tyler was baffled, flattered and pissed all at once. Baffled because why would the man who bullied his students into following his directions care the slightest that one of those said students were falling behind? Flattered because no matter what Joshua had done before that moment, he did care. To Tyler that meant a ton. Finally pissed, because who was he to determine what was best for him? What gave him that kind of authority?
"I'm not going to take no as an answer Tyler. This really isn't an option." The pink haired punk intruded the battle going on in Tyler's body and mind.
Of course he wouldn't go. He didn't need Joshua to embarrass him and maybe even snoop through his bag again - Tyler had enough problems, he didn't need an inconsiderate asshole breathing down his neck all the time and yelling in his ears how much he sucked until the drums explode and start to bleed. Tyler was perfectly fine-
He nodded, not saying a word, or resisting in any way.
"Okay," Joshua was almost as surprised as the boy standing before him. "I'll sign you up for tomorrow."
a/n
Heyo
This weekend was amazing. I had my first high school production of "Its a Wonderful Life" & let me tell you, if you ever feel like you don't belong, theatre is the best thing to do. U all become a family and its the sweetest thing. I got pranked by some of then when we went to a restaurant (they said it was my 14th bday??? I'm turning 15?? It was hilarious).
The end of this year is going great and I'm so ready for 2017. BRING IT ON BITCH
I love all of u bless
(Sorry for the typos too I usually write from my kindle now??)
Ps I might start editing tonight and/or tomorrow so just a fyi that it's probs not a chapter update
YOU ARE READING
ballerina // jøshler
Fanfiction"Plié, goddamnit, plié!" where tyler is a freshman ballerina in a prestigious arts school and josh is a mean teacher with a soft spot for the fragile boy.
