Stay With Me

The Choice

"It's been two weeks Tobi," JJ said, a worried expression covering his face.

"I know JJ," Tobi replied.

"Well then what are we going to do? Simon hasn't gotten better, if anything, he's worse. He pretends to be fine, and we all act like we don't notice he's not fine, and then he acts like he doesn't notice us noticing he's not fine!" JJ exclaimed.

Tobi sighed. JJ had been stressing about Simon for the past week and a half. "He needs time JJ. And besides, if you're so worried about him, why don't you talk to him about it?"

"I do! I've tried! But he tells me he's fine, that's it's all good, and then he goes and changes the subject!" JJ was pacing the room. "I don't know what to do Tobi. I don't know how to help him. He's slipping through my fingers, and I can't help him. I can't help this feeling that I'm going to lose him, and that scares me the most of all." JJ slumped onto the couch with Tobi.

"JJ, relax, you're overreacting. Simon was devastated after Josh and he broke up, but he's getting over it." JJ was shaking his head before Tobi finished speaking.

"You're wrong. You're looking at his appearance, how he seems. You need to look at HIM, not his appearance. Look at his eyes when he talks. There's nothing there, no spirit, no hope, no joy. It's like he's died and all that's left is a shell. Josh broke him Tobi. Josh broke him and now we're going to lose Simon forever." JJ slumped on the couch and put his face in his hands. "What do we do Tobi? He's begging us for help, but all we do is smile and pretend we don't notice his pain. We don't want to accept what's happened to him.

Tobi looked at JJ's slumped figure, and felt the smallest amount of doubt creep into his brain. What if they were wrong? What if Simon wasn't getting better, and instead, was getting worse? What if by pretending everything was fine, they were only hurting Simon more? Tobi couldn't think. All he knew was he needed to get out of this house. He needed fresh air.

"Where are you going?" JJ asked Tobi, seeing him stand up.

"Out," Tobi replied, grabbing his keys. It was time Josh and him had a talk. ********************************************************************************************

"I miss them Josh." Josh looked down to see Freya. They had just come back from her parents' funeral.

"I know you do. But you'll move on. You're strong Freya."

Freya smiled and kissed him. "Thank you Josh. Thank you for being by my side."

"Always Freya, always." Josh looked up to hear knocking on the door. "I'll be right back okay?" Freya nodded.

"Hey Josh."

"Hey Tobi. I didn't expect to see you." Josh stepped outside and shut the door behind him. It was a nice day out that day.

"Well, I mean we have been friends for eleven years," Tobi pointed out, to which Josh nodded. They chatted for a bit then Josh broke in.

"I'm guessing you didn't come all the way out here to chat formalities," he stated, but phrasing it like a question.

Tobi shook his head. "No I didn't. I came to talk about Simon." Josh was instantly on guard.

"What about Simon?" he asked cautiously.

"He's depressed Josh. He hardly eats, he doesn't sleep, all he does is mope and pretends he's fine, pretend he's normal. He pretends because you asked him to."

"I didn't ask him to pretend to be fine!" Josh exclaimed.

"No, you asked him if he was okay. You wanted to make sure he was fine before you went back to Freya!" Tobi yelled back.

"Freya needs me Tobi. I can't leave her," Josh whispered, looking at his feet.

"But Simon needs you too Josh. He's dying, his spirit's broken, he's got nothing left to live for. He smiles only when he thinks someone's watching, only laughs when he's around others, but when he thinks he's alone..." Tobi trailed off. "He won't listen to any of us. He's falling to pieces."

Josh looked up at Tobi. "I... I can't Tobi. I need to help Freya." Josh looked away. "But.. I.. I loved Simon," he confessed.

"I don't want to be a dick Josh, but you need to choose; Simon or Freya. I won't pretend to know Freya's situation, but I know Simon's. And he's fading away. Already he's just skin and bones. In a week.." Tobi trailed off.

"I just don't know Tobi. Freya's my girlfriend, we've been together for four years, and to dump her now, just after her parents died.... It wouldn't be right." Josh looked back at his feet. "But I don't want to lose Simon, I love him. It broke my heart leaving him the first time. If I go back to him... I don't think I'll ever want to leave. And I'd break Freya's already broken heart. No, I wouldn't break it, I'd shatter it. And I can't do that to her. And yet, it's not right to Simon for him to suffer because of things he can't control."

"It's your choice Josh, no one can make it for you," Tobi said quietly.

Josh nodded. "I'm going for a drive. Can you tell Freya I've gone to get groceries?" he asked softly.

Tobi nodded. "Of course," he replied.

"Thanks." Tobi watched Josh walk to his car, turn the engine on, and drive away. One person's heart was going to be shattered tonight, and he didn't know who Josh was going to choose. He hoped Josh makes the right choice, because there was only going to be one shot at this. He went into the house to tell Freya that Josh went shopping for groceries, saw her nod and then headed home himself. He was glad he wasn't making the decision. It was going to be a very long night for Josh.