imessage | j.w.d

48

tyler pov
3:27an
I tossed and turned. normally if I couldn't sleep I'd text mariyah. but she hasn't replied to any of the ones I'd sent her. josh and lauren were fast asleep. the wind was bad outside. I was worried sick about her. I heard a scream and then a smash. I shot up. a girl scream. was that Lauren? I got out of bed and walked slowly downstairs. there was a short girl, wearing black, wet and bruised standing in front of some glass.

"ugh" she sighed. it's her. it's her.
"m-mariyah?" I croaked. she frozew
she slowly turned around. it's her. for real. she's here. wearing black. black eye make up which was now smudged. she had bruises on her arms. she was soaked. but she was back.

"I-I..." I was lost for words. I bursted out crying. "tyler" she came over and wrapped her arms around me.
"I-i thought you died" I sobbed.
"I'm here okay? I always will be"
"I love you" I cried out.
"I love you to" our lips synced together perfectly. she had been alive this whole time. "don't leave me" I beg her.
"never"

mariyah pov
"you look so tired. what's wrong?" I ask
"I missed you. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't eat. I didn't know what to do"
"this is all my fault" I whisper.
"no it's not" he stammers.
"I promise I'll explain everything later. you need to sleep" i say.
I sat on the couch, his head in my lap. he fell asleep quickly and looked really comfortable. I smiled and put a blanket over him. I missed this.

the next morning.
I wake up to see tyler snuggled up close to me. I smiled and kissed his head.
"MARIYAH!" I look up to see a shirtless josh dun. "JISH!" I ran to him and jumped into his arms. I missed my best friend so much. I had none of his pancakes for two months. I died.
"Where you been?" he asks me.
"Around" I reply.
"are you okay?"
"yep I'm fine"
"are you sure?"
"100%. now I'll expLain later about". Lauren needs to be awake"
"she's coming down. ugh I missed you!" he grabbed me and spun me around.
"I might dIE CAREFUL!" I shout.

"I forgot you were very smol"
"you forgot about me!" I exclaim.
"WHAT THE FUCK!" I heard from upstairs. josh put me down and I looked up. my best friend...

lauren pov
"WHAT THE FUCK" I screamed.
josh put her down. my best friend. I jumped down the stairs and onto her.
we both started crying and hugging.
"should I be concerned?" josh asks.
"fuck off" she mutters.
"where the fuck were you!? what happened!? how did this happen!? Lauren shut up!" I exclaim.
"it's hard to explain" she says shyly.
"explain later. we need to hang out!"
"can all four of us just grab Taco Bell and go to the tree after I shower"
"I AGREE!" josh and ty yell.

so after she showered and got into tylers black hoodie, black tightd, black vans.

we all went. her and tyler sat in the back either kissing or hugging or laughing or smiling. I didn't blame them or judge them. I knew they were both dying inside right now and needed each other. josh and me went in to get the Taco Bell while the two love birds had fun together. I planned for tomorrow to be me and mariyah's day together as she was my best friend anyway.

we got to the tree and sat in the same positions as we did last time we came. josh handed out the tacos and some drinks to. mariyah couldn't eat properly and felt awkward. I could tell.
tyler was looking at her, concerned.
then she screamed and dropped her Taco on her lap. randomly.
"sorry" she says quietly.
"what's wrong?" I ask.
"okay I don't know how to start though" she says nervously.
"take all the time you need" I added.
"okay um...

I was going to kill myself...but then I thought of you guys and started crying and stuff and then someone just came in and grabbed me. I screamed for help but no one heard. I had a friend called hailey once who looked exactly like me once remember ? well she had come to visit as a surprise and before i got grabbed she was walking around the house looking for me. the person killed her thinking it was me. we planned on wearing the same clothes (last night we face timed and decided to - I didn't know she was coming) and she got killed. then they saw me and took me"
she had tears in her eyes.
"you can stop if you want" tyler tells her gently. she shook her head.
"I still don't know who they are. but they just kept me in this place. they told me they wanted me dead. and other hurtful things. they beat me up, cut me and.... it was hell, legit. I haven't had much to eat and then I finally escaped and wasn't in Columbus - I was in Warren. so I had to get back here as I had no money or people around and stuff. and yeah now I'm here" I noticed she was slowly crushed the Taco in her hand. she looked like she was going to cry.
"It's alright to cry" I say quietly.

"are you okay?" Jish asks her.
"I'm fine" but she was lying.
"we should stop talking about it" tyler says, holding her hand and handing her another Taco.