Down In The Forest

Chapter 4

Tyler's P.O.V

The day eventually ends. I am walking away from school when I feel a hand on my shoulder, Josh's hand. 
"Hi, just want to give you this before you leave." He reaches into his pockets, pulls out a small paper and hands it to me. "It's my phone number. You know, in case... Yeah."
"Thanks." I put him in my contacts and I type a few random letters and send them to Josh. "Now you have my number too." I said. 
"Great, thanks! See you tomorrow Tyler!" 
"Bye!" I walk home contently. 'Well that wasn't as bad as I thought it would be' I think to myself, but then I am reminded of the incident with Jason and my face begins aching again. At least I made a few good friends.
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When I arrive home I was by myself. My dad is away, my mum is at work, Zack and Madison are at their friends' houses and god knows where Jay is. I'm alone again, and once again depressed. It's when I am alone or at night when it's dark and I have nothing to distract me from my thoughts when I realise how insignificant my life is. How if I disappeared, or died, most entire countries, even continents wouldn't notice or care. 
Usually, I would go upstairs and cut myself at this point, but my "clique" are my distraction so I think about them. 
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All evening I think about them, but especially Josh. My mum and my siblings finally got back. I hear mum call us to dinner.
"So Tyler, how was your first day? Did you enjoy it?" She asks, almost apprehensively.
"Yeah it was fine." I answered.
"What happened? Make any new friends?" I avoided the first question.
"Yes actually, there's Brendon, Ryan, Gerard, Frank, Patrick, Pete, Melanie, Michael....and Josh." I begin to smile as I say his name. I can't explain why this happens, when I think about him it just... I don't know. 
After dinner I go downstairs to my 'music studio' or rather a room with a microphone, a keyboard, a drum kit and a ukulele. I love music. I love everything about it, whatever you're feeling it will 90% of the time make you feel better, whether you're listening to it or making it. I have written a couple of songs myself, in the hope that one day I can make music for a living. 
"It's not going to happen, give up. Your songs will never be on the radio."
"I know," I say quietly, my mood suddenly darkening. I sit at the stool in front of the keyboard and position my hands on the keys. I just stare at them; my hands remain motionless. I can't think of anything to play, my mind is blank. I remove my hands from the keys and remain slouched on the stool, still staring at the keys. Maybe I'm not motivated enough. I go back upstairs and lock myself in my bedroom.
"You know it's what you deserve." 
I walk into the bathroom and it sit myself facing the mirror. I search around for my razor. 
"Damn it, I can't find it." I say under my breath. I guess the scissors will just have to do. I pull up my trousers so I have access to my lower thigh. I stare at the 'art' of my previous cuts.
"Just do it already."
Without hesitation, I slash the edge of the scissors against my skin

Josh's P.O.V

I walk home with Pete because he lives close to me.
"It was awful what Jason did to Tyler wasn't it?" Pete says.
"Oh God it really was wasn't it? I can't imagine what that feels like." On his first day as well. I cant get his smile out of my head, I think of other things but that is always the superior thought. Not that I mind. We are at my road now and I say bye to Pete. 
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At night I still have his smile in my head. It's starting to creep me out now. What the hell is going on? Oh well, it's 2.30 am, I should probably get some sleep.
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The first thing I do when I wake up is grab my phone.
'Do you want to meet up on the way to school?' I send to Tyler. While I'm waiting for a reply I get dressed and have breakfast. 
'Sure. Where do you want to meet?'
'Infront of the café by the round-a-bout. Is that ok?'
'Yeah, see you there.' 
'Great!.'
I don't think I have ever gotten ready so fast in my life.
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I wait for a few minutes Infront of the café. I see Tyler in the distance and he jogs over.
"Heya Tyler!" 
"Hi." He says shyly, smiling at the ground. I notice a couple of small blood stains... I think... on his trousers above his knees. 
"Is that blood?"
he looks down and his eyes widen for a second.
"Oh it's nothing..."
"Really? Because it looks like..."
"It's nothing," he interrupted firmly.
"Ok, whatever you say." I know there is more to him than it seems, one day I'll find out.
"So anyway," I continued," What do you have today?
"I'm not completely sure... but I know I have music today, and that's all I really care about to be honest."
"Oh cool I have music too."
"great!"
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We arrive at school. We should walk to school together more often because we had a great time. I definitely consider him to be one of my best friends. We walked into the form room Brendon and Ryan were already there and were deep in conversation, but unfortunately Jason and his gang were there as well. 
"Good morning," he said as he pushed Tyler backwards. I managed to catch him and stop him from falling. 
"Leave him alone," I said. It was meant to sound threatening but it kind of just sounded like I was having a casual conversation.
"Oh, who's your boyfriend? faggot." I just rolled my eyes and told Tyler to keep walking.
"Thanks man," he whispered.
"No problem."

Tyler's P.O.V

I exit my History lesson and go and look for Josh. It was lunchtime, so we arranged to meet by the library. I walk briskly, looking at the floor as to avoid making eye contact with anyone. As I am not watching where I am going, I walk into them. 
"Oh, sorry," I say still looking at the floor. I continue walking but then I am grabbed by the collar and lifted slightly off the ground. I find myself staring into the angry eyes of Jason. 
"Watch where you're going son of a bitch!"
He lifts me higher into the air before slamming me face first into a nearby locker. He moves his hand so it was around my throat. He punches me in the back several times before letting me fall to the floor. Why isn't anyone helping me; they're just standing there. One of Jason's friend digs his heel between my shoulders, while Jason kicks my head repeatedly.
"JOSH!" I scream. I know he probably can't hear me, but he'll help if he can. 
"Your 'boyfriend' can't hear you Tyler, don't bother," he said patronisingly.
"Please..." I say quietly, weakly. I regret it immediately.
"I've not finished yet."
He pulls me up by my hair. I flail my arms around trying to get away, but he grabs them with one hand and hold the twists behind my back. It feels like any movement I make the bones in my arms will snap. He elbows me in the stomach. I double over in excruciating pain. I start to feel very faint.
"JOSH HELP ME!" I scream once again. As I am bent over he digs his nails into the back of my neck deeply, nearly piercing the skin. I fall face first into to the floor. My vision begins to blur and I feel blood dripping down my chin and forehead. 
"Well, I think we're done," Jason declares. He  begins walking away. I see Josh sprint around the corner with Brendon, Melanie, Gerard and Frank. Josh stares at me in horror for a moment.
"YOU BASTARD, YOU SICK BASTARD!" Brendon screams at Jason. Josh pushes through the crowd of people standing idle around me.
"Oh my God Tyler! Jesus Christ."
Everyones faces begin go blurry, and the colour fades to black.