Down In The Forest

Chapter 13

Tyler's P.O.V.

"What're you looking at?" Josh asks. I realise I had zoned out and ended up staring at him.

"Oh, nothing." I reply, embarrassed. For some reason, I didn't stop staring when I realised I was staring. This was probably creeping him out though so I stops.  

"We should probably go now." Josh says, slightly unsettled.

"Yeah, yeah... That would be a good idea." I reply, as awkwardly as possible. I'm such an idiot. Why can't I be normal around people? It's not difficult... At least it shouldn't be. 

"Are you OK?" He asks. You know you're being weird when someone asks if your OK.

"Yeah I'm fine. Let's go." I answer quickly. Too quickly. I walk towards the door quickly.

"OK..." Josh follows me and we walk in silence.

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Breakfast was pretty awkward: silence pierced by occasional conversation. Today we get to choose our groups for the activities, which was cool. I just have to hold off creeping Josh out anymore. We're supposed to be visiting this castle somewhere today. Sound kinda boring but oh well. We get on the coach to go there. I sit by the window and Josh sits next to me.  

"You know apparently it takes longer to drive to the castle than it does to drive from school to here." Josh says.

"Really? What's the point?"

"I don't know," he says. I stare out of the window, admiring the scenery. 

"We only have three days left," I say out of nowhere. Josh looks confused.

"We've still got a while."

"Yeah but tomorrow it'll be two days, then it'll be the last day. It's going to come eventually. It's weird, no matter how far away in time something may seem, it always happens eventually... like death." *slow clap* congratulations Tyler. Way to not be creepy. He smiles though, despite the darkness of my comment.

"You're in too deep Tyler."

"Sorry." I find myself smiling as well. "I just say stuff like that sometimes. It creeps people out, even my therap..." 

"Therapist?" He asks looking concerned. Well I let that one slip WAY too easily. I begin to panic trying to think of an excuse.

"Yeah... for the anxiety..." Actually, it's for the spiralling dysthymia that gradually getting worse. Much worse, but he didn't need to know. 

"Right...well...you know, talk to me if you need any help, OK?"

"Yeah I know." The thing about Josh is that he knows how it feels to have anxiety. He doesn't have to pretend to understand unlike most people, including my therapist since I'm pretty sure her head is completely fine. 

"I'll only charge $100 per minute so I'm pretty cheap," he jokes.

"Good value. I would, but since I could barely afford to be here now, I'm not sure I can afford your advice."

"Fine, $90."

"Doubt it."

"Come on, $50?"

"Sorry, no." 

"Fine, because it's you I'll do it for free." 

"Aw thanks."

"In all seriousness though... I don't know everything that's going through your head, but I think I know at least a bit of it all too well. So... we can help each other with this stuff."