When the Day Met the Night {RYDEN}

Chapter 2: A Better Place

***Trigger warning - self harm***

POV: Brendon

Brendon wanted to get to know this kid. He didnt even know his name but... he knew he was sad and thats enough to make him want to help him. Brendon was the kind of person to do whatever is in his power to help someone, to improve their life by at least a little bit if at all possible. And he figured this kid would be someone he could help. He wanted to make his day better but to do that he needed to be able to talk to the kid. He wasnt sitting behind the school where he had seen him so many days before. If only he had just gone to say hi to him any time before that day maybe he would have responded differently.

Brendon decided to look for him. He had seen him in class and so he knew he had been at school that day, and since he always had stayed after school for at least a little while every day he knew he still had to be around somewhere.

He walked down the road behind the school to an old little park that was concealed partially by trees. There werent many very 'hidden' places near this school other than that little playground area. There were different sets spread out, actually. When you first walked up the path you were greeted by a pavilion and then a set of swings to the left of it with a small plaground set in between. Past the pavilion was another larger play set and past that was more swings.

Brendon jumped up onto the first playset. It had a small tunnel between two platforms, slides on either end. He was pretty tall to be on something made for children and so it didnt take much effort to jump on and off without using the stairs.

He jumped off of there and went on to the bigger one. There were actually places to hide up there - a tunnel slide and two other large tunnels connecting the platforms. This one was taller as well, and so he skipped up the little stairs to peek inside of the first tunnel. He didnt see him, but he heard his voice from the other.

"Why the hell are you here?"

"What, am i not allowed to pretend to be a child again?"

"Were you looking for me?" He questioned, not moving from his place in the tunnel. "Because i dont want anything to do with anyone right now. I came here so i wouldnt be found but obviously that didnt work."

"Sorry if i just wanted to ask your name, kid."

"First of all Brendon, were in the same grade. Second of all, is that really the only thing you came for?"

"Pretty much. So what is it?"

"None of your business."

"Well, you obviously know my name, why isnt yours any of my business?"

"Because its not like your ever gonna talk to me so it wont even matter."

"Listen, kid. Either you tell me your name or i make one up for you. And who says im never gonna talk to you anyways?"

"The fact that youre popular and im just the butt of everyones jokes and the target of bullying. According to human nature someone like me has no right to be friends with someone like you."

"How about we just forget about those stupid social statuses and you tell me your name before i make something up myself because i will do that."

"I dont fucking care if you'll just leave me alone."

"So you wouldnt mind if i called you 'honey'?"

Ryan just glared at the other boy.

"Ill take that as a-"

"Ryan." He said quickly, turning away.

"Ryan? Really? Why is that so hard for you to tell me?"

"Well maybe i just dont like sharing my name. Now will you please just leave?"

"Fine." Brendon replied, happy that he finally learned the other boy's name. He jumped back off of the platform and began to walk away, looking back every once in a while until the playground could no longer be seen.

***

POV: Ryan

Ryan ran a hand through his hair, trying to calm the static the tunnel created. It didn't work, but he decided he needed to leave anyways. If he stayed out any longer his dad would be really mad... He was probably wondering where he was at this very second.

He slipped out of the tunnel and jumped off of the platform, walking past the swings and to he path back behind the park leading into the woods. He always used this path as a shortcut - it was a long path through the woods but it was a hidden path that pretty much led right into his backyard. Plus it was much shorter than going from the main road.

He walked quietly into the back door of his house that led into the kitchen and found a note left in his father's chicken scratch handwriting on the kitchen table.

I had to work the late shift. Don't do anything stupid.

He left his shoes and backpack by the door and went up to his room, closing and locking the door like he did every day.

He walked over to his desk and opened the top drawer. He wasnt doing something stupid. Something stupid to his father was making a mess of the kitchen while trying to cook. Something stupid to his father was inviting friends over - like he had any. What he was doing what was his father always told him to do.

"Why don't you just go cut yourself?"

"Why don't you leave me the fuck alone and slit your wrists again?"

"Why won't you just go die?"

From the drawer he grabbed his broken pencil sharpener and took out the blade. He pulled up his sleeve, trying to find a place on his arm that didn't already have a scar. He had been doing this for far too long, but he couldn't stop. He couldn't stop doing the one thing his father ever told him to do. He knew he was probably slowly killing himself, but he didn't care. Its the only thing anyone ever wanted from him.

***

Yep this is depressing... *cough*

Mkay byeee