Mr. Misty-Eyed | Josh Dun

reality | fifty

"Gangsters don't cry,
Therefore, therefore I'm,
Mr. Misty-eyed, therefore I'm."

. . . . .

The floorboards creaked and echoed through the vacant space as I stepped into Tyler's room. My eyes scanned over it, the off-white walls bare and the bed that used to be in the center of the room gone along with the rest of my best friend's belongings.

"Is there anything else?" Tyler spoke as he entered the room a moment later.

I glanced toward the last cardboard box left on the floor and shook my head. "This is it."

"Look at us, man." Tyler wrapped an arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his side as he gestured toward the emptiness of the room. "All grown up, moving in with our respective others."

I shook my head at his nostalgic disposition, but still I could feel the slight ping of sadness in my heart. Tyler would no longer be living here. This room could now be shaped into anything. There were so many possibilities of what Bryce and I could fill this space with.

I chuckled at him as I played along with his antics, trying to keep the mood light. "I know! It sucks how long it'll be till we see each other next."

Tyler pulled away from me with a dramatic sigh, shifting his gaze around the room as we stood in silence for a brief moment. "So we're still on for band practice tomorrow?"

I grinned over at my best friend and nodded, taking a few steps before reaching down to pick up the last box that was left and then turned back around to face him again. "I'll be the one behind the drum set."

Tyler laughed happily as I made my way toward him. I continued to smile at the thought that even though we would no longer be living together and our lives were starting to change, there was still one constant that we would always share. Our music.

"That's the only way I'd have it!" Tyler clapped me on the back as we stepped out of the room, closing the door behind us without a second look.

I followed after my friend down the hallway, glancing into my room with a smile as a few of Bryce's things had been left out on the bed to be put away in the closet later. I hurried down the steps, Tyler waiting at the bottom to take the box from me. Johnny stepped into the house with a cardboard box in his hands, Tyler making a point to nudge him playfully with his hip as they past by each other. Johnny set the box down next to all of the other stuff Bryce had planned to move in that day before he came to stand next to me.

I looked down at the boy who looked as though he had grown a few inches without me even realizing it. I placed a hand on his head and ruffled his brown curls as he turned to look up at me.

"I'm so glad you and Bryce found each other." His words sounded so sincere, it made my heart hurt.

"I blame you for that." I removed my hand from his head and patted his shoulder as I smiled down at him. "If you hadn't shown up that day, Bryce would probably still be yelling at me to stop playing my drums so loudly."

Johnny's laugh erupted at my words and I soon joined him, still wondering how different things would be if he hadn't walked into the garage that day and asked about my drums.

"And now since Auntie B will be here all the time, I'll be able to come over too!" He grinned excitedly, his eyes bright as he thought about his own future plans.

"We'll have an extra room now so we can make more forts and have all the sleepovers you want, bud," I responded with a big smile.

Johnny wrapped his arms around my waist in a tight and unexpected hug, burying his face into my side. I gave him a tight squeeze as Bryce walked in with another box and set it on the ground near the others just outside the living room.