[COMPLETED | RE-WRITE OF ORIGINAL !!!]
aka the one in which Tyler's failed suicide attempt lands him in rehab where he meets Josh; an unreadable boy who changes his hair colour everyday, and maybe, just maybe, he's exactly what Tyler needs.
cover a...
tw: discussion about regret (linked to suicide/suicide attempts).
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Tyler's first day at the facility started with his first group therapy session. It was painful to say the least.
A group of eight patients (including Tyler) sat around in a circle while a bearded man in a Slip Knot shirt called Adam tried to egg on a conversation about regret. Or at least that's what Tyler had thought he heard before he tuned him out as usual.
Tyler had pretended not to notice that Josh had sat directly opposite him when he'd arrived. He pretended even harder not to notice that Josh kept looking at him as he stared at his lap. Taking occasional risked glances, only to almost make eye contact and immediately look down again, blushing a little. Today Josh's hair was a dirty orange –most likely because the green hadn't fully washed out- but it reminded Tyler of autumn and pumpkins and Halloween, taking his younger siblings trick-or-treating, the memories made his chest fuzzy. He wondered if orange was a good colour for Josh, but the blank, almost bored expression on his face didn't seem to imply that.
Tyler shifted uncomfortably in the collapsible chairs they made everyone sit on. He tuned in the conversation but immediately regretted it.
"I regret not locking the door." One girl said slowly from the other side of the circle. Being stabbed would hurt less than this.
"I regret that it was my mom who found me." That line felt like being stabbed to Tyler, it brought back the sound of his mom's voice calling his name in horror and made his scars itch, he tried to rub them through the tight bandages discretely.
There was an audible sigh from across the room that made everyone look up, Josh was sat back, chair creaking as he draped his arm over the back of it, scrubbing a hand down his face.
"Josh what about you? I'm sure there are things you regret." Adam said staring Josh down, obviously annoyed but not surprised by Josh's interruption.
"Nope." Josh replied popping the 'p' sound almost mockingly. Everyone else in the circle simply kept their head down, one person stifled a laugh.
"Really? Nothing at all?" Adam pressed, eyebrows raised. He was met, however, with silence. "What about guilt then?"
The rest of the circle shifted uncomfortably looking anywhere but at Josh or Adam, but Tyler's eyes remained transfixed on the boy with orange hair and piercing brown eyes. Waiting to see what he would say or do next.
"No." He replied, somewhat firmer this time. The shaking in his hands gave him away though, told everyone who looked at him that it was all an act. There was some orange dye around the bottom of his palms and under his nails from putting it on that morning Tyler stared transfixed.
