Something -Twenty One Pilots AU

sixteen

I tried to kill myself one week ago.

I returned home three days after flat-lining and getting shocked back into existence.

One month and three weeks since Tyler left me. He left me. But he didn't, ironically, at the same time.

People were careful around me, trying to avoid setting me off into an emotional whirlwind.

I didn't go to school. I didn't want.

I didn't even want to look in the mirror.

But I did anyways.

The bruises around my neck still looked gnarly, so bad it made me sick to my stomach.

Black and purple and green and blue creeped underneath my jaw and down my neck.

My eyes were sunken and bloodshot with large bags underneath them.

My hair, a frizzy mess, remained unbrushed and unwashed.

I hated who I was, crying myself to sleep, wishing I could see Tyler.

I wanted to call for him... so so so bad. But I didn't want to be a burden.

My head snapped up when the door creaked open, making my neck hurt even more.

It was my mother.

"Thea, honey, how are you feeling?" She meandered in, her dark curls pulled up into a bun. She was carrying a tray with a bowl of Cheerios and a cup of chocolate milk.

I only managed to spit out a mumbled, "alright."

She sat down next to me on my bed and grabbed the old hairbrush from my nightstand.

I guzzled my chocolate milk as she raked the brush through my ratted hair. From the many knots, I was frequently whimpering in pain.

"Do you want to talk about it, Thea?" she asked when she finished brushing my hair.

"I don't know yet, Mom... I don't know," I mumbled and dipped the spoon into my semi-soggy Cheerios.

"That's fine if you don't want to," she said, offering a small smile. "Perfectly fine."

Then something popped into my head. The words were rolling off my tongue before I could stop them.

"I saw Tyler. I talked to him, Mom," I whispered.

My mom grew pale and whispered back, "What? You what?"

I looked into her eyes, full of sadness and fatigue. "I saw Tyler. We talked for so long. I didn't want to leave; it was just so perfect there. I don't know where we were, but it was so still and peaceful. White."

Mom looked down at her hands before covering her eyes with them, "Oh, Thea..."

I frowned and sat my bowl back down on the tray.

"Are you sure you saw him?" She asked me, grabbing my hands with hers.

"I know I did. There's no mistaking it."

She grumbled and stood up.

"You believe me right?" I asked. Tears were starting to form in my eyes.

She didn't say anything. She just stood up. And left.