choke ↣ joshler ✓

41. Unsafe

Warning for mentions and threatening of suicide

Tyler was sitting in his bed, watching Netflix on his laptop, when it happened. It was Sunday night and the two hadn't gone to church that day. Chris stayed home to rest but neither of them could bare to be in that building after what happened to Jenna.

His dad walked in with the most worried look on his face Tyler has ever seen. And it made him start to panic. "Dad?" Tyler asked, closing his laptop lid and setting it down next to him. "What's wrong?"

"I don't wanna tell ya," Chris sighed. "You're goin' hate me."

"What?" Tyler pressed.

"A kid from your school went missin'. We think he ran away but I sure as hell don' even know what day of the week it is anymore," he said exhaustedly.

"Who was it?"

"His name was Gerard Way."

Tyler looked up at this dad, hoping he looked scared. He wasn't scared. He was happy Gerard was gone. And hell, at this point, he would've been happy if the asshole was dead too. "Why do you think he ran away?" Tyler asked calmly.

"Half of his shit was gone 'nd so was a suitcase. His mom said he was all screwed up after what happened with that Frank kid 'nd he probably could' handle stayin' here anymore. I don' blame him."

Tyler ignored the disappointment that filled his body when he found out it was looking like he did actually run away. "Oh..." he paused. "Wait why would I hate you?"

Chris took a deep breath. "Since we don' know if he actually ran away, we're lookin' at this like it might be a cover up. We reanalyzed Frank's suicide and it looked almost forced. We think that was a cover up too."

Tyler froze. That's what scared him; the thought of someone killing him and hiding that it was a murder. No one would ever find his killer. "Okay..." he trailed off, gesturing for his dad to finish. "So..."

"We're movin'. I don' even feel safe 'ere myself let alone feel like you're safe. Too many kids your age have been killed or reported missin'. I can' risk it."

Tyler felt his world stop. He couldn't be taken away from Josh. He couldn't. He firmly believed he would go completely insane if he had to leave Josh. "No," Tyler whispered out, shaking his head. "No, Dad. I... I can't. I can't leave. This is the first place that actually feels like a home. I know it's only been three months but I truly feel like I belong here. You can't take me away from my happiness. You can't," he let out a sob, not even realizing he was crying until then.

"Bud, I'm sorry," Chris said sincerely. "But this is for your safety. Maybe when they catch the killer we can come back 'nd settle down 'ere."

"No, please," he begged. "Please. If we leave I'm gonna go off the deep end. I won't be able to handle it."

Tears gathered in Chris's eyes upon seeing Tyler's distressed state. He swallowed before speaking. "I'm sorry, Ty. This is what I have ta do as your father."

Tyler looked his father with a psychotic look in his eye. "If you make us leave I'll fucking kill myself. I'll steal your gun when you're sleeping and blow my brains out. I swear to God I will."

The look on Chris's face went from sympathetic to stern in the blink of an eye. He walked over to Tyler and bent down so he was at the 16 year old's height while he sat on his bed. "Months ago ya never would have even thought about sayin' that. This is why we need ta leave. I know the only reason you're sayin' it now is for attention. If I ever catch those words leavin' your mouth again I'll lock your ass up in a looney bin. Do ya understand me?"

Tyler glared at his father, not responding. Chris took that as comprehension and got back up before walking back over to the door. "You're not goin' ta school tomorrow. If I have ta lock ya in here myself I will. Ya are not ta leave. I mean it," he paused. "I accepted a job in New York last night. We're lookin' at being outta here end of next week," he added before leaving and shutting the door.

Tyler sat there in disbelief. He couldn't understand why this was happening to him of all people.

His eyes caught his alarm clock and saw it was a little before nine. He could wait an hour until his father went to bed.

At 10:15 he put his shoes and coat on before slipping out the window and walking to Josh's just like the time before.

When he approached his boyfriend's house and knocked on the door, however, Josh answered this time instead of Jordan. As soon as the door opened and Tyler saw the pink haired, he fell into his arms and cried. "Jesus, Ty, what's wrong?" Josh pulled him into the house and shut the door so they weren't out in the cold.

Tyler just kept sobbing into his chest, feeling all the emotions he'd been burying the past couple months hitting him in waves. All the guilt, sadness, anger, and even craziness was flooding his body and the only way he could try and swim above those feelings was by pouring them out onto Josh's shirt.

They stayed like that for a few minutes and Tyler eventually calmed down but didn't let go of Josh. He was about to speak before they were interrupted by a voice. "Josh? Is everythin'—oh."

Tyler looked over and through his blurred vision he saw Josh's sister Ashley staring at them worriedly. "It's fine, go back upstairs," Josh assured. Ashley nodded and offered Tyler a smile before leaving.

"I'm sorry," Tyler mumbled into Josh's chest.

"Don' be," he replied. "What's up?"

Tyler lip quivered and he bit it so he didn't wind up in hysterics again. "I'm moving."

Josh tensed against Tyler and the younger pulled back to look at him. "No."

"Yeah," Tyler nodded, the tears filling his eyes again. "My dad said it wasn't safe here. He accepted a job in New York. Apparently we're leaving end up next week."

"Ya can'," Josh's eyes widened and his grip on Tyler tightened. "Ya can' leave me."

"I don't want to," the crying turned into bawling and he wrapped his arms around Josh again. "I can't handle leaving you. I told my dad I'd kill myself if we left."

Josh tightened the hug. "What did he say?"

"He called bullshit. He doesn't believe me. He said I was saying it for attention. I firmly believe I'd fly off the handle if I was all by myself again," he paused. "I'm not allowed to go to school tomorrow either. Can't leave the house."

Josh sighed. "What are we goin' do?" He asked quietly.

"I don't know."