Before the Madness

Chapter 2

I unlock my apartment and walk in, I should take my medicine soon. I walk over and plop on the couch, suddenly realizing how tired I am, do I really need to take my medicine before I fall asleep? I probably should I think as I close my eyes and drift off to sleep.

I'm woken up by a loud crashing noise somewhere outside my room, maybe the neighbors are drunk again. I hear a woman scream at the top of her lungs, it's a blood curtailing scream for help.
I sit up and quickly open my apartment door to see a man pinning a woman to the wall covering her mouth and holding a knife to her throat. She sees me but he doesn't. I grab my shoe and run up behind him, hitting him in the back of the head. It doesn't knock him out like I was hoping it would.
He whips around and let's go of her, his full attention now on me, shit. I punch him in the throat, always go for the throat, they'll be more focused on breathing than you. I kick him in the side of the head knocking him out, I look over to see the girl sitting on the ground crying and holding her neck.
"Are you alright?" I ask as I kneel beside her to look at her neck.
"Y-yes, thank you." She suddenly wraps her arms around me, I tense up, not being used to hugs, slowly I wrap my arms around her.
"Come on I'll get you a bandaid." I lead her into my apartment, she sits on the couch while I walk to the bathroom to grab a bandaid. I open the cupboard and see I only have a box of Spider-Man bandaids. Shit. She's gonna think I'm a child.
I grab one a walk out to her. "Here you go," I mumble while handing it to her "I only have Spider-Man ones." I can feel the heat rising to my cheeks. She just laughs and puts it on.
"What's your name?" She asks, looking up at me.
"I'm umm Timothy." I try my best not to sound awkward but it doesn't work. It never does.
"I'm Eliza." She smiles, she has a nice smile. "I should get going, thank you again Timothy."
"No problem." I smile back, talking to people is hard, but she seems pretty nice.
I make sure she gets to her apartment safe and then I go into my room, falling into a nice dreamless sleep.

Two weeks have passed and I haven't heard from Brian, it's finals time so I wouldn't expect him to be wanting to hang out but I can't help but feel disappointed. I actually just got done taking my last final, now I get a few months off which I'll probably spend in and out of the hospital like I always do when I'm left by myself for too long.
I suddenly feel my phone vibrate in my pocket, I check it and see Brian texted me an hour ago, I had my phone off because we were taking a test so I open the message. It says he wants to hang out again! I feel so happy but I don't know why, I've seen him once but for some reason I'm very attached already. I text back, telling him I'll meet wherever. Eventually we decide on going to him and Alex's apartment for pizza and a movie. I hope Alex isn't there.

After finally making myself look semi-sane I head to their house, walking as usual. I took my medicine before I left so I should be good for a while.
I knock on the door and Alex opens, he looks like he was expecting someone, obviously not be because he seems disappointed.
"Oh, hey Tim, Brian's in his room, just sit on the couch." He doesn't seem angry, just disappointed, at least he doesn't hate me.
"Tim!" The sound of Brian's voice breaks me out of my thoughts and I smile at him.
"Hey man, you excited for pizza?" I ask, smiling like an idiot. He doesn't seem to notice though.
"Yep, we just have to wait for Amy," he smirks, looking at Alex, "isn't that right Alex?" I can see the blood rise in Alex's cheeks, that must be who he was expecting.
"Shut it." He glares at Brian, trying to suppress a smile.

About an hour later the pizza and Amy get here, I'm so excited, it's like I'm a regular college guy, doing things with my normal friends. I could get used to this.
Brian sits beside me then Alex and Amy sit on the other end, we're all kinda squished together but no one minds. I can't help but notice every part of Brian that's touching me, I mean, we're friends and this isn't weird or making me really red at all. I'm thankful that the room is dark or he'd notice.
About an hour into the movie my eyelids start to get heavy, don't fall asleep Tim don't do it. I can't help it, I'm so exhausted from finals that I lay my head in Brian's shoulder and instantly fall asleep.
I wake up with a pair of arms around me, where am I, who's arms are these? My mind is racing until I look up and see Brian's sleeping face, he looks nice. I should leave, I don't want him to get weirded out...but he's so warm. I'll just close my eyes for a few minutes and then I'll leave.
I'm woken up to the sun in my eyes, shit. I try to roll over but a pair of arms stops me from moving, Brian. What do I do, he's going to hate me, I shouldn't have tried to make friends. I feel Brian shift and stretch, he notices me and goes silent. Oh no he hates me now, I feel his arms wrap back around me and he falls back asleep, why isn't he angry, he should hate me.
I hear someone walk into the kitchen and look into the living room.
"Hey Bri-..." they cut themself off and try not to laugh. "Wow way to 'take it slow' Brian." He laughs to himself and walks away, it's obviously Alex, I wonder what he meant. I close my eyes and drift back off into sleep.
I'm finally woken up when I feel Brian pull his arms away and get off the couch, I'm kinda sad he left cause now I'm cold. I hear his bones crack and pop and he stretches.
I rub my eyes and look up at him, he laughs at me, oh god what did I do.
"Dude, your hair!" He continues to laugh and I feel my face heat up. I always have really bad bed head.
"Heh yea, I have really bad bed hair when I first wake up." I smile nervously and rub the back of my neck, embarrassed he's laughing at me.
I hear Amy walk out of what I assume is Alex's bedroom. I didn't really get to talk to her last night.
"Oh, good morning." she looks away shyly, she's even worse with people than me, it's kinda relieving.
"Mornin' Amy," Brian responds, "is Alex awake, I wanted to go get some breakfast."
"No he's still asleep, he probably won't be up for a while." she picks at the hem of her shirt nervously.
I'm suddenly filled with dread, I don't have my medicine, what if Brian realizes that I'm crazy and hates me.
"Welp I guess it's just us Tim." Brian states, smiling at me. "I'll go get changed, you can borrow a clean shirt then we'll head out." He walks into his room, changes and walks out holding a T-shirt and hoodie for me to wear.
I mumble a 'thanks' and head to the restroom to change. The shirt is just plain black and the hoodie is a bright yellow, I put them on and feel happy, it's like I'm normal with a real friend.
We get into Brian's car and start to drive around town while talking about stupid meaningless things.
"Oh whatever Tim, you're such a ladies' man." Brian states, trying not to laugh.
"Oh definitely, the girls at my high school were alllll over me." I laugh after I say that, I've had one 'girlfriend' and it was in second grade.
"You ever had a girlfriend?" I ask Brian, of course he does or has, look at him, he's a hunk. I mean that in the most heterosexual way possible. I notice him go tense.
"Well...umm, I've never really wanted one. I tilt my head.
"Why? Girls would be all over you." He doesn't make eye contact with me.
"Well...I'm gay."

A/N
Plot twist that everyone saw coming, sorry I took so long to post this, we're getting ready for finals at school again. Yay. So it's a little shorter than the last chapter but once we start summer break I'll write my heart out. By the way the amazing Brim art is done by @bees.doodles on Instagram.