The Polaroid's on the Wall

Chapter 9: The Savory Type

Cyrus POV:

I'd been sat in Buffy's room for an hour and I had already bitten my nails down to the quick and, as painful as it was, picked at the skin around it. I just have no where to go and even if I did, how would I get there? I'm probably just being ungrateful.

'So then Andi snorted the tater and it was the funniest thing! Jonah was laughing so hard that lemonade came out his nose which only made it worse and...Cyrus!'

I jumped at the sudden raised volume when she spoke my name, 'Sorry, I was listening, that sounds really funny.'

She wasn't convinced and tried to subtly roll her eyes. But I noticed. After checking her nails the sly grin returned to her face, 'Let's talk about the party! Ooo! We can plan our outfits!' Buffy jumped to her feet and ran to her closet, tossing various things onto the floor.

'Buffy, can we not talk about the party for one second?' I asked, 'I've already said I don't want to go,'

She whipped around to face me with a twisted glare, 'Cyrus! Why do you always do this?'

'Do what?'

'Make excuses! You have to go!'

As much as I tried to prevent it, tears blurred my eyes, 'Wh-Why?'

'Because we're hosting it!' She threw up her arms and sighed, 'You never hang out with us anymore Cyrus, we just wanted to do this as an us thing, the four of us,'

Her words made me feel guilty though I didn't know why, it's not like I've been avoiding them, I basically spend every second of my life with them and as soon as I spend any time with anyone else it's a crime or something. 'I know Buffy but...you know I'm not good with this sort of thing,'

She sighed again, sitting down beside me and pulling me into a hug, 'I know but maybe this time will be different? You can choose the colour of your flower crown!' She offered, still not understanding me as usual.

I attempted the best fake smile I could conjure up at that point and pretended to enjoy that idea, 'That makes it a little better,'

Buffy nodded and went back to her closet and continued pulling out things to show me where I, again, pretended to be interested.

****

The next day after school, I managed to escape the clutches of my three friends and get to TJ's house without them finding me. As we would usually do, we sat on his bed listening to various records and just talked about random things. I loved it, I felt like I was actually being listened to. Unlike how I feel with Andi, Buffy and Jonah. Invisible.

'What's the frown for?' TJ pouted, 'I don't like seeing my muffin sad,'

I blushed a little and looked away, 'Cool it with the nicknames,'

'It made you smile didn't it?'

That was true as my already pretty big smile after the first sentence widened, 'Yeah...'

He chuckled, 'But seriously, tell me what's up,'

I froze up a little, 'Do I ummm...have to?'

TJ's eyes widened immediately, 'No no no that's not what I meant, I'm sorry I just...I want to help,'

I smiled again a little, 'Thanks but I just don't want to talk about it,'

'That's ok,' TJ nodded, getting up to change the finished record.

Andi and Buffy used to say that to me all the time 'Tell me this' or 'Tell me that' But Of course, TJ isn't like them. I know that. He really was just trying to help, I didn't mean to worry him.