How to Save a Life | Joshifer

Chapter 18: Secrets and The Truth Game

I wake up to a knock on the door.

"I'm not in the mood Woody!" I yell into my pillow.

"Well I'm not Woody." says Josh. I look up and see him closing the door behind him.

"Umm hi." I say not knowing what to say. I push my tangled hair back trying to look...presentable? What ever the word is.

"Can I sit?" He asks pointing next to me. I scoot over and pat the mattress. He sits and puts he's head on the frame and closes his eyes. Is he thinking...or sleeping? I don't know. I sit in silence for a few seconds. But it felt like hours.

"Why?" He says plainly. I blink and open my mouth trying to answer. He looks at me with pain in his eyes.

"I'm so sorry." I reply. Even though, it doesn't mean anything to him.

"I told you in confidence...Not to bring it up again." Josh says. It hurts to look into his eyes.

"It just came out. I really didn't mean to. I'm sorry." I say honestly.

"You know what..." He breaths in and out. "I got to go." He gets up and leave. What?! Then why did he come up here! What did we resolve? Nothing. He just came here , got angry, and left. It aggravates me. I get up, to go find him and he's gone.

Woody sits in the kitchen doing the same thing he does every morning.

"So how did it go?" He asks me. At first I am about to tell him what happened and then I hold my tongue.

"You sent him up there?" I say walking cautiously towards Woody.

"Well yeah, he told you right?" Woody says nonchalantly.

"He didn't tell me anything. He came in and stormed out. I don't get him." I say sitting across from Woody. He sighs and puts the newspaper down.

"Look, Jen. He was suppose to tell you. I advised him to right away." He tells me. He pauses and it kills me I just want to know.

"Well? What is it?" I say impatiently.

"He lied to you." Woody sighs. "I'm not a writer for a newspaper column. He made that all up." My mouth drops. What? Why would he lie like that? I'm an idiot because I believed it. Woody just played along.They both screwed me over.

Woody continues, "I'm his therapist. Josh is bipolar and has ADHD. His moods change dramatically. Also, he always need something new in his life and he needs to be doing something constantly. He can't stay still. I've been his therapist for a few years now."

"I'm so confused..." I stutter. "So he lied about wanting to be a journalist? And everything else?"

"No no. He does. But he needs to learn to control himself, before he leaves Union. He wants to leave out of state for college. That's where I come in." Woody explains to me. "But it's been years and he wasn't showing any improvement till now."

"So all these days he comes over...." I begin.

"Therapy." Woody says calmly.

"Then why does he help with your home improvement? If his family pays you?" I'm still so confused.

"His parents can't "afford" supposedly." Woody says shaking his head. Josh's family was middle class. They probably could afford most things but not everything.

"What... Are you some really amazing therapist." I joke around.

"That's why I'm never here." Woody raises his eyebrow and admits. Woody works for Max's dad. Max's dad is very very very wealthy.