Behavioural Tutor

17 // Brothers

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT, PHIL!?!?" Techno angrily stormed after Tommy, leaving the room in an awkward silence.

Bad looked up at the senior. "You really fucked up, Phil."

"ME!?! Tommy's the one who caused this! He's the nuisance!" Bad glared at Phil.

"Phil I swear-"

"TOMMY'S RUN OFF!" Techno came rushing back into the room. "He could be anywhere by now."

"Techno, calm down. I'm sure he's around here somewhere. He just needs some space, okay?" Bad had never given therapy to someone older than himself before, so he didn't quite know how to comfort Techno, especially since he himself was internally freaking out.

Bad knew better than anyone that Tommy was not in a good place mentally. Well - he had thought Phil knew better than him...  Bad won't make that mistake again.

Techno looked at the therapist , before sighing. "I'm going to go and find Wilbur. And Phil - you better hope for your sake that Tommy's fine."

Phil raised an eyebrow but said nothing. He watched Techno storm out of the office, fists firmly clenched.

The pink haired man stormed through the hallways. Before he looked for Tommy, he had to find his brother. What was the time? He looked at the fancy gold watch sitting on his wrist - 3:30. Wilbur had... music now.

He darted off in the direction of the music block, not bothering to follow the 'no running in the halls' rule. He needed his best friend. His comfort. After what felt like an eternity, he arrived at the modern-looking, three-story-high, glass structure. The school's art department. You could find everything artsy and creative in there: film studies to architecture; make-up to drama; sculpture to dance. Their arts department contained all types of art (not just the traditional pen and paper stuff).

Techno raced towards the lift, clicking the second button. Up we go, he thought to himself. Ding. The lift doors slowly opened, bringing him out of his daze. He looked to his left, where the even numbered doors were situated.

Two... Four... Six!

There! He hurriedly opened door number six, to see the brunette happily strumming away at his guitar. There. That was his comfort. Techno let out a sigh, and leaned on the doorframe, while listening to whom he considered a brother strum his guitar. Wilbur had his back to the door, so didn't see Techno come in.

The two boys sat there, neither really focused on the other's presence, just allowing the music to wash over them. Wilbur didn't have any lyrics yet, but the chords were enough to almost completely calm Techno's nerves.

Key word: almost.

"Wilbur..." Although his voice was soft and comforting, it made Wilbur jump all the same.

"What is it Techno?" He was quick to put away his guitar, and offer a chair out for Techno.

"I-I don't know what to do!" Techno let a lone tear roll down his face. Techno never cried. Ever. Not even when there was that school lockdown in year one, and the whole class was crying. Techno was the only one staying calm; even when their teacher started sobbing. Turned out it was a false alarm... much to everyone's embarrassment. So why now?

Wilbur didn't know what to say, or do. He simply sat there, awkwardly patting his friends back, knowing he probably shouldn't hug him considering Techno didn't like human contact. He cleared his thought slightly, as a prompt for his friend to go on.

"Wilbur... I just don't know what to do anymore." Another silence filled the room.

"What's all this about? Techno, this is some serious shit if you're crying your eyeballs out."

"Wilbur... I-I can't tell you."

Uhm... sorry what? Techno and Will had been friends for as long as either could remember, and Techno couldn't tell him!?!? What kind of relationship was this!?

"Techno! Buddy... come on! I'm practically your brother. You can tell me anything - please." Wilbur's voice broke a bit on the last word. He needed Techno. What kind of friendship was this, if he couldn't say what had him so upset.

"I- I can't. At least not right now. Not until this is over and dealt with." WHAT!?

"Techno... you're having a fucking breakdown in my practise room - and you can't even tell me what has you so distressed!?" Techno just looked down at the floor, with a look of remorse? Regret? Or was it sympathy? "Techno... Techno say something!"

The pink haired student stood up, and slowly walked towards the open door. "Techno you can't be serious!? You can't just come in here, disturb by practise, fucking bawl your eyes out, and leave without telling me what's wrong! We're brothers, Techno - we tell each other everything." Wilbur stood up and clung onto Techno's wrist.

"... this is different" with those three simple words, Techno ripped his hand out Wilbur's despite grasp, and left the room.

With those three simple words, he had completely flipped Wilbur's life upside down.

With those three simple words, Wilbur collapsed onto the ground, head in his hands.

Techno... abandoned him. What for? Who for? What was this issue that Techno prioritised over his own brother?