Help You

Four

Tyler was alone in his own apartment, as per usual. After leaving Josh's place yesterday afternoon he'd decided to just go home. Now he was sitting on his rug eating a bunch of fruit he'd chopped up and thrown in a bowl and that was breakfast. He added 'go to the grocery store' to his mental to-do list.

Tyler adjusted to sit cross-legged, the rug tickling the back of his legs. There was a couch, a recliner, and at least five wooden chairs he could sit on but he felt like using the floor this morning. His fruit almost gone, he tried to visualize how he would spend the rest of the day. There was plenty of stuff to do: grocery shopping, laundry, and a few other things he couldn't remember.

Might as well get it over with...

With that, Tyler hopped up and placed his bowl in the sink to wash when he came back from the store.

The grocery store was loud and busy and one of Tyler's least favorite places. Too many children were crying, the lines were too long, and there was always that person with well over 15 items in the 15-Items-Or-Less lane. All he needed from the store could fit on a sticky note but he knew he'd be here longer than necessary. He sighed, grabbed a buggy, and wheeled it over to the first items on his list.

Tyler had almost everything he needed when his buggy collided with another, knocking a jar of pasta sauce onto the floor.

"I'm so sorry," a familiar voice gasped. Tyler looked up to see Josh's wide eyes and reddening face.

"Hey bro," Tyler beamed, relieved to see his buddy standing there instead of an angry mom. His smile disappeared as he took in Josh's appearance. Sure, it was normal for him to wear an oversized sweatshirt or his favorite pair of jeans. What stood out to Tyler was the weirdly colored bruise formed around Josh's left eye.

Josh noticed him staring and quickly hid his face with his hand.

"Josh what happened to your face?" Tyler knew the question was a little blunt but he also knew the only way he'd get an answer was if he got straight to the point.

Josh bit his lip, mentally tearing his mind apart for an excuse.

"I fell." Josh regretted the statement as soon as it left his mouth.

Is that the best you can do?

"You... fell?" Tyler could see he was uncomfortable, knowing the lie was a little farfetched.

"I did." There was no way out now, "I fell... on my fist." Josh made a fist and brung it to his eye, as if a visual would convince his best friend that he'd done this to himself.

Tyler's eyes drifted from Josh's face to his fist and back again. "Alright so who did this to you?"

Josh became flustered. Why was Tyler so concerned with a little bruise? "What!? N-No one did this. I said I fell."

Tyler squinted at his companion and crinkled his nose in thought. Abruptly, a frightening thought appeared in his mind and his eyes widened again. "Did... Adam do this to you?"

Josh was twice as flustered now. He crossed his arms over his chest and his face grew two shades redder. "No! How could you say that, Tyler? Adam would never."

Josh's exclamation earned him a few confused and annoyed glances from surrounding costumers. He lowered his voice, "I said I fell. Do you believe me or not?"

"I believe you."

Tyler didn't believe Josh one bit.

"Good," Josh couldn't tell if Tyler truly bought the story he'd told.

I hate lying to him.

The boys were interrupted by an employee holding a trash bin in one hand and paper towels in the other. They both apologized for the mess and moved out of their way.

Tyler was saying something but Josh wasn't listening. He didn't want to be in the store anymore. He could feel practically everyone shamelessly staring at his black eye. He couldn't stand the whispers and the quick shuffling when he noticed people gawking at him like some science project.

Or maybe no one was staring at all. Maybe Tyler was the only one that had taken interest in his wound. Josh couldn't tell. He was so anxious lately, assuming the worst in every situation, and this time was no different. He had to get out.

"Josh are you okay?" Tyler was concerned, "You're shaking pretty bad."

"Uhm," Josh scanned for the least crowded route to the self-checkout and mumbled something like 'gotta go' before promptly leaving Tyler alone with his short shopping list and his long list of questions.

When Tyler got back to his complex, he unloaded his car and began his trek up the stairs to the third floor. He couldn't deny that for a while there'd been this persistent thought in the back of his mind that maybe Josh wasn't okay. Maybe today and yesterday was just the tip of the iceberg. Josh was definitely hiding things, but how many?

Tyler sat one of his bags down to grab his keys from his pocket and open his door. He closed the door behind him with his foot then sat the groceries on the counter.

Josh had been acting strangely since around the time he'd let Adam move in with him. And, earlier? Josh couldn't think Tyler was that stupid. There's no way Josh was so clumsy, he'd fallen just abnormally enough to punch himself in the face.

Tyler recalled Josh's reaction after he accused Adam of giving Josh a golf ball sized bruise on his eye. It was overly dramatic, drawing attention from anyone within earshot. It was obvious that Adam had something to do with this, he just needed to find out what.

Tyler began to put his groceries away to make himself productive but he had a different goal set in his mind.

I just want Josh to be okay.