SKY BOY ; JOSHLER

five

the day after his therapy session, tyler is back in school. he missed a week recovering from the crash and now that the doctor has given him the all clear he'll be returning to class.
tyler isn't really worried about going back to school, he's mainly concerned that people will ask him what happened. news of josh's 'death' had spread quickly, there was even a news article published a few days ago. but the idea of someone who hadn't heard the news asking him about where he's been sent him almost into a panic.
tyler decides to tell them he was sick.

tyler lays awake for hours until he heard his alarm clock go off. he's been staring at the ceiling since 4 o'clock this morning, worrying his socks off.
he sits up slowly, his grey sheets pool around his hips and the light through the window causes a calming blue to spread across his collar bones.

tyler runs a smooth hand through his hair, tugging slightly on the roots like josh used to do when they layed next to each other on the couch.
at the thought of josh, tyler smiles and lifts a hand to the light coming through the window.

"i wish i could feel you again josh," tyler says, a sad smile on his face. he drops his hand to his lap, the soft thud of his arm filling the room.
with a sigh, tyler stands and gets ready for school.

fully dressed, tyler heads downstairs, where his mother is waiting with breakfast.
tyler feels nauseous at the idea of eating so early, but he eats some so he doesn't make his mom feel bad.
tyler used to ride the bus to school every morning, but he doesn't think anyone would be to happy with how long it takes him to get in.
tyler decides to ride his bike.

the garage is grey and stuffy. dust covers almost every surface and floats softly through the sunlight that streams through the small window. it's a miracle tyler doesn't break his ankle, stepping over this and that, walking through the tripping death trap that is his garage.
with a final step over a fallen broom and a cardboard box filled with things from their move (three years ago), tyler reaches his bike.
he yanks it free of the clutter and pulls it to the open garage door. his helmet is nowhere to be found, probably buried deep within the piles of junk.

tyler straddles his bike, it's smaller than he remembers and one tire is slightly flat, but it's better than riding the bus. he kicks off and leaves the garage door open, in order for someone to steal something they'd have to go through the mess first, and who would want to do that?

the school isn't very far from tyler's house, but he finds himself taking the long way to avoid talking with his peers.
the building looms over him as he finally steps off of his bike. it looks taller than it ever has in his four years of coming here.

immediately tyler can feel the eyes staring at him and can hear the whispers of his name amongst mumbled conversation.
with his head down, tyler walks to the entrance of the school, hoping no one comes up to him at least before first period.

class starts in ten minutes, which is longer than tyler would've liked, but at least he isn't here as early as he usually is.
tyler speed walks to his first class, only glancing up occasionally to make sure he doesn't run in to anyone.
there are very few people in the classroom when he opens the heavy wooden door, and he slides into his seat in silence.

suddenly, tyler is grateful for the emails the school has been sending him to keep him up to speed on his assignments. he can't think of anything worse than returning to school after the crash and having no idea what's going on.

as the clock ticks on, people slowly fill the classroom. tyler shrinks back into his seat every time someone looks at him with wide eyes, until he feels so small he's afraid he'll slip through the open space in the back of the chair.
after what feels like a lifetime, the bell to signal class finally starts. the seat next to him remains empty and tyler sighs in relief, slowly letting himself relax.

"good morning class! welcome back from your long weekend, i hope you spent it wisely." the teacher starts. tyler always hated math but he's thankful for anything to distract him from the eyes burning the back of his head.
the class drags on and for the first time he really pays attention. he never realized how small this classroom is, it's walls becoming closer with every minute that passes until it's only tyler trapped in a box. the teacher's voice sounds so far away, muddled and underwater. he does his best to pay attention and ends up with a few notes scribbled on his paper about the next test.
class is almost over but it feels as if he's only been sitting here for a few moments, not nearly the lifetime this class usually seems to take.

the bell rings and times seems to be moving in fast forward around him as he packs his back as slow as a statue. he stands in slow motion and exits the classroom with steps slower than a turtle might take.
when he steps into the hallway he seems to catch up to everything, the sounds of conversations echo and then ring in his ears.
tyler takes a shuddering breath and hurried to his next class.

the day drones on, tyler feeling lost but familiar at the same time. no one comes to talk to him for the first few classes, but as he sits alone at lunch a figure makes itself known in front of the table.
he glances up to see brendon, his friend of many years, although tyler hasn't spoken to him since before the crash.

"h-hey ty, how are you feeling? it must be hard coming back to school," he says, rubbing the back of his neck.
tyler simply shrugs, a small 'i guess' falls from his lips, the letters landing tangled in a pile on the table below him. 
"you can talk to me whenever okay?" brendon says, slowly stepping away from the table. tyler nods and he backs away farther. "i'm gunna head back. i'll see you later ty." And with that he's gone.

maybe that's the trick to getting people to stay distant, telling them what they want to hear.
tyler decides to try it.