Mr. Misty-Eyed | Josh Dun

reality | thirty-eight

"I will make you queen of everything you see,
I'll put you on the map,
I'll cure you of disease."

. . . . .

Goosebumps rose up on what skin of mine was exposed to the cool air of my room. My body shifted over so I was lying on my stomach, my arms stretching upward and under the pillow my head rested against. I pulled on the blankets that were draped loosely over my lower half, bring them up and tucking them around my bare shoulders.

My eyebrows furrowed as I let my fingers wander to the opposite side of the bed, the cool empty space caused my eyes to finally open. Light fell into my room through the window across from my bed, the curtains that I distinctly remember closing now open. Outside the sky was a bleak grey, everything in sight having a hazy look to it.

I turned over and reached for my phone, the time reading 9:30am and I smiled at that fact. For the first time in a long time I had been sleeping better than ever. Not to say that I was all better, but I could feel a change in my habits already. Why I had been so scared to take medication before this, I didn't know, because now it seemed to be one of three things that kept me at ease.

The blankets fell down from around my arms as I lifted my phone up and read the text left by my girlfriend. I bit excitedly at my lip as I read over her words multiple times.

'Didn't want to wake you up, you looked so content. I love you.'

My insides twisted into knots and I could feel my body begin to overheat as her text played over again and again in my head. I still couldn't believe it. She loved me.

It had been a week since I so unexpected blabbed that I loved her in the school parking lot and still I felt lightheaded every time she said it or even texted it for that matter. I was the guy that daydreamed of getting the girl and now I was finally living it.

I quickly rolled out of bed, grabbing a pair of sweat pants as I did so and slide them over my legs. The house seemed a little too quiet as I made my way downstairs, my eyes scanning the living room and then the kitchen to see that Tyler was nowhere in sight. I pursed my lips in wonder, but did nothing about it. If it had been a few months ago I probably would have had a slight panic attack to know that I was alone, but I was okay now. I could handle it.

I lazily made my way into the kitchen, glancing up at the Star Wars calendar that still hung on the side of the refrigerator. As I read over the words scribbled on the page by Tyler it was the first time I felt anxiousness wash over me. My chest tightened and I quickly leaned against the counter to brace myself slightly.

This weekend would be my first checkup at the hospital. The doctor who had prescribed my medication right after the accident said that I had to return in a month or so to see how I was progressing. I felt good, but still deep inside me I was just waiting for something bad to happen.

I pulled my phone from my sweat pants pocket and opened my messages to Bryce.

'Call me when you have a minute. I miss you.'

After sending the text I left my phone on the counter as I prepared my morning coffee and began to cook breakfast. My body tensed as my phone vibrated loudly from its spot by the coffee maker and I quickly moved to pick it up, taking the hot pan I had yet to put anything in off the burner and shutting it off.

"Hello?"

"Oh my god, if you could only smell this room."

Instantly a smile spread across my face as Bryce's voice filtered through the speaker of my phone. I rested myself back against the counter and listened as she continued on.