Let Me Help | Tyrus (complete!)

Just guys being dudes

The next day at lunch, Andi, Buffy, Cyrus, and Jonah were laughing at cute cat videos on Buffy's phone. They had just finished their lunches. Cyrus thought it was weird that neither Amber, Marty, or TJ were around. He thought he saw Tj in the hall earlier in the day with Rester, but it could've been his imagination. He had pinky promised to not hang out with them anymore. He was a better person now, right?

"Hey Buffy," he said during an ad, "Where's Marty?" He didn't want to think about TJ too much right now, he had enough to worry about. 

"Oh, he had a science fair thing. He should be here soon though, " Buffy said as she tilted her head "Why?" The cafeteria was louder than usual today, it annoyed Cyrus. He picked at his nails. 

"Well because you two have been together like a lot recently. Did you make up?" Andi said, their flower crown a bright yellow instead of the purple they had yesterday. The friends were sitting in a corner table they'd had to wrangle from the baseball team. Although they were sitting away from most of the chaos of a public American high school, Cyrus felt watched. He had thought he had gotten over his social anxiety but apparently not. They're not looking at you, they're not looking at you. He tried to convince himself. 

Buffy looked back at the video and turned up the volume and said, "Hey look! This cat is scared of a cucumber, let's talk about that!" Jonah poked at the mashed potatoes on his plate, his leg bounced.

"Buffy!" Cyrus and Andi said in unison.

"Okay. Okay. I'll tell you." She put her phone down "We made up okay? He came up to me during lit and said he missed me so I'm giving it another chance. I'm over that whole 'no-boyfriend' thing." She half whispered.

Cyrus and Andi smiled widely and squealed, "Yess, Muffy reunited!" 

"Hey Cyrus," said a voice behind Cyrus. Cyrus turned around slowly while Andi, Buffy, and Jonah all looked at each other with raised eyebrows. Cyrus took in a deep breath. 

Reed sat down at their table.

"Hi Reed," Cyrus said confused.

"I just want you to know that you seem really cool bro, like really chill and me and Lester and TJ were wondering if you wanted to like hang out again? You down?" Reed said with a cocked smile and a tilted head. Cyrus felt himself frown, the cafeteria felt a little more unbearable. 

"No thanks," Cyrus said, turning his attention back to his friends. He'd wasted a pinky promise on TJ, he couldn't believe it. 

"Look dude, Tj turned us in but like I still hang out with him so I'm a good guy you know? Come on we're all going to the arcade Friday. TJ would want you to come, he talks about you," Reed grinned, expecting a yes. Cyrus noted that Reed flopped his hair as he spoke, it annoyed him. Is TJ really still hanging out with them? I can't believe this, Cyrus thought, I thought he was better than this.

"He said no, leave him alone," Said Buffy practically fuming. She had wanted to kill him the moment Cyrus told the group chat what happened. Cyrus didn't make eye contact with Reed.

Reed half rolled his eyes and looked back at Cyrus, he said, "Bro, we want you to come-"

"Reed?" TJ had appeared next to Andi. He looked almost as mad as Buffy.

"Hey Teej," Reed smiled.

"Don't call me that" TJ quickly added.

"Okay geez, I was just being nice and inviting your friend Cyrus to the arcade Friday, but it seems like he doesn't want to go," Reed lightly bumped shoulders with Cyrus. It was too much. The noise, Reed, TJ. Cyrus' eyes started watering, he blinked the tears away. TJ looked at him and Cyrus met his stare. Cyrus could feel Tj pity him. It made him feel pathetic. Weak. Less than. He wanted to do something but he just couldn't. Cyrus looked back down at his empty milk carton.