Let Me Help | Tyrus (complete!)

Reconciliation

Whenever Cyrus got a little too depressed, his friends tended to micromanage his life. He loved them, he really did, but sometimes they were overwhelming. Cyrus had wanted to visit Tj during his suspension, but his friends had planned something for every day of the week. During school, they pulled him away whenever he saw TJ. They had even gone so far as to make sure he wasn't texting him, all he could do was lurk on his social media. Cyrus knew they only meant to protect him, but he could take care of himself. He didn't need a babysitter, and yet, he did whatever they said. Cyrus had worried about TJ, he worried so much it hurt. He knew TJ had lost his friend group, and now that the GHC had stopped talking to him, Cyrus worried that TJ had no one at all.

Cyrus had thought about visiting his house, the swingset, the kid's gym, anywhere he knew TJ would be, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it. He could barely get himself out of bed every morning. Cyrus was frustrated with himself, he wanted to do so many things, but he just couldn't. It was as if all of his courage had been drained from him. He didn't know who he was anymore.

But, Cyrus still hoped TJ would find him, wherever he was. He hoped to see his over-gelled hair in the hallways, his smile at The Spoon, his weird basketball hoodies in the cafeteria, but he didn't. He missed their late night face time calls, he missed receiving goodnight texts with random emojis, he missed having someone who understood him without words. Cyrus had begun to lost hope, until one day he saw his dumb stiff hair during a passing period. He knew TJ didn't see him, but his heart still lifted. That was when he wrote the note he had quickly given him last week.

"Cy, do you like this one?" Andi said, they were at the Winter Market on 3rd, they showed Cyrus an ornament with a tiny snowman inside. Cyrus couldn't help but notice how suffocated the snowman looked.

"Uh huh," Cyrus said as he twirled his phone in his hand. It was 5 already and he hadn't seen TJ yet. If Andi and Buffy were right, and Tj really did like him, then he would have been here by now right? Cyrus hoped TJ would show up soon because Jonah and Walker had started getting on his nerves. Walker kept buying Jonah scarves and Jonah kept showing those disgustingly cute dimples, it made Cyrus roll his eyes. Andi was busy talking with a merchant about the benefits of fair trade and Amber played with the ruffles on her sweater. Buffy and Marty were off drinking apple cider and trying on hats. Only Cyrus was left without someone to talk to, so he trailed behind Andi and Amber, either they knew about his gloom or chose to ignore it altogether.

The friends wandered around the market, picking up nicknacks and taking pictures. Cyrus gave his best fake smile for their Snapchat stories, but it was obvious that being the seventh wheel did not help his self-esteem.

Cyrus had found himself distracted by pocketwatches while his friends ordered more apple cider. He thought about buying one for himself, or TJ, or anyone really, but he just didn't have the energy to reach for his wallet. He sighed softly and wrapped his scarf tighter around his neck, the wind was brutal this time of year. He tried warming his ears with his palms, but it just wasn't enough. He was freezing.

After a little while in the kiosk, Cyrus noticed that he hadn't heard his friends voices in a while, he searched the crowd and saw them at a picknick table on the other side of the market, they gave him a tiny wave, he returned the favor. Cyrus kept wandering around the market alone and cold. He found himself in a kiosk selling cute earmuffs, he picked up ones that looked like the tail of a fluffy animal, he grinned and breathed in the icy air. He realized that it was the first time his friends had left him alone for more than five minutes, he breathed out.

"Those are nice," the person next to him said. Cyrus looked up and up and saw TJ, slightly heaving with rosy cheeks. Cyrus thought he was having a heart attack.