Changes

1.

Elliot

I've been really stressed out and anxious lately. It's just a lot with school and life in general. I don't really know  what to do about it or how to keep up with everything , it's just chaos right now. But I'm working on it.

Right now I'm on my way to my friend Marcus' apartment to have a sleepover with him and my other friend Alex. We have been friends for almost two years now but it's been a while since we planned to do something together. So this is gonna be fun and relaxing for once.

I walk up to his apartment and open the door. Without hesitation I walk right in and close the door behind me. My eyes are wandering around the place to see if there's anyone else in sight but no,no one. Marcus did mention that his parents wouldn't be home this weekend so I guess they already left. Anyway, I take off my shoes and my jacket. I hang my jacket on a clothes hanger and put my shoes on a shoe rack. When I'm all done I make my way to Marcus' room and open the door .

Marcus and Alex are sitting on Marcus' bed and playing COD (Call of duty) together. They pause right away and turn to look at me when they hear me coming in. Before I say anything, I close the door behind me and put my hands in the pockets of my dark blue hoodie.

"Hi"
"Hi" both Marcus and Alex say. "Come" Marcus says and pats the place beside him on the bed. I walk over there and sit beside him.
I wait for them to start the game again but instead Alex puts his controller down on the bed " How are you now?" he asks. Both of my friends know about my situation , so I guess he's just being considerate and asks like a good friend. "I'm fine" I answer with my eyes on the TV-screen, not wanting to talk about it.
"Too much to handle lately, huh?" Marcus asks with a soft and caring tone.

I sigh still not looking at them. Just hoping they will take the hint and stop talking about it. I came here to have fun and relax. Not to be sad. My friends keep looking at me with concern.
Fuck. The feelings have gotten to me. I feel tears forming in my eyes and my heart beating faster. There is nothing stopping it now. I clutch my chest while closing my eyes and tilting my head down. "Elliot? What's going on? Are you okay?" Marcus strokes my back up and down while trying to get me to look at him.

In a second I've lost all control and is crying rivers. Marcus holds me in his arms and is trying to calm me while stroking my hair " Shh, it's okay. You are just exhausted and stressed out. You need to rest" he says with the same soft and caring tone as before but now more like a whisper.
Alex is just sitting at the same spot as before. He is probably wondering what the hell is going on and what he is supposed to do. I don't blame him tho.

I'm like a big baby, crying while being in my friends' arms. How embarrassing. But no matter how hard I try, I can't stop it.

Marcus

After a while of crying Elliot finally calms down. He keeps his eyes closed and I keep on stroking his hair until he falls asleep. It was hard seeing him like that, he must be hurting so bad. I just wish I could help him. Well, we probably can help him with that solution Alex and I found on the internet. It's a very odd thing to do but if it can help him , we'll try it.
Alex helps me to lie Elliot comfortably on the bed and I pull the covers over his body. Before leaving the room to let him sleep , I turn the tv ,the ps4 and the lights off. While outside the room I close the door behind me and turn to Alex "When he wakes up we need to tell him about the solution".