One Too Many Thoughts

The room was way too cramped for Tyler's liking. The walls were a murky brown and dust covered around the small cobwebs that sat in the corner. The floor was creaky even though it was a thick carpet that faded from black to gray over time. Even the window, which Tyler usually didn't care about, was small, about as big as a pillow. But it fit the room which, Tyler tested, took him five normal steps to get from one side to another. Even with his dresser and couple of shelves, it didn't help. His bed took up most of the room, considering it was a twin bed.

He walked inside and immediately felt lost. The room was small and easy to get around, but there was no room for Tyler's usual pacing. His family had just come back from Hawaii for three weeks, and the hotel they were staying in was quite bigger than Tyler's room. He wasn't used to it.

Slowly he put down his suitcase on his bed and sat down right beside it. He put his face in his hands, breathing slowly, feeling his warm breath. He was okay. Tyler didn't really like planes. They scared him a little. But recently, they weren't as much as before.

He could hear his family yelling downstairs and chatting, and he was glad he was out of it.

After about five minutes of trying to regain his sanity, he got up. Tyler walked to his bathroom that he shared with his brother, Zack. Zack was there.

None of them said anything. Tyler wasn't even sure why he was there or when he walked there.

"Sorry," Tyler muttered once he realized Zack was unpacking, but at the same time, brushing his teeth, putting on cologne etc.

He looked up at Zack, who was staring at him.

"I know you're wondering." He set down his toothbrush. "Danica and I are going on a date tonight. Need to look nice."

"But," Tyler started. "You just got home. When are you leaving?"

"Around..." He checked his phone, which at the same time, brightened up with a missed phone call. "Six..."

His voice trailed off as he read an email he must have gotten. Tyler could tell it was bad based on Zack's face.

"Are you okay?" He asked him.

"Yes."

He had a gruff tone.

"You sure?" Tyler knew he wasn't.

"Shut up. Leave me alone." He grunted. "Tyler, leave."

Tyler felt hurt. He was just trying to help. Anytime he tried to do something nice, it always backfired.

"Fine."

He walked out and decided to go for a walk. It just turned five, so he had about forty-five minutes until supper.

Quickly he raced outside before the rest of his family saw him.

The air was chilly and woke Tyler up. He could smell the fresh air and was glad because the Hawaii air seemed thick and fruity, almost. It had a forest smell that Tyler loved to smell. It was like fresh water with pine dipped inside. The grass was dewy from the rain he heard that came down this morning. Even the wind felt damp as it brushed against his face, arms, and legs.

His neighborhood wasn't super big, and so it was never super busy. Tyler liked that. He started to venture off into the forest by his house. Tyler liked to come often because about five minutes from his house in the forest was an abandoned treehouse. It was peeling and was just a faded brown, but it felt like home. Tyler's real home didn't feel like home. It was too crazy, too much. Too much.

And you're a coward, you are too scared to be there. To deal with yourself.

Tyler made an annoyed face when he heard that. It hurt him.