Free read: Scars (6/6)

People can be kind without expecting anything in return.
This is Scarred Souls, from Josh's point of view.

Scars

continued ...

Josh sighed and drew his knees up. He wrapped his arms around them and rested his forehead against his kneecaps. "I'm sorry. I'm such a mess. I'm high and I'm low and I'm very rarely in the middle. You shouldn't have to deal with me." Josh wasn't very good at taking his antidepressants.

"You're not leaving. You're in no shape to go anywhere." His voice had gone stern. "Let's go get something to eat." He pushed himself up on his feet and stretched his hand down to Josh.

Josh looked at it for a moment before taking it, letting the guy help him up from the floor. "You shouldn't have to deal with me."

"I chose to go over to you. I chose to ask you to come home with me. It was my choice. Now come on."

Josh trailed after him into the kitchen. His friend, his roommate, was sitting at the table with a sketchbook in front of him. A pencil dangled from his fingers.

"Hey."

He—Silver?—looked up. His grey eyes were full of laughter. "Hey."

"This is Josh."

Silver nodded at Josh. "I've seen you before."

It clicked then. Josh shuffled uncomfortably. "Y-yeah, you're ... you're Vincent's brother."

"Vincent?" Azure eyes locked on Josh again.

"My psychiatrist." Josh had been going to Vincent for the past three years, ever since he'd been released from the hospital. His mum had set up the appointment and had to almost push him through his door. It had been good though, Josh and Vincent had clicked. Vincent was good, he got Josh. More than anyone else ever had. He was patient, didn't pressure Josh to talk. He all around good.

Josh was aware of the two exchanging talk, but he didn't snap back into before Silver got up form the table and left the kitchen. Josh looked after his back before stepping up to the counter. "So ... You're roommate is my psychiatrist's brother. The world sure is small. What are the odds in the middle of London?"

"Well, Soho is only a small part of London. We decided to find a place here because of Silver. I didn't really care where we lived as long as it wasn't that fae away from my job."

"He's gay?" Soho was known as the gay district of London, after all, with all the clubs and shops catering to the homosexual crowd.

"Yeah."

Josh went to sit down at the vacated chair. "Where do you work?"

"Harriet's Diner," he replied without turning around from the counter. Josh watched him cut open two noodle packages and empty the powder into the water he'd prepared.

"Really?" That surprised Josh a little. "Harriet is Chad's aunt."

"Chad?" He sounded like he didn't know who Josh was talking about.,

"Yeah, you know, Chad, from group. The redhead." Josh didn't hang out with any of the guys from group, he didn't have the energy to make and contain friends, but he did know each and every one of them inside out. Just they like knew Josh. That was the thing about group therapy.

"Right."

Josh was amused. "You didn't recognize him? How long have you worked there?"

"For a year. I'm sorry, I just don't really pay attention to people."

"Why not?"

"No one's really caught my attention before." He shrugged. "Until today." He turned slightly and met Josh's eyes head on. "You caught my attention. You looked so miserable, sitting under that tree in the rain like that."

Josh was surprised at the admission. Surprised and very, very pleased. "I caught the attention of the guy who doesn't really pay attention?" He tilted his head to the side and smiled. "That's quite a compliment."

He didn't say anything, but Josh thought he saw a small smile play over his lips. Josh liked the sight of that.

"Hey." Something dawned on Josh then. "You know my name."

"Yeah." He looked at Josh weirdly at that. "Doc said it."

Josh blinked. She probably had, he couldn't remember. "I don't know yours." He definitely knew that though.

A bigger smile flitted over his lips at that. "I'm Damian."