Tyler inhaled the smoke, his fingers held the cigarette without any skill or elegance. He didn't know how this worked, the cigarette burned down too quickly, the boy felt the heat from the ashes coming for his fingers. The cursed after a failed attempt to flick the cigarette away. The brunet quickly stood up and dusted off his lap that was now covered in ashes and tobacco particles. He sighed and grabbed another cigarette, fingers shaking as he tried to ignite the flame. The barely filled lighter let out a timid pop before the flame rose into the air. Tyler held the end of his cigarette over the flame, waiting for the paper to catch fire. The brunet coughed a little when the first smoke enveloped his insides. The boy lightly tapped his chest with his fist to keep a cough in, smoke slowly seeped out of his nostrils. Tyler let out a small cloud of smoke, he was getting better at this. The only part he didn't like was the disgusting taste. And smell. He hated everything about this and yet he was still lighting one cigarette after another. 

Tyler fiddled with the small glass case in his hands. The glitters trapped in the clear plastic caught the light, twinkling like thousands of tiny stars. Tyler sighed and placed the custom cigarette container on the small table afraid to somehow break it. The glass ashtray slid dangerously close to the edge, Tyler was looking the other way. Only when his elbow hit something and that object ended up falling Tyler realized what he had done. He cringed at the sound of glass breaking, he leaned over the railing to look. The ashtray had shattered all over the stone path, Tyler watched the mess with sorrow. Glass was really hard to clean up especially if the tiny shards flew into the grass. 

The boy didn't hear the front door slam, he was too lost in his own world. Two pairs of feet thundered up the stairs, one pair being more violent than the other. Only when the door burst open Tyler realized that he's not alone anymore. 

"Tyler Robert Joseph!" an angry red lioness kicked away the chair that was in her path 

The brunet couldn't even react, two strong hands gripped his collar and began shaking him.

"What the fuck did you do?!" Charlie screamed in Tyler's face, the whites of her eyes as red as her hair from all the anger

"Wh-what do you mean?" Tyler stuttered as the girl continued shaking him like an old piggy bank

"Don't play fucking dumb with me!" the girl hit Tyler's chest rather harshly, Tyler felt the wind being knocked the fuck out of his lungs

Tyler wheezed, Charlie continued screaming at him. The boy glanced over her shoulder looking for help but Jared, who was just standing in the back, didn't lift a finger. 

"Jared asked you what's wrong, he asked you what was going on but you lied in his face!" the redhead clutched Tyler harder "What is wrong with you?  What. Is. Wrong. With. You."

Tyler was beginning to feel dizzy from all the shaking, Charlie noticed the cigarette in the boy's hands and tried taking it away.

"No!" Tyler lifted his hand in the air

"What are you trying to achieve?!" Charlie continued shrieking as she jumped up to reach Tyler's hand 

"I need it!" Tyler defended his cigarette with all his might

"Shut up." Charlie snapped

Jared inhaled sharply through his teeth and furrowed his dense brows. Charlie's palm collided with Tyler's cheek with brute force. The slap could be heard across the neighbourhoods. Tyler fell back into his chair with a stagger and gripped his cheek. The brunet's eyes widened with disbelief and confusion. Charlie began rubbing her palm with her thumb. She was still angry but sort of relieved. 

Jared slowly sat down and slid the lighter into Charlie's back pocket. Tyler was still holding the cigarette. Charlie inhaled deeply and reached out her hand, palm flat up. 

"Give it to me," she commanded

"No." Tyler's feet stomped like he was a toddler

"Give. It." Charlie's eyes narrowed into two dark slits

Tyler shook his head. Charlie paused to breathe for a second before diving at Tyler. The boy tried to shake his friend off and save his cigarette but the stick of cancer fell down on the floor when Charlie's teeth sunk into Tyler's skin.

"Ow, what the fuck!" Tyler retracted his now empty hand with a twitch "Charlie, you bit me!"

"Oh no," Jared rolled his eyes sarcastically "I bet this is your biggest concern right now. Oh, how will you live." 

"Charlie bit my finger," Tyler murmured, his index finger hiding in his palm "It really hurt."

"You know what will hurt?" Charlie grabbed Tyler's half-finished cigarette and lit it again "When I cut your balls off with a spoon and sew them on your forehead."

"Jared-" Tyler glanced at his friend with hope

"Tyler, what the fuck were you thinking?" The blond sighed 

"I thought you were on my side?"

We all are on your side, Ty." Charlie sighed and blew the smoke the opposite direction of the boys

"Doesn't feel like it," the brunet mumbled and rubbed his bitten finger

"You're too stubborn to realize it." Jared rubbed the bridge of his nose "What you did was beyond of fucked up and there's no justifying it but you can help yourself by giving us a valid reason why you did it."

Tyler bit his anxiously, there it was again. The cold that froze his whole body. Jared and Charlie looked at him with hopeful eyes waiting for an answer but Tyler knew that they're not gonna get one.

"Tyler?" Charlie placed her palm on top of Tyler's hand

"I'm sorry-" the boy sniffled

The redhead grabbed his shoulders and brought the crying boy in for a hug. Jared scooted closer and soothingly stroked Tyler's back. The brunet clutched at his friend's shirt and let the tears seep into the fabric. 

"I d-didn't wa-want to." Tyler choked up 

"Then why did you do it?" Charlie held Tyler tightly "Did someone told you to?"

Tyler nodded his head vigorously, Charlie's shirt muffled his cries. He broke down. After all that running and lip biting it actually felt good to tell someone what actually happened.

"Who, bay, who?" Charlie's voice cracked, she gritted her teeth from the thought of someone manipulating Tyler into doing something he didn't want to 

"Steve," Tyler muttered, afraid even to think about him

"That motherfucker!" Jared sprung up "I'm gonna fucking- I'll... Ugh!"

Jared sat back down, fingers gripping the armrest so tightly that his knuckles turned white. Charlie ran her fingers through Tyler's messy hair soothingly. 

"What did he tell you?" 

"H-he said he'll h-hurt Maddie if I didn't send him a-anything," Tyler hiccuped "He wanted to see if Josh and I w-were- If we were-"

"Shh," Charlie shushed Tyler knowing exactly what he meant 

"What a fucking pervert," Jared grumbled "He's so fucking vile,"

"And then D-Debby..." Tyler trailed off "Josh said t-that she showed him the video."

"What do you expect from a snake..." Charlie murmured, her gaze shifted to Jared's face

"Baby, did you tell that to Josh?" Charlie questioned softly

Tyler shook his head and sobbed even harder.

"No? Why?" Jared furrowed his bows

'"I was af-afraid he wouldn't believe me." Tyler sobbed

Jared got up and quickly returned with a glass of water for Tyler. The boy drank it hungrily and then continued sobbing in Charlie's arms. Silently, this time.

"Why would you think that?" Jared's bottom lip trembled as well seeing his friend so hurt

"He loves you, he would've understood," Charlie added

"I d-don't know," Tyler shrugged his shoulders "He kicked m-me out, I ha-have nowhere to go."

"You can stay here, okay?" Charlie kissed the top of Tyler's head "Jared is staying with me at the moment, we'll find you a spare bed."

"I don't wanna be a burden."

"Tyler, you could never be a burden." the blond gripped Tyler's hand"You know that, right?"

Tyler nodded his head.

"Then why would you say this?"

"I don't know."

Charlie sat Tyler up. The boy rubbed his eyes with his trembling fists, his hair was a mess. 

"We'll figure this out okay? You'll tell Josh everything and everything is gonna be okay." 

"I don't know if I can-" Tyler's breath hitched, Jared offered him some more water

"We got this." Charlie gripped Tyler's hand, Jared's bigger hand landed on top "Together?"

Tyler nodded, a smile curved his lips.

"Together."