01<@Ardweden> [Day: Tuesday, September 28. Time: About lunch time. You guys aren't eating lunch. That sucks.] 01<@Ardweden> [Tyler's had a rough day, what with getting his face rearranged against the lockers by some guy he thought was his friend. Then again, he did yell at him a lot. He's lying on a cot in St. Joseph's Medical Center, bandaged up and looking terrible. He's conscious, though, and just said hi when Sydney walked in.] 01<@Ardweden> [Sydney, for her part, has told some probably-lies to the hospital staff about what happened to Tyler, but she did it so convincingly that they're going to let the school know what happened so the kids have a free pass. Yay? She came here with Tiffany and Tyler, but Tiffany ran off to do who-knows-what. Typical. Sydney was NOT happy about this, and in the process of chewing Tiffany out (without chewing her out too much!), her voice rose and Tyler managed to hear the whole thing.] 01<@Ardweden> [What's going to happen? I don't know!] 01<@Ardweden> [Start!] 01<@Ardweden> [Oh, the room itself is pretty bare bones, as Tyler's not exactly set up to be a semi-permanent resident. But there's a small table near his head (not on the side where any machines would go) and a chair Sydney can pull up without any problems.] 06* Sydney walks over to the chair. "Hey, Tyler," she says, sounding fairly tired. She pulls the chair over next to the bed and sits down. 06* Tyler looks at her and frowns turning his head away. "You shouldn't stand up for me. You're popular, I'm just dragging you down. Hurting your image." 06* Sydney looks at him. "What are you talking about?" 06* Tyler doesn't look back at her, he sighs. "You were standing up for me to Tiffany of all people. You...you didn't have to do that. That hurts you you know. I'm just useless, nothing any one like you should hang out with." What is with you today? First you're screaming at people, then you get the crap kicked out of you, and now you're all mopey. 06* Tyler sighs. "I..I don't know. I was trying to be nice to Tiff tiff, we were working on homework and then.. I was in a dream with Heather and..." He quickly falls quiet blushing. 06* Sydney is totally oblivious, 'cause that's how she rolls. "You dreamed about her or she was actually there?" 06* Tyler shakes his head. "I don't know." And the dream made you go crazy? 06* Sydney sounds skeptical. 06* Tyler looks even further way if that's doable. "Josh showed up, at the end." 06* Sydney sighs. "Is that why you're here?" I...got angry. Real angry. I killed him in dream then... well today. He nearly killed you? Tyler, just because something happens in a dream doesn't mean you have to take it on in real life. I don't know what happened. I couldn't help myself. 06* Sydney just shakes her head. "I don't understand any of you people. Except Javy. I think I understand him." 06* Tyler suddenly turns and looks at Sydney, wincing hard in pain but fright in his eyes. "Please tell me you know that dream land isn't real" He sounds desperate, real desperate. Of course it's not real. Maybe it's some sort of weird reflection of reality, but just because someone tries to kill you in a dream doesn't mean they're out to get you in real life. I think, anyway. 06* Tyler sinks back wincing, but relieved. "Good." So it was like... a normal dream, and not a walking dream? I... it was a walking dream. But you were you and not Imp? 06* Tyler shakes his head. "I wasn't. I very..." He blushes again. "Why are you wasting time on me Sydney? They wouldn't. You shouldn't." Who's "they?" 06* Tyler frowns looking away. "Jocks" He's obviously not giving the full answer. Yes, Tyler, everyone on every sports team in the entire school is supposed to ignore you. I'm sure of it. Except wait, there's me and there's Javy. C'mon. Do you really want me to go away and ignore you? 06* Tyler sighs and then looks back at Sydney then away again. He's struggling. "I.. I'm not used to this." 06* Tyler sounds uncertain and cautious. Things he usually doesn't sound. Not used to people being nice to you? Geez. 06* Tyler doesn't say anything for a while. "Not without wanting something" Ah. Well... it'd be nice if you didn't antagonize certain people. 01<@Ardweden> [Right after Sydney says that, the door opens, and Tony of all people looks in. He looks... well, he looks all right. He takes a glance around the room and says, "I figured it'd be Tiff Tiff, not her."] 06* Tyler blinks looking at Tony. "Tony? What are you doing here? I... I thought.. I didn't think Josh would let any one." 06* Sydney waves. "Hi, Tony." 01<@Ardweden> [Tony rolls his eyes. "I haven't talked to J about as long as I haven't talked to *you*." He steps in and closes the door behind him. He glances at Sydney just to turn his attention back to Tyler. "You look like shit."] Yeah, I stupidly told J off. I stupidly told a lot of people off. He knocked sense into me 01<@Ardweden> [Tony runs his hand through his hair. "That's fucked up. Shit, Tyler, you should see yourself."] 06* Tyler sighs. "I.. I think I deserved it. He won't let me near any one now. I fucked it up Tony. I'm sorry. I fuck a lot of shit up." Do you guys want to be alone? 01<@Ardweden> [Tony shrugs at Sydney. "Don't really care." His posture firms up as he slouches less and gains height. "You're one of his, right?" He tilts his head towards Tyler. "Always sitting at the table with Tiffany and Co." He actually says "co", not "company".] 06* Sydney nods. "Yeah." She doesn't offer any further comment. 06* Tyler sighs more, but doesn't say anything. 01<@Ardweden> ["Yeah." Tony looks at Tyler. "At least you got a new group to hang out with now."] 06* Tyler frowns. "That's not what I want." 01<@Ardweden> ["Yeah?" And Tony folds his arms. "What's that?"] 06* Tyler frowns more. "look I fucked up, but at least tell me, are you okay? I'm worried about you. I'm worried about Steve now." He sighed. "Are you okay." 01<@Ardweden> [Tony furrows his brow. "Yeah," he says after a moment. "I'm okay."] 06* Tyler nods. "I'm sorry I'm a fuckup man. I'm sorry." 06* Sydney swings her legs under her chair and keeps quiet. 01<@Ardweden> [Tony shrugs. "It is what it is. And J's a massive fucking asshole."] 06* Tyler nods a bit, wincing. "Just... be safe. I didn't mean...well any of this." 01<@Ardweden> ["You're telling me." Tony looks Tyler over again. "You're the one who got his ass handed to him." He looks about to say something else, then his eye catches Sydney, who is doing such a good job being quiet in the not-actually-corner. "I'll see you around, okay?"] Take care, Tony. 01<@Ardweden> ["Yeah," Tony says, and then slouches out of the room before Tyler can say anything.] 06* Tyler sighs more. "I..." He just sinks back into the cot. I hope he really is okay. I mean, he's not in a dream coma, but... yeah. I don't know. I don't know at all. 06* Tyler looks over at Sydney. "Hey. Sydney? I meant it. I don't know why your sister wouldn't want you. You aren't me. You aren't like my brothers. I meant it." 01<@Ardweden> [End!]