he

When he's feeling particularly stressed, or when he thinks about things too much, he reverts. Not entirely, of course. He reverts back to his pre-teen years.
He wants to play Neopets.
He wants to lock the door to his bedroom.
He wants people to be surprised that it's locked, but no one ever tries it out.
He cries, even when he doesn't mean to.
He wants to snort in derision everytime someone makes a comment.
He sends subtle signals of distress, but he is ashamed when finally, finally, they're heard.
He wants to go through all of this because he knows that eventually, he overcame it. Only it came back. And he thinks this is the only way, to be shamed into taking the world off of his shoulders.

But it's not true at all. You move on, no matter how hard it is. Situations change, and because of that, reactions change. Even though he is scared he can't make it through, he will. Because he's done it before. And this time, he can do it on his own.


(Happy September!)