Part 29

Josh's POV

When we arrived at our special spot we got out of my truck. We walked over to the giant oak tree and without a word, Justen walked over to his rock on the left and sat down.

"Are you going to be okay?" I asked, taking some blankets out of the bed of the truck.

Justen didn't say a word.

"Justen?" I asked.

He still didn't say anything.

I put the blankets in front of the oak tree and marched over to him. "What's wrong?" I asked, kneeling down in front of him.

Justen still sat there with his head in his hands.

I gently put my hand underneath his chin and made him look at me. "Everything will be okay," I said, softly kissing Justen's forehead.

Justen sat there silent.

"Justen, please talk to me," I said.

Finally, Justen sniffled before he began to cry.

"Justen, are you okay?" I asked.

Justen just sat there crying. I brought him close to me and he sat on the ground next to me crying. I wished I knew how to help him but I didn't so I just held him tight, knowing that it's probably what he needed right now.

Finally, after a few minutes, Justen was done crying.

"Feeling a bit better?" I asked.

"Yeah," Justen said.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"No," Justen said. "Just when I feel that life is finally going my way, I get one shitty thing after another. But I can't complain too much because I bet that happens with you sometimes too."

"Yeah," I said. "But you know that whatever happens, it makes you stronger."

"I know, but why do bad things happen?" Justen asked.

"I couldn't tell you that," I said. "Can we stop talking about depressing stuff though?"

"What else is there to do?" Justen asked.

"I brought a laptop, blankets, and snacks," I said. "Why don't we just chill for now?"

"Sounds like a plan to me," Justen said.

"Okay, I'm going to grab the laptop and snacks. Will you be okay here?" I asked.

"Yeah," Justen said.

I nodded and left to go get the laptop and snacks.

When I came back, I saw Justen standing at the edge of the cliff.

"Justen? What are you doing?" I asked, putting the laptop and snacks on the blankets.

Justen didn't reply.

"Justen, what the hell are you doing?" I asked, walking over to him.

"Have you ever thought about it?" Justen asked, looking out at the beautiful image before us.

"Thought about what?" I asked, hugging him from behind.

"Ending it all," Justen said.

I pressed my face into his back. "A few times, yes. But then I realized that the people here need me," I said. "Were you just thinking about it?"

"Yeah," Justen sighed.

"Please don't," I said.

"Who here really needs me?" Justen asked.

"Michael, your dad, your sister," I said. "Not to mention I need you."

"Michael has you, my dad doesn't care, and my sister has no idea what goes on," Justen said.

"But I need you," I said. "I have no idea what I would do without you."

Justen sighed. "You know, I don't know what I'd do without you either," Justen said, turning around in my arms and hugging me.