I walked to his room with a purpose. I had to talk to him I couldn't see him self destruct like this. I couldn't imagine the pain he was in or what he was going through. All I knew was that he was my best friend and he was pushing everyone away from him. I knew that he was hurting but I couldn't watch him do this to himself.
I opened the door to his room but he wasn't in it. I looked around the once spotless room to see if I could find him. The curtains were closed, the bed mussed, the duvet on half on the floor. His prized collection of vintage toy cars thrown across the room, his clothes pulled out of his wardrobe and thrown on the floor as well, his other possession that once were placed precisely in their given places were smashed or broken and scattered all over the room. It looked like a tornado had passed through the room.
"Bruce?" I called out about to make my way to the door that led in to his bathroom. I placed my hand on the door handle when I heard sniffing. "Bruce?" I asked as I spun around to see where it was coming from.
It was only then I spotted Bruce sitting on the other side of his bed. He sat against the bed with his arms wrapped around his knees and his knees pulled up to his chest with his head hidden trying to muffle his cries. It broke my heart to see him like this. This wasn't what he was supposed to be doing on a Saturday night. We were supposed to be watching horror movies and eating popcorn with Alfred waiting for mine and his parents to come home. I kneeled down next to him and placed my hand on his shoulder after hesitating.
Bruce jumped as if he had just realised that I was in the room with him. He looked up quickly taking a deep breath and wiping his face. "Lia! What are you doing here?" asked Bruce his voice shaky and weak.
"I… I wanted to –erhmm see you. I missed you at school yesterday. I just w-wanted to make sure you were okay" I told him carefully. I didn't want him to fly off the handle like he had with Rachel earlier. She had asked him if he was okay and if he needed anything, Bruce had yelled at her saying that he was fine and didn't need to be babied. He didn't need everyone to keep asking him if he was okay.
"I'm fine and Alfred thought it was better if I stay at home for a few more days. He thinks that I'm going to break down at the smallest thing" said Bruce pushing his knees away from his chest.
"Bruce… he's just worried about you. You know he only does it because he loves you. I'm worried about you so is Rachel. We –we just want to make sure that you're okay. I know that you're hurting- I can't even imagine how you feel Bruce, but I'm here for you. Don't push us away, please Bruce. I know you're still hurting- you've lost your parents but –but we're here for you a… and" I said taking his hand in to mine.
"So what! So what, Amelia you're here for me so that makes everything fine! It makes up for losing my parents! Everything is going to be okay because you're here for me, is that what you're trying to say? You're right you can't even begin to imagine how I'm feeling right now. You didn't lose both your parents! You did watch them die in front of you! So no you don't know how I feel" snapped Bruce yanking his hand out of mine.
"I know I can never even begin to imagine what you're going through, Bruce. I know no matter what I do can make up for what you've lost. But please don't push me away from you, Bruce. Alfred, Rachel and my parents we're all here for you. I know it'll never be the same or make up for losing your parents but please Bruce, you can't go on like this" I pleaded with him.
Bruce had pushed everyone away from him. He had closed himself off to me, Alfred and Rachel. Whenever we tried to talk to him he would change the subject. Bruce had lost his parents two weeks ago during a family night out. Someone had tried to mug them and then shot Mr and Mrs Wayne. Bruce had been with them, he had seen as both of his parents had been killed in front of him but he couldn't do anything about it. He hadn't spoken about it to anyone and though he was acting as he was fine but he was far from it. I had seen the way he would close himself off whiles we were talking or doing something.
"I'm sorry, Lia. I…I –I just can't believe that their gone. It's my fault. I –I was scared of the bats and… and they died because of me! They died because I was scared" said Bruce before he started to cry.
I pulled him in to a hug holding him close. "It wasn't your fault, Bruce. Your parents loved you and they would never have stayed there because they knew you were afraid. It was the muggers fault. You didn't kill your parents. It could never be your fault" I whispered holding him tightly.
"I'm still scared, Lia. I don't want to lose anyone else. I don't want to lose you, Rachel or Alfred. I can't… I don't want to feel like this. I just –everyone keeps walking on eggshells around me. I don't want to push you guys away but I can't help it. I can't handle the looks of pity and sympathy. Everyone feels sorry for the poor orphan, Bruce Wayne. Promise me Lia. Promise me that you'll never leave me" pleaded Bruce taking a hold of my hand in to his.
"I promise Bruce that I'll never leave you. I won't leave you even when you're being stupid or boring. Or even though you prefer raspberry jam sandwiches over peanut butter and jelly. Or you think that Twix is better than Reese's. I won't leave you even though you like orange juice over apple juice or- or you like coke instead of Pepsi. I'm won't even leave you when you're really old like Alfred. I won't leave you even if you get sick of me know" I promised him. I squeezed our pinkies together in a pinkie promise like we used to when we were younger. Bruce and I hugged as he let out a watery chuckle.