I Myself Am Strange and Unusual

"You got this," Audrey smiled as we stood in front of Oli's door. We've been here for almost ten minutes with me staring at it. Oli always scared me, even though I could easily take him in a fight. It wasn't Oli's strength that made me feel like a coward, it was his presence that frightened me. We had been friends for a long time and I have always been astounded by him.

I snapped out of my thoughts when I saw Audrey knock on the door. "What are yeh doin'?" I hissed.

"Uhm, knocking? I know you're nervous, but I'm cold as fuck right now."

I sighed and wrapped my arms around her, pulling her closer. I felt like a selfish idiot doing this with her here.

"Ello!" Oli grinned from the door. "Come on in, mate. Who's yeh bird?"

"Her name is Audrey," I answered as we all shuffled into the living room.

"What happened to Sarah?"

Audrey smirked, "Sarah is... gone."

Oli looked from her to me. "Should I be concerned?"

I chuckled and kissed Audrey's cheek. "Nah. My lass here beat up Sarah fo' me."

"Two chicks fightin' ovah yeh?" He laughed. "That usualleh onleh happens to me!"

I nodded, solemnly. That was one thing that always made me nervous. Oli had such a big following, and girls always wanted him, not me. It didn't really help in the whole 'self-confidence' sector of my mind. "Yeah, it was pretteh brill actualleh. Yeh should have seen it."

"I bet it was," he chuckled. "So, what's up?"

"Is that a puppy?" Audrey interrupted.

"Oh, Oskar? Yea."

"Puppy!" Audrey squealed, running into the next room after the dog.

Oli laughed, turning back to me. "She certainly isn't a shy one, huh."

"Nope, she's amazing." I smiled, "she's like nothing I have evah seen befo'. I fink yeh'd like her."

He nodded, "seems it. I trust yeh. So, what's up?" He asked again.

"Well I came to tell yeh somefing."

"Spit it out, lad!"

"I tried to kill mehself back in America."

Oliver's brows narrowed and he titled his head. "W-what?"

"I attempted suicide," I sighed. "It was stupid and-"

"Yea, yeh damn right it was stupid!" He shouted.

"I'm sorry, just-"

"No 'I'm sorreh!' Yeh should have fuckin' known bettah than that!" He shouted, getting off the couch. "What's wrong wiff yeh! What made yeh want to do tha'?"

"It was just that, I, uhm-"

"Nuffin! Nuffin is a good enough reason to go and do that! Jesus Christ yeh fuckin' bloke!"

"I, uhm..." I trailed off, looking down. I don't think I have ever felt so inferior in my life as I do right now.

"What is wrong with you!" Audrey shouted. I looked up to see her poking Oli's chest. "What is wrong with you to yell at a man when he is trying to tell you something like that!"

"But-" He began. Audrey cut him right off.

"No 'but' business! He was spilling his heart out to you! How fucking dare you yell at him! You obviously didn't pay attention enough to your friend to see the signs! He was depressed and broken and you didn't do shit! You're fucking lucky that I was there to save him or else he'd be dead! I hope that makes you feel shitty, because it should!" Audrey huffed and crossed her hands over her chest.

Oliver's face softened dramatically. He finally looked at me, looking like a lost soul. "Can I, uhm, have a moment alone wiff Lee?" He asked Audrey.

My mouth nearly fell open upon hearing his voice. This was the first time I ever heard Oli be put in his place and the first time I ever heard Oli this vulnerable. It amazed me. Audrey smiled lightly before nodding and leaving the room.

Oli looked back over at me before collapsing on the couch and rubbing his face. "I'm sorreh fo' shoutin'," he mumbled.

"It's alright," I whispered back.

We sat in silence before he began speaking again. "I'm sorreh I wasn't there fo' yeh and I'm sorreh fo' shoutin'. It's just... yeh know how I lost someone so close to me..."

He trailed off and my mind flickered to Suicide Season. I almost felt bad about telling him in the first place.

"I'm a shit friend," he chuckled. "I realleh am sorreh. I'm so glad I still have yeh."

I smiled and went over, hugging him tightly. "Yeh like a brothah to me."

He nodded, "yeh like a brothah to me too. That's why it hurt so much hearin' it."

"It hurt a lot sayin' it too."

We released and I sat next to him. Oli began chuckling out of nowhere. "Yeh know," he laughed, "yeh bird is quite the woman. I don't fink I've evah had some sense knocked into me like that befo'."

"Yeah, she is pretteh brill," I smiled looking into the other room where she played with the dog. "She's changin' meh, Olleh. I don't fink I've evah been this happeh befo'."