Contents ( 42)
- The Art of Breathing
- Part One: How We Became Who We Are
- Prologue: Or, Where the Kid Hears the Word of the Day
- 1. Where Tyson Learns to Breathe
- 2. Where Tyson Makes a Phone Call
- 3. Where Tyson Graduates and Bear Freaks Out
- 4. Where Tyson Says Good-Bye
- 5. Where Tyson Gets the Mail
- Part Two: Coming Home
- 6. Where Tyson Comes Home
- 7. Where Tyson Gives a History Lesson
- 8. Where Tyson Attends the Most Awkward Party Ever
- 9. Where Tyson Plans Attends a Protest
- 10. Where Tyson Gets Arrested
- 11. Where Tyson Gets His Ass Handed to Him
- 12. Where Tyson Writes Bad Poetry and Gawks at Frat Boys
- 13. Where Tyson Decides to Man the Fuck Up
- 14. Where Tyson Asks Some Questions
- 15. Where Tyson Remembers Theresa Jean Paquinn
- 16. Where Tyson Learns the Benefit of Therapy
- 17. Where Tyson Meets the Man Who Becomes Helena Handbasket
- 18. Where Tyson Gets Screwed at His Own Birthday Party (And Not in a Good Way)
- Part Three: Just Breathe
- 19. Where Tyson Goes to Helena Handbasket’s Sex Dungeon
- 20. Where Tyson Beholds the Awesome Wonder That Is Paul Auster
- 21. Where Tyson Receives Advice from the Six Sages
- 22. Where Tyson Makes a Phone Call
- 23. Where Tyson Hears the Inevitable
- 24. Where Tyson Meets His Match
- 25. Where Tyson Says Hello, Where Tyson Says Good-bye
- 26. Where Tyson Touches upon the Inevitable
- 27. Where Tyson Faces the Music
- 28. Where Tyson Breathes
- 29. Tyson And Dominic
- 30. The Art Of Breathing
- Epilogue: Or, Bear’s Perspective, As It Were (Yeah, He’s Gonna Freak)
- Author’s Note
- Excerpt
- Prologue: Or, Where Bear Answers the Door
- More from TJ Klune
- Readers love the Bear, Otter, and the Kid Chronicles by TJ Klune
- By TJ Klune
“Goddamn Star Wars,” Bear mutters. “Those movies have ruined the both of you.”
“You shut your mouth,” Otter says with a frown.
“As fun as this is,” I tell them all, “and really, so fun, but why are you all bugging me? I have finals to study for.” Not that I need to do much studying. I’m like Stella. I got my groove back. For the most part. And that might be the gayest thing I’ve ever said aside from the time I complimented Dom on his penis. Yikes.
“Just… wanted to see what you’re doing,” Bear says, averting his eyes. “About stuff. And things.”
Otter sighs. “You can never be subtle about surprises, can you?”
“I am the absolute definition of subtle,” Bear says, somehow managing to maintain a straight face even with all the bullshit he just spewed. Subtlety and Bear Thompson do not go together.
“I need to buy you a dictionary for Christmas because I’m not sure you know what that word means.” Otter winks at me.
“Are you mocking me?” Bear asks, sounding appropriately outraged.
“I wouldn’t even dream of it.”
“I’m going to kick you in the—”
“No domestic violence,” I say, interrupting Bear before thirty minutes have passed with him starting to threaten Otter but somehow ending up discussing the merits of grated cheese. You know as well as I do that it wouldn’t be that hard for him to get there. “What surprise is Bear supposed to be hiding?”
“Me,” a voice says from behind me, and I close my eyes. My heart quakes and I have to remember how to breathe. Because I’ve learned again. I really have. It’s taken four months… and maybe I didn’t need to do it. That’s the kicker. Maybe I didn’t need to leave at all. Maybe I could have found a way to stand on my own surrounded by those I love. It would have been possible and it sure as shit would have saved a whole hell of a lot of heartache.
You guys are probably going to be pissed at me, I had told them. Bear and Otter. Dom. The day we got back from the road trip. And you’re probably not going to want this to happen, but I think it has to. You all are everything to me. You always have been. But I need to make sure that I can do this on my own. I need to make sure that—Bear, I know. Just let me finish. Please.
I’m going back to Dartmouth. Alone. I’m going to show you all what I can be. I’m going to show you all what I’m truly capable of. I’m going to make something of myself because I want you all to be proud of me. I know that you already are, but I want to make sure I’m deserving of it. You’ve done so much for me. All of you. It’s time for me to do what I can for you. And that starts with myself.