“I did! I mean, I only kept the shirt.” I argued.
“That’s a heap of bull.” He muttered with another chuckle at my expense.
“Whatever. The point is, I am over, Ty!”
“Ty, huh?”
“Tyler! I'm over Tyler.”
“Well the crazy part is you told me that he was never into you.”
“He isn't.” I confirmed, with a glare. Then I heard the front door shut downstairs. “Sounds like it's safe to go back down.”
“First of all, that guy is into you. I saw the way he looked at me, and at you. Secondly, I'm not sure anywhere is safe now that I am getting the full picture here.”
I opened the door and glared at him again. “Trust me he's not, and what is that supposed to mean?”
He pushed passed me to head downstairs. “Well I’m staying at the hotel. So, we will see where you end up when I’m not around to babysit.”
It wasn’t uncommon for people to assume Tyler and I liked each other. We’d dealt with that our whole lives. So, I knew arguing about it with Kirk was pointless.
“Whatever.” I mumbled before following him down.
We had told my mom that Kirk would be staying at a hotel to be respectful. Of course, in reality he probably wouldn't be there alone. I had no doubt Micah would make the four-hour drive to stay with him.
“Just remember that any guy who could do what he did to you that night, isn’t right for you. A real friend wouldn't have hooked up with his ex less then an hour after taking his best friends virginity.”
I knew he was right, but that didn’t make seeing Tyler any easier. All I was reminded of was the amazing memories we had together.
When we finally reached the living room and I saw Tyler was really gone, I was disappointed. Even though I was infuriated by the very sight of him, it was still a better feeling then what I felt in his absence.
Five years later, and I still felt empty when I wasn’t around him.
My mom and Kirk chit chatted for a bit as I stole glances at the front door. I found myself waiting for him to come bursting back in, in Tyler fashion. Though, he never did.
After about fifteen or twenty minutes of being politely grilled by my mom, she finally let Kirk leave for the night.
“I'll be right back mom.” I reassured her as I walked Kirk out, shutting the door behind us.
As I followed Kirk towards his car, I saw Tyler had moved his own to the front of his parent’s house. He was standing by it still, as if he hadn't even gone back inside yet.
“Looks like he is waiting for me to leave.” Kirk whispered under his breath.
I eyed Tyler and he grinned as we made eye contact. Somehow, I just knew he was calling my bluff, just as he always did.
“You have to kiss me.” I whispered to Kirk.
“What?!” Kirk asked, in hushed disbelief.
“He knows this isn't real. I don’t have time to explain, just trust me.”
Kirk sighed in irritation. “You owe me.”
He leaned down and kissed me. A kiss that would seem as if this was just another routine goodbye for us. It wasn’t slow, nor sweet. It was orchestrated, and quick.
His lips touched mine and parted instantly. Then his tongue reached out to find mine in a rushed pace. The technique was clearly meant only for the illusion of a kiss.
I wrapped my arms around him to sell it and, as any good friend would, he responded by pulling me up against him.
He was a good kisser, by all means. It just lacked everything a real kiss was meant to have. No passion, no intensity, and definitely no connection.
Kirk pulled away from me and smiled. “Love you babe, miss you already.”
He winked playfully, keeping up our charade as he got into his car, and I smiled.
“Was it that bad?” I whispered, before I leaned into his open window and chuckled.
Even though I knew Kirk was gay, his annoyance at having to kiss me hurt a bit. It was no fault of his own, it made sense that he wouldn’t want to kiss me. I was not only a female, and a friend, but most importantly he loved Micah.
However, that was the thing about deep seeded insecurities. They didn't require rationalized thinking to grow, they thrived well enough on their own.
“It was pretty good, all things considered.” He offered me a teasing grin, then shrugged.
I laughed, instantly feeling better. I knew I wouldn’t have made it the last few years without the friendship I had built with Sadie and Kirk. Tyler knew me well though, so I was worried to look back at him and see if he had bought our performance.
I’d done this same stunt in the past, with Tyler’s help. I pretended to date Zack Miller my junior year, to escape my mom’s mingling even back then. Apparently, I had a knack for this.
I glanced passed Kirk, to eye Tyler, as I recalled the memory from our past. He had a glare planted on his face now. Perhaps the kiss was believable enough after all.
“Night.” I said to Kirk as I stood and stepped back from the car so he could back out.
“Night.” He smiled back at me before he pulled out.
I looked back up at Tyler again, he was still staring at me.
Chapter 10
Tyler
“What?” She asked in that snotty tone of hers. The one she always used whenever she was trying to get under my skin, which she usually was successful at.
“Liam, seems nice.” I bit
