The next day I wake up at noon, but it's Saturday so the guilt doesn't weigh too heavily on me. The room is illuminated by a thin ray of sunshine coming in through the blinds, and I can see Tyler is still sleeping like a log. He had a rough night, so I won't wake him up yet, he needs all the rest he can get.
I quietly sneak out of the bedroom, carefully closing the door behind me and jogging downstairs to the kitchen. I find a yellow sticky note on the counter that reads, "Went out for a ride. We'll be back before tonight. There's money behind the cereal.
Love Mom & Dad."
A few months ago my dad bought a vintage motorcycle just like the one he used to drive back in high school when he and my mom started dating. He made it his new project to restore it and he worked on it every spare minute he had for months till it looked and worked as if it were brand new. And now, every couple of weeks he takes my mom out to lunch and then they drive out to the countryside to spend the afternoon together.
Seeing as Ty and I will have the house to ourselves for the day, and since he'll probably spend it nursing a killer hangover, I decide to do something nice for him. And I know exactly how to cheer him up.
I quickly run up to my room taking a pair of sneakers and jeans from the closet and I head to the bathroom to take a quick shower. As the warm water hits me and I relax, the memories from last night start flashing in my mind and I feel my heart fluttering.
That worries me. I don't want to catch feelings too fast. I know guys like Noah. They're charming, smooth talkers. They know what to say and how to say it to make you melt like putty in their hands. I want to trust him, I really do, and he hasn't actually given me any reason not to, but I can't let him in so easily.
He's always been a player, after all, dated around a bit but never stayed with the same girl for too long. It would just be naive to believe he will just change for me overnight. For all I know, every girl he's ever been with could've been thinking they'd be the one to change him, so I don't want to get my hopes up just yet.
After I'm done showering, I toss on a button-up top, a pair of denim jeans, and white sneakers. I grab my keys and make my way down the stairs to get the money from the cereal box in the kitchen. I don't know how much time I have left before Ty wakes up on his own, so with my hair still wet I rush to get into my car and make my way to town to pick up some things.
I make it back home in record timing and hope Tyler hasn't woken up yet, or worse, gone home. Otherwise, this won't have the same effect. So trying to balance everything I bought in my arms, I rush back inside and up the stairs to my room.
I crack the door open to find Tyler still asleep with his mouth open and I cringe at him drooling on my pillows. I walk in, not trying to be silent anymore, and kneel down beside the bed, resting my head on my folded arms right in front of Tyler's face.
My breath is fanning his lashes, which prompts his eyes to flutter open just to find me staring at him, mere inches away from his face. He jumps back, startled, and hits his head on the wall behind him. I can't help burst out laughing.
"You bitch," he groans, rubbing the back of his head before leaping at me and dragging me onto the bed where he starts tortuously tickling me.
"Stop!" I yell in between giggles, which are an involuntary response because there's nothing I hate more than being tickled, but he keeps going. "Tyler, you're going to make me pee myself!" I say knowing that'll stop him and it does. He lets me go and lies back down.
"I hate you," he groans with his face buried between my pillow and the crook of my neck.
"Oh, but you're going to love me in just a few seconds," I say giddily.
He peeks at me with one eye and a raised eyebrow, and I go open the curtains to let the light in the room before going out to the hall and fetching everything I got.
"You didn't," he says incredulously, sitting up as I set the bags on top of the comforter laid across his lap.
"Oh, but I did," I smile. He looks at me biting back a smile. "Say it," I demand.
"No," he mutters.
"Come on, I want to hear it!" I taunt with my hand to my ear.
He sighs, but still a small smile tugs at the corner of his lip, "I love you, Maddie."
"I know," I say giddily, jumping on the bed to wrap my arms around him and ruffle his hair as he tries to shake me off.
Sitting on my bed are all of Tyler's favorites, and therefore, the recipe of the cure for a shitty night. I drove to Frenchy's and got our regular orders to-go, and then I went to the store looking for gummy bears, a tub of cookie dough ice cream, and a glass bottle of original flavor coke; because everyone knows coke just tastes better when it's in a glass bottle.
"I thought we could have a little movie marathon since we haven't done it in so long," I say tossing all the DVDs of the Harry Potter franchise onto the bed, which are of course Tyler's favorites too. He's always begging me to watch them, even though we've seen them about a billion times.
"Fuck," he says with a moan, taking a bite of his burger. "You leave me no option," he shakes his head, resigned, "I'm gonna have to marry you now," He teases and I shove him playfully.
As the movie starts, I take a seat on the bed next to him and dig into my food, happy as ever. Once we're done eating I lay back and Tyler rests his head in my lap, allowing me to run my fingers through his hair. After hours and hours of wizarding and multiple games of quidditch, we decide it's time for a break, and thank god for that because I'm starting to feel an oncoming headache.
Tyler goes silent for a while, looking lost in thought, and I wonder what's on his mind. He acted way out of character last night and it worried me. I'd never seen him in that state before and I hope I never have to again. I'm about to ask him what he's thinking about, but that ends up not being necessary because he voices it, unprompted. "So...happened with you and Noah last night?" he asks, wringing his hands together.
That's honestly the last thing I expected to come out of his mouth. "Uhm, nothing really," I say and it's the second time I've lied to one of my friends about this situation.
He gives me a knowing look, "Really? That's what you're going with?"
"Yes," I say, "That's what I'm going with."
"Okay, okay," he nods. His tone lowers to a whisper as he leans over, "It's not working, just so you know."
"I know," I groan, throwing my head back. "Okay," I concede, "We did...stuff. And he said...things."
"How specific, you really have a way with words," he says.
"I'm trying!" I whine.
"I don't need details," he says with his palms raised towards me. Then, "Did you believe him? When he said...things?"
"I just...I don't know." I sigh. "He's really sweet, and he seems genuine, there's just something in my gut telling me it's too good to be true. But I want to believe him. I think I do."
Tyler doesn't reply, he just nods absentmindedly, picking at a thread on my comforter. "Hey," I say, placing a hand on his knee, searching his face behind his blond hair, "You okay?"
He shakes his head as if he hadn't noticed he hadn't spoken in a while, "Yeah, yes. I'm good," he assures me, pressing the heel of his hand into his right eye, "Just...my head hurts."
"You want me to get you some Advil?" I ask, pushing his hair away from his face and I'm startled when he recoils away from me. He seems stunned too. Like he didn't mean to do it but acted on reflex.
There's something that's been gnawing at the back of my mind and I've tried to ignore it, thinking it would be easier that way and that maybe I'm just being stupid, but now I feel the need to address it head-on. "Look, Ty, about last night," I sigh, removing my hand from where it laid resting on his knee, "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable. You know...kissing you. It was just a game, and I didn't think-"
"Oh, no no no," he interrupts, scooting back and further away from me, "We don't need to talk about that."
"Are you sure? Because I don't want it to be weird and-"
"Maddie," he says and he finally looks at me. I don't miss the way he hesitates before putting a hand on my shoulder, "We're good," he assures, "I just...I'd rather not."
I want to believe him. I really, really do. Because if he's not telling me the truth, things could get really complicated, really fast.
"Hey," he says, rubbing his thumb over my brow, smoothing down my concerned frown, "All good. I promise." And this time his tender smile is so soft and genuine that I can't do anything but believe him. "Okay?" he asks.
"Okay," I reply.
He lets out a breath and just like that, the air is cleared. "So," he says, reclaiming his spot at the head of my bed and patting the spot next to him "How about we just forget about all of this, eat some ice cream, and enjoy the rest of our night?" Tyler asks.
I nod, crawling over to his side and resting my head on his shoulder once I'm settled. "I would love nothing more."