UN-RELATED (UN-RELATED SERIES)
Page 15
“What happens in seven weeks, Abby?” Tyler asked from directly behind me.
Once again, I forgot about having a boyfriend, or that he was even there. I knew I was about to break his heart, and as terrible as that thought was, I couldn’t help but being incredibly happy. I had never been so happy in my entire life. I just wished that it wasn’t at Tyler’s expense. It was now or never. I took a deep breath and turned around. “Tyler, I think we need to talk…”
BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO!
“Okay, let’s talk in the car. I thought if you’re up to it, we could go grab some dinner, and maybe a movie. You know, to keep your mind off of…him.”
I looked up at him and said, “I don’t think that’ll work. I’m really not hungry, and I don’t feel like going to a movie. But, we do need to talk. Can you just take me home, please? Nancy and Joe won’t be home until tomorrow, so we won’t be interrupted.”
“Hmm, okay. Sounds good,” he smiled and gave me a wink.
“Tyler, we’re just going to talk, okay?”
“Okay,” he said, but still had a grin on his face.
“Tyler, why are you smiling, I was serious,” I said, staring at him once we got into his car.
“I’m just so happy to have you back. I missed you so much!”
“I didn’t go anywhere.”
“Maybe not physically, but you were gone…trust me.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It’s just, whenever you’re with him…I don’t know, it’s like no one and nothing else matters.”
“And yet, you’re still smiling,” I said.
“I know. I figured you’d be crying your eyes out all the way home…and probably into next week, but you’re not. You’re not even teary-eyed. I mean, yeah, you were pretty hysterical at the airport, but you seem fine now that it’s just you and me.”
“Tyler…”
“I know you miss him and that’s okay. I know he’ll always be a part of your life. I promise that I won’t be such an idiot the next time he comes home. And, I know you probably don’t want to hear this, but I’m so glad he’s gone…it was killing me. I love you, Abby.”
I stared out the window and watched a plane heading in for a landing and wished Kellan was on it. “Seven weeks…you’ve waited years, you can wait seven more weeks,” I said to myself and let out a huge sigh.
“Are you okay?” Tyler asked, noting my sigh.
I was still lost in thought. I sat there staring out the window wondering what it was going to feel like to be wrapped in Kellan’s arms, and how wonderful it was going to be when he kissed me. I closed my eyes and tried to imagine it. I let my mind wander and just as I imagined Kellan’s lips on mine, Tyler kissed me. He didn’t say anything, he just leaned over and kissed me. I knew subconsciously that it wasn’t Kellan, but I moaned softly and pulled him to me. I was so lost in the kiss…all thoughts on Kellan, that I didn’t even stop him when he reached up under my shirt and gently touched my breasts. But then he spoke, and it wasn’t Kellan talking, it was Tyler. I snapped back to reality and pulled away, I quickly turned toward the window as my face flushed crimson red.
“I missed you, too,” Tyler said, breathless.
When I didn’t respond, Tyler said, “Don’t be embarrassed, Abby. That was wonderful.”
I felt terrible. Tyler was a great guy and I was, and always had been completely unfaithful to him…if only in my mind. I knew he deserved better and as I glanced over at him, still feeling the heat in my cheeks, I knew he deserved the truth…
“Tyler, I um, I have to tell you something,” I started.
“You can tell me anything you want as long as you promise to kiss me like that again,” he smiled as he pulled into my driveway.
“Yeah, um, about that…”
“Come on, let’s go inside first. Maybe I can persuade you to do that again.”
“Tyler…”
“Okay, okay. I’ve waited this long, I guess I can wait until tomorrow night,” he smiled and ran around to open my door.
He offered me his hand and led me to the door. I was all thumbs as I tried to get the key in the lock and Tyler finally took them from me and unlocked the door.
“Thanks,” I mumbled with a shaky voice.
“Are you okay? Is it Kellan?” he asked as we were both standing in the living room and he noticed I couldn’t stop fidgeting.
“What?” I asked, my attention immediately drawn back to reality once Kellan’s name was mentioned.
“Are you okay? What’s wrong?”
“I um, I need a few minutes,” I said and started to head into the bathroom.
“What’s wrong, Abby?” he asked, knowing something was up.
“Tyler…um, I don’t know how to tell you…”
“Tell me what?” he demanded, really worried now.
“You know that I…” my phone vibrated. I knew who it was without even looking, but wondered how he could be calling me from the plane.
I pulled it out of my jeans pocket, “Hi,” I said, turning away from Tyler.
“Did you call him off?” he asked as more of a command, than a question.
“I’m…working on it.”
“ABBY! If you don’t tell him, the deal’s OFF!”
“Okay. We um, we just got back to the house. Don’t they make you turn off your cell phones on the plane?” I asked, trying to get him off the subject of Tyler.
“We had a quick lay-over. I have to get back on the plane in a minute. Are you alone in the house with him?”
“Yes.”
“ABBY, what are you thinking? Have him take you out…somewhere public.”
I glanced back at Tyler and whispered, “I’ll be right back,” with my hand over my phone.
He nodded, but I could tell he was irritated.
“Kellan, if you want me to tell him, then you’re going to have to let me off the phone. Call me tonight when you get home.”
“I’m not there to protect you now…he knows that. Get out of the house and go somewhere public before you tell him. Take the cab money I gave you and take a cab home. Go inside and lock all the doors and windows. He’s going to be really angry at me…and I don’t want him to take it out on you. Now, please, do what I say.”
“Okay! Tyler’s not going to hurt me, Kellan. Calm down.”
“If you’re so sure about that, then why haven’t you already told him?”
“It’s hard. He’s a nice guy and I don’t want to hurt him.”
“Then maybe you should stay with him…but put the physical part of your relationship on hold…”
“Oh no, you’re not backing out on me now. You made me a promise, Kellan Reynolds, and I’m holding you to it!”
“Fine! Then tell him! I have to go. I’ll um,” he sighed, “I’ll talk to you tonight.”
“Seven weeks, Kellan…don’t forget,” I said, once again confirming our plans.
“Abby…oh, God, okay. I’ll talk to you tonight.”
I smiled as I closed my phone and then took a deep breath and turned around.
“What happens in seven weeks, Abby?” Tyler said.
I jumped, not expecting to see him standing in my room. “What?” I asked, wondering just how long he’d been standing there.
“You told him ‘seven weeks’ just now, and that’s what he said at the airport when he left. What happens in seven weeks?” he asked, looking right through me, as if trying to figure out what was going to happen in seven weeks.
“He um, he’s coming home in seven weeks…for…the summer.”
“Great, just great.” He stopped talking for a minute and then said, “Sorry. I know you…love him. I’ll be nice,” he sighed, but gave me a small smile.
I put my phone back in my pocket and said, “Um, Tyler…are you hungry?”
“What?”
“I’m hungry. Let’s go get something to eat,” I said and grabbed his hand and pulled him along back to his car.
We got in and he turned t
o me and said, “You told him, didn’t you?” he asked, turning away from me and facing the steering wheel.
“Told who, what?” I asked, as if I didn’t know what he was talking about.
“Abby, I’m not in the mood to play games. You told Kellan about our plans tomorrow night, didn’t you?”
I looked down at my lap, “I…I’m sorry.”
“Why would you do that? Are you trying to get out of it? Or, do you want him to beat the hell out of me?”
“Of course not! He knew about…our plans…today at the airport, and he didn’t touch you!”
“Has he touched you?” he asked, turning back to face me, waiting for an answer.
“No!”
“Has he kissed you?”
“No, not like…that.”
“Like what, then?”
“Just on the top of the head…like he’s always done.”
He took a deep breath, “I don’t care if he does know…I love you, and it’s really none of his business. He’ll have to get over it.”
We were silent on the way to the restaurant. I think he knew that I was planning on breaking up with him, but I don’t think he wanted to face it just yet, so he didn’t ask any more questions.
He pulled into the parking lot and I looked up at the restaurant. “Um, maybe we should go somewhere else,” I said, realizing this was the same restaurant with the over-zealous waiter, and I didn’t really need him at my beck and call.
“Why? I thought you liked this place?”
“I do, it’s just…they have a new waiter…”
“Come on, you said you were hungry.”
The hostess sat us in the back of the restaurant, close to the kitchen.
“Hi, how are you today?” the waiter asked, the same waiter that gave me his phone number.
“Fine, thanks.”
“What can I get you to drink?”
“Um, I’ll just have water, thanks,” I said.
He asked Tyler if he wanted something, but never took his eyes off me. He made me uncomfortable and I finally scooted over toward Tyler to let him know I wasn’t interested in him.
Tyler put his arm around me and said, “I’ll have a Dr. Pepper, please. And, um, for the record, she’s taken.”
“Well, for tonight, anyway. I thought you liked older guys?” he smiled at me.
“Am I missing something here?” Tyler asked.
“I um, I told you I had a boyfriend.”
“Yeah, but I thought it was that older guy you were with last week. You know, the one that was about to rip my throat out for even looking at you,” he grinned.
Tyler looked at me but didn’t say anything.
“No, this is my boyfriend…Tyler. Um, can I have that water now, please?”
“Sure. But, for the record, I’ve been waiting for your call…day and night.”
“I told you, I have a boyfriend.”
Tyler was quietly listening to our conversation and finally had enough.
“Can we speak to your manager, please?”
“He’s not in.”
“Really? Then who is? I’m sure you know it’s not polite to harass customers. She’s mine, now back off, or get whoever is in charge,” Tyler said and stood up, ready to fight.
“I think maybe she should be allowed to choose. But, frankly, she seemed more interested in the older guy…” he said, rudely, trying to make him angrier.
“You need to back off!” Tyler shouted.
“Please, I’m not interested in you…okay?” I said, standing up and stepping between them.
The waiter sighed and said, “Okay, I can accept that. You have my number if you change your mind.”
He walked away and I glanced up at Tyler. “He um, he was our waiter last week. He kind of doesn’t want to take no for an answer.”
“I can see that. So, did you keep his number?” he asked, accusingly.
“I threw it away!”
“I’m surprised Kellan let him anywhere near you, and I’m really surprised he let him give you his number.”
“He took the number out of the trash and burned it with the cigarette lighter,” I grinned awkwardly.
“I’m surprised that’s all he did,” Tyler said.
“He was practicing self-control.”
“Like he was today, with me?” he asked, finally getting back to the topic foremost on our minds.
“Yeah, I guess.”
“Why did you tell him, Abby?”
“We were fighting. He made me mad, I guess.”
“So, you told him that we’re going to sleep together tomorrow night to get back at him? Make him jealous? What?”
I didn’t know how to answer that. I couldn’t tell him I was using Tyler as a bargaining tool, so I shrugged my shoulders, and said, “I don’t know. I was angry.”
“Well, I guess he finally realized that you’re not a little girl anymore and you can make your own decisions…”
“Tyler…I have made a decision,” I started, but the waiter was back with our drinks.
He set them down and took our order, still staring at me, which only made Tyler even angrier.
“Don’t you have a table to bus, or something?” Tyler spat. The waiter just grinned and walked off.
“You’re not going through with it, are you?” he asked.
“What?”
“Tomorrow night, you’re not ready yet, are you? That’s why you told him. You thought he’d take care of it and make sure I’d let you off the hook?”
“No, that’s not…” I sighed, “Tyler, I can’t go through with it…I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. I kind of figured that. I knew something was wrong. It’s okay, Abby. I love you, I’ll wait.”
He was so good to me and he’d been so patient. I felt terrible. “Tyler…”
“I’m just so glad you’re not breaking up with me. I can wait, I can, but I can’t lose you.” He reached out and grabbed my hand and smiled.
I couldn’t tell him. I tried, but I just couldn’t. I knew he deserved the truth, but every time I tried to get the words out, he would make another kind remark, or a sweet gesture. It never seemed like the right time, and as he was standing in the doorway, kissing me goodnight, I knew there’d never be a right time and I just had to say it.
“Tyler…”
“I guess I better cancel the hotel room for tomorrow, huh?” he grinned, but I’m sure he was hoping that I had changed my mind and I’d tell him not to cancel.
“I’m sorry.” My phone vibrated again, and I wasn’t sure which was worse…telling Tyler I wanted to break up with him, or telling Kellan I hadn’t.
He looked down at the phone and rolled his eyes. “I guess you can tell him what he wants to hear. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Goodnight.”
“Before you yell at me, I called it off for tomorrow.”
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“How did he take it?”
“He um, I think he kind of knew…”
“He knew you were breaking up with him?”
“I didn’t actually break up with him…yet.”
“What? Abby, we had a deal! If you expect me to…”
“I know, believe me, I know. I told you, I called off tomorrow night. I just couldn’t…tell him that I wanted to break up.”
“Do you want to break up with him? Abby, if you love him, then I won’t stand in your way. I just…I just want you to be happy. I want you to be with the right man…”
“I will be, as soon as you come home.”
He sighed, “How do you know for sure that I’m the one you want?”
“I’ve always known…well, for the last few years, anyway. You’re all I think about, you’re all I want. And don’t tell me it’s just a little girls’ crush.”
“I um, I can’t call you a little girl anymore. You’ve grown up, and trust me, I’ve noticed.”
“Then, what’s the problem?”
I tensed the second I heard that woman’s voice. All I could think about now was that his rent was probably due…and I started shaking.
“Abby, I have to go.”
“Kellan!”
“Don’t worry, my rent’s paid,” he said, reading my mind.
I sighed and said, “Okay. I love you. I’ll see you soon.”
“Bye.”
The next afternoon, Tyler picked me up. “I cancelled the room, so you’re off the hook.”
When I didn’t say anything, he added, “I’ll bet Kellan was happy when you told him.”
“Tyler, this really wasn’t up to him. It was my choice, okay? I’m sorry.”
“I can live with that. But, would you do me a favor, please?” he asked.
“I guess so,” I said, still unsure how to tell him I wanted to break up.
“Would you keep our private life between us from now on? I know you tell Kellan everything, but…”
“That’s not entirely true. I didn’t plan on telling him anything about our plans, it just kind of came out,” I repeated.
“What were you fighting about?” he asked.
“I, we…oh, I don’t even remember,” I lied.
“Okay, but can we keep our private life just between us now? I’d really like to keep all my limbs intact.”
“Do you honestly think Kellan would hurt you?”
“If he thought I hurt you, or did something against your will, then hell yes, he’d rip me apart. I know you don’t believe this, but he loves you.”
“I know he loves me.”
“Just…not like you want him to?”
“Tyler, can we talk about something else?” I asked, still trying to come up with a way to break it off with Tyler without destroying him.
“Sure, what would you like to talk about?”
“I don’t know. You’re graduating in two months, are you excited?”
“I guess. I don’t really want to leave you. I wish you were graduating with me.”
“Yeah, me too. Then I can finally get out of here and be…”
“Be what?” he asked, with raised eyebrows.
“…be free of Nancy and Joe,” I lied.
We went to the mall and walked around, then out to dinner. But, I couldn’t ever find the right time or the right way to tell him. I tried, over and over again, but each time I either chickened out, or he interrupted me.