by Charity West
“I just want to get you home.”
“Please, Tyler? He shouldn’t be allowed to get away with this.”
Tyler sighed, but agreed. It took another twenty minutes to discuss the issue with Principal Richards, who wanted to take pictures of the tire with the knife in it and call the police. It took a while for officers to arrive but once they’d taken our statement and some pictures of their own, and I’d told the principal that I knew it was Hunter’s knife because I’d seen it in his car, we were finally free to go. I knew Mom was probably worrying because we were about an hour late, and I hadn’t thought to call or text.
“What do you think will happen to Hunter?” I asked.
“Since we involved the police, he may do some jail time. Is he still seventeen?”
I shook my head. “He turned eighteen last month.”
“Then he may be tried as an adult. I don’t think he’s going to college in the fall, or graduating high school.”
I felt bad for Hunter, but he’d brought this on himself.
Tyler got us to my house without incident and I apologized to Mom when she opened the door.
“I’m really sorry, Mom, but we had some problems at school today. Tyler’s ex-girlfriend squirted yogurt all over the inside of my locker, then Hunter decided to put a knife through one of Tyler’s tires. It took a while to change it and talk to the principal and then the police were called.”
Her look said she was both relieved and worried.
“You should have called,” she said.
“I know. I just got caught up in the moment.”
“Would you mind if I wash my hands, Mrs. Ryan?” Tyler asked, holding up his blackened hands.
“Not at all, Tyler. The bathroom is down the hall.” Mom waved him in that direction before facing me again. “Are you sure this relationship is worth the trouble you seem to be having?”
“Mom, Hunter was a problem before I agreed to date Tyler. Alicia is a new complication, but maybe she got the message after the principal made her clean my locker. I heard she got detention too and was warned another infraction would end with a suspension.”
“And Hunter?” Mom asked.
“The principal was going to call his parents after he got back to his office. Tyler told the cops he didn’t want to press charges, but they said since he was a minor it wasn’t up to him. He said he could understand the guy being upset because if he’d lost me, he’d feel the same way.”
“That’s not comforting, Hadley. You don’t need two boys that are completely nuts.”
I laughed and shook my head. “Tyler isn’t like that, Mom. I promise.”
“Very well. What are your plans for today?” she asked.
Tyler cleared his throat to alert her to his presence as he walked up to us. “I asked Hadley if I could do homework with her, as long as you’re all right with it, Mrs. Ryan. I’ll understand if you want me to go. I’ve caused Hadley a lot of trouble by asking her out.”
Mom patted him on the shoulder. “It’s all right, Tyler. You can stay if you want. Dinner will be served at six, if you think it would be okay with your mother for you to stay. We’re having meatloaf, green beans, corn on the cob, and rolls.”
Tyler’s stomach rumbled and we laughed.
“I’ll make sure I send my mom a text to let her know I’ll be home after dinner.”
“Hadley, you may study in your room, but the door remains open.”
I felt my cheeks burn as I led Tyler up to my room. What would he think of it? It was kind of girly, but I liked it. I tried to see the room through his eyes. The lilac walls, white eyelet comforter, the deep purple armchair near the window. My desk was a mess, and it wasn’t big enough for two people. I wasn’t sure where Mom thought we were going to sit.
Tyler took my hand and led me over to the bed, pulling me down beside him. Did he think homework was a keyword for something else? Because I had every intention of actually working on my assignments. Then again…
His lips brushed against mine and I couldn’t help but lean into him. His fingers tangled in my hair and I fisted the front of his shirt. I’d never enjoyed kissing someone as much as I loved kissing Tyler. I was really going to miss this when it was all over. But what if it didn’t have to be over? Was there anything I could possibly do to make him want to keep me after his mom had been appeased?
He pulled away and rested his forehead against mine. “I could kiss you all day and all night.”
My toes curled at his words and I smiled up at him.
“So, what kind of homework do you have?” he asked, picking up his bag.
“Well, there’s the essay we both have. We could work on that, if you want?”
He nodded. “Sounds good. Are you going to type yours later or just turn in a handwritten one? Our class was told that either would be acceptable, but a handwritten one has to be longer. I think it was three typed pages or five handwritten pages.”
“I’m definitely going to type mine, but I’ll probably start it by hand.”
“If I’d thought of doing homework with you before I left this morning, I’d have brought my laptop with me. I’ll stick it in the truck tomorrow, just in case.”
“You want to do homework with me again tomorrow?” Did he really want to spend so much time with me? Or was it all for show? Not that his mother would know the difference between him being at my house or hanging with his friends. Either way, he wasn’t home.
“I like spending time with you, Hadley. I enjoyed our date yesterday. I liked having dinner with your family last night. And I loved going to breakfast with you this morning. I’m not here because I have to be; I’m here because I want to be.”
“But your mom and military school…”
He nodded. “Yeah, that’s a part of it, but I really do like hanging out with you. I just wish it hadn’t taken me so long to get to this point. Maybe if we’d talked sooner, my mom never would have felt she needed to threaten me.”
I snorted. “Yeah, like you would have asked me out otherwise.”
“Hadley, the fact that you’re a band geek had nothing to do with it. I didn’t care that you were a geek and I still don’t. But I dated a certain type of girl because that’s what I wanted. Easy. And you are far from easy. You’re the kind of girl someone takes home to their mother, the kind you go away to college with, and the kind you eventually marry.”
“That’s a bad thing?” I asked softly.
“No. It’s a really good thing, but most guys aren’t looking for that in high school. Most of us just want to have a good time, and you’re not a good time girl. That doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with you, or that you’re less somehow. If anything, it means you’re better than all of them. Better than me.”
“Tyler…”
He placed a finger over my lips, then followed it with a kiss. His tongue traced my lips until I opened and let him in. If I’d thought our other kisses were hot, this one was hotter. If what he’d said was true, did that mean he was no longer looking for those party girls? Was he ready to have a serious girlfriend, the kind you took to college with you? Was that why he’d mentioned needing to apply to two more schools?
My heart pounded in my chest as I thought about the possibilities. A future with Tyler was all I’d ever dreamed of, but I’d always been too afraid to reach for it. Was it now within my grasp?
“We should do homework,” he said, pulling away. “Although, I can’t promise to keep my hands off you.”
“Tyler, what are we doing? I mean really.”
“I don’t know, Hadley. Let’s just see where things go, okay? I know this started out as a way to get Mom off my back, but the more time I spend with you, the more I like you. I’m not saying I’m great boyfriend material or anything, but this may end up being more than just a deal between friends.”
“Were we friends?” I asked.
“I’ve always had my eye on you, Hadley. I just knew better than to go after you.”
�
��Better you than Hunter,” I muttered. “That’s one mistake I’d love to take back.”
He laughed and kissed me again. “And I’d love to go back and never ask Alicia out. Yes, she had a purpose in my life, but I’m not sure it was worth it. She’s a little crazy, if you haven’t noticed.”
“As long as she’s satisfied with her prank and doesn’t come after me with a bat or something…”
“I’d never let her hurt you.” He laced our fingers together. “Please believe that, if nothing else.”
I nodded, my cheeks flushed, and released his hand to pick up my notebook. As I worked on my essay, I caught him watching me several times. It wasn’t a bad feeling to have, to be wanted like this, but I wasn’t used to it, and I wasn’t sure what exactly he wanted from me. If we were to make this relationship the real thing, would he expect more from me? More than I had given Hunter? I was a little worried I’d be all too willing to give in to him.
I had trouble concentrating, but I was happy with my progress, all things considered. It wasn’t every day I had the most popular boy in school in my bedroom. Setting my essay aside, I stood and stretched. The bedside clock said we’d been working for an hour already.
“Want to take a break?” I asked.
“What did you have in mind?”
From the gleam in his eyes, I knew what he had in mind. “I thought we could go downstairs and get a snack.”
Tyler stood and took my hand. Since he started leading me toward the stairs, I assumed he was in agreement. Either that or he was going to take me hostage and toss me in his truck. I didn’t think that second option was really all that viable since his things were still in my bedroom. When we got to the kitchen, I could smell dinner cooking, but my mom was nowhere in sight. That didn’t mean she wasn’t lurking nearby though.
I took out two sodas, handing one to Tyler, then pulled open the snack drawer.
“We have cookies, peanut butter crackers, honey buns, and chocolate cupcakes.” I looked at him expectantly, and he reached into the drawer and pulled out a package of crackers. Deciding I wanted the same, I grabbed another package then shut the drawer.
“Are we eating down here so your mom can see I’m not molesting you?”
I choked on my swallow of soda, and he thumped me on the back.
“I’m not allowed to eat in my room. Mom complains when I leave crumbs upstairs.”
I sat next to Tyler while we devoured our snack. I was getting a little too used to him being around. When we broke up, it was really going to suck. I’d gotten used to being alone and then he came barging into my life with this ridiculous deal. And me being the idiot I was, I’d agreed to it.
“Why don’t you have a pet?” he asked out of the blue.
“A pet?”
He shrugged. “You seem like a cat person, but I haven’t seen any food dishes or anything around. There’s no dog in the backyard yapping to be let in.”
“Mom always said if I ever got a pet it would have to be a gift because she refused to purchase an animal, even from the shelter. I told her we’d be giving a home to a cat or dog that might otherwise die, but she hasn’t budged on it. I think she just really doesn’t want me to have one, and since no one has ever given me a pet, it hasn’t been an issue.”
“We had a dog when I was growing up, but he died this past spring. He was old though, and he’d had a good life.”
“I’m sorry, Tyler.” I placed my hand on his. “You must miss him.”
He nodded. “Mom offered to get me another dog, but I’m going to college next fall and she’d be stuck taking care of it. Didn’t really seem fair.”
“You have a good point. Maybe it’s a good thing no one ever gave me a pet.”
“Have you thought about what next fall is going to bring? Are you staying in a dorm, or would you consider renting an apartment with someone?”
I shrugged. “I don’t really know anyone going to the schools I applied to, not anyone I would consider rooming with anyway. And how would I pay rent? I mean, I guess I could get a part-time job while I’m taking classes, but wouldn’t it be better to stay in a dorm?”
“What if you had a boyfriend attending the same school?”
“But I don’t.”
His thumb stroked the underside of my wrist. “I printed off the applications for UT Austin and UT Knoxville last night. I’m filling them out this weekend and getting them turned in by Monday morning. Mom agreed to express mail them.”
“Tyler, why are you doing this? You’re confusing me. I thought what we had was just for pretend, but you’re giving me mixed signals. There’s no one here to impress right now, so why act like a real boyfriend? Or are you just remaining in character?”
I thought he was going to answer me, but Mom walked in the room and he snapped his jaw shut. Whatever he’d been about to say was lost to me now. Why did Mom have to decide now was the time to check dinner? Or maybe she was checking on us. Either way, she’d ruined the moment and my one chance to figure out what the heck was going on. I doubted I could get him to talk about it again, at least, not today.
“Are you kids finished studying?” she asked.
“We still have a little more work to do, Mrs. Ryan,” Tyler answered. “My mom will be impressed I’m finished before midnight for a change. I’m usually up all night working on it.”
“How is it you’ve been able to bring Hadley home two afternoons in a row? Don’t you have football practice after school?”
I watched his cheeks flush. “Yes, ma’am, I do. I’ve kind of blown off practice this week to spend time with Hadley.”
My jaw dropped. “You’ve done what? What about the game on Friday?”
“Coach will still let me play, but he told me today I’d better be at practice tomorrow or else. I don’t suppose you’d like to stay after school tomorrow and watch me practice? I could run you home afterward.”
“Tyler, I think Hadley needs some time with her friends. I’m sure she loves spending time with you, but maybe the two of you should take a break tomorrow,” Mom said.
I wasn’t sure I liked her interfering, even if the thought of football practice did scare me. I knew the girls who went to those practices, and they would not be pleased to see me there. Especially since I was dating Tyler, the one boy every girl wanted for herself. But Mom did have a point. I hadn’t spent any time with my friends, had barely spoken to them since this boyfriend deal with Tyler. Maybe a little girl time would be good for me, even if they did grill me about Tyler the entire time. And I knew they would.
“Maybe I’ll go to Amber’s tomorrow,” I told Mom. That seemed to appease her and she left the room just as quickly as she’d entered it. It furthered my suspicion that she hadn’t come to check on dinner, but had been coming to check on me. Mom might seem okay with Tyler hanging out, but I knew she was nervous that a boy this cute would have me making bad decisions before she had time to put a stop to it.
Tyler looked bummed, but I hoped he understood. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to spend more time with him, but Mom was right. I was neglecting my friends, and they would be around forever while Tyler was just temporary. I couldn’t afford to alienate the people who had stood by me all these years just because I was feeling a little boy crazy at the moment.
“Are you mad?” I asked.
He seemed surprised. “Of course not. I had hoped you’d get to come to practice, but it’s no big deal. It’s not like she said you can’t come to any practices, just not the one tomorrow. I’m sorry if I’ve made you neglect your friends.”
“It’s fine. I’m sure they understand that I’ve been busy. Yes, we have lunch with them, but I haven’t really had a chance to talk to them much lately. Even our phone calls have been short and texts have been few and far between. It will be nice to have a little girl time.”
He winked. “And talk about me?”
My cheeks warmed. “Maybe.”
Tyler laughed and leaned over to kiss me. It was a quick k
iss, but it still packed quite a punch. If he didn’t stop kissing me, he was going to short circuit my brain. I’d already determined he was hazardous and I should proceed with caution, and yet every time we were together, I threw caution to the wind and just lived in the moment. If I wasn’t careful, I’d end up a teenage statistic. Not that Tyler had fathered any children, that I knew of, but there was always a first time, and I was determined it wouldn’t be me.
“You look serious all of a sudden,” he said.
“I just realized I don’t seem to have any self-control when I’m around you, and I’m not sure that’s a good thing. I don’t want to do something stupid I might regret later.”
“And being with me like that would be stupid?” His voice was tight with anger and there was a flash of pain in his eyes that he quickly masked. I wanted to take the words back, but it was too late; they were already out there and had done some damage.
“I didn’t mean stupid, exactly, but what if things did go that far between us and something happened? You’ve obviously been careful up to this point, but accidents happen, Tyler. If there was a baby, then you’d be tied to me forever, and we could probably both kiss our chances at a future goodbye. Or at least I could. No way I’d be able to have a baby and start college in the fall.”
“Whoa! Whoa! Hang on a sec. No one said anything about you getting pregnant. And I never said I was going to push you to go that far, but if something did happen between us, I’d like to think I’d do everything I could to keep you safe. You’re right, an accident could happen to anyone, but I also don’t like calling my potential kid an accident.”
“You know what I mean.”
He pulled me closer. “Let’s take things one day at a time. You’re worrying about something that may never happen.”
I knew he was right. I was so worried I would screw up that I was inventing problems that weren’t there. From this point on, I’d live in the moment and enjoy this relationship while it lasted.
Chapter Six
Tyler