The New Normal

Bonus Chapter: Chapter 17: Tyler's POV

*this is chapter seventeen from Tyler's perspective!*

"I-I j-just mean that I was thinking about you and Tristan." Juliet stuttered, her face turning a tint of pink.

I didn't know what to make of what she said and I worried about what she could possibly be thinking about. Unsure what to do, I tried to keep my composer as I gestured for her to sit on the orange sofa chair that was in the lounging section of the library, facing the courtyard that was filled reds, oranges, and yellows as three maple trees stood boldly in the otherwise grim area. Juliet sat down on the chair closest to the window and I sat across from her. I cleared my throat, throwing an arm over the back of my seat in an attempts to look casual. "So, what were you thinking about?"

Juliet stared into my eyes, her brown ones so warm and filled with cautious curiosity. After a moment, she licked her lips. "I was thinking about the fight you and Tristan had at the start of high school."

I felt my throat bob as I leaned back and squared his shoulders. I looked at her hard. I didn’t know if I should tell her the truth. Would she hate me more than she probably does? Worse, would she resent Tristan as much as I once did after our falling out? I shook my head mentally, I couldn't lie but I couldn't risk the full truth. "Do you remember the Winter Formal in our first year?"

She stared off into the courtyard thoughtfully, trying to remember. While she thought back to three years ago, I got lost in memories of my own.

Juliet had just finished telling Tris and I the best way to win a girl over, my friend let out a frustrated groan as he shut his door. His dark eyes filled with worry. "I have no idea how to ask Ariel. J's advice was good but I don't know if I can do it. Man, I hate this, you have no idea."

I withheld the need to say I definitely had an idea, seeing as I was hopelessly crushing on Juliet and have been for the past year, and I had no clue how to break it to Tristan. I wanted to ask her to the dance, to ask her to be my girlfriend, but I couldn't do it unless Tristan was okay with it. He's my best friend, and even though I didn't have a sister, I know I'd sure as hell be as protective of her as he was with Juliet.

When I didn't say anything, Tristan narrowed his eyes on me. "Who did you want to ask? You never told me."

I could feel the colour drain from my face. I needed to tell him and this was my chance. I winced ever-so-slightly as I said, "Juliet."

"Absolutely not," Tristan snapped instantly.

I looked up at him in surprise. He was no longer sitting on his bed, but standing defiantly. He shook his head. "You're my best friend and all, but Tyler, you cannot pull Juliet into the shit you've been getting into."

"Like what?" I snapped, I hadn't expected him to shut me down so quickly, so harshly.

Tristan cocked a brow. "You came home in a cop car last week."

I did in fact come home in a cop car. I wasn't technically arrested, but I knew it wasn't the time to correct him. "It was a stupid mistake. Juliet knows that. Tris, I wouldn't get her in trouble."

Tristan looked pained. "Ty, I want to believe you but you've changed over the past few months. My sister deserves someone she can rely on, someone who won't hurt her."

I jerked my head back in surprise. "You think I'd hurt her?" Tristan looked down and said nothing. I shook my head in disbelief. "Wow, some best friend you are if you think so low of me. How about this, I'll stay away from you and Juliet seeing as you think I'm some criminal or some shit, happy?"

Tristan rolled his eyes. "Stop being like this, Ty. You know I'm right. I don't want to see my sister heart broken and one way or another, you will break her heart."

The certainty in his voice stung. I wanted to tell him he was wrong, that I wouldn't break her heart or hurt her in anyway, but I knew he wouldn't listen to me. He wouldn't believe me if I told him I loved her. That it wasn't some dumb crush that I would tell myself it was. That I had been in love with her for a year, ever since she had kissed my cheek when I had given her money for stupid tater tots. After that, it seemed like she may like me too, we'd spend time together while waiting for Tristan to finish lacrosse practice, talking about anything and everything. I could tell him this, all of it, but I was too hurt, too betrayed that my best friend didn't think I was good enough for the girl of my dreams that all I could utter out was, "Fuck you."

I shook the memory away, a faint pain in my chest at the thought of mine and Tristan's fight. Our friendship was never the same after that. We were civil, we would hang out on occasion, but I still kept myself distant from him, too hurt at the realization my best friend didn't think I was good enough.

"Juliet?" I asked, my voice laced with concern as I placed my hand on her knee.

Juliet snapped back to the present. "You and Tristan wanted to have a date but you guys were clueless as to how to get one so you asked me advice on how to win a girl over."

"Right," I began and then winced as I had to figure out how to tell her the half truth. "Well, Tristan and I had our differences as to who we wanted to ask out and it sparked an argument. Then it escalated and it turned into this giant fight about our friendship and whether we were ever friends— it was a mess that I barely remember. All I really remember is after our fight about our Winter Formal dates, everything went downhill."

"Oh," she responded lamely. I could've sworn disappointment lined her features. I want to tell her the girl was her, that even though I was shit at showing her how I really felt, she was the girl I wanted and still do. But I knew I couldn't tell her the full truth. She was stubborn and she would hate that Tristan interfered with her love life even if she didn't have feelings for me, it would have upset her that Tristan got involved, that he didn't give her the opportunity to respond how she saw fit. I didn’t want her resent her brother for taking away her choice. 

Juliet cleared her throat and pulled the sleeves of my hoodie over her hands. "What did you want to talk about before I..."

My eyes landed on Juliet once more, her small frame drowning in my hoodie. God, I wished I fought Tristan more. Proved to him that I was worthy enough for her. But I didn't. I tried to look casual, shrugging my shoulders. "I wanted to call a truce."

A smile formed on her lips as she leaned back in surprise. "Bad Boy Tyler Hale is calling a truce? With me? I'm honoured."

I shook my head, a faint smile tugging on my lips. "I just think it's for the best. Hating each other has gotten us nowhere and I know my friends like you and that you could use some new friends given your issues with Ariel... So I guess what I'm trying to say is maybe it's time we call it quits and accept we are going to be in each others lives whether we like it or not."

Juliet sat for a moment, looking at me dumbfounded. "Tyler," she eventually began as she placed a hand on mine that rested on my knee. It was soft and cold, I forgot how cold she always seemed to be. I mentally shook away how distracted I got from her touch. "I never hated you, but I'm glad to call a truce."

I stared at her for a second and my heart felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe, I could prove to her I was good enough. Maybe Tristan could see, wherever he was, that I would try my hardest to be the guy for her, the one she could rely on, the one would always be there for her. Maybe I could make him proud, something I couldn't do when he was alive.

My eyes drifted to her hand on mine and despite trying to contain it, a big idiotic grin took over my face. "Thank you, Sweetness. For giving me a chance."