CAUGHT OFF GAURD

CAUGHT OFF GUARD: CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR

MAIN CHARACTER 👆🏾

KHALIL💕

Tyson came into the light slowly, twisting out from the bushes, a hand, then an arm and a hip, then his beautifully dreaded hair, reflecting the porch light back to my eyes. While mosquitoes and suicidal moths buzzed my head, my emotions surged and my breath caught in my throat.

'Ty. Oh shit. Oh Ty... what do I... I don't know how to... Shit!'

"Ty, what's up...?" I croaked.

"Keep it down, I don't wanna wake your folks up," he whispered. He shuffled slowly over to me, still wearing the same shirt from yesterday. He squinted up into the porch light and shoved his hands in his pockets, pulling his shoulders forward. His expression hovered somewhere between wary and sad.

He obviously dreaded this as much as I did, but I guess he was compelled to meet with me. I had to deal with it. Now.

'No. I just can't do this... to someone I love. I just can't. But he KNOWS I HAVE TO!'

My heart raced and I spewed rhetorical shit, stalling I suppose, "Where you been, Ty? You weren't waiting at my car yesterday after school. I went by your parent's place looking for you. Where'd you go? Why'd you...?"

He shrugged his shoulders and answered anyway, "I uh..." He watched the bugs do their kamikaze dives into the light as he spoke, "I kinda needed to get away from it all, y'know?" He forced a small quick smile.

'I can't DO this! I know what it feels like. I can't do this to anyone!'

I was still in shock at finding him here, and my mind was racing with jumbled mush, so it took a moment for his words to soak in. "Oh. No, you, uh, no... You shoulda been there. I mean, I needed... We needed to talk."

His eyes narrowed sadly as he said, "What's there to talk about, Khalil? I knew you'd go back to him. I knew I..." He lowered his gaze and mumbled, "...couldn't compete with someone like him."

'No, Ty! I didn't... I wasn't comparing! I never...'

I visibly cringed as he said it. All the conflicting emotions and regrets flooded over me, zapping my energy and scrambling my thoughts.

"Ty, it's not like-- I mean..."

I stood there looking down at his feet, with no idea what to do or say. He started to move toward me, but stopped himself. I looked up at him and saw tears welling in his eyes. "Hey, I knew the second I saw him I couldn't compete with that. I mean, what do I got to offer?"

"Oh, God, Ty! It's not like that!" I stomped my foot like a little kid. "Man, it's not about that at all!" I said, gesturing widely. How could I get across to him that it was never a competition? It wasn't about competing at all. It's not like I stood back at some point and said, 'Well, let's just see who wins!' I mean, come on!

He spread his arms and pulled his shoulders back, with attitude, "Well what is it about, Khalil? He's on the basketball team and on the football team not to mention hes a light skin pretty boy. He slumped his head down