Damaged » h. styles au

Chapter 64 - Scarlett

Carefully, I placed the book aside again, letting out another long sigh because I knew there was no way I was going any further on my reading that night. There was not a single chance that was going to happen.

Instead, I tiptoed through the boards, kneeing on the couch placed right in front of the window and pushing the curtains aside, allowing me to see one of Tyler’s friend’s car parked right next to the light pole. Had something happened to him? It was probably around midnight by now, and for the past two weeks he hadn’t been home sooner than 2am.

Something was wrong.

But then, Tyler himself was leaving the car, his gym bag on one side of his back, his hand holding it in place whilst he made some kind of sign to his friends, who nodded, before he turned around, smiling as if Jesus had just left heaven to come bring him liquid gold, or something. And then again, Tyler was not religious, so, if that happened it wouldn’t have made him smile like he was doing now.

Something was right. Absolutely right.

I barely had time to leave the couch and open the door to him, ‘cause when I was about to do so, he was already inside, throwing his bag on the floor and walking towards me, burying his face on my neck and wrapping his arms around my waist before I could even let go of the curtains properly. A second later, there was a wet trail of kisses from under my ear to the base of my neck, then not so wet when it reached my clothed shoulder.

“What is going on?” I asked, bewildered, attempting to push him away so I could turn around and look at him, but he stopped me, somehow managing to take me in his arms bridal style and spin me around the room. “What the f–ck is going on, Tyler?”

Not that I was complaining or anything, but since the night I made him sleep on the couch, we hadn’t exactly talked to each other. At first I knew he felt guilty, though it only lasted one night. Later, he was mad, but didn’t dare to argue about it because he was also afraid I might leave him once and for all. So, yeah, it was kind of weird how suddenly he was sweet, kissing me, spinning me around and all smile-y, ignoring all the circumstances that surrounded us.

“I got it, K.! We got it!” he yelled, still smiling like a fool, and that was seriously starting to scare me. That was not the Tyler I knew; it was a stranger, and although the sight was lovely, it was unusual, scary. I didn’t like the way he was acting, because it seemed as if he was high, but he didn’t smell like drugs, so.

“You got what, Tyler? Put me back on the floor.”

He pretended he didn’t listen to me, peering down and smashing his lips against mine, rough, as usual, but happily. There was no lust, no despair, no need. Just mere happiness, satisfaction. Inside my head, I started going through several thoughts, trying to think of something that actually made some sense.

“I got it, K.!” he said again, this time lowly, against my lips. “Got through semi-finals. I’m going to US.”

Oh, yeah. Then that it is.

Wait. What?!

“Oh my- Oh my God, Tyler!”

“I know, right? I- just. I’ve been dreaming about this, you know?” I nodded at him, finally understanding why he was so ecstatic. It’s true, he’s been dreaming of this for decades. Boxing is his passion and there’s nothing else that drives him insane like that. Going to another country – United States, for God’s sake, one of the top nations on boxing, he told me – because of what he loves doing the most is probably his biggest achievement. He might die if he actually wins. “You know, it’s not something that big yet, it’s not televised, we’re not gonna be on the ranking of best boxers in the world, but it’s something.”