Her Last Wish

Chapter 18

Tyson POV

I smile as I feel Tiana's hands wrap around me as we ride back to the house. I never thought I'd get the comfort of her arms holding me down. Guess I was wrong.

I've never been more glad to be wrong.

"Looks whose arms are around me," I say, teasing. I feel her body stiffen and her arms, so so skinny, pull away and I grab her hand, feeling panicked.

"I thought you don't want me to... you know," Tiana says quietly, her voice so small I had to strain to hear voice over the roaring of the wind in my ears. But I've grown accustomed to hearing her voice. I'd probably hear it in a sea of people.

I don't know if the thought is comforting or terrifying.

"I was just teasing, Kitty," I say, reluctantly letting go of her hand, the ghost of her touch still warming my hands. "I don't mind. Quite the opposite, actually."

I feel her relax behind me as her hold on me tightens. I'm glad she's behind me, that way she won't see the blush I'm sure is present on my face. This truly is a surprise.

She rests her head against me and sighs. My heart races faster than the vehicle we're on.

How is one person capable of doing this to me?

"Sometimes," Tiana mumbles, her soft breathe feeling like hot coal on my back. "Sometimes I like to think the stars are looking out for me. Taking care of me. I like to think they sent you to me."

"Well, I'm going to have to say thanks to the stars before I sleep, then," I say, smiling fondly. She can really be cute without knowing it.

"You better," she says and I hear the smile in her voice as she says this. I glance to the side mirror to see that she's, indeed, smiling her bright, light-up-the-world smile.

I wonder if she knows what a beautiful piece of art she is. She probably doesn't. I wish she did.

"Wouldn't miss it," I say, giving her a smile in return. A real one.

We reach the house in way too less time and Tiana removes her arms from my mid-waist. I miss the warmth her body gave. The slight reassurance that she's alive. That she's here.

"You two look like you had fun," Amanda says, armed with a hand on her hip and a smirk on her face.

"We did," Tiana says, smiling innocently. Then her smile turns into a frown. "Well... at least I did. I don't know about Tyson."

"I had fun too," I say, giving her a reassuring smile.

Amanda coughs all of a sudden and, weirdly enough, a word that sounds suspiciously like "smitten" is also heard along with the series of coughs that sound too forced to be real.

I glare at her. She smiles innocently at me. I glare harder. She subtly gestures to Tiana with her eyes. I glance at Tiana to see her shifting her gaze between the two of us, a confused expression etched on her face.

"Uh... am I missing something..? Are you two, like, a thing? If so then Im sorry for stealing him like that..." Tiana asks, very clearly confused. She probably didn't count on the reaction she would get before saying that though, which is why she must've looked so surprised at our reactions when we burst out laughing so loud the neighbor's dog started barking.

"Um..." Tiana murmurs, clearly uncomfortable.

"Babe, let me ease your confusion. Me and this piece of shit here are never getting together. Ever. If the zombie apocalypse happened and he's the last fuckable person left, we'd still never get together," Amanda says, an arm resting on my shoulder