Closer Than You Realize

Chapter 10

Closer Than You Realize

Chapter 10

     The next morning, despite the fact that I had an extremely busy day ahead, I woke up in the best mood I'd been in in months.

     I looked forward to the day ahead, something that wasn't normal because of all of the college stress looming over my head.

    In my life, no matter how good the circumstances were, or how happy I was supposed to be, there was always a part of me that was left unhappy and I never knew why. But today was different.

     I couldn't help but smile as I showered and got dressed for work for no reason really at all. I was just happy. Just as I was grabbing my bag to leave the house, I glanced out the window, just as Tyson did and we smiled at each other.

     My happiness reminded me of the last time I thought I'd made progress with Tyson and it made me realize that the reason I was happy when I was with Mr. Jackson was because of Tyson. The stress was gone about breaking through his icy exterior and making a friend out of someone I thought I was always going to hate, and it sent this immense amount of joy surging through me, both this time and last.

     Even though I wasn't seeing Tyson until school Monday, I wasn't dreading work, nor was I upset about going to a concert for work for a band that I didn't really like, and I was looking forward to seeing my other friends to fill them in on my progress with the boy next door.

     My day passed by quickly, smiling my way through the whole thing, and acting and feeling happier than I had in months.

     Even though I wasn't a huge fan of the band's music that we saw, the concert was a blast and they were quite an interesting group to interview.

     "Why are you so smiley? It's actually starting to seriously freaking me out." Carter asked when we all met up at the mini golf course later that night.

     "I'm just in a good mood, I guess." I grinned wider. It was even freaking me out a little bit as I glanced at Hayden, who actually knew why I was so happy.

      "Does this have something to do with Tyson?" Laurie asked skeptically as she narrowed her eyes. I saw Adam tense next to her.

     "Maybe." I said mischievously.

     "Oh my god! Tell us everything!" She squealed.

     "Or don't." Adam groaned and all of us simultaneously turned our heads toward him.

     "Whatever, Adam." Laurie scoffed. "How was last night?! How is the project coming?! Oh my god!! Did you guys kiss?!"

     "No." I said immediately with wide eyes. "We did not kiss." I saw Adam's face soften. "The project is going really good though. We finished most of it and what we've done already came out really good. Did you know Tyson can write? Because he did the writing pieces and they came out amazing." The smile made its way back onto my face. "And then we got pizza and watched our favorite movie and just joked the whole time. It was really fun."

     "Glad all's well in the land of Lydia and Tyson." Laurie said with a sincere smile and a glint in her eye.

     "How 'bout you, bro?" Carter addressed Adam. "How are things with you and Mae?" He grinned and nudged his shoulder.

     "Things are fine." He said with a blank expression.

     "Seriously? That's all we get? 'Things are fine'?" Hayden scowled as he mocked our friend. "Things aren't just 'fine'. She chose you as a partner. Obviously that was for a reason."