The Kippens | Tyrus

The Breakup

Cyrus' POV

7 Years Ago

The diner is noisy due to the buzz of conversation around our booth as well as the clacking of billiard balls from the pool tables nearby. I have to lean in to hear TJ speak across the table as he answers my question about what he's going to order.

"Probably just water and fries," he says.

"Not hungry?" I ask, puzzled.

"No, I just—" he pauses "—don't have a ton of money to spend. I just got groceries for me and Amber, so I might as well eat at home."

"Well, I can pay for you," I offer.

"No, you don't need to do that," TJ refutes.

"TJ, I don't want you worrying about your wallet," I say. "Just order whatever you want, and I'll pay."

TJ looks like he wants to argue some more, but he accepts my offer with a reluctant nod. "Thanks."

He looks back down at his menu, now having to sort through many more options, but I keep my eyes on him, watching the way his eyelashes flutter and his hair falls over his forehead. Then I'm reminded of something.

"Hey, can you send me those photos of us from the park yesterday?" I ask.

"Uh, yeah," TJ says, "once I get home. I've already reached my data limit for the month, and I don't exactly have the money to go over."

"Oh," I respond. "Yeah, of course. That's okay."

TJ looks down at the menu for one more minute before abruptly clearing his throat and standing up.

"I'm gonna go to the washroom," he says.

"Okay," I say.

He nods and walks off toward the back of the diner. While he's gone, I hear cheering come from the pool tables across the room. Curious to see what's captured the attention of the swarm of teens, I get up to go over to join them.

Now I can see what's happening. Two girls are competing at a game of pool. They're both silent, carefully planning each move, while the watchers are making the noise, shouting suggestions at them that they don't listen to.

I notice the space to my right close in all of a sudden and glance over to see a boy standing next to me. Immediately, his shocking blue eyes make themselves known, and a streak of his jet black hair curls over his forehead. Although I have no intention to converse with him at all, he makes the executive decision to speak up.

"I don't usually flirt with guys I just meet, but I think in this case, I wouldn't forgive myself if I didn't give it a shot with you," he says, flashing a charming grin.

"Your confidence is remarkable," I note, "but I have a boyfriend."

"Of course, you do," he says, shaking his head. "All the cute ones do."

I feel myself blush at the compliment, and he steps away to join a group of people who I assume must be his friends. When I turn back around, I'm happy to see TJ standing by me, but he looks dismayed for some reason.

"Who was that?" he asks, eyes peering past me at the boy who was just with me.

"I don't know, actually," I reply. "He just started talking to me."

"And flirting with you," he adds.

I'm surprised by his apparent discomfort. We've both been hit on by other people before, and that's always been just some funny stories that we laugh about after the fact, neither one of us bothered by it, but this time is different for him, and I don't know why. Seeing him looking blue like this makes my heart drop and my whole body feel unsettled. We've been together for so long that his emotions seem to rub off onto me somehow. Sometimes they're so strong that I wish I didn't feel them. This is one of those times. Hands beginning to quake from anxiousness, I take my boyfriend's hand and pull him over to the corner of the room away, from the crowd of people.