48| Preparatory to Mac and Cheee Opera
KISSING Tyler could have gone on for much longer, if not for the fact that there was an entire house to tour, and Tyler really did want to show me everything. So once his hands were off my legs, and the tingly feeling was starting to go away (from kissing him and being so close and just all the gushy things), he showed me around. Ethan's room was kind of amazing; the walls were gray besides one, which was a painted mural of a Minecraft sunset, which Tyler told me was Alex's doing. Her art was incredible, and her room was even better. It was decorated just how I'd imagined, with art scattered around the room and canvases leaning against the walls.
Downstairs, he took me through the dining, family, and living rooms, ignoring when his parents were yelling his name. They were just being extra to embarrass him, he said, and pulled me to the backyard, the final stop. It was a cute little backyard right off the living room and kitchen, and I took in the view of the green grass, tall trees, and the sky turning into a watercolor sunset.
We stood in the backyard, holding hands, and Tyler leaned up and pecked my cheek. My phone buzzed in my pocket, and out of impulse, I grabbed it. Tyler's head was resting on my shoulder while I checked my phone screen, and saw that not only was Cayden texting me, but so was Logan. I hadn't really spoken to anyone since finding out that Noah had kept my parents a secret, and he'd gone and told everyone else before me.
"You don't have to respond, you know," Tyler said. "You're not obligated to appease everyone else at the expense of yourself."
"That was ... really intelligent sounding," I said.
Tyler chuckled. "Occasionally, I can get down with a bit of intelligence. But seriously. I want you to have a good time here, and if texting them, or reading their messages is gonna ruin that for you, then you shouldn't do it."
"I just ... I wish I felt like I could text them right now. At least Cayden, but ... I don't know," I admitted.
"They lied to you, and obviously that's something you can forgive over time if you think they're worth your forgiveness," Tyler said. "Until then, you can just eat some bomb mac and cheese with me and my insane family."
"Your insane family seems amazing."
Tyler sighed. "They are. Amazing, crazy, a little overbearing sometimes, but definitely the best. Even better now that you're here, and you get to witness it all."
I smiled. I put my phone back in my pocket because the texts didn't need my attention right now. I still loved my friends. I loved Cayden and Logan, and everyone else so much. Even Noah, because he'd been my friend for so long, and I had always been able to rely on him. I wanted to text them and have everything be perfect and happy and loving again, but I guess that wasn't how things worked. Things needed breaks and time. Trust needed to be regained, and I guess I just wasn't used to not already having that trust in my friends, in everyone in my life. Maybe I was just used to being the Clay that everyone looked at as a happy-go-lucky guy, working his dream job, nothing wrong in his life. I wasn't used to being the Clay that was just beginning to realize the path in front of him wasn't as stable as it seemed.
I just had to try and be the first Clay, which is who I really was, I knew it. I was genuinely happy, had the best job, and felt super blessed with what I had in life. This was just a little stumble, a little slip-up with everything involving my parents and my friends, and it would be fixed.
Tyler kissed my arm, and it warmed my body. If things were wrong in life right now, at least being with Tyler felt right.
The sliding door behind us opened, and we both spun around.
"Mac and cheese is ready for us to devour," Alex said. "Come inside to see the mess that Jesse is right now. He's on his housewife shit, and it's priceless."
"Come on," Tyler said, "you're gonna love this."
I followed Tyler inside, and he led me towards the dining room. Everyone was already sitting, or getting settled, but it was totally chaotic. Tyler's dad was singing some operatic song, and his mom was trying to set the silverware; Ethan was in the hallway of the dining room doing the Rasputin dance; Alex was sitting down, peacefully smiling at the chaotic energy surrounding her. Tyler and I sat down next to each other.
"Hey, can we do less operatic singing please?" Alex asked, turning to her dad.
"This is my preparatory to mac and cheese opera," her dad replied, faking offense, then turning to the open door that led to the kitchen. "Jesse! Do you approve of the pre-dinner opera?"
"Always, Mr. H!"
Alex looked towards me and Tyler. "I'm gonna kill him for that."
Their dad laughed and sat down, along with their mom. Ethan was still doing the Rasputin dance, which was really impressive, honestly. He was going all-out, and not everyone could kill it at Rasputin.
"I have a Just Dance Now subscription," Ethan said, looking right at me. He was still dancing, talking in between shaky breaths. "You look like you're going to play Just Dance with me tonight."
"Oh, I love Just Dance," I said. "I will not hesitate to beat any and all high scores. Especially if we dance to any song by Ariana Grande or Nicki Minaj."
Ethan stopped dancing, did a shuffle step, and hopped over the arm of the chair in order to sit down. It was all pretty graceful. "Personally, all the Ariana Grande Just Dance routines are pretty weak, and they could have done her so much better. She deserves justice, however, I will still do them because they still slap. Because of your Ariana and Nicki fixation, I will raise you a 'Make It Jingle' and a 'She's Got Me Dancing'."
I sat forward, grinning. "'Make It Jingle' is my absolute jam, and I don't know the other one, but I have faith that I'll catch on pretty quick."
Ethan reached his hand across the table. "We have a deal, then?"
I shook it. "We have a deal."
We both sat back and Ethan grabbed his fork and started tapping it on his place mat. "Just know that you simply will not beat me. I'm a maniac. A killer. At the game of dancing, of course. Don't get it twisted.
"This is so entertaining," Alex said.
"No kidding. My little brother is trying to size up my boyfriend," Tyler said. "Ethan is right, though. He always wins at Just Dance."
"I believe it. I saw his Rasputin," I said.
"And if you thought my Rasputin was impressive, just wait till you see my 'It's Raining Men'," Ethan said, doing jazz hands.
"MAC AND CHEESE, PEOPLE, MAC AND CHEESE!"
Jesse emerged from the kitchen, wearing an apron with lemons and yellow frills at the end. He was holding a pot of mac and cheese with one hand, and a spoon in the other.
"Bowls, people, bowls!" he yelled, walking around the table and scooping the mac and cheese into everyone's bowls. He got to mine and winked. "This scoop is just for you. If you don't love this, I'll be thoroughly disappointed."
"I can almost assure you I'll love it. Mac and cheese is everything I love," I said.
"You just can't marry it," Alex said. "I already did that."
"As you should," Ethan said.
"Alright, alright," Jesse said, setting the pot of mac and cheese in the middle of the table. He picked up the wine glass in front of his spot after untying his apron. "Let's make a toast, shall we?"
Jesse clinked his glass and raised it up, "To a lovely family dinner, and to making Clay feel as at home as possible. Everyone who eats this gooey, cheesy, mac and cheese goodness is instantly a part of the family. It's how I trapped all of you into being stuck with me. It's how I keep Alex around."
"Truth!" Alex interrupted.
"So," Jesse lifted his glass. "Cheers to a lovely night, and a lovely new guest."
I lifted my glass and clinked it with everyone else's, feeling incredibly welcomed by Jesse's speech. Tyler's parents jumped into conversation, steering questions in my direction, and Alex warned them about being too nosy. But I loved it. I felt comfortable, and I felt like I belonged. When I went for my first bite of mac and cheese, I almost exploded. It was literally the best thing I'd ever had in my life.
I really hoped that biting into it meant I could become an instant part of the family. Because this was an environment I didn't want to leave.
✿✿✿
I was panting when I collapsed onto the sofa, 'Rasputin' fading away as the scores appeared on the screen. Ethan absolutely beat my ass. His score was over 12,000 and mine was just barely over 9,000. I really was losing my touch. Something about old bones.
"I need a Dr. Pepper," Ethan said, jumping over the sofa and heading into the kitchen. "You want one?"
"I'd love one," I said, sitting up. Tyler was in the shower, his parents had gone off to bed, and Alex and Jesse were in the kitchen baking cookies, which smelled delicious. "So besides Just Dance, what do you get up to?"
Ethan came back with 2 Dr. Peppers and handed me one, which I cracked open immediately. He jumped back over the couch and sat down in the corner facing me.
He cracked open his Dr. Pepper like a beer and said, "You know, after a long life like mine, you've gotta indulge," and then he took a sip. "I play a lot of video games, but I also play soccer, so it balances out. I'm not a complete couch potato."
"Clearly not, or you wouldn't be dancing like that," I said.
"Pretty impressive, I know. I'm way cooler than my siblings," Ethan said. "Isn't that right, Alex?"
"Fuck off!"
"Alex, please don't tell your tiny brother to fuck off," Jesse muttered.
"It's okay, Jesse, I'm basically an adult now," Ethan said. "I'm in middle school and everything."
"That's pretty impressive. What's your favorite subject?"
"Obviously it's science," Ethan said.
"MY MAN!" Jesse yelled from the kitchen.
"Not my man," Alex muttered.
"Science was never my thing, but it is super cool. I know a really interesting science fact, actually," I said.
Ethan's eyes widened and he leaned forward. "Tell me immediately right now."
"It is scientifically proven that building a fort increases your chances of being the coolest person ever by 85 percent," I said.
"Hmm ... I don't know if that's real science ... but it should be!" Ethan exclaimed, jumping up from the sofa. "Are we about to build a fort? We can build one and then–"
"–turn on a movie, perhaps–"
"Bridesmaids with Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, and Maya Rudolph!"
"It's like you read my mind," I said.
"LET ME GO FIND ALL THE BLANKETS EVER!" Ethan yelled, dashing out of the living room and nearly colliding with the freshly-showered Tyler on his way.
"Woah, sheesh," Tyler said. "Where the hell is Mario headed?"
"He's getting blankets. We're building a fort," I said.
Tyler came over and wrapped his hands around my neck, pulling my head in his direction to kiss me. He smelled fresh, like recently washed linen mixed with teakwood and tobacco.
"And we're making cookies," Jesse said. "No thanks to you, Mr. Baker."
"Did you tell them I've attempted baking recently?" Tyler asked, and I nodded. He leaned down and whispered softly intok my ear, "You're not supposed to reveal Batman's identity."
I had to ignore the goosebumps of his proximity and hot breath, "Last time I checked, you weren't Batman. Besides, it's something to brag about. You made really good brownies!"
"Tyler Hamilton making good brownies? It's something I would have never expected to hear," Alex joked.
"Some of us evolve, dear sister," Tyler said, standing up and heading into the kitchen. I turned to wach him, resting my head on the top of the couch. "I'm no baker, but I'll try for him."
"Clay really does bring out the best in you. And the baker, too," Jesse said, shooting me a smile.
Footsteps pounded down the stairs, and Ethan showed up practically drowning in blankets.
"Okay," he said, catching his breath, "where do we start?"
I set my Dr. Pepper aside and stood up.
"This is my area of expertise. Forts are my forte, so you could say. I've built many a fort in my day."
"Sounds like you've been in the war," Jesse said.
"A fort war," I said. "And I will teach you all my tips and tricks, Ethan Hamilton. Just you wait."
"Was that a Hamilton reference?" he asked.
"Absolutely it was."
✿✿✿
HEY YALL.
It's snowing so therefore, I am drinking hot chocolate, watching Bridesmaids, and neglecting all my school responsibilities. These are the vibes.
I have fun stuff and cute stuff and just all around good stuff planned for this Christmas trip with our man Clay. We. Are. Excited.
Time to go get my muffin. ILY ALL.