Sixteen
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By Wednesday, everyone seemed to get used to the idea of me arriving to and from school with Tyler, but that didn't stop the crazy rumors from circulating.
I didn't really care today, though, because Charlie would be arriving sometime after I got home, and all I could think about was seeing his bright blue eyes and hearing his charming British accent.
I made it through my classes, and was now skipping towards Tyler's car in joy. For once, he was already there, so we left as soon as I slid into his car.
Today I had swept my long dark hair into a high ponytail, instead of just leaving it down like usual. Tyler, of course, tugged on my ponytail the second I slid into the car, causing me to swat his hand away.
He was looking at me with a curious expression instead of his usual smug look. "Why'd you wear your hair up today anyway?"
I shrugged. "I Felt like it? Why?"
"No reason."
...
It was now 4:30, and I was buzzing with excitement. I looked down and examined myself; my t-shirt was faded, and my blue skinny jeans had holes in the knees, but it would do. It's not like Charlie would care, he was my best friend, maybe even more so than Alyssa.
Tyler was upstairs in his room while I was standing in the kitchen, munching on some Cheetos.
Soon, the doorbell rang, and I dashed across the house and yanked open the door. Charlie was standing there, looking just the same as I'd last seen him: slightly messy dirty blond hair, and electric blue eyes. My best friend was here.
I immediately broke into a huge grin, and wrapped my arms around him. He hugged me back tightly, and I sighed in happiness; he smelt like he always did, Juicy Fruit gum.
"Lauren, darling, how are you?" He asked, making his accent even more dramatic than usual.
"Dandy. How about yourself, young Charlie?" I asked, mimicking him.
He laughed and ruffled my hair, which caused it to come loose from its ponytail. I yanked the hairband fully out, shaking my hair and letting it loose.
I noticed all Charlie had was his phone and a tiny black backpack with him, making me snicker. Typical Charlie, he was probably going to just use Trent's clothes.
I grabbed his arm and pulled him into the house. "Come with me to my room, I have so much to tell you!"
I ran up the stairs with him close behind, and was about to go to my room, when I ran straight into something.
Or somebody.
I looked up into Tyler's brown eyes as he steadied me. He raised an eyebrow, looking amused.
I snapped back into reality and cleared my throat, looking back at Charlie, who had a knowing smile on his face. "Oh, shut up!", I hissed at him, trying to sound mad, but I just couldn't with Charlie.
I remembered that Tyler was standing in front of me, "Oh. Um, Charlie, this is Tyler. Tyler, my best friend Charlie."
"Sup, mate?" Charlie said, stepping around me and doing the half hug knuckle thing with Tyler that guys do.
Tyler said hi back, and they started a brief conversation, making me roll my eyes. I tugged at Charlie's arm. "Charlie, come on."
He laughed and followed me to my room. I shut my bedroom door behind us, sticking my tongue out at Tyler when I saw him staring at me.
Charlie flopped down onto my bed, making himself comfortable. He looked around and laughed, "Laur, for such a tough bitch attitude, you have a really girly room."
I laughed and smiled, looking around at my purple walls, purple blankets and pink pillows.
"Whatever," I said, stifling a giggle as I plonked down next to him.
"Okay. Now you, little girl, need to tell me everything. Start with why in the hell the guy that embarrassed you in front of the whole school is in your house."
...
Tyler's POV
What the fuck Is wrong with me?
Sure, what I'm doing is creepy, and probably a little desperate, but I have to know what they're talking about.
My ear was smashed up against Lauren's bedroom door as I strained to hear their voices.
Lauren's light voice rang through, and I finally started to make out what they were saying.
"So have you been doing what I told you on the phone? Have you given the guy a chance?" Charlie asked.
What guy? The fuck? No guy but me was about to have Lauren.
I pulled back momentarily and frowned. Since when am I so possessive? Something is seriously wrong with me.
Silence occurred after Charlie's question for a few seconds, before I finally heard Lauren's voice. "Not really. I mean, what do you expect me to do, Charlie? I'm living with the guy!"
Wait, they were talking about me? Excitement briefly zinged through my veins.
"Come on, the guy likes you!"
Was I that obvious?
"He likes me?" Lauren's light Laughter rang out. "No way. I mean, he's a...hot piece of ass, sure, but he's a player." She paused for a moment before I heard her again. "And please, don't try to feed me any of that 'he's just being mean to hide his true feelings because he's just so scared of how much he likes me'," Her voice took on a mocking tone. "Because that's bullshit. Tyler doesn't work like that."
Even though her words were mostly true, they still oddly hurt coming from her.
Something was different about this girl. All the girls I'd been with were clingy and airheads, with no personality whatsoever. Lauren, on the other hand, was full of so much personality it was hard to keep up with. I shook off those thoughts and kept listening.
"Lauren, you don't know anything till you try. So maybe just give him a little bit of a chance, okay?"
"Whatever," she mumbled, so faintly I could barely make it out.
They talked about people I don't know after that, and it was getting boring, so I straightened up and headed back to my room.
...
Lauren's POV
After a few hours, it was close to 8:00, and Charlie and I headed downstairs. Charlie went ahead of me to get the popcorn and candy ready for our movie marathon, while I stayed upstairs.
I walked up to Tyler's closed bedroom door, about to invite him to join, but hesitated in front of it. I could hear his voice speaking in a hushed, angry tone.
"No, I'm not coming back until you change."
The harshness of his voice almost made me flinch.
"I'm serious, Diana. Don't call me until you're better, then maybe i'll come back. I just can't be around you right now."
Who was Diana? Was she Tyler's secret girlfriend? Just thinking about that possibility, made my stomach clench in...jealousy?
Now that I thought about it, Tyler, especially lately, was always making me nervous--not to mention making me blush a ridiculous amount--and tingly whenever I touched him. Maybe, just maybe, I had a little crush developing for Tyler Morris.
Those thoughts were interrupted by his stone cold voice. "No. Goodbye Diana."
Before I had a chance to do anything, the door swung open, revealing a very livid Tyler.
He looked taken aback when he saw me standing there. His face soon transformed from confusion to anger.
"Were you listening in on my conversation?" He asked, looking extremely pissed.
It was actually kind of scaring me, and any decent responses I could've formed flew out of my mind under his piercing glare. I looked down and began fiddling with my hands.
"Look at me."
I slowly brought my head up, meeting his eyes.
"I..I um..." I trailed off, not knowing what to say. I tried to fake a casual smile but it quickly fell away.
He must have seen the confusion and fear on my face, because his gaze softened a little.
"Just forget it. Do you need something?" He asked, the anger fading from his voice.
"Um, well, Charlie and I were gonna watch some movies... I was going to ask if you'd like to join?"
He stiffened at the mention of Charlie, but then gave me half a smile. "Sure."
Now that I had accepted my mini-crush on him, I was suddenly hyper-aware of everything, from the curve of him smile to the small space separating our bodies.
"Okay," I coughed. "Well I'll meet you down there." I spun around as I spoke, racing down the stairs.
Arriving into the living room with Tyler right behind me, Charlie looked up at me from his spot on the couch, "Finally, what were you two doing, bumping uglies?" He waggled his eyebrows.
I flipped him off and plopped down next to him on the couch, wrapping the blanket that was thrown on the back of the couch around me.
Tyler laughed, and sat on the other side of me, which meant I was stuck between my best friend and the guy I was starting to like.
...
After watching two movies, and eating my weight in buttery popcorn, I was dead on my feet. I was halfway awake, standing in the living room as Tyler turned off the TV and lights.
I heard Charlie's laugh as he looked at me, "Come on, Lauren, you need to go to bed. You never could handle staying up too late."
I felt his hand tug on mine, as he led me through the dark living room. I had managed to stumble up the stairs without falling, and heard Tyler's voice behind me and Charlie.
"Where are you sleeping?" Tyler asked Charlie.
This annoyed me; all I wanted was to crash into my soft mattress, and he was delaying it.
"Tyler, just shut up. He's sleeping with me. There's plenty of room, okay?" My tone would've been intimidating if I hadn't trailed off into a yawn.
"Don't worry, I won't try anything on your girl," I heard Charlie speak lowly to Tyler. "I have a girlfriend waiting for me back home."
His girl? What was Charlie on? Oh well, I'd let it slide...all I wanted was to sleep.
Even though my room was only down the hall, Charlie saw my condition, and easily lifted me into his arms.
He carried me down the hall and into my room, waiting for me to climb across the bed before lying next to me.
Almost immediately, I fell into a deep sleep.
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Oooh who's Diana?
;) ;) ;)