As soon as Miles dropped us off at her house, Shelby gave him a goodbye kiss. "Tomorrow, don't forget! We need a ride to the party. You're going too right?"
"Yeah," He nodded.
"Whose party is this?" I voiced out my curiosity.
"I actually don't know," He shrugged. "But my friend, Jace, knows him. He's the new kid on the block and is throwing a party as some sort of an introduction of himself. Cool right?" He smiled a bit.
"Yeah," I laughed.
"Whatever, when you two are done with your lame conversation, I need you to come to my bedroom Tyler. We both know you're a hopeless case and I need to help you actually look good tomorrow night." She said, turning her back to us and waving her hand dismissively as she walked into the house.
"Hey," My eyes widened slightly as Miles put his fingers under my chin and turned my face to him. "Don't mind her words."
I shook my head with a small smile of reassurance. "No, it's okay. I'm not upset."
I actually meant it. I was used to it to the point where I wasn't even phased anymore. To a certain extent, it was as though I had somewhat become apathetic towards it.
"You are coming tomorrow right? You're not going to stand me up?" His deep voice sent chills down my spine as his eyes bored into mine.
"Yeah," I nodded, my eyebrows furrowing slightly at his words. "Um, stand you up? What do you mean?"
"Although I'm going there as Shelby's date, I'm actually looking forward to seeing you. I don't think I'd enjoy myself as much if you didn't show up." His gaze was so intense that I could feel my insides turn into lava.
Is this how friends look at each other?
Well, he could've meant it as a friend because we all know Shelby's company isn't the best at times. So maybe he just needed someone there that he could hang out with.
Yes. That seems more likely.
"I, I uh... have to go." I stammered, suddenly feeling conscious of myself.
I turned around and hurriedly made my way into Shelby's house, trying my best to ignore the fact that Miles was laughing softly at my reaction. I really don't know what he's playing at. A part of me thinks that he's blatantly showing interest in me - interest that I wouldn't have a problem reciprocating... if only he wasn't with my best friend.
Nonetheless, I don't trust myself, not when I'm around him. I'm scared that I won't be able to contain the feelings I have for him. If he were to ever make a move on me, it'd be over for me for sure.
As soon as I got inside, I heard his car take off.
"Hi Mrs. White." I greeted Shelby's mom and she turned to smile at me before she stood up to give me a hug.
"Tyler." She squeezed me a bit, unintentionally reminding me that I haven't felt a mother's hug in almost six years. "How are you doing, honey?"
"I'm good thanks and yourself?"
"Good," She held me out at arms length with a grin. "Still haven't changed much." She referred to my tomboy look. "I used to think it was just a phase." She shook her head and smiled at her silliness. "I'm making dinner, sweety, so you can make your way up to Shelby's room."
"Okay," I turned and made my way upstairs. Just like every time I come here, I take a look at the family photos they have on the wall. But pictures can be deceiving... the happy family depicted here is not the same family I've come to know over the years that Shelby and I have been best friends.
See, Shelby doesn't like her family, but she doesn't realise how lucky she is compared to other kids.
Compared to me, her own best friend.
You get her, a person who doesn't appreciate the fact that both her parents are alive and well and would do absolutely anything for her happiness. And then there's me. I'd give anything just so I could see my mother alive once again, to feel what it's like to have a person who'd die for you no matter what. Because that's a heart of a mother. She would rather die than to watch the person who she spent nine months carrying with swollen feet, and twenty-three hours of labour for, suffer.
Suddenly my eyes started welling up and a few tears came down my cheeks, which I hurriedly wiped and blinked a few times to make the tears in my eyes go away.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Shelby asked in concern when she saw the state I was in as I entered her bedroom.
"Nothing," I shook my head. "Something just reminded me of my mother."
"Aw," She walked over and hugged me. "I'm so sorry, Tyler. I wish I had met her before she died and I really wish she was still alive just so you wouldn't be this unhappy. I love you, okay?"
The tears started welling up once again but I blinked them away before she pulled away from me.
"Thanks, I love you too." I tried smiling at her gratefully.
Suddenly, her face brightened. "I know what we can do to cheer up my beautiful best friend."
"What?" I asked with a small frown.
She walked over to the radio and switched on our favourite song. After a while, I broke out a smile.
She hugged me once again and we jumped and squealed like crazy teenage girls before laughing and starting to shout out the lyrics.
"Know I don't say it often!"
"And I probably should have told you I felt this way!"
"And I probably shouldn't want this so bad!"
"It's weighing weighing on me, don't wanna wake up in the morning!"
Shelby and I laughed at each other for a few moments before singing the chorus.
"But I'm undecided!"
"Do do do do do do do!"
"Do do do do do do do...!"
"Do do do do do do do do do do do!"
"Oooh no... I'm undecided!" We both sang loudly before falling with our backs on the bed. Shelby started tickling me and I tickled her back. We were laughing so hard, tears were coming out of our eyes.
It felt good. I had forgotten how much fun we have on our sleepovers.
---
"So Tyler, what do you want to do after school?" Shelby's dad asked as he started eating his food.
I swallow some of the food in my mouth, "I'm going to study Law."
He nodded, looking impressed. "Shelby, you should learn a thing or two from Tyler. I'd like to see you have some direction in your studies - not just at the mall." He teased, earning an eye roll and a scowl from Shelby.
"I have direction." She argued, looking annoyed.
"Well then what do you want to do with your life after school?" He asked, even putting his fork down on the plate to pay full attention to her.
"Fashion designing?" She said, making it sound more like a question.
"Oh really?" He said with a raise of his eyebrows.
"Yes," Shelby nodded.
"Have you looked into the high School subjects you need for that?" He asked.
"What high school subjects do you need if you're just going to be dealing with clothes? Daddy, they're just clothes for crying out loud!" The frown etched on her forehead showed how annoyed she was at the moment.
"Young lady-" Mr. White started reprimandingly.
"Okay... anyone in the mood for dessert?!" Shelby's mom hurriedly interjected before things escalated.
"Um, yeah sure." I said, trying to help her get rid of the awkwardness. She gave me a grateful smile in return.
Shelby groaned, "I'm going to my room."