The Comeback Season

|chapter sixty-one|

I lean against Tyler's headboard, dozing off almost every second. When Tyler left, I was so tempted to run after him. Then the events that just took place kept playing in my mind. He told me not to be in his bed when he got back. To be honest, the idea of leaving this bed never crossed my mind. Instead, I was going to force Tyler to explain what just happened because I am so confused.

My eyes start closing again, but I gently pinch myself to stay awake. I actually thought Tyler would have been excited about the news. If I moved into the condo my Uncle Jace suggested, Tyler and I wouldn't have to worry about anyone walking in on us. I guess I was wrong. I just thought that a boyfriend would be doing backflips knowing that his girlfriend would be living alone.

I sit up on the bed and roll over to check my phone. I see my endless unanswered text messages to Tyler and it irritates me a bit. I'm starting to worry about him because it's 9 o'clock at night. I pull my phone off the charger and dial Tyler's number. "Dammit Tyler, answer the phone. You have been gone for two hours and I'm starting to worry. Please just talk to me." I hang up the phone knowing he is not going to listen to my voicemail.

I run my hand through my hair as I make my way back under the covers. I climb over and turn on Tyler's nightstand light. I think about how I'm going to react when he gets back. The way he talked to me was fucked up and I will definitely let him know that. However, his worries that I might leave him just makes me want to give him a hug. He thinks that if I leave, he won't see me again or as much. I never thought about adding a little distance between us, but his reaction might prove we need some.

As I'm in my thoughts, I hear the bedroom door open. I sit there as Tyler walks in, pretending I'm not there. I can tell that he went running because his once dry grey sweatshirt is now covered in wet spots.

He walks towards his nightstand and plugs up his phone to charge without saying a word. "Tyler," I say, moving the covers from my legs. He takes his headphones and places them next to his phone. "Are you seriously not going to talk to me after everything you just said?" I move my legs to the edge of the bed, hoping he will just turn to look at me.

Instead, he throws his shoes in the closet and walks into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. "Is he fucking serious?" I ask myself as I get up from the bed. The rage from him ignoring me moves my body towards the bathroom door. Before I know it, I'm bursting through it.

Tyler looks up at the bathroom door while I close it behind me. He is sitting on the lid of the toilet, still in his running clothes. "Tyler, you're going to talk to me. I don't care if it takes all night." I walk further into the bathroom and lean my side against the bathroom counter. "Cahlia, there's nothing to talk about. You want to leave me." He looks up at me and his eyes are red.

That's it. He thinks I'm going to leave him.

I walk towards Tyler and drop down in front of him. I grasp his hands in mine. "Tyler, I'm not leaving you. Just because I move doesn't mean we are breaking up. Why did you automatically think that?" Knowing that he was crying, shows me how sorry he is about the way he talked to me.

He looks up at me and lets out a small sigh. "Because Lia, space hasn't been good to me. Rebecca cheated on me when she and I had space. When I spaced myself from you during this summer, I made the biggest mistake of my life. I just feel like everything is going so good and if you leave, something bad will happen because it has in my past."

I nod my head as Tyler speaks. I grip onto every word and all of them are wrong. "Tyler, this," I say pointing between me and him, "is so different from your past. It's different because I don't want anyone else but you. I love you Tyler and I know I've hurt you in the past. Seeing how much pain I caused you changed me. When you gave me another chance, I dedicated myself to never fucking up again. I'm all your's Tyler and I'm happy Rebecca didn't see that. Yes, I know she hurt you, but she made room for me to come in and heal you. She made room for me to care for you, cherish you, and most importantly, love you. And please forget about the summer because we can't change what happened. We can only move forward."