Fraternizing with the Enemy

25 // Brothers Gone W-W-Wild

     IF someone had told me a month ago that I would be sitting in Tyler's passenger seat, mocking Mr. Tyver and laughing along as if it was the most natural thing in the world, I would've called them a bold-face liar. They clearly had to go get their head checked.

     And yet, there I was, giggling to myself and listening to Tyler's monotone Mr. Tyver impression, which was strangely on-point, as if it was just any other Saturday. My muscles had relaxed somewhere along the way, and the usual weight of anxiety had evaporated into the soft beat of the radio. The trees raced passed as I sunk into the leather, and I felt perfectly in place.

     "You're weirdly really good at that!" I admitted, as intrigued as I was confused, but unable to keep the smile from digging into my cheek.

     Tyler shrugged, casually, as if it wasn't the first time he'd heard that. "I have a natural talent, what can I say? Although Wyatt's is even better, you should see it."

     I grinned. "I will! He owes me for eating like all of my cookies when we were studying. Although I think the weirdest part is that Mr. Tyver mentioned he had a kid once. Which meant that at one point, he had sex with someone. Can you imagine it? I literally can't." 

     Tyler cocked a brow. "Didn't you said you had a super big crush on him?"

     As soon as his words touched the air, I somehow ended up choking on my own spit, face burning and heart breaking. I was forcefully reminded of the after-lunch fiasco, and shook my head vigorously, a frown twisted on my face.

     "That was very short-lived, believe me," I insisted, feeling the creep of mortification burn up my neck.

     Sometimes I wondered why people even let me talk. I was a hazard to myself. At least my socks were clean.  

     Tyler chuckled, shaking his head with a heart-warming smile toying on his mouth. "No worries, there's no judgement here. I had a weird dream about one of the lunch ladies once. Our minds go to strange places sometimes."

     I snorted, unable to keep the betraying giggles from escaping my lips. "Rhonda?" I grinned, too Cheshire-like to be earnest. "Was it the hair net? Hairnets are pretty sexy, I won't fault you on that one."

     Tyler chuckled, nodding shamefully and meeting my eye. "That's a secret, though. So you better keep that safe."

      A warmth blossomed within me at the mention of insider information, and I nodded eagerly, feeling a little closer with him than I did before. The smile that touched my face was broad and easy, and it was only spurred further as the rhythm of a familiar song began playing from the speakers, the same one that Reese and I had sang (belted) so enthusiastically before.

     "Oh my god, this song again!" I gasped, my fingers darting for the volume button to turn it louder. "I am so impressed with the radio lately! They are really killing it."

     Tyler eyed me with amusement as I started singing along with the first few lyrics, low enough that my voice was easily drowned out by the artist's, admittedly a little on purpose. I noticed that his lips were not moving along. "C'mon, don't you know this song?"

     The brunette shook his head, shrugging as he turned onto my street. "Never heard of it, but please, don't let that stop you."

     I smiled, but still stopped singing nonetheless, allowing the beat to flood in the spaces were my voice had been before. My hands were clasped tightly around the bags, my dress and a necklace we'd gotten afterward, and as I saw my house in sight, my eyes shifted to the one next to it. Involuntarily Reese's face looking a little sharper than usual flickered in my mind, but I shook it off, turning back to Tyler.