Maybe I’d bitten off more than I can chew. When I got all dolled up tonight with enough makeup and bare skin to put a streetwalker to shame, I thought I’d only have Steve to deal with, him I was sure I could handle. But I hadn’t planned on having to spend the last half an hour with Kevin, the octopus.
Still, with Tyler’s eyes on me from the corner where he’d taken up watch since arriving, I knew that I couldn’t show my disdain. I started to question why I was even doing this. The last two days of giving him the cold shoulder have been awful, and I’m almost convinced that having part of him is better than none at all.
But the thought of living the rest of my life in love with him, watching him move on with someone else somewhere down the line, is more than my poor heart can take. But when I saw Sherry enter the room, her eyes scanning the area as if looking for him, I shored up my resolve.
For the first time, I looked directly at Tyler to gauge his reaction, and my heart fell when I saw him watching her as she crossed the room. I only breathed easily again when she disappeared from view, and he didn’t follow her but instead went back to watching me covertly.
For some reason, that made me feel ten times batter, and I amped it up, laughing even louder though I couldn’t tell you what was being said. I knew that Tyler wasn’t the only one whose attention I’d caught and as exposed as I felt, and as much as I now wished that I’d worn something less revealing, I couldn’t back down.
“So, what say you and me go somewhere quiet and talk? It’s kinda loud in here.” This was the third time he’d posed that same question in exactly those words, and the third time I shot him down. I haven’t had much experience dating since mom and dad were going through their divorce just about the time I hit puberty, and I’d needed to be there for her.
After the dust had settled, she’d still needed me, and I’d made it a priority to stay close to her, not to mention the fact that I was too young to date according to mom’s rules. By the time I reached sixteen, mom had met Eric, and I’d spent that whole first year watching over her like a hawk and had no time or interest in my own dating life.
With that said, I’m standing here wondering if anyone ever really fell for this weak approach to the dating game? If it weren’t for the fact that I could still feel Tyler’s eyes on me, I would’ve walked away, but that would defeat the whole purpose for me being here.
“I don’t think so. I can hear you well enough right here.” I kept up the pretense ignoring the smarmy look on his face only then realizing I may have bitten off more than I can chew. I hadn’t taken his feelings into account, didn’t think about the message I was sending.
Thankfully he didn’t make a stink, just excused himself as he took his phone and stared at it for a few seconds before shooting off a text. I was about to use his distraction as an excuse to make my escape but wasn’t fast enough. Before I knew it, someone else was at his elbow, and five seconds later, there was a drink in my hand.
I had no intention of drinking since I’m not a drinker, but before I could refuse or say anything, a shadow fell over me, and the cup was taken out of my hand. “Yo, Tyler, what’s up?” The sound of Kevin’s voice had changed just a little, which I didn’t pick up on right away, but Tyler’s next words left me frozen to the spot.
“What the fuck is in here?”
“I don’t know what you mean; it’s just some punch, take it easy.”
“Yeah, so if I take this shit to get tested, it’s not going to come back spiked?” My blood ran cold, and I looked around at Kevin, the words I’d been ready to blast Tyler with long forgotten.
I hadn’t even given thought to such a thing happening. Figures, my first time out on my own, and I have to meet this shit. “Bruh, chill, there’s nothing in there?”
“Then you drink it.” He held the cup out to Kevin, whose face lost all of its color.
Others who had been alerted to the commotion stopped what they were doing and made their way over to us while I wished the earth would open up and swallow me whole. I had no way of knowing if Tyler’s accusation was true, but just the thought of it brought home to me just how stupid I’ve been. Why did I think this would work? This was everything I’m against and frown upon in others.