He Will Be Mine

Chapter 56: The Sort-of Plan

*** Tyler's POV ***

Matt and I did our best savoring every last little minute before we sent Aly back to the dorms. First, we had breakfast with the crew, and then she helped us unpack all our stuff and put our rooms back together. We went and picked up our books and supplies for the term at the bookstore, and then we sat down and binge-watched as much as we could of the TV we've missed while on break, which now that I think of it, was the least break-ish break I've ever taken. Never a dull moment, though, that's for sure.

And now that she left, Matt and I just kind of look at each other like the lost little puppies we are. Okay, I'm exaggerating, but it does feel strange. Thankfully, Trevor is here to make fun of us, and Meredith is apparently staying here for a bit until she can find some new roommates. I guess Jess got to the other ones before she did and had them wrapped around her little finger and feeling bad for her before Meredith got home to tell them her side of the story. Their loss, honestly. Mer is awesome, and Jess is ... not.

While I've been lost in rumination, Trevor has been trying to talk to me. He makes that apparent when he tosses a couch pillow at my face.

"What?" I ask, laughing. "Need my attention, Princess?"

"Always," he retorts. "But no, seriously. I was just wondering how this whole thing with Aly is going to work, like, in practice."

I look at Matt, wondering why he couldn't just answer that, but he just shrugs.

"Matt didn't tell you?"

"No, he did," Trevor tells me. "He said it's going to work pretty much how it was before. Publicly, you're with Aly. He's the friend and sidekick. My words, not his. And then I was asking how you guys manage it, to like, share the same woman."

"Are you asking me to kiss and tell?" I tease. I'm guessing Matt is getting uncomfortable talking about it in front of Meredith, but I'm not going to talk about it either. That's our business.

"No, well I mean, yeah if you want to. I'm just checking in as far as your feelings and stuff. Is there anything I need to be worrying about? Like, am I going to come home and find you guys fist-fighting about this? Because I don't have time for that, man."

I laugh, appreciating Trevor being Trevor. He cares, more than he'll ever let on, but of course he presents it as though he's being selfish. That's just how he is.

"Nah, I think we're good," I assure him. "There were feelings at first, back before we really knew or understood the whole situation, but somehow it seems like it's all just been falling into place. I don't mind him with her, and from what I can tell, he doesn't mind me with her either. We haven't spent tons of time alone with her recently, but I don't think there will be problems. The only issue I can see happening is some unnecessary drama with Jess. That's why we decided not to go public with his part in all this yet. If it gets back to Jess, she'll turn into the massive drama queen she is."

"Ugh," Meredith agrees in her own way. "I can't believe I was ever friends with her. I could see this potential in her, but I had such high hopes that she would rise above it."

"I can't believe I wasted over two years on her," Matt laments with a grimace.

I still feel bad for him as far as Jess goes. He's such a nice guy with a big heart, exactly the kind of guy who never deserved that, but also exactly the kind of guy who someone like Jess seems to attract. I'm dreading whatever emotional fallout there might be once he has to cross paths with her again. I also kind of wish I had been there to see Meredith deck her in the face.

"Personally, I'm psyched that you get to be with Aly now," Meredith tells him, putting her hand on his arm reassuringly. "And this is our last semester here and then we never have to see Jess again. I'm a little sad, though. Nobody has said as much, but I get the feeling that you guys will eventually end up living where Aly does. I think it will be perfect for you, Matt, but we'll miss having you around back home."