Rose

Chapter 1

I have had a crush on Tyler since elementary school.

He isn't the popular football player, or the mysterious bad boy.

He is my best friend. Who has a girlfriend. They've been together for 2 years.

And I've tried to get over it. I've tried to date other guys. I've tried hooking up with someone. I've tried getting completely wasted at parties and getting laid.
Nothing has worked.

So I've kinda just accepted the fact that I'll be lonely forever.

So, I stare at Tyler and Maria across the hall from my locker.

And I can't even hate her. She so pretty. He so handsome. It's like they were meant for each other.

His blond curls and blue eyes.

Her raven black hair and dark, doe eyes.

"You're stalking them again."

I jumped and whirred around to see Mack, my confidant and temporary best friend when Tyler was busy.

"I am not. I am simply people watching." I retort.

"Riiiiight. By staring at your childhood best friend and his girlfriend." She rolls her eyes. "You, ma'am, are a crazy stalker."

I glare at her.

She stares back, daring me to say something that will continue to make me look like a fool.

I give and turn to my locker.

"Ha! I win."

"You always win." I mutter, grabbing my books.

"Oh, don't give me that. You know I love you." She says. Her phone buzzes, and she immediately looks at it and smiles.

I glance over her shoulder. I see it's her boyfriend Gabe, who texted her a "good morning" and an "I love you" text.

I wonder if Tyler would. I spare a glance at the two. Tyler is talking animated about something while Maria is staring down at her phone. I can see the way his eyes light up, the way his hands move, the way his hair falls, the way-

"Jesus, woman!" I quickly divert my eyes. "I take my attention away from you for 2 seconds and your back to staring creepily across the hallway."

"I can't help it!" I whine. "He just looks so GOOD." I spare a quick glance again. He's done talking. I look away before I psychoanalyze him.

Mack loops her arm in mine. "Well, I'm going to walk you to class, K?"

"Please. Distract me while your at it."

We start walking and Mack looks up, thinking.

"Well.... We can go to Barnes and Noble after school?"

My ear perk up at that. I love a good book run to add to my collection.

Mack must see my eyes because she laughs and says "Lord, you and your books are like a dragon and his gold coins. AND TYLER IS YOUR PRINCESS!" She realizes with a start. Now she's staring at me with a crazy look in her eye.

I stare back at her like she's crazy. "Tyler is NOT my princess."

"Is too!" Mack persists.

"Is not!"

"Oh yeah? The dragon is obsessed with the princess, the princess is in love with the knight. Is that not how it goes?" Mack raises an eyebrow.

I roll my eyes. That hit a little to close to home, but I don't let it show. I know I need to get over this and Mack has been pushing me for a while.

"Fine. Tyler is my princess." I finally admit.

"I'm your what now?" I hear the all to familiar voice behind me. I whirl around, face on fire.

"What? No. We're talking about another Tyler. Right Mack?" I look to her for help, trying not to look desperate.

Mack bites her lips, trying not to laugh, but she goes along with it. "Yeah.... He just one of Gabe's friends." Ah yes. Using Gabe as a scape goat. I've never been so happy for my friends boyfriend.

"Oh?" Tyler doesn't look convinced.

"Yeah." I say quickly. "I hate the dude. Always a fucking drama queen but apparently I'm the only one bugged by it."

That seems to do the trick. "Oh, okay. Glad to know it wasn't me. That'd be-"

"Terrible." Maria pops up from behind Tyler. She moves his arm around her. She seemed so comfortable. Because who wouldn't.

"Hey, Maria!" Mack says, while discreetly kicking me to say hi too.

"Hi, Maria." I managed to grit out without sounding like I wanted to strangle her.

"Hey, girls." She purred out with her perfect little voice. She turned her attention to Tyler. "Hey, Babe. Can you walk me to class?"

"Sure. I'm going to walk Rose too." Oh my, the way he said my name. Jeez, I'm whipped.

Maria's lips pulled down into a frown, but didn't say anything.

Tyler turned towards me, his blue eyes piercing right through me. "Ready?"

I swallowed. "Yeah, of course."

Mack must've decided this was a great time to disappear. She was frustratingly good at that.
We started to walk my class. I wasn't sure if I should start conversation, but luckily, I didn't have to.

"Did you see the game last night?" Tyler asked.
You'd think he'd be taking about football, or baseball, or even basketball. But he wasn't. It was bowling.

"Yeah, I did! Romero shouldn't have thrown a urethane ball on the left lane. It wasn't oiled properly."

Tyler grinned, "Told ya Brazeau would win."

I rolled my eyes. "If Romero didn't fuck up on the last frame he would've won."

Tyler tsked. "But he did. Never bet against Brazeau."

I scoffed. "I only bet against him because you root for him."

Tyler laughed. God he had a cute laugh. "Ok, Heart. Whatever you say."

We reached my first period to quickly. Before I went in, I turned back to Tyler and Maria. Maria's face flashed, and I could've sworn I saw a look of disgust. But when I saw her face it was back to the easy smile.

I turn my attention back to Tyler. "See you 3rd?"

He smiled. "Yeah, definitely."

"Come on Babe, we're gonna be late for 1st period." Maria interjected.

"Yeah, you guys go. Have fun!" I say with false enthusiasm.

Tyler gives me an odd look, like he heard the fake emotion, but he didn't. He hasn't for the past 2 years, why would he start noticing now?

I turned into my first period before I overthought it.

I greet my teacher and sit down in my seat.

Soon the bell rings and the teacher starts on about whatever the subject is. He could've asked me what 2+2 was and I couldn't have told him because all I can think about is 3rd period and seeing the gorgeous blond haired boy.