I've been ignoring Tyler the best I could for two weeks. I passed my time by reading or mainly staring at the ceiling, but I have to admit I missed Tyler's company. He called two days after but I let it go straight to the voice mail. What in the world could be so important and mysterious about those frames that made him talk to me like that. I didn't mean to be nosy but he didn't need to be harsh as well.
"Valerie, someone's here for you." I heard my mom's voice from downstairs. I sighed hoping it's not Tyler.
But maybe if I had hoped it's Tyler, Liam wouldn't be in the middle of my living room right now.
"What are you doing here?" I said folding my arms.
"I'm sorry I came unexpectedly." He looked me up and down.
"Since when do you apologize."
"Right, anyway. Do you know where Tyler is ?"
"No. Why's that?" I asked feeling a foreign knot and flutter at the bottom of my belly.
"Never mind." He shook his head and his legs moved to the door.
"No wait," I went after him. "Since when you're friends with Tyler?"
"I'm not." He was now out the door. I couldn't help but find his tone quite clipped.
"Liam," Jessica wiggled her long manicured fingers at Liam, reaching him. She stopped next to him and put her hand on his shoulder smiling while doing so.
I shook my head and closed the door on them. Why the hell would Liam look for Tyler, this doesn't sit well with me. Why would he ask me? How should I know? Why would I know?
I take my phone from my bed and dial Tyler's number, but it goes straight to voice mail. Maybe he's avoiding me, just like I did.
I get under the covers and sigh again trying to call him again. Still nothing.
Fine then.
I can't ignore the flutter I feel when I read his name on the screen. I watch the screen carefully waiting for him to pick up, but that flutter goes as fast as it came and is replaced with disappointment when he cancels my call, actually -after trying him again- he shut off his phone completely.
~
Tyler's POV.
"Come on man, shut that shit up." Jared groaned, taking a long drag of his cigarette.
I looked at the caller ID. Valerie.
"Who's Valerie?" Natalie said wiggling her eyebrows, looking over my shoulder.
"No one." I switched the phone off.
"Oh really," She said extending her hand to grab my phone but Jared pulled her back into him. She groaned in reply but didn't object.
Jared passed me the cigarette and I took a drag. It's been a long time since I last smoked and honestly it feels like home, the way the smoke fills my lungs hugging every tissue of my being and then exhaling it. I exhale every choice I ever made in this life of mine, every lie I ever lied starting from that day when mom found the cigarettes in my pockets and I lied saying they were Drew's.
Valerie's different though, I can't lie to her. Ever. I feel like if I lied to her she would see right through it, just like mom did.
"That's it for me today," I pushed my chair, standing up.
"Seriously? Dude what the fuck is wrong with you," Jared said, not taking his eyes off the table.
I shook my head in reply and pushed my way through the people. My phone vibrated nonstop once I switched it back on; Valerie. That's not the normal number of times you call someone who's mad at you. I put the phone to my ear, heart beating loudly in my ears, hoping nothing's wrong and she's just the clingy type.
"Hey," She answered, softly.
"Hey," I breathed. "Is everything alright?"
"Yeah yeah, everything's great. I just, um, wanted to apologize,"
"Why would you apologize?" I said, breathing in the raw air of the night. "I don't know," She answered almost immediately, making me smile involuntary.
"Um, I mean I know, because I was a little nosy. Anyway, that's not even why I called in the first place-I mean it is but, you wouldn't happen to know why Liam was looking everywhere for you, right?" She said, tone changing a bit.
"No," I shifted uncomfortably on my feet.
"I thought so," I can hear her nodding.
"I'm sorry, Valerie." I said, after a moment of silence.
"Yeah, whatever. Good night, Tyler." She hung up without waiting for my reply.
Fucking Liam.
