My Written Romance

I have a boyfriend.

Saturday, April 15, 2023
1PM
—————————
The phone rings briefly before I'm connected with Tyler on the phone. I see his face. "I think I like him," I think. I've thought this for a while, but I've been too scared to confront my own thought. I've got so much on my plate. I've got stuff going on with Leo. And Tyler... he's Noah, my first love and first heartbreak, 's ex-best friend. It just feels wrong. I shoo the thought out of my mind.

We talk for hours but it feels like minutes. We talk about everything and nothing. The new clothes I bought today; he tells me they'll look good on me. This time in PE class where I was about to cry and when I say "bawling" he thinks I mean "balling" and imagines me shooting a hoop on the edge of tears. We talk about how much we hate being single and how much we want a relationship and want to do all the cliche things with someone. He compliments my hair. We talk about our adventures. And of course, we talk sh!t about Noah. Recently, Tyler and Noah ended their friendship because Tyler was being an Asshat in every sense of the word and Tyler wasn't having any of it anymore.

Before I know it, it's 5:30 and mom is calling me to help with dinner. I sadly tell him I have to go and slip out of the call. But we keep texting. I send him photos of the couple from my favorite show and he says "I want that with someone."

Tori:
Me too!

Tyler:
I hate how todays relationships work. It's all hookups and not knowing when to make a move.

Tori:
SAME

Tyler:
I just want someone to do all the cliche things with that this generation thinks is dumb

Tori:
THE ROM COM RELATIONSHIP.

Tyler:
YES! ALL THE CLICHE ROM COM DATES.

Tori:
FUCK IT LETS JUST DO IT TOGETHER.

Shit.
Did I just send that?
Yep. I hit the blue button with the arrow.
He read it.
No going back now.

Tyler:
ALRIGHT
SURE

Tori:
LETS DO THIS SHIT
HI BOYFRIEND (???)

Tyler:
HI GIRLFRIEND (???)

Tori:
???
YEAH
YEAH
OKAY YEAH
I HAVE A BOYFRIEND NOW???

Tyler:
I guess so! ❤️

Tori:
You fr rn?

Tyler:
Absolutely fr

Tori:
I'm so bad at reading clues

Tyler:
Me too
But I'm fr

Tori:
I'm fr too
Wait
Holy shit
What
I have a boyfriend?

Tyler:
I have a girlfriend?
Woah

Tori:
I'm not upset about it I'm just-
Woah.
You have feelings for me or do you just wanna do this shit because you're bored and want done w being single

Tyler:
I have feelings for you.
I have since the first time we FaceTimed.

Tori:
Those feelings are reciprocated

Wow.
I have a boyfriend...
I HAVE A BOYFRIEND!!
And it's Tyler!!
Oh my gosh.
I go onto Instagram.
I post a picture of him, tag him and say "My boyfriend".
He does the same for me.
I update my note;
"I have a boyfriend".
He makes his match mine;
"I have a girlfriend".
I text a bunch of people. My group chat from school, who tell me I have rizz. Then I ask Tyler if I have rizz; he says I do. I text Hope. She tells me she's happy for me. "My little Tori bear is all grown up!" And that she could tell all along how we felt about each other and she knew this would happen. I text Elizabeth. She's shocked.

It's not long before me and Tyler start immediately being the cliche couple. It's been 3 hours since we've become official and we've called each other so many cheesy nicknames. Babe, baby, bb, hun, my love, honey. Everything. He makes me feel so cared about and loved. He's so kind and sweet.

Tyler.
My first boyfriend.
April 15, 2023.