Call It What You Want To

Chapter 11: Taya

I got home late last night, which made the 7am workout at the school all the more insufferable. Deadlifts were also on the menu today, so I knew that it was gonna be a tough one. Luckily, my dad was able to make me breakfast beforehand so I wouldn't be running on an iced coffee and a stale bagel from whatever coffee shop had the shortest line.

I strutted into the weight room and shed off my jacket, because God forbid Indiana decide what the weather is gonna be like and stick with it for a little bit. I glanced around to the different platforms looking for Dylynn, I could see her bag but not her. Finally, I found her on the treadmill doing her warm up run with Hallie. After a quick stretch of my legs and core, I joined next to them on the empty tread.

"Hey guys!" I chirped as I set my incline and speed.

"Hey," they both blandly responded.

Okay, now Hallie I could expect this from because she hates running, mornings, and generally most people. Dylynn though, something just felt off. She usually had something to fill me in on, especially after she went to the football game last night. I was waiting for her to start going on about how so-and-so hooked up under the bleachers or this person was detained by security, like come on give me something!

I chalked it up to the fact that we were running and couldn't communicate the best, and went on with my mile warm up. It was when Dylynn walked away from me and made an actual effort to not be at the same deadlift platform as me when I finally decided to confront her. "Dyl!" I said, finally getting her attention when we moved on to accessory work.

"What?" she spat out, as if we hadn't been best friends for the last two and a half years.

I was a little taken aback, not sure what had happened or what I had done. "I don't know, you tell me. Why aren't you talking to me?" I asked, dropping my tone low.

Groaning and rolling her eyes, Dylynn grabbed my wrist and pulled me into the alcove of the entrance to the girl's locker room. "What's going on with you and Kyler Morgan?" she demanded. Dylynn never had been the type of person to beat-around-the-bush for an answer.

My mouth dropped and I attempted to say something, but all that could come out was, "What are you talking about?"

"Since when does she give you rides? Or, how about, since when are you two flirting in the library? And, I don't know, since when does she hang out at your house every weekend instead of me?"

Dylynn's voice started to rise and I could tell she was mad, and more specifically mad at me. It was just that I couldn't quite tell what she was mad at me for right now. I knew that I had broken a best friend rule though: you tell your best friend everything, the good and the bad.

Lately, I had been lying to Dylynn, or maybe not necessarily lying but definitely not telling her the entire truth or everything that was going on. At the very least, I hadn't been filling her in on my life. All those thoughts in my head and the answer I decided to go with was, "We weren't flirting."

Dylynn rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms. "Be so fuckin' for real, Tay. It was so obvious."

Was I flirting with Kyler? Was she flirting with me? Did I mind if she was? I snapped myself out of my head and back to my conversation with my best friend. "It's- it's complicated," is what I settled on.

Dylynn arched her eyebrows and gave me a look of disheartened disbelief. "Wait, really? Are you two, like..."

"No! We're not dating or fucking, but... I don't know Dyl, she's my friend and I like her. I like her as a person at least. I don't know if she likes me..."