The Inevitable

Chapter 5: Consequences

The moment I stepped through the door, I knew I was in trouble. My parents were sitting in the living room, both of them with that look—the one that said I was in for a lecture. My mom's arms were crossed, and my dad had his eyebrows furrowed in that intense way that always made me feel like a little kid again.

"Where were you?" my dad asked, his voice calm, but I could feel the tension beneath it.

"I... I went for a walk. Just to clear my head," I lied, hoping they couldn't hear the shakiness in my voice.

My mom scoffed. "A walk? In this neighborhood? Do you know how dangerous it is out there?"

"I wasn't gone long," I said quickly, but I could tell it wasn't going to help.

"You can't just wander around out there like it's safe," my dad added, his voice growing sterner. "We've told you a hundred times—this area isn't what it used to be. You have no idea what kind of people are hanging around these streets."

I swallowed hard, thinking about Tyler and where I had really been. They were right, of course. But telling them the truth wasn't an option. "I'll be more careful," I mumbled, looking down at my feet.

"More careful?" My mom's voice was rising now. "You should just stay inside when we're not here. We don't want you getting caught up in something dangerous. You don't know the kind of things that happen around here."

"I know," I said, feeling the weight of guilt settle over me. They were trying to protect me, but they didn't know what I was really doing. And I couldn't tell them. "I'll stay inside from now on."

They both sighed, exchanging glances like they weren't sure if I really meant it. "You'd better," my dad said finally. "We're trusting you to be smart."

I nodded, the knot in my stomach tightening. I hated lying to them, but I didn't have a choice. I wasn't sure what scared me more—what they'd say if they found out the truth, or the fact that I couldn't stop thinking about Tyler.

The next day, campus was buzzing with its usual energy—students chatting on the lawns, rushing to their classes, or hanging out in groups near the café. I should've felt relieved to be here, back in a world that was normal, predictable. But I couldn't focus. I couldn't stop thinking about Tyler.

Everything felt off. I was supposed to be concentrating on my classes, but my mind kept drifting to that house, to the moment Tyler had asked for my help, and to that awkward encounter in his uncle's kitchen. Why couldn't I shake it?

I sat at my desk, staring blankly at the psychology textbook in front of me. The words blurred together, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't concentrate. My mind kept drifting back to yesterday's conversation with Tatum.

You can't live in fear, she had said. Sometimes you need to take a chance.

Maybe she was right, but helping Tyler—of all people—felt like more than just taking a chance. My parents would never go for it, especially if they knew where he came from.

The sound of my phone vibrating pulled me out of my thoughts. I reached for it, expecting a message from Tatum or someone from class, but my breath caught when I saw the screen.

Hey. It's Tyler.

I blinked, reading the message twice. Tyler? I hadn't given him my number. My heart started beating faster. I quickly opened my messages, scrolling up, but there was nothing from him before this. How did he even get my number?

A hundred thoughts swirled in my head. Should I ask him straight up? Should I just ignore it? My thumb hovered over the screen for what felt like forever before I finally typed: Hey. How did you get my number?

I hit send and waited, tapping my fingers on the edge of the desk. After a moment, my phone buzzed again.

Your friend gave it to me. I hope that's cool?

Tatum. Of course, she did. I bit the inside of my cheek, half-annoyed that she'd given it out without asking me first. But I also knew this was exactly something she'd do. She didn't see danger in the same way I did. To her, everything was an adventure waiting to happen.

I typed back: Yeah, that's fine, even though it really wasn't. I was about to put the phone down when another message popped up.

So... you think you can help my sister?

I sighed, leaning back in my chair. Help Aqeelah? That was the whole reason Tyler had started talking to me in the first place. I knew it. But something about it didn't sit right with me. It wasn't just the risk of my parents finding out—I could handle sneaking around if I had to. It was... everything else. Tyler. His uncle. The whole situation was messy, and I wasn't sure I wanted to be a part of it.

I stared at my phone for a while before typing back: I'm not sure yet. It's complicated.

I bit my lip as I hit send. That wasn't exactly a no, but it wasn't a yes either. It was enough to keep him at arm's length while I figured out what the hell I was doing.

The response came almost immediately: I get that. Just think about it? She really needs help with her applications.

I put my phone down on the desk and leaned forward, resting my head in my hands. Why did it feel like I was sinking deeper into something I couldn't get out of? This was supposed to be simple. Either I helped, or I didn't. But now it was turning into this... thing.

Tatum's voice echoed in my mind again. You need to stop being so scared of everything.

Maybe she had a point. Maybe helping his sister wasn't such a big deal. It wasn't like I was getting involved in anything dangerous, right? It was just Aqeelah. It had nothing to do with Tyler or his uncle.

My phone buzzed again, and I glanced at it, half-expecting another message from Tyler. Instead, it was a reminder for an upcoming study group. For a moment, I considered turning off my phone and pretending like none of this was happening.

But I didn't.

Instead, I picked up my phone and saw another message from Tyler: Thanks for even considering it. I appreciate it.

I stared at the screen, my finger tracing the edge of the phone case. Why did he have to make this so difficult? I could feel the pull, the part of me that wanted to say yes, to be the person who helped without thinking about all the consequences. But I wasn't like Tatum. I couldn't just throw caution to the wind. I lived with rules. With boundaries. Boundaries that Tyler and his world would never fit into.

I'll think about it, I typed, then hit send.

For now, that was all I could give him.