One Road

Chapter 15

I yawn exhaustedly, finally putting down the spray paint can I was holding and leaning back against the wall tiredly. Tyler moves over from where he was crouching and sits down next to me, his splattering paintbrush resting on the knee of his jeans. I lean my head tiredly on his shoulder, my eyes blinking slightly sleepily.

"It's really late." He says quietly, breaking the silence in the room. "You should start getting home, Bri."

I sigh and brush a curl of spare hair out of my face with the back of my paint splattered hand. Somewhere during the afternoon I had tied my hair up in a middle messy style ponytail, then just carried on working.

My clothes are slightly messy from the paints, but nothing too damaging. Easy enough to get out if you knew how to.

"What if I fall asleep while driving and crash? You'd have to bring flowers to my funeral." I point out.

Tyler chuckles slightly. "I would bring flowers to your funeral. I would visit your grave every day and talk to you, and tell you how I am and how life is." He responds quietly.

I turn my head to look at him, my chin resting on his shoulder, and smile faintly. A warm sensation spreads across my chest and stomach. Like butterflies, but fluttering in an almost comforting way. "I would like that." I whisper.

He reaches around me and puts his arm around my shoulders lightly, resting it there. I lean my head on to his shoulder and stare at the work we have created.

"Light blue roses." I say quietly.

"Hm?" He says, looking at me.

"They're my favourites. Or if not, then I like white roses too. All roses actually."

Tyler chuckles again, resting his head lightly on top of mine. "I'll keep it in mind. Though, hopefully it won't come down to your funeral. But just to be on the safe side, you can stay here tonight if you prefer."

I blink in surprise, but a small faint smile flutters around the edges of my lips. "Well, if it means not dying then I guess it's okay."

"Alright." He takes his arm away from my shoulders and puts his head up, standing and stretching out. I pout sadly. "I'll go get the bed ready for you." He says.

I stand up as he moves towards the door, moving after him tiredly. "No, no I can sleep on the sofa." I say hurriedly. "I like sofas. In fact, I love sofas. Sofas are amazing."

Tyler laughs. "I insist Briana, you can take the bed and I'll take the sofa."

I pout, but don't comment any further since I can already tell that Tyler isn't going to change his mind. There's a determined tilt to his shoulders that makes him look cuter than he already does. He starts to make the bed, taking clean sheets, duvet covers and pillow covers from the cupboard. Meanwhile I set out to see what food I can find in the kitchen.

In the end, I manage to get a packet of in date cheese and a box of half a dozen eggs. Maybe Tyler or his cousin put them in not that long ago.

When Tyler comes in to the kitchen I'm in the middle of making cheesy omelettes, whistling as I do so. He sits down on one of the four chairs around the small round table that takes up most of the kitchen, giving me a tired smile when I look around at him.

His hair is casually messed up and even from here I can see a few strands which have paint on them, but that just makes him seem all the more cute to me. I take two plates and slide one omelette on to it, putting it down on the table and then starting on the next omelette.

"This is really good." Tyler says, after having swallowed the first few mouthfuls and carrying on cutting pieces of his omelette up. "I didn't know you could cook so well."

I shrug, folding the omelette in the pan over. "My grandma started teaching me when I was little. Every time she comes over she'll teach me a new dish and we get to chat about different things. It's great to catch up after not having seen her in a while."

Tyler nods thoughtfully. "That's nice."

I set my own plate down on the table and pick up the knife and fork Tyler set out for me. We eat in a content silence, where the only things heard are the quiet scrapes of cutlery against the plate and the faint chewing sound. Once we're done eating Tyler starts washing the dishes and I pick up my phone, standing up quietly.

"I'm just gonna go call my mum and tell her that I'm sleeping over at Jess's."

He raises his eyebrow up at me. "Why tell her that you're sleeping at Jess's?"

"Well, if my mother knew that I was sleeping over at a boy's house she wouldn't exactly be thrilled about it."

"Noted." He replies and goes back to washing. I walk over to the glass sliding doors and call my mum quickly, avoiding the interrogation and ending the call as soon as possible. Finally, I grab my stuff and go into the bedroom, dropping the bag down at the foot of the double bed.

"Here." Tyler says, holding out a boy's t-shirt for me to wear, as well as a pair of baggy pyjama pants and a large jumper. "They should be comfortable enough. They're the comfiest things I could find in the cupboards that would actually fit you."

I smile gratefully. "Thanks Tyler."

He nods and politely leaves the room as I change, just coming in to grab a blanket and say goodnight one more time as I crawl into bed.

I don't know how long I stare at the ceiling for, just listening to Tyler get ready for bed quietly, or the quiet hum from the cars driving in the faint distance, but it feels like a long time. The bed seems too empty, like there's too much space for just one person. I curl up on one side and try to fall asleep, but I just can't seem to do it.

In the end, I pick up the duvet and wrap it around myself as I quietly creep into the living room.

"Tyler?" I whisper into the darkness. Shivers run up my spine.

"Yeah?" He replies quietly. He flips the switch of a small lamp and looks at me worriedly. Instantly, I feel stupid for not being able to fall asleep, like it's something that little kids do, not teenagers like me. My face feels hot as I stutter out the words.

"I-I can't sleep." I mutter.

Tyler sits up and, without saying a word, wraps his arms around my waist like it's an impulse, gently helping me to lie down next to him on the surprisingly big sofa. He arranges the duvet to cover us both and moves the pillow so it rests lightly under my head before turning off the lamp.

I turn myself round so that I'm facing him and lie down carefully. He wraps his arms around me and draws me into his chest, my face against the top of his chest lightly, breathing in the amazing soap, grass and cinnamon smell that is Tyler's. I bury my face in his t-shirt.

He's so warm. And steady, like an incredibly comfortable rock. I wrap my arms around his torso as well and we just lie there for a while, neither one of us asleep but just holding on to each other comfortably. Our arms wrapped around each other as we fall into a comfortable, peaceful and easy sleep.