Changing Mr. Popular

Thirteen | What I Like About You

Thirteen

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I awoke the next morning to see sunlight streaming in through my white shutters. For a moment I panicked, thinking I was late to school, but then I remembered it was Saturday.

Last nights events came rushing back to me and I groaned in frustration. I wrapped myself tighter in my thick comforter and buried my face in the pillow, trying to go back to sleep and forget about everything.

After a few minutes of attempting sleep to no avail, I threw my blankets aside and got up.

I walked out into the hall, finding it empty. Tyler must still be asleep. I got into the shower, sighing in contentment when the hot water hit my back. After washing my hair and scrubbing myself for longer than what was probably necessary with yummy lemon body wash, I turned the shower off and wrapped my body tightly in a towel.

After making sure the hallway was still empty, I dashed back to my bedroom and shut the door behind me. I changed into a pair of faded skinny jeans and a fitted black top, sitting at my desk and opening up my laptop.

I requested to Skype with Alyssa and waited until she accepted. I smiled once she appeared on my screen. She had her cherry red hair up in a messy bun, glasses on, and a stained white shirt, yet she still looked perfect.

She grinned, showing off her shiny, white teeth and waved. "Lauren! Oh my god, I've missed you so much!"

I laughed at her enthusiasm. "I've missed you too, Lyss." I really did. Over her shoulder, I could make out the carefully-taped collage of 80's music posters covering her bedroom walls, and I was hit with a wave of sadness. If I was still there, we'd probably be sprawled out across her bed with mass amounts of junk food--not talking through a screen.

"So what's been going on, especially with a certain somebody?" She asked, her flirty tone successfully tearing me from my inner pity party.

I laughed, and began to fill her in on everything that had happened, from getting stuck on the highway with him all the way up to last night.

"No way, Trent and your parents are in Hawaii right now?!"

I nodded, a bitter frown coming to my lips. "I know. It's not fair."

"That's actually really fucked up, to be honest." Her face was scrunched up in obvious disapproval. "I've always been bothered by your mom and her sometimes...questionable parenting choices. No offense!" She quickly tacked on to the end of her sentence. 

A rueful smile twisted my lips. "No, It's okay. I agree with you, especially right now." She must've sensed my mood turning for the worse, so she quickly redirected the subject.

"But hey, at least you get to stay alone with him," she waggled her eyebrows and started making kiss noises.

I threw my head back with a groan, though I was unable to contain my smile at her antics. "Alyssa, you're insane. Absolutely insane."

Just as she was cackling with laughter at my response, my bedroom door creaked open behind me. I turned around to see a very shirtless Tyler standing in my doorway.

"Oh my god, is that him?!" Alyssa shrieked-loudly-so there was no possible way he hadn't heard her.

"Alyssa, shut up!" I yelled, slamming my laptop shut. She was probably pissed at me for disconnecting without warning, but she would just have to get over it.

Tyler smirked. "Talking about me?"

I glared. "Only bad things, I assure you."

I saw surprise flash through his chocolate eyes, but just as soon, it disappeared. "Anyway, your mom just called and said she wants you to call her back as soon as possible."