Thank You, Tyler

Chapter 4

I don't remember how I got home but when I wake up the next day, I'm tucked safely into my own bed. I pull the covers up where they cover my nose. My room is unusually cold. I only turn the air down this low when I have a flashback or panic attack, the cold soothes me.

The sun's peeking through my window blinds. I grumble and shut my eyes again. I lay there for a moment and try to think of the last thing I remember from the night before.

I was climbing down the ladder. What happened after that?

"Good, you're awake," I hear a male voice from somewhere in my room.

My eyes pop open and I sit up to see Derek slouched against the wall near my desk.

"Sorry, I thought you were getting up."

He's wrapped in a big quilt my grandma made and looks like a wreck. His eyes are a little red on the edges and his hair's a tangled mess.

"Wha--why are you here? I barely remember last night. I was going down the ladder--and now I'm here in my bed. What happened? What did I forget?" I stumble over my words.

"I don't know how you got back home. I came over about two a.m. I got scared when you weren't replying to my texts. But you were already asleep, passed out on the floor. Did you walk home? Your feet were a little cut up. I didn't see your shoes anywhere so who knows where they went--"

"How did you get in my house? Wait, I was on the floor, how'd I get in bed?" A small scare that I may have been abused in my own home washes over me.

"I know y'all leave the back door unlocked all the time. You should really reconsider that if you don't want me to break in," he laughs. "I put you in your bed. You were shivering."

"Okay."

I rub my eyes and put my hair in a ponytail, still sitting in bed. My sheets feel soft on my legs. Wait. Legs. Pants.

"Where the hell are my jeans?" I wrap the blanket tight around my waist.

Derek throws his hands in the air as if to surrender.

"I didn't touch them! You didn't have any on when I found you passed out."

I squint my eyes.

"I promise, Kelly. I would never do that to you," he assures me.

I make him look away while I grab some soft shorts out of my dresser.

Sitting down beside him, I lean against his shoulder.

"Thanks for checking on me."

"Of course, Kell-bear. You're my best friend, gotta make sure you're okay," he wraps his arm around my shoulder.

"Thanks Derek. I--" I stop myself from saying it.

"You what?"

It's almost like he knows what I want to say. His brown eyes almost beg me to say it.

"Nothing. Nevermind."

Damn it.

"Okay."