Deal With It

twenty seven

This chapter is dedicated to Rushba ♡.

Chapter 27

Arissa's POV

I bumped into Heidi halfway up the staircase and Tyler quickly held onto me so I wouldn't fall. Happiness took over her and she pounced forward to embrace me. "I've missed you so much!" she exclaimed. I had missed her too.

I was a terrible friend. So much had happened to her, and a new problem had arised as well, but I was too involved in myself to even be there for her. She was my best friend since forever and it was about time that I had a nice, long catch-up. This would be the perfect distraction for her.

"I've missed you too," I squeezed her then pulled away and smiled. I held her arm and headed for her room, which could practically be mine, and vice versa. Both of us comfortably sat on her bed and Tyler followed us in, lazily leaning against her wall. Heidi frowned. "Get out, Tyler."

He smiled but didn't comply to what she had asked of him. "Leave! Now!" she yelled, throwing a pillow in his direction which he single-handedly caught.

"Okay," he said and Heidi sighed in satisfaction. "Come on Arissa," he finished off.

I opened my mouth to speak when Heidi took over. "No! I haven't seen her for ages but you have so piss off!"

"I'm not going without her," he said stubbornly.

So I guessed I had no say in this. Every time I tried to get a word in I was interrupted. Heidi stood up and walked over to him, trying to shove him out of the door. "You've had her for hours to do your 'inappropriate' things," she used air quotations and made a disgusted face, "Now it's my turn!"

Tyler raised an eyebrow and laughed sarcastically. "You're going to do inappropriate things to my girlfriend?" he teased her and I laughed.

"I meant I was going to talk for hours.. now shoo!" She huffed and he agreed to leave.

She made her way back and sat down as her red cheeks were beginning to regain their natural colour.

-

Tyler's POV

I passed Mum's room and was about to head downstairs when I heard voices from inside. I pressed my ear near the door and carefully listened.

It was the sound of a female. A bitch to be more precise.

"I saw how Keith looked at you and I'm not risking him leavi—" she pushed the words back into her mouth without finishing the sentence. "I'm telling you now, either you tell Keith to leave or don't return yourself. He wants to build a relationship with his kids but I am not having you around. That son of yours is enough to deal with. I'd be so humiliated if he was my child."

Even without seeing her vile face I knew she was smirking at my Mum, mocking her, hurting her, making her feel like she was bad for us.

"It's a damn good job that he isn't then. I'm sorry but I'm not telling Keith to leave nor am I leaving for good. This is my house and these are my kids. Kids I'm proud of, kids who will definitely make something of themselves. You have absolutely no right to slam Tyler, especially since you don't know him."

I opened the door slightly, happy that my mum stood up for herself and us when I saw her reach for a cigarette and lighter, just after she had put her alcohol down. I frowned but realised it would take her more than a day to let go of her habits.

Laura knocked the lighter out of her hand, demanding attention. "Your kids? Make something of themselves?" She laughed. "Tyler has finished college hasn't he? Do tell me what he's spending his time doing. Which University does he attend?" She asked. When Mum remained silent she spoke again. "Sorry, I forgot that he won't have even gotten the grades. If it was my Kyle—"