Beautiful insanity (Dylan O'Brien) | ✓

21 | Poignancy of pain

I had pulled Tyler in the hallway with me after my mother had ever so kindly offered for him to stay for desert. I didn't really know what to think about his unexpected appearance. We didn't exactly end things on the right foot the last time we spoke. I fought with everyone about the same thing, Tyler was no different. But he out of all people had known Dylan and the way he had treated his former best friend was just plain disgusting to me. So I crossed my arms over my chest and stared at him with a mix of anger, confusion and disappointment. 

"Tyler what are you doing here?" I hissed. 

"I came to apologise for my behaviour last week." He said. 

"Here?" I almost shouted. I tried to keep my voice down. Neither my mother or Mike should hear the conversation going on here. "You couldn't come to my place to say that." 

"Well you weren't at your place. So I figured you'd be here." 

"Of course I am here Tyler! It's fucking Christmas Eve." I was about to lose it. "Don't you have to be with your family?" I growled. 

"We celebrate tomorrow." He explained. Okay so just because he couldn't celebrate Christmas Eve meant that he had to ruin mine? I shook my head. What was I going to say? Should I sent him out? Knowing my mother she'd start asking questions as to why that lovely boy couldn't stay. I saw it in her eyes the minute Tyler walked in. She only had to look at him once to find him perfect. And he was. He was charming and handsome and had big puppy eyes and a lovely smile. The perfect son-in-law you'd say. It made me want to puke. Knowing my mother would never look at Dylan as she had looked at Tyler made me sick to my stomach and it even made me hate Tyler a little. Hate might be a strong word but I certainly loathed the fact that he was so goddamned perfect. I wondered that if I ever brought Dylan home what my mother would say. She had always been a kind and understanding lady but Dylan was different. He was not easy and he certainly wouldn't pretend to be okay and perfect just for mine or my mom's sake. 

"Look Jess," Tyler started. He placed a hand on my arm but I backed away from him. "I really am sorry for what I said about Dylan. I was in no right to use those words or to talk about him in that way--"

"No you weren't." I replied. Tyler's eyes flickered to the ground and then back to mine. He rushed a hand through the mob of brown hair. 

"All I wanted to say is..." He paused, taking a deep breath. "... is that I am alright with you dating Dylan, if that is what you really want. And if the time is there and you feel like him and I could talk again, I'd love for that to happen." I nodded my head, relaxed my shoulders and dropped my arms to the side of my body. 

"I accept your apology. You can stay if you like." I forced a smile. It was just so much easier to let him stay instead of sending him out. Now that I was avoiding Alex I really could use a friend and Tyler's apology sounded sincere. "But next time you decide to barge in, at least give me a call." He nodded his head and smiled at me. 

My mother and Tyler hit it off right away. When he started talking about the many places he had traveled to and how he combined that with his studies I think my mother had fallen in love. She stared at him, admiring him. 

"So what are your plans for tomorrow Tyler?" She asked. Maybe you, Jess and I could spent Christmas together? We can have dinner at Tony's! I hear their duck is exquisite!" I gave my mother a look of death but she didn't seem to notice. 

"I'd love to but I actually have plans with my own family tomorrow. I'm going to see my grandmother in New York so I'll be gone all day." My mother clapped her hands together. 

"Oh that's too bad!" She exclaimed. She then turned to me. "What about you darling?" I almost choked on my cake when she looked at me. 

"Uhm..." I started. "I actually already have plans." I murmured.