Love or Friendship

Chapter 30

[Tyler's POV]

"Tyler, she just suddenly run towards Riley then hugged him so tiiiiiiiiiiiiiggggggght."

I just watched my sister walk back and forth as I was listening to her story.

"Then???"

She stopped then looked at me with her eyes wide open.

"THEN SHE SAID SHE MISSED HIM SO MUUUCH."

I couldn't help it but I laughed so loud at her expressions. She looked at me confused and a little irritated. I tried to calm myself and recover from that laugh. I sat down properly and looked at her.

"Di... It seems like you're just being jealous."
"Jealous?! Why would I be jealous?! How could I be jealous?! Riley even told her that...."

She suddenly stopped talking.

"Riley told her what?"
"Huh? Ahhhh... nothing. Nothing. Forget about that."

I looked at her suspiciously. I know Riley said something. Her face is turning red.

"Anyway. Riley said that girl was their childhood friend."
"Ohhhh... so there's another childhood friend. They're really friendly huh?"
"Tyler!!!"
"Whaaat?"
"Anyway. I didn't knew anything about her. They didn't even told me anything about her."
"Maybe because you really wouldn't care?"
"Well yeah, but still!!!"
"Diane. Seriously, you're worrying over that?"
"No but I'm curious why Riley made a face like that when he saw her."

I sighed and held her on her shoulders and looked her in the eyes.

"Di, if you're curious you could always ask Riley."
"Will he tell me? He never told me before. You think he'll tell it to me now?"
"I know he would. Because you're Diane. The love of his life."

She showed me a little smile.

"Fine. I'll ask him when I had the chance."
"Good then."
"Thanks Ty. You really are the best brother I have."
"Well, I am your only brother though, and your only sibling."
"Exactly."

She grinned at me and laughed as she run up to her room. I layed down the couch and texted Riley.

To: Riley the lover boy

Hey Riley. Have a minute?

After a few minutes he replied.

From: Riley the lover boy

Oh hey. What's up?

To: Riley the lover boy

Could we meet up now? Just wanna have a little talk with you.

From: Riley the lover boy

Yeah. Sure. Let's meet up at the coffee shop near the park.

I stood up and got myself ready to go to the coffee shop.

[Riley's POV]

I'm a bit nervous. Tyler said he wanted to have a 'little' talk with me. I wonder how little would it be.

I sat down near the entrance so he could easily see me. I ordered my usual drink as I wait for Tyler to come.

10 minutes passed when Tyler came. He waved at me and smiled as he was walking towards where I was sitting. I am still nervous though but I tried to keep calm and hide it. He sat in front of me and apologized for being late.

"Its fine. So, uhm, what did you want to talk about?"

He showed a grin and laughed a bit which made me a bit weirded out and confused.

"Sorry it's just that Di told me what happened yesterday."

Dang. I totally forgot about that.

"She was really, i don't know, angry? while she was telling it to me."

I can feel my hands getting cold and sweaty.

"Anyway, I'm just really curious, who was that girl anyway? Well, Diane didn't mention her name. But, setting that aside, who is she in your life anyway? Or who WAS she in your life?"

I can't explain my feelings right now. I just can feel my hands getting colder than before. I tried to calm myself before letting out any word. I took a deep breath before telling Tyler anything.

"Okay. First and foremost, her name is Cairi. She's a childhood friend of mine and Connor's as well."
"As I've heard. Continue."
"Well a year before we met Diane, Cairi and her family moved to Japan to stay there for good."
"Okay. Go on."
"Well, uhmmm... That's about it?"
"So let me get this straight. She's just a friend? A childhood friend rather?"
"Uh yeah."
"Really now?"

Tyler looked at me straight into my eyes as if he wanted to dig more from my past.

"Okay fine! I'll tell you."
"There we go. So now, who is Cairi in your life?"
"Cairi's the first friend, the first playmate, the first girl "friend", you know a friend who's a girl..."
"Yeah yeah I get it and???"
"You see, we were really young back then. We didn't know anything. We were basically still kids you know?"
"Riley. Just get to the point."

I let out a sigh and looked at Tyler.

"Before Cairi went to Japan she made me promise that when we get older I have to marry her. Since I was still young and I thought marrying someone was just being great friends with them for the rest of your life I told her yes."
"Wow. And how old were you back then?"

He laughed and looked at me like he can't believe what he was hearing.

"I don't know. I can't even remember."
"But you remember what she made you do huh?"
"Its because!!!!"

I again let out a sigh.

"Four or five years after we met Di I received a letter from her, and inside that letter was about the promise I made to her."
"Ohhhh... okay..."
"And every year after that I always receive letters from her asking how I was and telling me everything that was happening in her life."
"Hmm this girl is serious. So did you ever respond to her letters?"
"Well, no, but I did once sent her a greeting card 'cause mom forced me since I never responded to the letters Cairi sent me."
"Why didn't you responded anyway?"

I looked down and closed my eyes.

"It's because..."
"Because what?"

I looked at Tyler and embarrassedly told him.

"Because I already had feelings for Di that time and thought that if I responded... you know..."

I looked at him and made gestures telling him that he already knows what I was trying to say. When he understood it he let out a laugh.

"Seriously Riley?"

He just continued laughing at me while I was already looking embarrassed.

"Okay. That was a great laugh... Anyway, so Di was the reason?"
"Ye---ah... And also, I thought maybe in a few years she would forget about it."
"Well she basically did not huh?"
"She actually stop sending me letters two or three years ago so I really thought that maybe she just gave up and moved on."
"So that's why it shocked you to see her yesterday?"
"Yeah."
"Wait. I have a question."
"What's that?"
"How did you knew it was that girl Cairi yesterday before she even introduced herself?"
"Well the last letter she sent me had her recent picture with it."
"Ohhhhhh. I see. So what's your plan now?"
"I honestly don't know Tyler."
"Why not have a talk with this Cairi girl? Though don't show her you have a motive with that talk."
"I don't know. I guess I'm not ready to talk to her yet, especially for what I did."
"For cheating on her?"
"Tyleeeeer!"
"I'm kidding. I'm kidding. Anyway you better talk to Diane too. She has a LOT of questions you know."
"I know. I really never thought that this day will come."
"That Di would know about Cairi?"

I nodded and let out a sigh.

"Well, if you ever need an advice, don't ask me 'cause I don't know anything."

He let out a laugh which made me losen up a bit.

"Thanks Tyler."
"Yeah yeah. Relax okay? You'll be able to figure out something."

I smiled at him and nodded.