Too Close

Chapter 25

Tyler's P.O.V

"C'mon, let's get some rest," I stepped away from her and held out a hand. She took it and let me take her to her room. Instead of opening the door, I leaned down and swept my lips across her cheek, thinking it would be best to take things slow. Well...slower moving forward, considering we did just sleep together.

"Goodnight."

In my room, I stripped down and climbed in bed. I stared at the ceiling, waiting for sleep though I wanted nothing more than to walk back into Olivia's room and lay with her instead.

When I woke up I heard voices coming from downstairs. Mr. and Mrs. C stood in the kitchen and Olivia sat on one of the barstools with her head in her hands.

"There he is!" Mrs. C clasped her hands together when I made it downstairs.

"Hey, you guys are back," I felt myself smile. She came over to hug me.

"I know, Tyler, I was beginning to think they didn't want any Christmas presents either," Olivia said. Her parents laughed.

"Gosh, that reminds me. Olivia, would you be a doll and take a walk to the church for me? I have a gift for Kyle's mom."

"But I don't go to church," Olivia put on a voice that she sometimes did with me, thinking it was going to work on Mrs. Callahan.

"You're just dropping it off then you can leave. Go on, put some clothes on so you don't miss her." Reluctantly, O stood from her seat and stalked off toward her bedroom. Clyde strolled out of the laundry room and was at her heels instantly, trotting behind her.

"How've you been holding up, Tyler?" Mr. Callahan asked, leaning against the kitchen island. I walked around him for a box of cereal.

Olivia's P.O.V

"Hey, Kyle," I waved, walking up to the table outside of the church. Kyle sat behind a metal table with brochures and flyers in separate piles in front of him.

"Hey," he looked up and gave a meek smile.

"Listen, I'm sorry for not meeting up and answering you. It's been really crazy lately between finishing up my college applications and helping Tyler with school."

"What, he's got you doing his homework now?"

"No, I've just been helping him study and things like that." He slowly nodded then occupied himself with keeping the brochures from flying away in the wind.

"Well anyway, I'm here with a gift for your mom from mine," I extended the small gift wrapped box to him. "Can I leave it with you? I don't want to interrupt her if she's still teaching the Sunday school. And, admittedly, I don't want her to ask me for the zillionth time if I can come back to volunteer." When Kyle's parents split Sophomore year, I helped his mom out at the church until she was back on her feet and could find more volunteers. My history at the church looked good on my college applications, but Kyle's mom was a very religious person who could jump into hour-long lectures at the sight of anyone who wasn't an official member of the church and persuade them to join the volunteer committee in one sitting.

"Yeah." He took it from me and placed it on the other end of the table.

"Thanks." When he didn't say anything else, I turned to leave.

"Still hoping to get into an Ivy League?" He called. I turned back around and his guarded expression seemed softer now.

"Fingers crossed," I lifted two fingers and folded one over the other. He grinned.

"They'd be fools not to accept your applications." My phone dinged in my pocket. I looked at the screen at a new message from Tyler.

Hey, it said.