Tyler's Jacket

Chapter 3

I had two shots of vodka and suddenly felt at ease. Socialising and admiring the fairy lights illuminating the sky,I danced around the backyard with Mark until the sun had gone to sleep. But the party had just begun.

"I'm going to the bathroom." I tried to yell over the music to Mark. He replied with a quick nod and continued flirting with one of the guys on the swim team, waving me off. I squeezed through the sweaty dancing bodies and couple sloppily making out, awkwardly apologising as I went. After what seemed like a hundred miles of this, I made it to my back door where the party was less extreme. Once again, I had to push through heated makeout sessions and kicked a couple out of the bathroom just so I could pee. This party is just one giant STD.

Making my way back to the back door, the strong grip of Melody, one of the friendlier cheerleaders grabbed my arms as I reluctantly followed.

"Okay children, the nominies are now all here so we can begin our game of would you rather." Cameron, the other co-captain of the football team winked at me and gestured around the circle consisting of me, Melody, Aiden, Cameron, some random drunk girl and... Tyler? I stared at Aiden in shock horror but he just grinned and shrugged, indicating that he obviously didn't care and was a bit tipsy. I rolled my eyes and focused my attention back to an over-enthusiastic Cameron, who was holding the empty beer bottle. "Let the games begin..."

He placed the bottle in the middle and spun it so quickly it made me dizzy. The point landed on the extremely drunk girl. Without having to put any thought into it, he quickly said, "would you rather take your bra off or makeout with me?" I glared in disgust at his sly look. "You have 10 seconds to decide." After one second, she giggled and launched onto the expecting Cameron, with no remorse for the poor audience looking on. After twenty seconds, tyler cleared his throat humorously but very awkwardly. The new couple sat up and smiled with no worry in the world. Soon after, the bottle spun again and landed on... me? I stared in shock at the twisted smile forming on her wasted face.

"Would you rather kiss Tyler or Aiden for 10 seconds on the lips?" she cackled, nodding at the boys she's named. Aiden looked at me with pleading eyes and Tyler looked completely blank. "You have 5 seconds left, 4, 3" I stood up and pulled Ty up with me by his jacket collar. Our faces were a mere inch apart, the closest we'd ever been. I looked deep into his eyes, only now realising how dialuted his pupils had grown as he stared at me with wondering eyes.

"Al..."

I pressed my lips against his, scrunching my eyes and nose in the process. But then I realised... I didn't hate kissing him. His lips were soft and tasted like peppermint. Not to mention that he was a VERY good kisser. I felt light headed and limp as his arms wrapped around my waste, pulling me closer. I put one hand on his chest reluctantly, pushing him away. His eyes fluttered open in surprise. We were the only two people here.

"Times up" Cameron yelled, pulling me back to reality.

~ ~ ~

TYLER COOPER

When I heard Cam say my name, my eyes shot up from the daydream. I didn't know how to react. Did I even hear him right? The look on the twins' faces confirmed it and my heart stopped beating. I knew that Riley would have to kiss me. But, I didn't want to kiss her. She was like my sister, too. I teased her and treated her like a sister all the time. When I hear that she's being bullied I automatically deal with it. Most the time though, I dont tell Aiden. He was the golden boy; good grades, perfect family, loved by everyone. He cant afford to punish anyone. Whereas I am the complete opposite. I struggle in all classes except English, my family is fucked up and almost all the teachers hate me. Not only that but I'm a player, I dont care for feelings like Aiden does. Well, no ones feelings except for Al's, but that's just normal, right?

All of a sudden, I was ripped up from the ground by Riley. She had one hand on my chest and the other on my cheek, somehow making me feel all dizzy. Probably just the alcohol. She looked into my eyes, her big emerald irises were staring into my soul and made me feel wildly uncomfortable. She looked determined, nervous and very flustered.

"Al..." was all I managed to choke out before her lips were pressed against mine. I don't even know how to describe the feeling. Riley freaking Montgomery had her lips to mine. My best friend's sister. I was surprised when I didn't deter and feel resentment. It was like everything suddenly made sense just because we were kissing. Instinctively, I wrapped my arms around her waist, needing more. But she pushed me away. I was so shocked.

"Times up!" I sucked back down from cloud nine by Cameron's annoying voice. Al just stood there, as speechless as I was. I just didn't understand. Why did my stomach feel so weird. Was this what it felt like when people say they have butterflies? I tried to ignore it but when I looked at her again, now smiling it wasn't just the butterflies. The entire freaking zoo was unleashed in my stomach.

~ ~ ~

"Hey man, let me do that." I offered Aiden while he tried to pick up the rest of the rubbish whilst barely holding onto a very drunk riley simultaneously. I took the garbage bag from him so he could cradle his sister in both arms.

"Thanks man, I just need to go put her to bed." I nodded in return and continued to clean the aftermath of the party, wondering why I felt like such a pansy when I kissed Al. She was always just Riley. Nothing more, nothing less. She was like my sister. But I shouldn't have felt like that when kissing someone who felt like a sister. My thoughts were interrupted when a very tired best friend came back outside with asprin in hand. "So, you kissed my sister..." he started off awkwardly.

"Technically, your sister kissed me." I chuckled lightly, trying to lighten the mood. He shot me a fake smile in return.

"Look Ty, I love you. But I love my sister more. I don't want you breaking her heart like you do to  every other girl. She cant deal with it... especially after what happened with Jackson..." He clenched his fists until his knuckles went a chalky white.

"Hey look man, I'd never do anything to hurt Riley. And I don't like her like that anyway." I put my hands in surrender, trying to ease his sudden terrible mood. "But who's Jackson?" I think I knew who he was, there was only two Jacksons at our school, but only one of them could have been the one he was talking about.

"Don't worry about it. It's not my place to tell you. But thanks Ty, I really appreciate your loyalty. And I know you'd be good to Riles, in time maybe. But I don't think that she's ready." He looked at me with sparkling eyes as he remembered something. I gave him an awkward side hug, we didn't get emotional with eachother often so this was pretty new to me.

"Don't worry about it Aiden, it's all cool." He handed me the asprin and we continued to tidy up while I kept wondering what happened to Riley that made AIDEN's eyes tear up. Jackson must have done something really fucked up.

This was unedited, sorryyyy. But hope you enjoyed anyway. How did you like Tyler's POV?

-Hollie xoxo