The Unforgettable Infatuation

Chapter Eighteen

"Casey?" Tyler knocks lightly on the bedroom door. It's his room, but I locked myself in here when we got to his house and I haven't left the room since. "Do you remember Marissa and Parker?"

"Marissa Callahan and Parker Aldridge?" I ask.

"Yeah." He says.

"Yeah. Why? I was friends with Marissa. She came to all of my birthday parties. We were practically best friends. And her and Parker were best friends and he was your guy friend."

"I know." He says. "Anyways, after you left, I got really close to Parker and I guess him and Marissa went to college together. Parker heard I'm in town and he wants to see me, so I was going to meet him and Marissa for bowling and I told them I have a girlfriend and they said I should bring you. They don't know who you are though. Marissa was upset when you moved. She still asks about you when I come to town."

I sit up.

"Marissa and Parker are still not dating?"

"Nope." He says. "Anyways, do you want to go with me?"

He's holding the key's to his Dad's blue Dodge Ram in his hand.

I'm still in my same outfit.

"Sure." I say. "What time?"

"Now." He says. "We're going to dinner after."

It's already eight and I can tell it's going to be a long night.

I didn't sleep at all last night but now I can't because of my parents news.

"Okay." I nod. I stand up and walk into his bathroom. I go pee and flush and wash my hands, and then I check my makeup and hair and grab my purse.

"Ready?" Tyler asks.

"Sure." I nod.

I follow him downstairs and outside.

The truck comes to a gentle stop in the parking lot of the bowling alley.

It's one thing being in Arizona without Tyler, but being in Arizona with Tyler makes my heart fill with a warmth that I can't explain.

We have been coming here for so long. The night before I left, my Kathryn dropped Tyler and I off to meet up with Parker and Marissa, and when the game was over and we had to leave, I sobbed on Tyler's shoulder so hard that I threw up in the bush.

We stop just outside the doors and I stare at that bush.

"Do you remember?" I whisper.

"I could never forget that day." He murmurs.

Marissa cried too, and even Parker got a little teary eyed.

Tyler didn't cry though. He hardly cries.

He plants a soft kiss on my temple and pulls the door open.

"I would like to pay for you tonight." He says. "If you'll allow me."

I glance at him.

"I...guess so." I mumble. He smiles and kisses my lips, putting his hand on the small of my back to nudge me inside. I walk in and he follows me. His house is a half hour from here so it's around eight thirty.

"They're over there." Tyler points to a girl with dark brown hair, freckles, and green eyes who appears to be arguing with a guy with dark brown hair and blue eyes.

They both look older now, more mature, but it's unmistakably them.

"I think they're fighting." I say.