Autopiløt

pt. 6

I feel strange. Tyler hasn't talked to me in a few days which is unusual, it makes me feel down. I've never depended on another for my happiness, so why am I now?
Not that I've had a lot of happiness in my life but still. I pull my comforter from over my face, I need to get up. It's ten thirty on Thursday morning and I haven't done a single thing. It's a good thing I don't work Thursday or I'd be in big trouble.
I sit up in bed and look over at my phone to see a text from Tyler.
"Hey, it's been awhile. I was in Ohio, plans for Friday?"
Friday I had plans to go to Christie's for my birthday on Tuesday. She's the only person I've kept in touch with since high school but I wouldn't exactly call her a friend. We get along I guess you could say, but I don't particularly like her, so I text Tyler back:
"See you."
Immediately my heart pumps faster thinking of the date, if you could call it that. I finally will myself to get up and get ready to do something, although I'm not sure what.
After going through the normal morning routine I decide to head over to Marie's diner to get some breakfast. The walk was short and the diner is a little crowded so Marie lets me sit in the back office. She knows I don't like crowds.
Marie sits my coffee down along with a plate of eggs on the table in front of me. "So, when are you going to tell me his name?"
I feel myself blush but don't look up from my sugar packets, "What are you talking about?"
Marie slaps me with the rag she keeps on her shoulder, stinging my bare leg. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. You have this glow and it started the last time you were here.So, I'll ask you one more time. What is this boys name?"
"Marie I honestly-" she hits me again.
"Aurora Whisper Greene."
She uses my full name, so I know I ought to tell her about Tyler before she gets too much angrier. "Okay, okay." I take a sip of coffee, "His name is Tyler."
"Yeah and what else?" She presses, "What does he look like, act like?"
"Uh, he has brown hair that kind of stands up a little and deep brown eyes, you know the kind you can swim in. He's really sweet and considerate, never makes things awkward, always has a joke up his sleeve. His bottom teeth are a little crooked but in a perfect way. Whenever he's thinking or daydreaming he subconciously twists a little tuft of hair on top of his head. I can't really explain much else."
"Yes, and how does he make you feel?"
"He makes me feel...worth it? Alive? I don't know how to explain it." Marie's eyes tear up a little. "Oh, Marie please don't cry," I plead.
"No, no honey." She wiped her eyes, "I just haven't seen you happy in a long time. I'm so glad you met him, but you have to bring him by, okay?"
I stood up to leave, agreeing to the meeting with Tyler. "Thanks for breakfast, Marie. It was really nice."
She smiles at me and lets me leave. As I'm walking home, I see Tyler standing in front of my apartment building with a purple haired guy. I start walking faster and Tyler runs to meet me, lifting me in a tight hug when we get to each other. He sits me down on my feet and pierces my eyes with his.
"How've you been?"
"Good I guess, better now." I lower my voice to a whisper, "Who's the guy?"
"Oh!" Tyler pulls away from me and walks over to the man who was now looking around to avoid making our embrace awkward. "Aurora, this is Josh my good friend. Josh this is Aurora."
"Nice to meet you," the one called Josh sticks his hand out.
I shake it and turn to Tyler, "I thought you weren't coming back until tomorrow."
"Well, I wanted to surprise you, and I wanted you to meet Josh."
"Oh, okay. Do you guys want to come inside?" They nod their heads and I lead the way up to my apartment. Once inside I offer them some drinks, Tyler asks for water. "Josh, what about you?"
"I'm fine for now thanks," he sits down at my kitchen table with Tyler.
"So Josh why'd you decide to come to New York?"
"Well," he clears his throat, nervous seeming. "Tyler lives here now and we've always been good friends, so I decided I might transfer my school up here next semester."
"Oh, well thats' an interesting decision. I hope you like cities."
"I don't mind them, we're from Columbus so it's not like we live on some corn field in the middle of nowhere." Tyler joined in on the laughter.
After about an hour of talking about school and corn fields in Ohio, Josh got up to leave. "Maybe we can hangout again sometime," he said as he exited back to his hotel room.
Tyler was looking down at his hands for most of the conversation. "Are you okay Tyler?" He looks up at me and has tears streaming down his face. Immediately I walked across the table and put my arm around him. "Hey, hey. What are you thinking about?" I use my thumb to wipe a tear off his cheek.
He didn't reply but instead rested his head on my shoulder and cried into my neck. I rubbed the back of his head, trying to make him feel better. I was trying to comfort him, but it was difficult seeing as I didn't know what the problem was. I led him to my bedroom to lay down, his head resting on my stomach now. The only sound in the room was Tyler's soft sobbing, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."