You Don't Have Me

Chapter 3

"Did you say something?" Tyler said, his whole body calming down.

You shook your head softly. You just wanted this to end. The two of you just stood there, in silence, not looking at each other.

"I just-" You started, and Tyler's eyes moved to look at you, desperate to hear what you had to say. "I just need some space...from you." Your voice lingered. "I hate this because it sounds so cliche, but I think that for so long, I have become so wrapped up in your life that I lost who I am." You couldn't even look at him. "And, a big part of that is my fault, but...." You struggled to articulate what you wanted to say. "I need space."

"I guess I understand that, I-" He stopped, looking for the right thing to say. But there wasn't a right thing to say, and that was the problem. The two of you were at all stalemate and one fo you needed to wave the white flag. You waited for him to leave on his own, but he never did. And, while you couldn't pinpoint the feeling, you needed to get him out of your house before this got worse.

"I think maybe you should go." You shrugged, your eyes concentrating on the dark hardwood floors that lined your kitchen.

He didn't argue. He didn't say anything. He walked up to you, almost waiting for you to stop him. Your eyes glanced at his for a moment, and no matter how much they were telling you that he wanted to stay and work things out, you didn't it give into them. Instead, you let him walk out your door, and subsequently out of your life.

You didn't know why but you didn't feel anything when he left. You expected for there to be tears, calls to your sister, and loads of Ben and Jerry's Half Baked ice cream. But none of that happened. Instead, you went upstairs and took a bath, blasting the new Shawn Mendes album while you soaked in the warm water, your mind as free and clear as it had ever been. Then you picked out an outfit for work in the morning, before going to bed. While your body was ready for sleep, your mind was not, it was still focused on the appropriateness of how you were feeling about this whole situation, because if you really loved him, wouldn't you be sad right now? Quickly, you shook that feeling off, you didn't have anything to be guilty about. If anyone was at fault here it was definitely Tyler.

Right?

******

Shit. You were meeting your Mom for coffee, as she was in town to help your sister with her upcoming wedding, in which you were the maid of honor. You were late and you were positive you would hear about it, especially from your Mom. Who, for the record, you adored, but with her tardiness was unacceptable.

"Hi!" You smiled, trying to cover up the fact that you had went for a run this morning and totally spaced that you were supposed to be meeting your Mom for coffee before the two of you met your sister, Anna, for her last wedding dress fitting.

"You're late." She scowled. "I ordered for you, but it might be cold now." She said, glancing at the mocha latte she had ordered for you, sitting on the table in front of you.

"Sorry, I went for a run. I'm trying to tone up before the wedding." She rolled her eyes at the mention of the wedding.

"Oh no, what is it now?" You asked, a small smirk on your lips.

"Oh my god. There's a new crisis everyday. I love your sister so much, I do, but she is driving me crazy. Today it was the flowers." Your Mom gushed. You let out a small laugh. You loved your sister more than anything in the world, he was the reason you moved to Dallas after all, but to say she was a bridezilla was an understatement.

Originally, you were from Michigan, but after going to college in Boston you were eager to explore more of the U.S. and Anna had invited you to come live with her in Dallas. It was a no-brainer move, you would be living with your sister, which the two of you had always dreamt about when you were younger and you would be close to Tyler who had been traded the summer before your senior year. When you told him it was what you were planning on doing he was so thrilled that he offered to buy your plane ticket, and for weeks after that he would send you different flight options- "just incase you hadn't had time to look or wanted to come visit your new home."

"Anyways, how's Tyler?" Your Mom asked, taking a sip of her coffee.

"You ask that like he's my boyfriend or something."

"Well, isn't he?" She smiled. "When are the two of you going to make it official, anyways?" You rolled your eyes.

"Mom, no, and to answer your question- I don't know how he is." You shrugged.

"Oh?" She raised an eyebrow.

"We're kind of not talking right now." Your voice trailed off, as you reached for your overpriced and now cold latte.

"What happened?"

"Honestly, I don't really even know. I guess I was just waiting until he was ready, and I've come to the realization that he never will be."

She nodded. "I knew you always liked him, you continuously denied it, but I always knew."

"Well of course I liked him. I wouldn't have done half the shit I did for him if I didn't." You said with a 'matter of fact 'expression on your face, she snickered.

"When was the last time you spoke to him?" She asked, more serious now. You exhaled, as you racked your brain searching for the answer.

"Uhh, like a couple of weeks ago, maybe?" Honestly, between work and Anna's wedding time had flown by so fast you didn't even had time to miss him, and that made you feel even worse.