You Don't Have Me

Chapter 18

Tyler took your bag before he lead you through the door. Walking into the cottage weird. It felt the same, but it felt very different. As you were trying to take it all in, you were interrupted.

"What do you want to talk about?" Tyler asked, his arms crossing over his chest.

"Are you joking-" you started before you calmed yourself down. You had come here to talk, not fight. "Us."

"Do you want to sit?" He hesitated, while placing you bag on the floor.

"Can we talk outside?" Even though it was almost ten o'clock at night, you had still felt gross from the plane and you needed the fresh air.

"Sure, I actually just hung some string lights over that couch, and-," he stopped as he noticed the expression on your face. Your eyebrows raising, almost shocked at what he said. "It was Candace's idea." Your head nodded slightly, getting an explanation. Of course, it was his sister's idea.

He led you outside to the sitting area, before running off to flip the switch, turning on the lights. It had been about a year since you had been at his house and you were shocked at how much work he had done. Not only were there multiple couches and chairs but he had even put a stone tile on the ground and in the center of the area there was a fire pit. You were busy looking at the upper corners of the large wooden trellis that covered the area, trying to decide if you could see speakers or not when Tyler came back.

"This looks really nice." You admitted, smiling lightly, almost letting him know that you were proud of him.

"Thanks." He smiled back at you, before the two of you sat down on the same couch, facing each other or rather waiting for one another to speak first.

"So." You started, trying to break the tension. "I just- I hate the way we ended things, and I know why you left, but Tyler you need to realize that, to me, this is just moving too fast." You said.

"But is it?" He asked. "I know we were only together for like a week but I have had these feelings for you for forever." As you listened to him, you shrugged. While, yes, everything he was saying was true, it still just felt different.

"Maybe thats why it didn't work." You breathed. "We never actually had like a real first date." You looked up to his eyes, but in that second a down pour of rain came out of nowhere, instantly soaking the two of you. Instantly, Tyler grabbed your hand, pulling you into the house. Even though you had just been out in the rain for a few minutes, you were drenched, and so was he.

You turned to the sliding glass door, watching the rain douse the outdoor furniture you had just been sitting on, while Tyler walked over to a hallway closet, dripping as he walked back towards you.

"Here." He held out a towel towards you.

"Thanks." You replied. "I should probably go get changed." He nodded as the two of you went to your separate rooms, getting into dryer clothes. As you walked back out into the living room in fresh, dry clothing, your soaked clothes under your arm, wrapped in a towel, you made your way to Tyler's room. As you got there, you knocked on the door. He opened it, shirtless. Quickly, you turned away, trying not to get distracted as you stuck out your hand.

"What?" Tyler asked.

"Give me your clothes, I'm going to dry them." You said lightly, flashing him the bundle under your arm.

"You don't have to do that." He said, pulling a shirt over his head. You shrugged, letting him know that it was really no big deal, before making a joke about him barely being able to do his own laundry. He stuck his tongue out at you before handing you all of his clothes.