The Tangent Lines

Chapter 40 - That's Ella for you

Before reaching Tyler's mansion, we stop by Tyler's favorite doughnut shop.

"Three cinnamon sugar for me," Tyler pleads, "Please? Why do you buy a lot for El?" I think I am almost mistaken as his mum. He looks like a little boy who wants food and is jealous that his brother gets more attention than he does.

"Elliot requests a lot of doughnut, almost a dozen - wait, and two tubs of ice cream too. Ben and Jerry's. Rocky road and peanut butter?" I read aloud, "Since when does Elliot like these flavors?"

"What does he like?"

"He usually eats pistachio..."

"How could you know? You like him!" he asks with accusing tone, "How about me? Do you know?"

I laugh at his cute pout, "I know you, dork. Strawberry cheesecake flavor for your ice cream, and cinnamon sugar for your doughnut. You're such a sweetheart. How about me?"

He pretends to peek at my grocery list, and laughs when I hide the notes. His boyish laugh is everything I adore. "Ugh, caramel. Stop acting as if you're hard to read when it comes to food."

"Wrong question, I know, I'm a sucker for caramel."

As we line up at the cashier to pay for our ice cream and chips, Tyler finds himself staring at the ice cream freezer. "Why is El buying so many desserts? Is he stressed? Wait, rocky road is Will's favorite ice cream. Elena always puts it on the grocery list to restock the entertainment room's chiller for him."

Amused because he's concerned by the possibility that Elliot is going to binge eating due to stress, I re-read the doughnut list while waiting. Peanut butter, green tea, chai tea... "Wait a minute, peanut butter is definitely James's favorite. And green tea is Fiona's. Chai tea is Florence's, and-"

"Plain glazed is Kyle's favorite, and dulce de leche - Jake's," Tyler recalls. Of course we remember their flavors, we've always been the ones who buy their food -

"Are they in my house or something?" Tyler sighs, while fishing out his wallet from his pocket. "I think so. There's no reason Elliot buys so many flavor," I reply, as I take our groceries to the table.

After paying our groceries and buying our doughnuts, Tyler drives his car and stays quiet. While we are just three blocks away from his mansion he says, "I wish we have a peaceful evening for just the two of us, but I am not really sure. I mean, I don't think they are ready to know that we-"

"Kyle knows," I simply reply, while enjoying my doughnut.

Alarmed, Tyler just looks at me with widened eyes. "What? How? That's not possible."

"He said we are surprisingly creepy intense when we make out," I smile sheepishly, "Oh my God, that's embarrassing. He knows we are dating, and he finds out that we holds hands in the cafetaria sometimes."

Tyler's face is red in embarrassment. I think it's adorable how he could blush like that. "Ugh," he mumbles. "Actually, I wanted to make this a secret for them, but maybe next time I have to be a little careful."

There goes my insecurity. Trying to calm down, I just simply ask, "Are you embarrassed that our relationship is publicly known? I mean, you can be honest w-"

"Chelsea, no," he stammered suddenly. Stopping his car just a few meters from the mansion's gate, he turns to me and sighs. "See, I don't want you to think of me like that - because I'm not embarrassed, Chello. I want everyone to know that I love you. That we are in love. You are never an embarrassment for me," he holds my hand and strokes my fingers, getting ready for his next words, perhaps? "Because - because you know, have you ever thought that - maybe, just maybe, someone could be sad about our news. Not everyone would be happy, you know?"