The Bitch You Killed

Chapter Eight

Song of the chapter is Fall Out Boy and Foxes' 'Just One Yesterday'

Picture is of Alex Pettyfer who plays Chase (again in my head lol)

CHAPTER EIGHT

When I was fourteen years old, I remember sitting in Tyler's bedroom for the last time. I had just got back from a shopping trip with Mackenzie and the other girls and none of them knew I was with him. I had been pretending that I wasn't friends with Tyler for a good few months and it was hard. I wanted to so badly just ignore Mackenzie and continue my friendship with Tyler properly.

With Tyler it was easy. He didn't care whether I wore make up, I actually think he preferred it when I didn't. He also didn't comment on my clothes or make me feel like an idiot when I didn't properly match my shoes with my lipstick. He didn't care about that sort of thing and honestly, I didn't care either. I cared about Tyler and Mackenzie in different ways. I loved Tyler like a best friend, or so I thought I did. It wasn't until I couldn't have contact with Tyler that I realised that I loved him in a different way. I loved him like he was my other half.

Without him, days felt boring and pointless. He had become such a big part in my life and for him to just be gone was almost unthinkable.

It sounds over dramatic and impossible for a fourteen year old to feel that way but something you have to understand is that for a fourteen year old girl I was very lonely. Before Tyler I had had no friends. Tyler changed that and helped take the loneliness out of the days. He made me laugh, he even saved my life. How could I not feel something powerful for the boy?

But there's only so much that a person can take. Not everyone is willing to be treated like shit and Tyler wasn't. He didn't want to be a secret. He was my best friend and he was sick of having to pretend that he wasn't my best friend in public in case Mackenzie found out.

I still remember the conversation that signalled the end of our friendship.

***

"Is this how it's always going to be?" Tyler said, completely out of the blue. We had just been lying on the floor staring at the night sky through the skylight in his roof. Tyler's room was similar to mine, it was luxurious, but in a different way. It wasn't pink and fluffy, it had one indigo wall while the rest were white. It was a nice change from my bedroom.

"What do you mean?" I said while turning my head to look at his profile. He was still looking out of the skylight deep in thought. I secretly knew what he was talking about, but I had been hoping that he hadn't noticed my change in behaviour.

"Don't treat me like I'm stupid Khloe. You must think I'm a complete idiot if you think I haven't noticed the way you've changed in the last few months," he said after sighing deeply.

A sighing Tyler was not a nice Tyler.

"I honestly don't know what you're talking about Ty," I said, finishing with an awkward fake laugh.

The motto I live by — well used to live by — if in trouble, play dumb.

"Don't give me that crap Khloe; you know exactly what I'm talking about. How you act like we're not best friends in public? Ring any bells?" he said, his anger visibly rising.

"You're just being paranoid Ty," I said while turning back to the skylight.

"Paranoid? You think I'm being paranoid? Well that's what I thought initially, but then Jack and Matthew happened to ask me why we were no longer friends. If they are seeing the same thing as me, does that mean they're paranoid too?" he said, his voice beginning to rise.