Against All Odds | Tyrus

13. Outrage

❝He inhaled a deep breath and blew out slowly, squirming in his seat against Buffy's unrelenting stare.❞

━━━━━━━━━▼━━━━━━━━━

“Buffy,” Cyrus choked out. “Of course I choose you. You're my best friend.”

Buffy smiled, “Thank you, Cyrus. That means so much to me.”

“Can I... Can I just call TJ? To let him know?”

Buffy felt hesitant to agree. Knowing TJ, he wouldn't accept Cyrus's decision easily. Or at all, really. Regardless, she nodded her head.

“Thanks,” he said, putting his phone to his ear as if he already had the number dialled.

TJ picked up within seconds, “Underdog! What's up?”

TJ's excited voice caused Cyrus to feel guilty. He spoke slowly, “Actually, I have some bad news. We, uh... We can't hang out anymore.”

“What...? Why?! Did I do something? Just tell me what it is. I won't do it ever again.”

“No, you didn't do anything. It's me. I've been ignoring my other friends.”

TJ was silent at first before speaking up in confusion, “I don't get it. Why can't we hang out?”

“I... I have to put my other friends first. I'm sorry.”

“I still don't understand. What does that have to do with us? If you want to spend more time with your other friends, I get it. But can't we still hang out every once in a while?”

“Well, you see, Buffy—”

“Oh, I get it now. Buffy's behind this.”

Cyrus didn't need to see TJ to hear the anger in his voice. And even though the anger wasn't directed at him, Cyrus couldn't help but feel scared of TJ's tone.

“Where are you now?” TJ asked, not waiting for Cyrus to confirm his previous statement.

Cyrus swallowed, “The Spoon. Why?”

“Is Buffy with you?”

“Yeah.”

“Stay there.”

TJ hung up the call and shoved his phone into his pocket, dashing down the stairs.

His mother, who was seated in the living room, called out to him, “Take a jacket with you if you're going out! It's chilly.”

TJ ignored her. He slipped on his shoes, not bothering to put his feet in all the way. He opened the door and began to step outside.

“TJ? Did you hear me?” asked his mother.

“I'm gonna kill someone,” he said. “If I get arrested, just remember that I'm your only son, so it's your duty to pay my bail.”

He walked out the door, closing it behind him. He could hear his mother's disoriented shouts from inside, but he paid them no attention. Instead, he ran to The Spoon. He couldn't tell if his skin felt hot from running, or from his anger.

When he came into the diner, Buffy was staring at him with an expression of annoyance.

“Why am I not surprised?” she groaned.

TJ came closer to her, placing his palms hard against the table, “We need to talk, Driscoll.”

“Let's talk, then. Wanna step outside?”