The Tattoo // Joshler AU

Chapter Eight

Tyler's POV

"Hey, Jenna." I smiled gently at her, surprised and confused when her face stays stony and emotionless. What's wrong? Have I upset her? God, Tyler, what's wrong with you?!

"Jenna? Are you okay babe? What did I do?" She was acting weird, and I didn't like it. I've never seen her this way.

"No babe, it isn't you. I just... That Josh guy. I don't like him. I don't like the way he was looking at you." Her eyes shone, but her face betrayed nothing. I chuckled at her insecurity, astounded at how she could think anything of that nature.

"Babe, as if! He's my friend, and besides, you're the only one for me, and you always will be." Some of the tension in her shoulders dissolved, and her mouth lifted up slightly at the corners. She focused on the road as she drove, and I contemplated our conversation.

Jenna was..jealous? Why?

Josh is only a friend, obviously. But.. No. Not going to go there. The tiny voice in my mind was whispering words of doubt, doubt in my relationship, doubt in myself. I didn't know why I was getting so worked up.

Jenna is mine, and I am hers. There won't ever be anyone else. Just us, in our little bubble. Josh is just a friend. Somehow, my heart sunk when I thought that. Tyler, you're being ridiculous. You aren't interested in him like that, and even if you were, which you aren't, he doesn't feel the same way.

Does he?

As if. Besides, Jenna is all I'll ever need. Right? Yeah. With my mind settled and at rest, I focused my attention on my phone, as usual.

Debby had texted me, just saying something about a trip her and Spencer were going on. I felt the car stop, and realized that we were home.

I jumped out of the car, excited to snuggle on the sofa with my lovely gal. After we got into our apartment, I collapsed onto the big, cushy sofa, waiting impatiently for Jenna to join me. But she didn't, she just sat down at the iMac, like she always did, and stared at the screen. 

"Jennaaa." I whined, hopeful that she would come lie down next to me, and maybe stroke my hair. Yeah, I'm weird like that.

"Look, Tyler, maybe not tonight. I've had a really bad day, and I just want some me time. You don't have to cling to me all the time. Okay?" Her harsh words stung, and I could feel tears welling up in my eyes. It wasn't often that Jenna was in a bad mood, but I hated it when she was.

She could be cruel and cold, and I hated that side of her. Even though she always apologized after, the words always remained in my head. They were never something I could easily forget. Jenna turned on her heel and slammed the door of the office behind him. I slunk down into the sofa, upset, with tears streaming down my face. I stayed that way until morning.

~~~~~

I woke up in an uncomfortable position, an aching back, and the remnants of tears still streaked down my face. I looked around, curious to see if Jenna was home, and if she was still in a bad mood. I hoped not.

I mean, she'd never hurt me physically or anything, but it hurts to see her unhappy. I then remembered that she was on a business trip, to see her new boss, over in Oregon. She was going to be gone for the night, which made me sad, but at the same time hopeful that she could have the me time she wanted, and then revert back to her usual loving self.

I stretched, cracking the bones all down my back, and got up to make myself pancakes. The batter in the pan, I sat on the worktop counter, completely zoned out. My mind, for some completely insane reason, flashed to Josh.

His fire-red hair. His eyes. His gorgeous smile.

An acrid smell drew me out of my daydreams. The pancakes were burning. Great. Well done Tyler, try to cook breakfast and it's the Great Fire of LA.

After I extinguished my breakfast, got a giant jar of peanut butter, and successfully slumped into my browsing position on my sofa, my thoughts were led, once again, to Josh. I don't know why I felt so drawn to him. He was everything I thought my ideal soulmate would be, and even a little more.

Tyler, no. What the hell are you doing?

Josh is not your soulmate, for God's sake! He is a friend, only a friend, even if he is a friend who has the same initials as the ones on my wrist. No! Thoughts like those are only going to tempt you, and, once again, Jenna is your soulmate!

Jenna is my everything, a girl way out of my league, yet a girl who I could spend the rest of my life with. I know she's my soulmate, she's practically a goddess! But..Josh. Whenever I'm with him, I feel-

My brain cuts off, thankfully, and I attempt to recompose myself for my empty apartment's sake. God knows if I continued this destructive chain of thought, I would soon be rampaging, possibly throwing cushions at innocent bookshelves.

Yeah, not very threatening. Honestly, how threatening can a 5'9", super skinny, bisexual 20 year old guy be? Not very, I'll tell you that. I once again dove into Tumblr, and there I stayed, content with no thoughts and no worries. Not quite.

Even then, my doubts lingered in my mind. I ignored them though.

I had to.