Air Catcher

Wish We Could Turn Back Time

Alyx's pov

When I thought no one was paying attention to us I leaned over to Tyler. "Are you feeling any better?" I whispered.

"Yeah, a little. As long as you stay with me." He kissed my cheek and I giggled as his arm found it's way around my waist.

"Always." I promised.

When I look up everyone was staring at us. "What?" I asked.

"Oh, nothing." Hannah smirked.

"Hey Alyx, doesn't Tyler have a hoodie and a beanie just like those?" Josh asked.

My face turned tomato red.

Hannah cackled. "So something did happen last night!"

"What? No- No! Nothing happened!" I exclaimed, flustered.

"Uh huh, sure." Merritt gave me a look.

I rolled my eyes in frustration. "I'm serious!" I looked to Tyler.

"Nothing." He agreed.

None of them looked too convinced.

__________________

The next day was a Saturday, thank heaven, otherwise I think I would have died of sleep deprivation. There was still a chance I would though, because that was the day I was babysitting my cousins and they were driving me insane.

Isabelle was crazy, even for a four year old, It took everything in me to keep her from breaking something. Her blonde pigtails would bounce with her as she glanced off the walls. I put Frozen in to distract her, but she didn't seem interested in sitting still and watching it even though she claimed to love the movie.

Her baby brother Ben only complicated things. Though he couldn't put words together quite yet he'd throw a fit every time I set him down. Someone had to be holding him at all times or he'd cry his eyes out.

They were sweet kids, really. I was just having a hard time handling them on my own and I was going to be with them all day. By the time the doorbell rang I felt like a tired mother of six who was on her period. Izzy beat me to the door and opened it wide to reveal Tyler, who immediately smiled brightly down at the little girl.

"Hello! You must be Isabelle. Alyx never told me you were so pretty!" He stepped inside and closed the door behind him.

Izzy made a pouty face at me and then grinned. "Alyx, is he your boooyfriend?" She giggled.

"Yeah, actually, he is. This is Tyler." I smiled.

"That's a weird name. But wait, if he's your boyfriend, do you guys..." Her voice hushed dramatically. "kiss?"

"Should we find out?" Tyler asked before walking up to me and sliding his arm gently around my waist, careful of the tiny boy I was holding.

"Ew!" Izzy giggled and covered her eyes, peeking between her fingers.

Tyler kissed me tenderly and then turned to grin at the little girl.

"Gross." She muttered.

"How has Alyx been treating you, Izzy? Is she a good babysitter?" He asked, a teasing glint in his eye.

"Noo. She won't make me silly noodle soup." The girl crossed her arms and pouted.

Tyler shot me a questioning glance. "Ramen." I explained. "We don't have any."

Tyler nodded before turning back to Izzy. "She won't make you silly noodle soup?" He asked, his eyes wide.

Izzy nodded seriously.

"Hmm... how would a piggy back ride be instead?"

"And then silly noodle soup?" She asked.

"We'll see."

"OK. One second." She walked over to me and motioned for me to squat to her height. When I did so she whispered in my ear as quietly as she could, which was about as quiet as a blow horn. "He's cute! I like him."

I smiled. "I like him too." I staged whispered. She giggled and Tyler smiled over at me.

"OK. I'm ready now." She told Tyler as she climbed up on a chair.

Tyler put his back to her and she climbed onto him, wrapping her small arms around her neck. Tyler took off like a rocket, running all around the house and spinning. The young girl squealed in delight and yelled for him to go faster. I smiled and sat down on the couch, hoping Ben would fall asleep if I stayed still. Soon Tyler let Izzy off and fell onto the couch next to me.

"Tyler, Tyler! Read me a story!" Izzy squeaked.

"OK, what book?" He asked.

"Green Eggs and Ham." Izzy handed him the book and crawled into his lap.

I scooted closer to him as he began reading the familiar rhymes. When he finished she picked out another one.

"I want to change the pages this time." She decided.

I saw the opportunity and handed Tyler the baby. "I'm going to make us some macaroni." I let him know before I stood up and walked to the kitchen.

As I waited for the water to boil I admired the three of them. Izzy reached to the edge of the couch and grabbed my sheer black cardigan covered in flowers and put it on herself. "Don't I look pretty Tyler?" She asked.

"Like a princess." Tyler smiled.

"Here. You put it on." She handed it to him.

"OK." He said hesitantly. Somehow he managed to slip it on without disturbing Ben.

Izzy giggled. "You look like a princess too!" She exclaimed.

"I told you you'd look great in my clothes." I pitched in.

We all ate macaroni together and finally Izzy and her brother started to get tired.

"Tyler," She snuggled against his chest, once again on his lap. "If you're so handsome and funny, why are you Alyx's boyfriend?"

"First of all, ouch. Second of all, you sound very mature for your age." I commented.

Tyler laughed. "She makes me happy even when I'm sad and she cares so much about things. And she's funny and handsome too."

"No, silly. Girls are beautiful, not handsome." Izzy yawned.

"Really? Well then she's the most beautiful girl I know."

Izzy made a gagging noise and giggled. I smiled at Tyler adoringly.

Izzy fell asleep a few minutes later, and her brother was quick to follow. Neither of us wanted to move in case we woke them up.

"Tyler?" I asked, a thought coming to my mind.

"Yeah?"

"What did your mom think about you coming over today?" I was worried about what she thought of me. Heaven knows you don't want to be on the wrong side the boy you love's mother.

Tyler didn't answer for a minute. "She doesn't know."

My stomach dropped. Maybe it was a bigger problem than I thought.

I absolutely loved writing this part.