10 things Tj Kippen was NOT (Tyrus)

Tj Kippen is NOT Strong

With all the joy that came from getting back together of Cyrus, came a wave of anxiety. Hiding from my parents and schoolmates was a lot of work. It was hard to not call Cyrus my boyfriend or listen to my parents tell me to get a girlfriend. The worst was seeing Cyrus in the halls and not being about to walk next to him and laugh about all our cheesy inside jokes. We found out that our humor is best kept between the two of us, after Buffy wouldn't stop saying "boof" for a whole week when Cyrus and I said it in front of her. It wasn't much, but Cyrus's jokes could make me smile...AT SCHOOL!

I don't think I've ever been so happy to go to school before. My mom says I cried on my first day of kindergarten, before I even got on the bus.

And honestly if it were socially acceptable for teenage boys to throw temper tantrums, I would've thrown one everyday since until I met Cyrus.

It's crazy to me, how one person can change everything. Before Cyrus, I was a stupid 'popular' basketball kid with one foot in a grave and the other in a house with a white picket fence and 2.5 children (still not sure how). Now, I'm confidently unpopular, still a basketball kid (who also picked up baseball in the off season), with both feet in a good future.

I felt bad for what I had said to Cyrus when we got back together. I told him he 'killed Tj Kippen', but if I'm being honest, there'd be no Tj Kippen without Cyrus Goodman.

That sounds so stupid, what I mean is he's changed me, in a good way. It's like I've found someone who actually understands me and knows more about me than even I do.

"Teej, just the man I wanted to see!"

Ew. 'teej'

"For what?" I closed my locker, but stood still.

"The team's all hanging out at the Spoon later to celebrate the season. You in?"

But I have a date... and frankly I don't really want to go to the Spoon

"Sorry my mom is forcing me to go to a work thing. It's really long and will probably last until like 12, way past party time."

"Nice joke. Seriously though you're going right?"

No. NO. NOOOOOOOO.

"I can't."

"Fine, suit yourself."

Now to find the man I want to see, Cyrus Goodman. Turns out he's been standing behind the the whole time.

"Hey did you need a rain check on tonight? You know with the work thing?"

"No I made it up to get out of some baseball dinner or whatever. My night belongs to you."

"What about your mom?"

Hmmm. Did think that through yet... oh wait I did ;)

"I'll tell my mom I'm at the baseball party. Duh."

"I don't like that you have to keep lying" he frowned a little.

"It's only for a little bit okay. I promise."

And with that his smile returned and he walked off to class, acting as if he hadn't been talking to me at all. We both knew that we were happy to see each other, but we had to be very careful about showing any kind of affection in school. Even if that meant not smiling down the halls at the thought of each other.