Bulletproof (#1) ✔

11: Franny

11. Franny

Turning down the volume on the TV, I glance over at Tyler. He looks peaceful as he sleeps and I'm thankful that I don't have to see his face creased in pain anymore. I cringe as I stare at his injuries. His eye is swollen shut and he's covered in red marks that will surely turn into large, painful bruises.

    The past hour feels completely surreal.

    I walk into the kitchen and look at the dining table, feeling a little sick as I see the drops of blood covering the floor and the side of the table. I remind myself to make sure the house is completely spotless by the time my dad shows up and that all traces of blood—and Tyler—are well out of the house.

    I head into the foyer and grab my school bag which is hanging off the end of the banister. Reaching my hand in, I pick out my phone and press the main button. The screen lights up and shines into my eyes, making them sting. I squint and turn the brightness down immediately.

    Most of the lights are off, apart from a lamp in the sitting room where Tyler sleeps, and the main light in the kitchen that flares out to me as I stand in the darkness by the front door. I look through my messages and then head straight to Tally's number.

    I press the little green 'talk' button.

    The phone rings through the silence and I'm thankful that Tyler fell asleep with the television on, so he can't hear me talking.

    Tally answers on the fifth ring. "Why are you ringing me? You've never called me before. You know I don't answer them."

    "What the hell were you thinking?" I hiss quietly, turning my back to Tyler and hunching in on myself, trying to block my voice from his ears.

    "I see that you've reached the land of love and my plan has worked," Tally says and I can just picture that suggestive smile on her face.

    "You gave Tyler my address?" I ask with disbelief. "You gave a random stranger my address?"

    "He's not a stranger, Franny," she huffs. "He sits behind you in class. That's no stranger."

    "We've never spoken before!" I say.

    "You were talking in history!" Tally fires back. "And I could sense the chemistry. It was running like a damn waterfall. And don't you even think that I missed the tension rising between you two."

    "Tension?" I splutter.

    "Hell yeah," Tally snorts. "There was so much tension I felt like I was going to spontaneously implode!"

    "Were we in the same room or was this all in your head?" I ask. "There was no tension and there was no chemistry. We spoke about two words to each other, so it isn't even classed as a complete conversation."

    Tally sighs and I hear her shuffling on the other end of the line. I take this time to turn and check on Tyler but he's hasn't moved at all, and his chest rises up and down slowly from his breathing. The bag of ice that I gave him is still in his grasp, hanging limply from the tips of his fingers.

    "There was tension there, Franny," Tally says again. "Don't even try and give me some crap about me being crazy. I'm the doctor of love, honey, I know what tension is when I see it."

    "Love?" I gasp out and realize how loud I've become and quieten down immediately. "You can't even hold a damn boyfriend!"

    "Then I guess it helps that I have the option of a girl too, then!"

    I choke on a laugh and put my hand over my mouth. "Tally." I grin. "Oh my god."

    She chuckles on the other end. "So . . . he actually went all the way to your house to give you homework?"