Dye | Tyrus/Ambi

Part 9: Pink

TJ's POV

I browse through my closet, undecided between two hoodies. They will both be fine for tonight, but I feel a lot of pressure to make this date go well, so it takes me longer to choose than normal. Finally, I settle on the burgundy one and throw it on. 

Right as I finish doing that, I hear my phone beep and walk over to my dresser to check it.

Chloe: Hey, I don't want to go out anymore. 

The text takes me by surprise, and I try to figure out when I did something to her that would result in her not wanting to see me, but I can't come up with a single instance. I don't even think I've spoken to her all day.

TJ: Okay, but why?

Chloe: I didn't realize you already have a boyfriend. Sorry if you felt like you had to ask me or something.

Where did she get the idea that I have a boyfriend? Everything about the message fails to be clearly decoded in my head, leaving me in bewilderment. 

TJ: I don't have a boyfriend. Who told you that?

Chloe: Nobody. I saw you with that boy in the gym this morning. You looked closer than normal.

I think back to helping Cyrus play basketball and recall having my arms around him. That would look odd to an outsider, but I didn't realize anyone was watching. 

TJ: That was nothing. I was just showing him how to make a basket. 

Chloe: Yeah, okay, whatever. 

Chloe: I hope things work out with him. 

TJ: There's nothing with him. 

She reads it, but gives no response. 

I plop down on my bed, trying to figure out the thoughts blowing around aimlessly in my mind like pieces of confetti. I can't seem to catch any to get a clear picture, but the fact that I'm not exactly disappointed about this girl cancelling on me is too obvious to not notice. 

As the gears in my head turn, I catch the sound of my sister's voice through the wall. It sounds like she's talking to someone, but I didn't hear anyone come in, so I assume she must be video-chatting. Maybe Amber can help me. I've never really talked to her about personal stuff like this before, but I'm just not sure I can understand what I'm feeling on my own, and I'm pretty sure my friends wouldn't be able to help me with this.

I step up to her open doorway but pause when I see her laughing with whomever is on the other end of the call. I figure I shouldn't interrupt and start to turn away, but her voice stops me.

"TJ?"

I shift back into the doorway.

"Why were you standing there?" Amber asks. 

"I, um . . . Can I talk to you?"

"Yeah, sure," Amber replies, then she looks back to her phone screen. "Hey, Iris, I'll talk to you later," she says before tapping the screen to end the call. 

She looks back up to me as she sits her phone down on her desk next to the watercolour painting she's working on. She spins her chair around to face me as I step into the room and over to sit down on her bed. 

"What's going on?" Amber asks. 

"So I had a date with this girl tonight," I explain, "but she just texted me and bailed."

"Oh, that sucks," Amber responds. 

"That's the thing. It doesn't. I'm not upset. Like, I don't feel anything for her, but I should."