How to (Unsuccessfully) Get Over a Guy | Tyrus

Part 3

Cyrus' POV

"Oh, um . . ." He ponders the question for a moment, his eyes wandering away from me and toward the ground, until he finally answers, "Uh, no, not really."

"Oh."

He doesn't like me. He just said it. This crush is never going to go anywhere. All it's done is keep me up at night thinking. It's using up all every crevice of space in my mind, and I can't seem to get through a say without thinking about him. I don't want to be so wrapped up in a boy I can't have. All it does is make me hurt, and I don't want to feel that way anymore. I have to get over him.

"What about you?" TJ asks.

I'm not about to be honest and say I like him. That would ruin our friendship, and I can at least have that even if I can't have anything more.

"No, nobody," I lie.

"Oh."

He goes quiet, and we both turn our eyes away from each other, looking around at the calm playground. Although I know he's here, it feels like I'm alone, and, honestly, with how far away I feel from him right now, I might as well be.

_____________________________________

TJ's POV

Looking up at the ceiling as I lie on the couch, I toss a beanbag up repeatedly while the sounds of gunshots and bombings blast through the speakers. The source of the noise is the game of Battlefield 1 being played by Reed and Lester on my PS4. Even though they're multitasking by having a real conversation, they're still beating the other team.

"Reed, how's that community service coming?" Lester asks.

"Got five hours left," Reed replies. "I'm gonna finish it tomorrow."

Since the gun incident, Reed's changed a lot. He realized how stupid it was to take his dad's gun, and he doesn't even use weed anymore. Now I'm a lot closer with him and Lester than I was before, because I'm not in disagreement with anything they're doing.

"Man, I was gonna see if you guys wanted to do something," Lester says in disappointment.

"What were you thinking of doing?" Reed wonders.

"I don't know," Lester answers. "Anything but sit around more."

"Yeah, sorry," Reed says. "You can hang out with TJ, though."

"Uh, no," I correct. "I'm busy."

"Let me guess," Reed says. "It's couples night at the roller rink, and you're taking Cyrus?"

Reed and Lester both laugh a little, but I get defensive.

"We're not a couple," I argue.

"Okay, but you basically are," Lester reasons.

"But we're not," I state. "Cyrus said today that he doesn't even like me as more than a friend."

"Dude, seriously?" Reed responds. "The kid lights up whenever you're around."

"He's always like that," I contend.

"Yeah," Reed says, "when you're around."

"And when anyone else is around," I add on. "Guys, he doesn't like me. I understand that, and I just need to get over him."

"TJ, you're being dumb," Lester says.

"I'm only facing the truth."

"Well, if you want to get over him, then why are you going to see him again tomorrow?" Reed asks.