The Name Game ➸ Tyrus (COMPLETE)

4

Cyrus' POV

It has been a few days since the GHC and TJ went to The Spoon. I couldn't help but feel some kind of gravitational pull towards TJ, and my thoughts were becoming more clouded with each day. TJ and I exchanged numbers after leaving The Spoon, so we had been texting back and forth a lot. We were also talking a lot in class, and Mr. Richardson even called us out for laughing too loudly yesterday. Anytime TJ laughed or smiled, I took a mental snapshot and remembered it all day. His smile was so lovely, and anytime he looked into my eyes my senses were overwhelmed. His Autumnal scent, his grayish-green eyes, and his soft smile had been glued to my mind. I could not stop thinking about him. . .It's almost like I've seen his eyes before. He felt so familiar.

I woke up on Saturday morning feeling like I could take on the world. I had made a new friend in TJ, Buffy seemed to be warming up to him, and my big performance as Jules in the school play "Romeo and Jules" was coming up in just a week. My phone buzzed with a message just as I was getting ready to head downstairs for breakfast. I immediately broke out into an uncontrollable grin once I saw who the text was from.

[TJ: Hey, Cy, we haven't properly hung out just you and me yet. I think I'd really like to. Let's hang out at the park today if you're free?] A shiver of excitement ran up my spine and I tried to bring myself back down to earth. [Cyrus: Yeah, I would love to. :) I'm free until drama rehearsal at 5pm. When can you meet?] Theatre took no breaks, not even on the weekend. My phone immediately dinged in response, and I couldn't help but giggle. [TJ: 20 minutes?] [Cyrus: See you there!]

As I smoothed my hair down and tried to pick my best-looking button-up, I couldn't help but wonder why I cared about the way I looked around TJ all of a sudden.

I arrived at the park and didn't see TJ at first, so I decided to take a walk to the jungle gym. As I was approaching the playground, a swift hand caught my wrist and slowly pulled me towards the swingset. I smiled when I saw TJ's tall frame and blonde hair. "Hey, Tyler!" I exclaimed in the midst of my excitement bubbling over. I immediately covered my mouth with my hand and shuddered when TJ stopped. We had arrived at the swingset, and TJ swung towards me and glared at me with a worried expression crossing his face. "How do you know my name?" He asked slowly, suspicion lacing his tone. I let out a nervous chuckle, trying my best not to spill the beans. "Lucky guess?" I shakily replied. "I've always kind of wondered what your name stood for, and I just figured I'd start taking guesses. . ." my eyes snapped half-shut as I braced myself for confrontation. TJ's hands were now on my shoulders, his stormy eyes searching my brown ones for some kind of answers. "Tyler is my real name," TJ confirmed.

(Why am I gasping? I already knew that.)

Every fiber of my being urged me to tell him the truth; that I had taken his journal and found out his real name. That I knew he was gay, and that I felt some kind of pull towards him that I couldn't really explain yet. Instead, I grinned at him and replied, "Your. . .name is really pretty, Tyler. What does the J stand for?" TJ looked deep in thought for a minute before responding, "James. My name is Tyler James. But nobody else can know that, okay? Please. . ." I nodded my head vigorously and promised him. "Can I ask why you don't want anybody to know, Teej?" I asked, our faces merely inches apart now. TJ lowered his voice and softly explained, "When I was younger, I told a boy that I would only tell my future--er, spouse--my full name. I intended to stick to my word," he finished. Staring into his eyes, I couldn't help but feel closer to him than ever before. I could almost swear that his story felt so, I don't know, familiar, as if I had once known a boy who told me that exact same thing.

"Now," TJ said, snapping me out of my thoughts. "Let me push you on the swing!" I gave TJ a small smile and slowly nodded my head, sitting down on one of the swings and letting TJ pull me backwards. He pushed me high, and I swear I could reach out and touch the trees. Normally, I would be so terrified of swinging high, but being with TJ made me feel. . .safe. I tried to let my guilt from not telling TJ about what I did float away. I was successfully pulled out of my worries when TJ yelled, "UNDERDOG!" and ran under my swing, making me scream with fear and excitement. "That was exhiliarating," I exclaimed, my whole face lit up with a smile and my cheeks red. "I think I just found another nickname for you, underdog. D'ya want another one?" TJ asked, watching me with hopeful eyes. Before giving me time to think or respond, he was already behind me, pushing me higher and getting me ready for another underdog. Before he pulled off the manuever, TJ gripped my swing to stop me and the words, "I have to go" flew out of his mouth. I looked at him, concern lacing my tone when I asked, "why?" TJ simply shook his head and ran off, but I caught sight of his ruddy face and knew something was wrong. Before I could stop him or say anything else, Jonah strolled up to me and grinned widely. Usually, his dimpled smile made my insides feel like Jell-O, but all I could think about in that moment was whatever could be bothering TJ.

"Cy-Guy! My man," Jonah started. "Crazy running into you here. Wanna hang out?"

Normally, my brain would be screeching at me to say 'YES' and I'd be fighting the urge to run off into the sunset with Jonah, never looking back. But I surprised myself by letting out a soft, "raincheck?" and walked away to go find TJ.