Like To Be You ✓

thirty eight pt. two

"What are you doing?" I ask Tyler as we huddle in one corner of the mall's Starbucks. His cappuccino remains untouched in front of him while he furiously types something on his phone.

"Trying to get the page's admin to delete the post." He says, worrying his lower lip. "Max says that someone changed the password and then the email so they're trying to recover it."

I blink in surprise and take a sip of my chai. I've already deactivated all of my social media accounts and have switched off my phone.

"This is so messed up, Neil. I'm sorry." Tyler looks at me, his eyes sad. Then they turn angry. "It's so disrespectful."

"Stop apologising, Ty." I sigh and gulp down the hot drink in my hand. It burns my tongue and throat, and I hiss.

"You should stop torturing yourself." Tyler says, sliding his phone on the table. He runs a finger over the lid of his cup. When I first took a sip of his coffee, I recoiled at how sweet it was. My tongue nearly shriveled up with the sugar saturation. 

"I'm fine." I say, even though I'm not, because everything is so fucked up and my elbow hurts after I banged it against the railing of the skating rink earlier while trying to catch my balance. 

Tyler's hand coils around my thigh and he rubs his thumb over my jeans. Something in my lower belly flutters, which is immediately replaced by the damp pit that knots my stomach with anxiety.

"Zayne's asking about you," Tyler says, sliding his phone over to me. I read the text Zayne just sent him.

Are you with Neil rn? Is he okay?

Another one comes in immediately.

Montgomery's asking for him. They cancelled last period coz everybody's going crazy

He's fine, I type back.

"Is he?" Tyler asks.

"No." I say.

A shadow falls over our table as I hand Tyler his phone back. We both look up.

It's Anthony Hewitt.

"Skipping school?" Anthony remarks, a cheery smile on his face. He holds a steaming cup of coffee in one hand, the other tucked in the pocket of his tailored Burberry pants.

He reaches his hand out, and I meet it in a firm handshake.

Randall's words linger in my mind, and I warily say, "Skipping work?"

Anthony chuckles. "I wish." He holds up a neat white bag hanging from his forearm, and I recognise the swan on it. "Cherie's birthday is coming up, and I decided to stop by and get her a bracelet."

I crack a convincing smile. "That's nice. And oh, my manners. Tyler," I turn to him, "This is Anthony Hewitt, my mother's colleague."

Tyler stands to shake Anthony's hand. A coil of fear slithers around my heart when I watch Anthony smile at Tyler.

He's going to pull out a knife and put it through Tyler's heart.

My heart skips a beat at the thought, and I tell my brain to get a grip on itself.

"Tyler McConnell." Tyler says, smiling at Anthony.

A frown mars my face, but only for a moment. I snap back into a pleasant face just as Anthony directs his attention back at me.

"Well, I better get going." He says, his charming grin still on his face. "Have fun, you two."

We watch him leave, following every step of his confident gait, and once he's completely out of sight, Tyler says, "He looked confused when I said my name."