Dancing With Danger ➵Tyrus (COMPLETE)

4

The week drones on like any other, with the exception of "Ambi" officially becoming a couple and Buffy officially becoming annoyed with each and every one of us. I honestly have no idea what she has against the Kippens, but I intend to find out. I know Buffy practices basketball alone on most weekday mornings, so I wake up at 5:00 am on Friday morning just to be outside the school's gym doors by 5:30. It's 5:24 when I approach the gym, ready to bust inside and get to the bottom of this. Instead, I hear yelling coming from inside and I opt to stay outside in order to eavesdrop. The only person Buffy practices basketball with is Marty, but whoever she's arguing with sounds a whole lot like...TJ. "-that was a long time ago and I apologized!" I hear TJ exclaim, voice growing increasingly erratic. "It doesn't change the fact that it happened, TJ!" Buffy shoots back, venom lacing every word. The two argue back and forth for a while until I finally can't contain myself and burst inside. "What's going on?" I interject, cowering as my voice echoes and silence is the only other sound to be heard. Buffy and TJ both approach me the same way parents approach a child when they tell them they're about to get a divorce. I guess I'd better get used to this feeling.

"TJ, why don't you tell Cyrus what happened."

So TJ explains everything that happened, with the gun incident and Buffy getting caught in the middle of everything. "I didn't even know that TJ and his sister lived in Shadyside before last week," I explain, clearly not following the whole situation. "We didn't," TJ responds, carefully choosing his words. "We were meeting potential foster parents around Utah and then the gun incident took place while we were here the first time around. Buffy was one of the victims, and I regret it every moment of every day. I really do. Amber and I very recently got adopted by two amazing foster parents, just as I was released from juvie. Buffy, I'm sorry I took away your peace of mi-"

"TJ, stop," Buffy responds, holding her hands out to quiet him. "This is about Cyrus right now. Cyrus, you and I have been friends for years..so this shouldn't be difficult for you at all. You need to choose: TJ, or me." I shoot up from where I'm sitting on the bleachers and ask her what the heck she's talking about. TJ's face is fearful, and I know I don't have the heart to break him the way Buffy wants me to. She and I argue back and forth for a short while, whereas TJ remains silent. "Buffy, why can't I choose both of you?" I plead, but Buffy's already walking towards the gym doors. "You have two minutes, Cyrus Goodman. I can't believe I'm even giving you that long to choose between your best friend and some pretty boy you're infatuated with."

"I choose TJ," I say, the words struggling to leave my mouth. Buffy's face drops but she quickly recomposes herself. "You what? How could you, Cyrus?" she accuses, hurt and anger in her voice. "How could you choose him over me?" I stand up as tall as possible, ready to defend TJ at all costs. "You're manipulating me, Buffy. Making me choose you and toss TJ aside--when TJ clearly makes me really happy--is manipulative and horrible. I'm sorry, but I choose TJ."

Buffy's already out the door when I break down into tears, crumpling to the floor in a heap of heartbreak. Someone's hugging me within seconds, and I smell that dizzying mixture of cologne and old leather.