The Fighter and His Tiger (Unexpected Love #1)

11. Friday Night Week Four (pt1.)

11. Friday Night Week Four (pt1.)

Good god, make it stop.

I felt like my eardrums were going to tear and I was a hundred per cent certain there was blood streaming out of my poor ears.

Noah and Tyler were ridiculously screeching out the lyrics to One Direction and ruining a perfectly good, actually perfectly amazing, band for me.

"Shut the fuck up," I yelled over the music with my hands over my ears.

"That's a bad word Lyni," Tyler responded.

"Yeah Rei-Rei," Noah glanced over at me from his place in the driver's seat and shook his head at me, "bad word."

I rolled my eyes, "just please stop, I don't know how much more of this I can take."

Noah let out a chuckle and took pity on me as he lowered the music of the stereo and stopped with the screeching causing Ty to let out a groan and start complaining about how I was 'no fun'. 'No fun' my ass, I was the funnest.

"So, when are you gonna tell me why I'm driving you and Ty to Ryker's?"

Noah hadn't taken it the best when I told him that I was ditching him on Friday night movie night to go to Eli's place. We had made it a thing whenever my Nan asked me to look after Ty for the night, Noah would come over and spend the night with us, watching movies. We did it when we were younger as well when his older sister Sienna had to babysit Noah.

"Debbie, Riley's mum, is working the night shift at the hospital tonight and asked me to look after her kids as a favour. Nan is working so I've had to bring Ty," I tried to ease my guilt by telling myself that it wasn't a complete lie but there was still a slight ache in my chest as I didn't tell my best friend in the world the whole truth. I had only ever lied to Noah once and it had ended really badly for the both of us.

He looked sceptical and I could already tell what he was going to ask, "why can't Ryker do it?" Damn it, he had to ask, there was no way I couldn't lie to him.

I shrugged nonchalantly, "I dunno, it's not my business"

"Hmm, what was that on Wednesday then?"

"What was what?"

He arrived at Eli's house and the gates were already open so he just drove straight up to the house. He let out an exasperated sigh as he came to a stop and turned to face me, "we don't lie to each other Rei, not ever."

The ache in my chest exploded unbearably, I smiled at him and reached across the centre console to wrap my arms around him in a hug, "I know," I pecked his cheek, "love you, No-No." He hugged me back and mumbled an 'I love you too' into my shoulder.

We both got out the car and Noah got Ty out of his car seat whilst I grabbed my bag and Ty's Spiderman backpack full of toys from the backseat.

Noah made a move to carry Ty to the house but I stepped in front of him after spotting Eli stood in the doorway with a fierce scowl on his face, "I got this, it's fine, see you tomorrow for dinner at yours?" Referring to the one night a month my family and Noah's family had dinner together.

He nodded but his gaze was focused on Eli over my shoulder an equally fierce glare on his face, he handed Ty to me, softening his gaze as he ruffled his hair, "be good, little man" Ty nodded at him with a wide smile on his face, "message me when you get home Rei."

I gave him a nod and a reassuring smile as he walked back to his car and drove off. I knew how uncomfortable he was about dropping me off here, Eli and he didn't have the best history. And his protective side detested having to leave me here for the night.