You Can Fight Fate, You Just End Up Losing

Tanner and I spent the night flirting at dinner and making out like crazy at the bar, Tan reluctantly dancing with me probably to keep the other guys away. His hands never left my body, whither they were on my hips arms stomach they were there. He never let my side, it’s nice feeling like I’m the only person he notices, it’s comforting I feel at home with him. It’s comforting being with him, our whole life, he has given me a feeling of relaxation and ease. When we were kids I’d be upset and he would know what to do to make me feel better. We went back to his house Mikey was asleep on the couch the TV still on, Tanner and I walked quietly past him and up the stairs to Tan’s bedroom. He unzipped my dress for me and let me go into his bathroom to change.

“Tan, I had fun today” I said walking back into the room. He was lying there in only a pair of flannel pajama pants. His built chest on display.

“Me too Addie” he said sitting up slightly a smirk on his face. “You look even better now than you did before.”

“Tanner” I scoffed climbing in next to him.

“You’re going to have to get used to me complimenting you Adds” he said pulling me into his chest, “You’re beautiful.”

“You’re beautiful.”

“I’m not beautiful, manly, rugged, strong. You might as well call me pretty.”

“You are Tanner” I said letting my finger tips graze his stomach lightly. “You’re beautiful.”

“Addison” he whispered his hand resting on my cheek. “I’m sorry about this past summer. If I had any hint of how you felt about me Addie . . .”

“That wasn’t going to happen then. I don’t think I fully realized until I got home how I felt about you Tanner” I replied, “It took feeling like I had lost you forever to realize what I was loosing.”

“You’re my best friend, and I love you” he said, “I’m sorry that you felt like you had lost me.”

“I love you too, you’re my best friend, always have been. I haven’t lost you, at this point Tanner, I feel like I’ve finally found you. The real you.”

He turned onto his side, his hand resting at the curve of my side just above hip. He sighed, “I love you. You’re smart, funny, intelligent, kind, warm, a complete goofball, a little unaware of how amazing you are to a fault. You don’t give yourself credit for just how amazing you are.” His hand ran along the hem on my shirt before landing on the small of my back.

“I’m not what you say I am Tanner. I’m a scared vulnerable girl who doesn’t know how she deserves someone like you. Someone who sees her for a person completely different than who she really is.”

“Nope, Addie, I see you for who you really are. You, you’re the one who doesn’t see who you really are” he said pulling me even closer to him.

“Why are you so sweet?”

“I’m just telling you the truth” he said running a hand through my hair, his fingertips rubbing along the base of my skull, lulling me to sleep. “Let’s sleep Adds.” I nodded resting my head on his chest.

“Night Tans.”

“Damn, Adds” he said when I walked down the stairs in my nurses outfit, a classic 1940’s style. “You look amazing” he added standing up from his seat in the living room, he was wearing Navy blues his brown hair perfectly messy the hat perched on the top of his head.

“Thanks sailor” I said walking up to him. I leaned forward on the toes of my heels slightly, pressing my lips softly to his. My red lipstick not smudging on his face, gotta love the new smudge proof lipstick. “Ready to go handsome?”

“Yea” he smiled. He took my hand and led me towards the door and to his car.

“Tanner, do you have to drive? I mean we’re going to be drinking” I reasoned.
“Besides it’s surprisingly nice out Tan.” I took his hand dragging him towards the hockey house. “I want to go on a walk with my hunky boyfriend on my arm.”

“Fine! You can talk me into anything Adds it’s not fair.”

“I know I can that’s the point Tans” I said pulling our hands so both of mine held his. We walked to the house in a comfortable silence Tanner occasionally placing a peck on my cheek or I would catch him every so often watching me out of the corner of his eye. “So are we going to have to be semi-incognito in there?”

“No, they all know Kelsey’s a whore. And you’re a way better than any other girl that’s going to be here” he said pulling me into his chest.

“Well if they all know she’s a whore” I said sarcastically before kissing him softly outside of the hockey house.

“ADDSION! TANNER!” we heard from the steps.

“Hey Mikey” I said walking with Tan up to him.

“Hello beautiful, I’m surprised you two actually showed up” he joked, Tanner and I explained the situation to Mike this afternoon just before the game, which they won, Tanner had a goal and an assist.

“I’m not one to turn down a party” I explained giving him a small hug, Tan still holding my hand. “Unlike this guy” I said pulling him a little closer, “I’m pretty sure he’s only here because I made him come.”

“I bet you did” Mike said with a laugh. Why is he laughing? I look up at Tanner, and see a goofy smirk on his face too. What the hell is so funny, and why don’t I get it? “Why are you laughing? I didn’t say anything funny.”

“Let me help you out Adds, What did you say right before Mike laughed?”

“I just said that I made you . . . Oh. You’re such a boy Mikey” I said shaking my head at the both of them. “And damn Tans, you just let him.”

“Sorry Addie” he said kissing my neck right below my ear. “We’re guys babe.”

“Yeah, yeah” I scoffed, as he wrapped his arms around my waist from behind, his chin resting on my shoulder. “Mikey did you bring anyone?”

“Nope solo this evening.”

“Then you’re going to have to dance with me when Tanner refuses.”

“Ok, unless I find some random to hook up with, then I’m bailing Addison.”

“Make sense” I said resting my hands on Tans arms relishing in the warmth of his body.

“I’m sure there will be a few barely clothed drunk girls I can take advantage of.”

“Just make sure you go to their place of at least make it to your room” Tanner said looking pointedly at his roommate. “I don’t need to see your naked ass anymore than I do already.”

“I can’t promise anything . . .”

“Then do it for me Mikey, I don’t need to see that either.”

“Oh fine” he said sarcastically.