Turning Tables

“Where’s Tyler?” Mom whispered to me in the kitchen. I looked out through the window and watched as Matt chatted with my Dad about the latest in Bioengineering. Dad was enthusiastically waving his hands around. He’d clearly forgotten about Tyler.

I should, too.

But Mom hadn’t.
“Mom,” I sighed, exasperated. “Tyler was a friend. Matt is my… boyfriend.” I had difficulty saying that. I didn’t actually believe it. I’d come down for the week for a family reunion. All my aunts, uncles, and cousins were outside, enjoying the sun and warmth before it would get to be too cold down here. The grandparents were inside, sipping tea and watching TV.

I’d asked Matt to come down with me, and he’d agreed, even though I was pretty much throwing him to the sharks with the family reunion. But not surprisingly, everyone seemed to love him.

“Oh,” Mom didn’t bother to hide her disappointment. She acted like she didn’t know. It wasn’t like I hadn’t told her Matt was coming. “I see.”

I rolled my eyes and took a sip of my own tea. This was going to be a long week.

…..

She wasn’t answering any of my calls.

After she’d walked in on Ciara trying to rape me, she promptly left, and I’d run after her. But that girl was fast, and by the time I got downstairs, she was gone. I’d even tried her apartment, but got no answer. She wasn’t at work on Monday, and when I’d asked her office, they said she was on vacation.

Where could she have gone?

My insides wouldn’t stay still. They churned and burned and every part of me hurt. I wanted her to know that nothing happened. And that I didn’t want anyone but her. I kicked Ciara out as soon as I got back to my apartment, and even though she wasn’t happy about that, she looked pleased to have ruined my evening.

Dialing Lucy again, I waited and prayed for an answer.

“Hey! It’s Lucy’s phone! Leave a message and I’ll tell her as soon as I can!” Pacing back and forth in the locker room, I contemplated my options. I didn’t have very many. I was itching just being here, while she was somewhere else. I wanted to run to her and tell her that I missed her. But I couldn’t. Because I had no idea where she was. There was little I could do.

Fuck!

This was so frustrating. She was supposed to be gone a week. A whole week! How the hell was I going to sit here and wait for a week?

And then it hit me. I couldn’t. Not when Lucy was somewhere, confused and alone. And probably hating my guts. I needed to explain to her and tell her how I really felt.

With that in mind, I headed to the PR office again.

…..

“Something’s bothering you, Luce,” Matt said, frowning at me from across the table. We were having lunch on the patio, and while my parents had retired inside, we were still outside.

“What do you mean?” I feigned ignorance. He just rolled his eyes.

“I know you, and something’s bothering you,” he insisted. His eyes were concerned, and he looked so worried that I couldn’t pretend anymore.

I told him everything.

Okay, not everything. I left out the part about cheating on him, but I told him about how I’ve been feeling neglected and how I wasn’t in love with him anymore. He sat and listened carefully. He was always a good listener. He didn’t argue, or try to change my mind.

It was a little disconcerting. We never fought. He always agreed with me. And it was something I’d liked about him. Now, it just seemed like he was giving up.

After that, Matt left, and just like that, I was alone again.

My thoughts drifted to Tyler, even though I willed myself not to think about him. Walking in on his ex-girlfriend and him was mortifying. I was pissed beyond anything I’d ever experienced before, and though I hated to admit it, it hurt.

I was starting to really like him. Like, really, really, like him. He was an amazing guy underneath all the flirty banter and heated arguments.

And then he had to go and fuck it all up.

I missed him. I hated him, but I missed him more.

But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake the image of him and his ex, their bodies pressed together.

…..

It was the second time I’d done this, and I was starting to feel like a professional stalker. I raised a hand and knocked on the tall wooden door. A very happy Mrs. Harper greeted a second later. I swear, her face lit up like I was Christmas itself, waiting on her front steps.

“Tyler! What a surprise!” She beamed, opening the door wider.

I opened my mouth to say something, but I didn’t know what to say. My plan hadn’t been thought out his far.

Lucy’s house was big and white, and sat in the middle of nowhere Virginia. The driveway had been long and winding, and I’d pass a barn on the way to the house. It’d taken me two days to get Gloria to spill the beans on Lucy’s whereabouts, and another day to get the address. Now here I was, on the front steps, her Mom beaming at me, and I had absolutely nothing to say.

“Mom!” My heart skipped at her voice. She was here. She was really here. “Have you seen my--”

She stopped short on the second to last step as her eyes found mine. They hardened, and I gulped. She came down the rest of the stairs slowly, and stood beside her Mom.

“Can I have a minute?” Lucy said sweetly to Mrs. Harper.

“Sure,” Mrs. Harper said reluctantly, sensing my growing dread. She turned and went down the hall and disappeared into some unknown room. Lucy stepped outside, causing me to back up a bit. She closed the door behind her.

“How’d you find me?” She was more curious that angry. That was a good sign. I smiled sheepishly.

“Gloria.”

“What are you doing here, Tyler?” She crossed her arms, but her voice was tired.

“I want to explain--”

“There’s no need. I got the picture. You don’t have to say anything. So you can leave now.”

“No, Luce, what you saw, it wasn’t--”

“Meant for me to see, but I saw it. And I get it, Tyler. Really.”

Shit. Will she ever stop talking? I was getting really frustrated now. I’d been ecstatic to see her, but she wouldn’t stop interrupting me. This girl was the most annoying person on Earth.

But I loved her.
“Luce!” I yelled, just loud enough to get her attention. “Will you shut the fuck up? I’m trying to tell you something.”

“That the last few weeks meant nothing to you?” she accused stubbornly.

Fucking hell.

“Just go, Tyler,” she sounded pissed, and I couldn’t understand why. Well, I could but I’d come all this way to see her and was asking me to leave.

I stood my ground, and took a step towards her. She looked as beautiful as the last time I saw her, and I wanted more than anything to wrap my arms around her and hold her close. But I settled for just being near her. I looked down at her as she stared up at me defiantly. “No, I’m not leaving without you.”