#rlg4hs

[nikatyler]

Tyler didn't listen. "Don't forget to invite Blake with me," he continued. "Man, Blake...I fucked up. Why did no one tell me I could fuck up so hard?"

"Everyone always keeps telling you," I said. He almost started protesting, but I stopped him. "No, it's true. Admit it."

"Okay, maybe. Bianca might be harsh but she's always calling me out for my mistakes. You would do that too, but you're a good boy. Well, aside from coming to a girls' bathroom and -"

"Shut up. That wasn't even my idea. Zoey told me it's my chance and then made me go there."

"Sounds like something she would do. I'm proud of her, you know? I can't make you do weird shit but she can. Well, she definitely couldn't see such weird shit coming. You've exceeded the expectations of all of us."

"For the last freaking time, Tyler," I said. "Those are just rumours. We talked."

"You talked," he repeated. "Whatever. I don't believe that but-"

"Tyler, do me a favor and shut up."

He laughed. "I'll do you a favor, shut up, turn around and go tell everyone I'm incredibly sorry for being a dick and not knowing I am a dick. How does that sound to you?"

"Perfect."

[nikatyler]

"Why are you staring at her like that?" Bianca noticed.

"I'm not -"

"Yes, you are. Make up your damn mind."

"I know exactly what I want."

"Alice, Blake and now Sharon. Doesn't seem to me like you know what you want. Just choose one of them and stop hurting the other two."

"I have chosen one of them, you just don't get it! I mean, I know what it looks like, so I don't really blame you," I sighed. "You are more annoyed than you usually are. What have I done this time, Bianca?"

"You're an ass, that's what you have done. We'll talk later. Now let's go inside. And we're both leaving when I say so."

[nikatyler]

This is the point where it gets even worse. Or better, in a way. Depends if you like the suffering of the oblivious little me.

Blake. Freaking Blake Johnson, the guy I used to know but fell out of touch with for a few years. I stopped noticing him at school. I mean, he was there and I knew it, but I didn't really care, I had other friends. But something happened last summer.

I saw him in front of the school on the first day. He seemed a lot cuter than I remembered him. And that hair...did he learn to take care of it during summer holidays? If so, he totally nailed it. I felt strange thinking he's cute, but at the same time, it wasn't a completely unfamiliar feeling. I could name singers, actors and maybe an athlete or two that I thought the same thing about. Blake was, however, the first guy I knew in person and deemed cute at the same time. I think that was what felt strange and new to me. My way to deal with it should be obvious to you know. I went "Ok, that's cool, I've got this, I've been doing this with Alice for a while now. Maybe I can play with him too!"

Minus the playing part. I wasn't playing with him, I meant it. All the compliments he received from me were real. At that point, I should have given up the thing Alice and I had going on, but I didn't. I enjoyed it way too much for that. Tyler Jasper Rose, you're an incredible piece of garbage. But oh well, at least you see that now. Suck it up and...first things first. Go tell Alice.

[nikatyler]

They weren't wrong. I wasn't upset, even though it only added fuel for Alice's jokes. She was teasing me as we went out, only to admit that she saw it coming. She was so amused. I replied with a reference to the musical, and she added another one, and before we knew it, we started pretending we were the main characters.

[nikatyler]

"No more karaokes for me," I blurted.

"I didn't say it has to be karaoke," he reminded me. "And it doesn't have to be Ed Sheeran."

"Yeah, you'll pick One Direction instead."

"Baby you light up my world like nobody else, the way that - what? Everyone has had a One Direction phase."

"I didn't."

"Then you had a secret One Direction phase like me!" he exclaimed. Weird. I could never imagine him to be into that. "The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed -"

"I get it, fanboy. Don't waste your voice on cheesy pop songs."

"Alright then - name a different song and I'll waste my voice on that instead. Only for you. I can do a lot of things."

I shrugged. "Tough choice."

"Just call me and I'll sing. Let me give you my number."

[nikatyler]

"You're biased because you gave birth to me," I said. "I'm an ass who deserves to be thrown out of the house. Not because of the bi part, of course.” Mum shook her head again. There are things you should not joke about, and there I was, doing it again. Dang it. At least try, Tyler. It can’t be that hard. “Other reasons. Like...I’m mean to my friends and I make fun of everything even when it’s not funny. I don’t know when to stop. Bianca might have told you."

"No. You're not that person. You're trying to be him, but you're not that bad. And even if you were - it's not too late to change, is it? You don’t have to pretend anything. You used to be such a nice boy."

And then I grew up and realized being nice isn't for me, I thought. But if it isn't for me, I shouldn’t feel so awful. I should just...not care. I should feel like they’re not worthy of my friendship or some shit. And here I was with Bianca’s words on repeat in my head. I hated to admit it, but she had a point, even if she didn’t know all the details. I was really playing with people's feelings. Wow. I still can't believe Alice actually...no, I'm sure that's just another misunderstanding. It has to be.

"I messed up," I admitted.

Mum nodded. "I thought so."

[nikatyler]

"There's no point in trying to argue with him, seriously. But I swear I'll try to get him drunk or something, just so that he has to stop and someone else has to take his place."

"Jacob, you're a gift to the world. Thanks dude."

"No problem."

[nikatyler]

~Caleb's POV~

Seen.

She has seen my message.

Ten minutes ago. I spent ten minutes staring at the screen, hoping she would reply, but it just wasn't coming. The feeling that it would never come started taking over me.

I sighed. I knew I was just annoying her. I mean, obviously I was. What made me think that she would want to get to know me? We haven't spoken to each other for years. She doesn't even remember me - which is fair. I've never even talked to her, aside from those Biology classes...