Five: 21 Questions

The urge to pick all the finger nail polish
off my nails right now is eating me alive. It's taking everything in me not to take the mauve color off slowly, each nail getting chips of color removed. I knew it wouldn't be the best look, but at least it would settle my nerves.

It's six minutes past the time I was suppose to meet Tyler and I know that it isn't that big of a deal to be just six minutes late, but for a girl with anxiety it is a massive deal.

What if he doesn't come? Or what if this is just a prank he set up to laugh at me for thinking he wanted more. Hell, he doesn't even know my last name.

What if he did know my last name? He was able to deliver flowers to my office this morning. Surely he had to have more information than just "Octavia."

Maybe he delivered them personally. Maybe he drove to the station and gave them to Harley himself. I'll make sure to ask Harley.

Chill out Octavia. You're losing your mind.

I laugh out loud at the thoughts running through my head and smile at the sight of my breath. It's definitely chilly out and my decision to only wear a sweater wasn't my best.

Thankfully, before I questioned my sanity any more I see Tyler walking down the sidewalk, a smile on his face as he heads my direction.

"You came," he chirps, plopping down on the bench beside me.

"Of course I came," I beamed at him. "I was beginning to think you were the one not coming."

"I got caught up at work today and started running a little late," he explains.

"You don't have to explain yourself. It's all good," I assure him. "By the way, thank you for the gifts. My morning was frantic enough and they really brought me one much needed happiness," I smile at him.

"Are you referring to the Joeli's murders?" Tyler asks, his eyebrow raising.

I nod and Tyler lips form a straight line. I didn't know if he was close or knew Joeli in anyway, but I know he said he had buisness to take care of with him.

"Did you know Joeli?" I question.

Tyler shakes his head and lets out a sigh. "Joeli was just a man I was attempting business with. He wasn't very interested."

If I knew anything from my experience at the police station it's that Tyler definitely would be getting questioned if anyone knew about his attempt at business with Joeli. I remember Tyler being hateful when he first spoke to me, maybe Joeli denying his requests really pissed him off.

I don't think Tyler killed Joeli. Sitting here with him, he seems like a chill guy. The kind of guy you don't take home to mom but you hang out with every now and again. He had a mysterious demeanor and it drew me in. That and the fact he was so attractive.

"I probably shouldn't have told you that," he chuckles, most likely reading the expression on my face.

I wish I was good at hiding my feelings. I'm pretty much an open book. My guess is that Tyler could tell I had thoughts about him being a killer.

"I may work at the station, but that doesn't mean I have to tell them everything I know. I would hope that if you were a murder, you would at least be smart enough not to send flowers to the police station," I joke around with him.

"What can I say? The girl at the police station is hot," he flirts.

My cheeks betray me once again as they begin to heat up and blush from his comment.

I cross my leg over the other and try not to embarrass myself anymore than I already have.

Tyler is different. I know I shouldn't compare every guy that comes into my life to my ex, but when you get your heart broke as bad as I did, you can't help it.

Ryan didn't break my heart, I broke it myself. I was the one who didn't put the effort and time I should have in the relationship. I was the one who chose to stay home all the time. I was the one who didn't make posts all over social media hyping my boyfriend up. I kept him his from the world basically.

Ryan was good to me. Anytime someone had anything negative to say about me he was ready to fight at my defense. He picked me up when I was down and really appreciated me. It's hard to find a guy that's affectionate and loving all the time, and I had that. He was clingy, but it wasn't overbearing. He was perfect.

When Ryan wanted me to be more of a girlfriend and be more public, I held back. He gave me the ultimatum too. I remember that night like it was yesterday. He had told me we would be fine if I just let him in and spent more time with him. What did I do? I said no. I told my own boyfriend I didn't want to spend time with him.

We broke up that night, but he loved me so much he didn't give up and I realized that too. He refused to take me back as his girlfriend, but that month after our breakup was the closest we ever were. We were always together and always talking, but always reminded each other we were just friends. Nothing about what we were doing was 'just friends.' I let him in and I showed him off and I thought that it would be enough, but it wasn't.

He cut me off and told me he didn't want to be with me anymore and that if we were going to be friends we couldn't be like how we were. We went a week without talking because he said he needed space to get over me. Not even a week later and he has a new girlfriend named Tonya.

I spent weeks, even months crying. I cried to the point that my eyes stayed wet and my cheeks stayed puffy. I couldn't listen to music, or look at pictures, watch videos or tv shows, I couldn't do anything without thinking of him. I was a mess.

Tyler wasn't a Ryan, though. At least, I don't believe so. Ryan was very persistent when we first met, just like how Tyler has been. But Tyler seems calm and collected, while Ryan was a fuse ready to be lit.

"What are you thinking about?" Tyler's smooth voice chimes in, breaking my train of thoughts.

"Nothing important," I say to him.

I try to turn my facial expression into a nonchalant one, rather than one of mixed emotions. Ryan and I may have been split now for nearly seven months, but the thought of what him and I use to have always leaves me in a mess of emotions.

I don't miss him. I just miss a relationship. I miss the feeling of love and the attention and affection. Being alone sucks. I know have Haley and I know I have all my other friends like Jace and Evan and Anthony, but friends aren't the same as having a boyfriend.

"You know, you're not very good at hiding things," Tyler points out.

I look over at him and he raises an eyebrow at me, begging for an answer over what's on my mind.

"You know," I start, completely mocking him for how he started his last sentence towards me. "You sure were persistent in having me meet you for us to only be sitting on this bench."

My words bring a smile to his face and brings action to the rest of his body. He stands from the bench and brings his hand up to his mouth, curling his hand into a fist and letting a fake cough escape his lips.

"Octavia Bradley, would you accompany me in probably the lamest dates you've ever been on?" Tyler says to me in a very exaggerated voice.

I laugh as he brings his hands up in a begging position and pokes his bottom lip out into a pout.

"What does this date include?" I ask him, crossing my arms over my chest as if I needed some real convincing to accompany him.

"Hm," Tyler hums and rubs his chin, "Let's grab a pizza and head back to my place?"

"Sounds perfect."

•

In all honesty, I expected Tyler to have drive a big truck and live in a bachelor pad or apartment. He had charm, but not the type of charm that came with luxury. I was mistaken when he led me to his car, and then I was met with shock when we arrived at his house.

For starters, Tyler didn't drive a truck. He drove an Audi. Not only was it an Audi, but it was an Audi RS 7 sportsback; a very luxurious, and very expensive car. The only reason I even knew what kind of car it was was because I remember trying to convince my parents to buy me some nice cars to impress boys.

In the end, I was given my mom's old car and I definitely didn't impress any boys with it. I was still grateful, I just had to find other ways to draw in my men.

His house threw me for a whirl as well. The driveway felt like it was miles long and we drove a good minute or so before I could even see the house. It was in the open, surrounded by acres of land. The house was overwhelmingly large and even though it was pitch black outside, the house was lit up like no other.

The left side of the house had two garage doors that gave enough space for three cars. The exterior is a dark gray concrete with white trimming. Around the second story windows are navy blue shutters and around the main window on the first story is a white stone that extends all the way from the edge of the garage to the door entry way, and from the ground to the roof line that separate the different stories. The entry way had a high arch that was covered in gray cobblestone.

I couldn't help but wonder what it is Tyler does that makes him able to afford a home like this. Yet when I asked him in the car ride here, he only answered with, "just business."

I didn't get to see much of the inside when Tyler brought me in. The stairs were right off the entry to the front door, and we went downstairs into the basement almost immediately. For a second, it almost made me question if Tyler still lived with his parents, but when I noticed the bar downstairs, I knew this boy meant business.

"Okay, your turn," I say to him as I grab another piece of pizza out of the box between us.

"What was your first impression of me?" Tyler asks, continuing our game of 21 questions.

"That you were an asshole," I blurt. "I mean you were kind of rude when you first talked to me," I try and defend my statement.

Much to my satisfaction, Tyler is rather amused by my comment.

"I mean, you weren't wrong. I was in a bad mood but I knew I couldn't let the chance to talk to you slip," he justifies.

Why does he have to be so good with his words?

"Why are you so interested in me?" I whisper.

It wasn't suppose to be my question, but it ended up slipping out of my mouth before I could stop it. A game of 21 questions had turned into much more than 21. We didn't let it get too deep, most of the questions were the typical "what's your favorite" types. I had learned his favorite color is purple, his favorite movie is any of the Final Destination movies, his favorite food is bacon, which led to a heated discussion about how he thinks turkey bacon is disgusting while I pretty much eat turkey bacon every day.

He use to be a dog trainer when he was younger. His birthday is May 9th, 1993. He played football in high school and was the star running back. There's a few other smaller details I've learned that I've already forgot, but all in all he's pretty chill.

"When I first walked into Joeli's that night, I don't know what it was, but it was like my eyes were drawn to you. You were laughing and having a good time with your friends and I just though, 'wow I want to know this girl.' Then I came out of the office and back into the bar room and didn't see you. I thought I missed my chance. Then I walked outside and there you were, just sitting on that bench watching people. I don't know what it was that made me send the flowers to you, I just wanted to see you again."

The edges of my lips pull upwards and a wide grin spreads across my face. I can feel the blush running up my cheeks from his answer. I feel warm inside, a feeling I haven't felt in almost eight months.

"Now, let me ask you a question," Tyler says in a stern voice, making the smile slowly start to melt away from my face. "You were really close to some guy at the bar. Is he just a friend or?" Tyler trails off at the end, a questioning look on his face.

"Jace?" I ask, as if he was suppose to know who Jace was. "Jace and I are just friends. I promise you that."

Just two nights ago I was thinking sitting on my couch, wishing Jace would have stayed longer or wishing he would have done something to step out of the friendzone, and here I was promising someone we were just friends.

I have to keep reminding myself that Jace has a girlfriend. A good girlfriend at that. Jace and I were meant to be just friends.

"So if I kiss you right now, Jace won't mind?" He asks.

I bite my lips as Tyler slowly moves the pizza box from between us off the couch and onto the floor beside us. He inches closer to me, yet I'm frozen on the spot.

Jesus Christ, Octavia. You're twenty two, not thirteen. Get it together.

"I'm sure he wouldn't care at all," I say to him, though I wasn't too sure that the words that left my mouth were entirely true.

His eyes weren't on mine anymore. Instead, they were focused on my lips. He was close enough that I could feel his breath hitting my lips. I part my lips and lean forward, making our lips brush up against each other's.

"Dammit, Octavia," he groans before pushing his lips onto mine.