I glanced at the eggs on the plate that were placed on the table in front of me. Tyler never really has been or was a good cook. Mom and dad had gone out for their typical date night, something that happened each and every month. Those poor eggs looked awful. They were filled with a runny grayish yellow liquid. They didn't have a noticeable yolk within them, but they did have an overpoweringly awful smell.

Rotten eggs. If you ever come across them and smell them, you'll never forget them. Everyone who had a good nose could smell it and sense that it was rotten. Everyone except Tyler Scott.

"I can't believe you tried to poison me with," I growled, making a pause to look at the rotten eggs. I could feel my skin shivering. "These," I pointed at the plate.

Tyler just sat on the couch, bringing to his mouth a handful of popcorn. His legs were all over the place. He was shirtless, wearing only a pair of comfortable shorts and underwear, I think so. Some of his brown hair was falling into his eyes and he was watching Sponge Bob. It had always been like that.

Whenever he'd come here, he'd always feel at home. Because actually, he was at home. Nothing ever stood between us and I knew that I could tell him anything. I never really had many girlfriends, it was mostly Tyler. I guess I just always thought that a guy best friend prevented way more drama than a girlfriend. And I was right. Tyler was always sincere no matter what, and I guess that's what I loved about him.

"Well... you're the one who should know to do that. Girls are the one who like to cook and do and all of the kitchen crap." He joked, rolling his eyes at me.

"Just so you know, the kitchen is where they keep the knives." I smirked, throwing a stuffed pillow at his face.

We would often fool around, cracking acid jokes about each other, but I would never take it personally. Neither would he. It was already a self developed habit.

He let out a chuckle. "So, Steph. Are you excited for your first day as a sophomore?" He asked, wiggling his eyebrows up and setting his attention on me.

Tyler was a sophomore also, like me. Even though he was a year older than me, we always stuck together no matter what. He had friends, but none of them was as close to him as I was.

"Not really. I just hope there aren't picky girls there. I wouldn't want to end up suspended on my first day," I groaned, plopping down on the couch next to him.

"Steph just being Steph." He chuckled. I remember wondering if there was any sound more familiar to me than Tyler's laugh.

"Tyler, you need to promise me something, okay?" I started, grabbing the remote control from the TV and turning it off.

"Yeah, sure." He smiled, flipping his hair away from his eyes.

"You have to promise me that you will never not have time for me, Ty. We always worked this out, but now we're gonna be sophomores and somehow, things are gonna change. Just promise me that nothing's gonna change between us. Never. I just need to hear you say it out loud." I said, half-closing my eyes.

I didn't want our friendship to end. Never. I was scared of losing Tyler. Of losing our lifelong friendship. He meant more to me than any person ever did. I knew that there was a bigger chance of me losing him than him losing me.

Tyler was always filled with friends. A lot of girls were crazy about him in school. He was popular, and to people, I was just a random girl who hung out with him.

I never really had many friends. I guess I was pretty selective when it came to choosing my friends. Unlike basically all of the girls in my class, I didn't like makeup. In fact, I kind of never wore it. Except for weddings and fancy stuff like that where mom would force me to wear a skin tight  dress full of sparkles, a underwear that always got stuck and a shiny lip gloss which looked like a dog had just licked my lips or something like that. I was what people would call a tomboy.

Pink. Don't even get me started on that awful color. It was just so sickening, in my personal opinion. Like sure, anyone has the right to wear what they want, I just really didn't like the color. Nothing against it though.

Tyler looked me in the eyes and smiled at me. "Steph, I'm never letting you go. Never. You'll have to put up with me for a long time still," He whispered. I smiled.

I believed in every word he told me that day.

***

"Steph, come on, sweetie." Mom called from downstairs.

I really didn't look forward to going to school that day. I knew somehow, that I'd end up suspended or sent to detention. It always happened on my first days.

I let a growl out of frustration. I remembered that Tyler would be coming to pick me up so we could go together to school. To be completely honest, I never really cared about how I looked in front of Tyler. I just felt that I could be myself when I was around him. He wouldn't judge me, and I knew that.

I wasn't dressed up or anything. I was wearing a black Nirvana shirt, a black jacket, some shorts and a pair Converse. My hair was loose and I let my golden locks trickle down upon my shoulder.

I didn't know what was going on with me exactly. I just felt kind of different when I was around Tyler. And it was weird, because I had never actually liked a boy. I remember kissing Brad Cooper when I was in fourth grade, but then he kicked me in the ankle and I ended up going to the hospital. And then there was Francis from the eight grade. I thought he was a rebel kind of boy only because he had a fake piercing in the nose, those ones that are in between your nose cavities and that make you look like a pig.

But then there was Tyler. It was different with him. Everything. I could talk to him about everything and I knew he'd never let me down. I started feeling kind of shy around him and all. I tried to ignore those feelings, but eventually, they just started growing. But I just tried to ignore them. I would never want to destroy our lifelong friendship only because of some silly and tricky feelings.

Who would, right?

Since my freshman year, I stopped being the black-obsessed girl I was. I guess it was just a hard stage I went through. Tyler actually helped me through it, a lot.

I looked at my reflection in the mirror and ran my fingers through my blonde hair. I looked normally average, like most girls. I thought about the girls that Tyler would call beautiful. They wore makeup, they had perfect teeth and skin. They would go to the hair salon at least two times a week. They would paint their nails and they would look absolutely flawless.

Quickly, I grabbed my makeup bag. I applied some mascara and some powder. I looked at my reflection once more. Maybe somehow that would impress him.

'There', I thought. 'I'm ready.'

I ran downstairs to see mom and dad gathered around the table.

"Stephanie, today we're talking to Bella at four o'clock. Be sure to be here in time." Dad smiled, giving me a kiss on the forehead.

"Yeah, whatever," I smirked. This irritated him and I knew it.

"Stephanie, your sister will be coming in some months and I want you both to gain a nice relationship with each other. You both are sisters for crying out loud!" Dad said, tossing his hands up in the air.

"I know, dad." I chuckled.

Mom glanced over at me and smiled. Bella was gone and so I could make some choices freely without getting pressured to be a Bella clone.

"Honey, are you wearing makeup?" Mom asked, coming closer so she could see my face clearer.

"Uh... no..." I muttered, trying to turn back in order for her not to see me. But well, moms are moms and tricking them is kind of hard.

"Oh, James." Mom gushed and I rolled my eyes at her. "Our big girl is trying to impress a boy," She whined.

Oh, Lord.

"Mom, please. Cut the drama." I snorted.

"Stephanie, Stephanie. You tell me everything, young girl. Who is the boy? I want to know his intentions with my daughter." Dad said, clenching his fists against the table.

"Yeah right, dad. Gotta go now. See you guys later. Love you guys." I said as I heard Tyler's car honking from the front of the house. I grabbed a toast from the tray in the table, kissed them both goodbye and walked out the door.

Tyler opened up the car door so I could come in. I hopped in  and sat on the seat next to him.

If I say that he looked only gorgeous, I'd be lying, for sure.

His brown hair was the opposite of neat, something that drove me crazy. His eyes looked like they melted into golden rays and he wore a white V-neck T-shirt, a leather jacket, a pair of jeans and another one of combat boots. He looked amazing.

"So, are you emotionally prepared, Steph?" Tyler asked, chewing his lower lip. He was looking at his reflection on the mirror and fixing his hair.

"Yeah, you could say that," I answered, trying to avert my gaze from him.

His eyes traveled to my face. He frowned as soon as he saw me.

"Steph," He said. "Are you wearing makeup?" He asks, narrowing his eyebrows in confusion.

"Yeah, why? Do you like it?" I questioned.

"Steph, you don't need makeup to look pretty. I mean, yeah, you look really pretty with it and you can wear it whenever you want, but you just have a natural beauty that isn't worth covering." Tyler smiled.

My heart started hammering in my chest. I was feeling ridiculous. I just cared way too much about what he thought of me.

"I love you, Ty," I whispered the moment his arms tangled up around me.

"I love you too, S," He whispered back. "I love you, too."

---

I hope you guys liked it! Next chapters there will be more, much more things coming up! Keep reading! Ily guys so damn much! Awesome cover by KitellaMash thank you! I love it❤️

Important: hello people, jas here. before you guys comment what I already know, here you go: YESSS I know that Stephanie has a very judgemental character. I know she does. It is supposed to be a part of this book, because later she will get better. She is close minded and she feels threatened by anyone. She feels like they will take her best friend away from her and I am not excusing her but THE STORY HAS A PLOT and I am aware that she is insecure. But there are people like this. So if you don't like her, delete this book off your library. No one is forcing you to read this. I really don't care about people speaking trash about her because she is supposed to ask like that. If you judge her, you are being just like her - judgmental and close minded. So please, please keep in mind that she will get better. And I am aware she can drive you crazy and be stupid sometimes. But aren't we all most of the times? Anyways, thanks to those who understand. ❤️

Jas, xx.