UN-RELATED (UN-RELATED SERIES) (11 page)

“Just curious if I was doing everything right,” he grinned.

“I wouldn’t know,” I grinned, relaxing a bit now.

“You will…someday. I’m not rushing you, but I would like to get a
little
closer to you.”

“How close?” I asked, feeling tense, once again.

“A kiss…just a kiss,” he said and leaned down toward me.

I instinctively pulled back and he sighed. “I’m sorry, I um, I’m just not…”

“It’s okay.” He got out of his car and I opened my door and he walked me to my door.

“
Tyler, I just wasn’t ready…right then. I wasn’t expecting…”

“I told you what I was going to do, you shouldn’t have been surprised.”

“It’s okay…now, if you want,” I said, looking up at him not sure if I was really ready or not.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?” he started to walk away and then stopped, “Abby, tell me the truth, if it was Kellan that tried to kiss you tonight, would you have pulled away?”

“I don’t think that would have been an issue,” I said, looking down.

“I guess I got my answer.”

“Tyler…”

“It’s okay, I already knew the answer. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

I didn’t know what to say. I just watched him walk away, hurt. 

I called him later that night and apologized…for what, I wasn’t sure. But, I knew I had hurt him. We hung up and promised never to mention it again.

It was prom night and I was staring back at the reflection in the mirror and was shocked at the young woman staring back at me. The training bras were definitely a thing of the past, as was the round baby face and the skinny, shapeless girl. I had let the saleslady pick out my dress, not really caring what I wore to prom. I figured she would have been a much better judge of what the kids were wearing, so even though I tried it on at the store, I never really looked at it until now.

I was so shocked by my own image that I didn’t hear my door open. 

“Just where do you think you’re going?” Joe asked me.             

“I’m going to prom,” I said, surprised to see Joe in my room.

“With who?”

“
Tyler, who else?” I asked, turning toward him now.

I watched him take in a deep breath and hold it. He let it out slowly through pursed lips. He was staring at me, and it gave me an eerie feeling. “Lucky guy,” he said as the doorbell rang.

I carefully stepped passed him and he grabbed my arm, “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” he grinned.

“Then I guess I can do pretty much whatever I want,” I said pulling away, not sure what had spurred me to say that; but the look he gave me was chilling and I glared at him and then headed toward the door.

I opened the door and Tyler was standing there in his tux with a white box in his hand. He didn’t say anything, he just stared at me.

“Hi,” I finally said, waiting for a reply.

“You um, you look incredible.”

I smiled at him and he walked me to the car. As I stepped into his car, I glanced back at the house and noticed the curtains moving and I thought I saw Joe watching me. I ignored him and pulled the rest of my dress inside the car as
Tyler closed the door.

We had a great time, and I was so surprised. We danced and talked and took a walk around the beautiful hotel grounds. It was very romantic, and I looked up at
Tyler as we stopped to watch the stone waterfall and I realized we’d been ‘dating’ for quite a while now and he still hadn’t kissed me, or more to the point, I still hadn’t let him kiss me.

I knew he wanted to, and the setting was perfect, so I said, “I um, I’m ready now.”

He looked down at me and said, “For what?”

I didn’t say anything; I just put my arm around his neck and pulled him down to me. He stopped right before our lips met and he whispered, “Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure.” He kissed me softly at first and then slightly more forceful, before he slowly pulled away. 

“Are you okay?” he asked me when I didn’t say anything.

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?” I asked.

“I just, I mean it was…your first kiss…right?”

“Yes.”

“Was it okay? Was it what you expected?”

“I didn’t know what to expect, but it was okay.”

“Just okay?”

I smiled at him, “It was nice, Tyler.”

He leaned down and kissed me again and pulled me closer. He didn’t hold back this time and I didn’t want to hurt his feelings by pulling away, but I did want him to slow down.

He finally pulled back and said, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to get carried away. It’s just, I’ve wanted to kiss you for so long, it was really hard to stop.”

“I noticed.”

“Sorry,” he said, looking contrite.

“No, it’s okay.
Tyler, it was nice, and I’m not complaining. I just want to take it slow, okay?”

“I’ll take it as slow as you want, I promise. I really
can
control myself, trust me,” he smiled, looking ashamed for his actions.

“Okay. Come on, let’s go get something to eat. I’m sure the food here’s much better than anything I could find at home,” I laughed and grabbed his hand, leading the way back inside.

“You know, you can always come to my house. My mom’s a great cook, and she loves you.”

“Thanks, I’ll remember that, and depending on what’s on the menu this week, I may take you up on that,” I laughed.

Tyler
drove me home after the dance and walked me to the door. He asked if he could kiss me again and I nodded yes. He kissed me very softly and hugged me for a minute and then waited until I was inside safely and I watched him drive away.

The new phone Kellan sent me was blinking rapidly as I pulled out my phone from where I hid it. I knew I was in trouble the second I saw it and I was grateful that Nancy and Joe weren’t home so that I could call Kellan back now and not later, which would only be worse for both of us.

“Hi, and before you say anything, I’m sorry. I forgot to tell you that I was going to prom. But, I’m home safe and sound now.”

“You forgot that you were going to prom? You forgot about another dance?” he lectured.

“No, I didn’t forget that I was going to prom, I just forgot to tell
you
I was going to prom. I’m sorry, Kellan.”

“Did you have fun?”

“Yeah, it was nice.”

“Nice, huh?” he probed.

“Yeah, we had fun.”

“Not too much fun, I hope?” he asked.

“We had a good time.”

“What did you do?”

“We danced and stuff. You know, the usual stuff people do at prom.”

“The usual stuff? I don’t think I really want to hear this,” he said, sounding like an over-protective father.
             

“What does that mean?”

“Abby, the ‘usual stuff’ that couples do at prom…usually leads to a lot more than just dancing.”

I knew what he was asking, and I finally decided it was really none of his business. He made it very clear to me that he didn’t want me…like that, so I decided to make him sweat a bit.

“Well, like I said, we did the usual stuff. So, how are you?”

“What the hell does that mean?” he shouted.
             

“Kellan, I’m a big girl now. I’m very capable of making my own decisions. We had fun, it’s over and I’m home, so drop it.”

He was breathing hard into the phone and he was obviously angry and worried about me, but I hadn’t done anything wrong, so I just decided to let it go.

“So, what’s new with you?” I asked.

“I’ll call you back,” he finally said and hung up.

I didn’t know what that was all about, I figured something must have come up, so I jumped into the shower and then got into my pajamas, another one of Kellan’s old shirts and reached for my phone to see if I missed his call. I looked down and noticed there were five missed calls…all from
Tyler. I just started to dial his number when I heard a banging on my front door.

I was a little worried, it was really late and I didn’t want to answer the door, so I quickly dialed Tyler’s number and I crept very carefully into the living room to see if I could get a look at my intruder. I relaxed a bit when I heard
Tyler’s phone ringing, and then I heard my intruder’s phone ring as well.

“Abby! Open the door. It’s me!”

“Oh, thank goodness,” I said and opened the door to a very angry Tyler.

“Why did you tell him that?!” he shouted, obviously very angry at me.

“What? Why did I tell who, what?” I asked, confused.

“Why did you tell Kellan that you and I slept together tonight?” He was standing on the porch, red-faced and irate.

“I didn’t…I mean…that’s not exactly what I told him. Oh, no, did he call you?” I asked, opening the door up wide to let him in.

“Threatened, is more like it! Why did you do that?”

“I didn’t tell him that, I just, he was…he made me mad, acting like an over-protective father, and he accused me…us, so I just let him think it. I never thought he’d call you, I’m so sorry. I’ll call him and fix it…right now.”

“Thanks, because frankly, I kind of like my limbs in working order!” he snapped.

“Did he threaten you?”

“Yeah, I just told you that. I mean, it would have been worth it, if it was true, but I don’t think a couple of kisses should buy me a trip to the hospital.”

“I’m so sorry.” I stood there and dialed Kellan’s number. He answered on the first ring.

“Are you crazy?” I asked him.

“I don’t think you really want to talk to me right now. I’ve told you time and time again to be careful and to not make the same mistakes I did.”

“I didn’t! We didn’t! Not that it’s really any of your business, Kellan! You owe
Tyler an apology!”

“I most certainly do not! It’s my job to protect you!”

“You gave up that job the second you got on that plane. Like I said, it’s really none of your business what I do with my boyfriend…but, for the record and so that Tyler can sleep tonight, he never touched me! Now, apologize!” I ordered.

I think my new attitude took him by surprise and after a few seconds, he calmed down and said, “Okay, I’ll call him.”

“He’s right here!” I said and handed Tyler my phone.

They talked for a few minutes and Tyler handed the phone back to me. 

“Did he apologize?” I asked Tyler before I said anything to Kellan.

“Yeah, we’re good.”

“Are you satisfied?” I asked Kellan, still angry.

“Yeah, I’m sorry. I just don’t want…”

“I got it. I’ll talk to you later,” I said and hung up before he could respond.

I turned back to
Tyler and said, “I’m really sorry. He just made me mad. I never thought he’d call you. He’s a little over-protective.”

“Well, he does love you, he made that
perfectly
clear.”

“I know. I promise I won’t ever do that again; for your sake and mine.”

“Okay, goodnight.”

“Um, since you came all this way…and we were convicted without cause, I guess I should at least make it worth your while…”

“What does that mean?”

“Kiss me goodnight?”

“Hmm, I guess that would make up for everything,” he said and leaned down to kiss me just as my phone rang again.

Tyler
looked down at the name and said, “Um, I think he has a sixth sense about…us. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“I’m sorry,” I said, feeling terrible.

“It’s okay. Great Jammies, by the way,” he grinned and then stopped, “Let me guess, it was one of Kellan’s old shirts?”

I just shrugged my shoulders and smiled.

“Goodnight."             

The next few weeks seemed to fly by. Between school and Tyler, I hardly had a minute to myself. I didn’t mind too much, because I had always had to spend so much time alone. But, as the weeks passed, and I found myself never alone, even at home, I started to feel a little over-whelmed. Nancy and Joe seemed to be home all the time now, too. Joe was constantly finding excuses to talk to me about this or that. I found him to be very annoying and tried my best to stay away from him, but he seemed to constantly find me. I didn’t understand his sudden interest in me, but I was really tired of it.

“He’s driving me crazy, Tyler.”

“I think you should stay away from him. I don’t trust him.”

“I’ve never trusted him. But, he doesn’t scare me…he’s just so annoying now.”

“Abby, be careful around him. I hate to say this, but maybe you should tell Kellan that he won’t leave you alone. Maybe he can…”

“NO! He’ll just worry about me. I can take care of myself.”