him. Unlike me, he believed my parents philosophy. I hadn't seen him in years. When I left he was fourteen. I was sure he graduated, skipped college, took some blue collar job, married a neighborhood girl, and popped out a kid.
“Just wondered if you ever heard from him.”
“ I haven't talked to anyone in my family in a few years.” As soon as I said it, I wished I just fed him a fake story about my family. It was becoming increasingly harder to lie to him. He'd been so honest with me, and whatever barriers he was breaking down made me want to tell him everything, despite my better judgment. “Don't feel sorry for me,” I said defensively. I knew what he was about to say. It was the same thing anyone would have said when they heard my story. “It was my choice.”
“ I don't feel sorry for you.” He shook his head. “I think it's a shame that you don't speak to them, but it's your business. Not mine.”
I smiled as I let his words sink in and immediately felt guilty for having an entire living, breathing family I didn't speak to while Tucker was left with only photographs and memories of his. I snuggled down into the crook under his arm and turned my eyes back to the movie, trying to shake the attachment that I'd started to feel. I couldn't lie. The way my body fit next to his was pretty perfect. I must have released a sigh as I settled it.
“See, I told you,” he whispered, tightening his arm around and pulling me into a comfort I didn't think existed with anyone other than Nick.
“ What's that?” I looked up at him.
“ Best thing that ever happened to you,” he told me, reminding me of his previous declaration. With that, he kissed my forehead and went back to watching the movie while I thought about how I was going to actually be the worst thing that ever happened to Tucker.
When the movie was over I stood up, raised my arms up over my head and stretched out before grabbing the empty popcorn bowl and soda cans.
“What are you doing?” Tucker asked sitting up.
“ Picking up.” I shrugged, heading into the kitchen.
I rinsed out the bowl and tossed the cans into the trashcan. I turned around and found Tucker leaning against the door frame. I jumped when I saw him. I was beginning to think there was some sort of conspiracy about it being a good idea to sneak up on me.
“ You like to take care of people, huh?” he smirked.
“ What do you mean?” I leaned against the counter.
“ Just something I noticed. You're always taking care of people. Me, Brynn... Nick.”
“ I guess it's just my thing.” I crossed my arms over my chest, protecting myself from having to talk about Nick. It was the first time that night that I'd really thought about him. I felt awful for allowing myself to actually enjoy Tucker's company when I really wanted to be with Nick.
“ How did you and Nick become friends anyway?”
“ Hmmm...” I had to think about it. “We met at...” I paused. “Camp.” The way I said 'camp' made it sound almost like a question, but I couldn't very well tell him we met doing community service, could I? “Yeah, camp. We just hit it off.”
“ I see.” I wasn't quite sure what to make of Tucker's response. I felt like he knew I was lying. I started talking again to get him out of his mind.
“ We both had issues with our parents. Nick's the only person I really consider family. He's the only person I really trust.” That part was true.
Tucker slowly walked over to me and framed me between his arms as he placed his hands on the counter. “Let's see if we can't change that,” he said, pressing his lips to mine. Tucker took my confession as a challenge and latched another finger on the grip he was desperately trying to get on my heart.
“I'm beat,” I breathed, ending our lip-lock. “I think I'm ready for bed.” I started to walk back to the bedroom where we'd been earlier that night. This time my
“Just wondered if you ever heard from him.”
“ I haven't talked to anyone in my family in a few years.” As soon as I said it, I wished I just fed him a fake story about my family. It was becoming increasingly harder to lie to him. He'd been so honest with me, and whatever barriers he was breaking down made me want to tell him everything, despite my better judgment. “Don't feel sorry for me,” I said defensively. I knew what he was about to say. It was the same thing anyone would have said when they heard my story. “It was my choice.”
“ I don't feel sorry for you.” He shook his head. “I think it's a shame that you don't speak to them, but it's your business. Not mine.”
I smiled as I let his words sink in and immediately felt guilty for having an entire living, breathing family I didn't speak to while Tucker was left with only photographs and memories of his. I snuggled down into the crook under his arm and turned my eyes back to the movie, trying to shake the attachment that I'd started to feel. I couldn't lie. The way my body fit next to his was pretty perfect. I must have released a sigh as I settled it.
“See, I told you,” he whispered, tightening his arm around and pulling me into a comfort I didn't think existed with anyone other than Nick.
“ What's that?” I looked up at him.
“ Best thing that ever happened to you,” he told me, reminding me of his previous declaration. With that, he kissed my forehead and went back to watching the movie while I thought about how I was going to actually be the worst thing that ever happened to Tucker.
When the movie was over I stood up, raised my arms up over my head and stretched out before grabbing the empty popcorn bowl and soda cans.
“What are you doing?” Tucker asked sitting up.
“ Picking up.” I shrugged, heading into the kitchen.
I rinsed out the bowl and tossed the cans into the trashcan. I turned around and found Tucker leaning against the door frame. I jumped when I saw him. I was beginning to think there was some sort of conspiracy about it being a good idea to sneak up on me.
“ You like to take care of people, huh?” he smirked.
“ What do you mean?” I leaned against the counter.
“ Just something I noticed. You're always taking care of people. Me, Brynn... Nick.”
“ I guess it's just my thing.” I crossed my arms over my chest, protecting myself from having to talk about Nick. It was the first time that night that I'd really thought about him. I felt awful for allowing myself to actually enjoy Tucker's company when I really wanted to be with Nick.
“ How did you and Nick become friends anyway?”
“ Hmmm...” I had to think about it. “We met at...” I paused. “Camp.” The way I said 'camp' made it sound almost like a question, but I couldn't very well tell him we met doing community service, could I? “Yeah, camp. We just hit it off.”
“ I see.” I wasn't quite sure what to make of Tucker's response. I felt like he knew I was lying. I started talking again to get him out of his mind.
“ We both had issues with our parents. Nick's the only person I really consider family. He's the only person I really trust.” That part was true.
Tucker slowly walked over to me and framed me between his arms as he placed his hands on the counter. “Let's see if we can't change that,” he said, pressing his lips to mine. Tucker took my confession as a challenge and latched another finger on the grip he was desperately trying to get on my heart.
“I'm beat,” I breathed, ending our lip-lock. “I think I'm ready for bed.” I started to walk back to the bedroom where we'd been earlier that night. This time my
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