I studied my phone, frustrated that Amy hadn't texted me. I had definitely thought our kiss had sealed the deal and she would officially agree to date me. Turns out she hadn't replied and I wondered if she went to the party that Jessica was at.

It was getting dark and staring at my phone was doing no good. I decided it wasn't worth the hassal. If she didn't like me then that was that, I can't change her feelings no matter how hard I tried.

I sat up in bed wondering what I had done wrong. It wasn't like she had any objection to kissing me, she even nodded when I asked for consent. I threw my mind into a million possibilities and couldn't figure out why she hadn't texted me an answer. Was she waiting to see me in person? Did she change her mind and decide I wasn't worthy of her attention.

I felt like a harsh critic as I began to think of Aaron Paul and the grasp he must've still had on her. Perhaps Aaron had made a booty call and she was all his again. I groaned, tossing my phone aside for a few minutes then turning the light on in my room to retrieve it.

I was growing weary and I felt like an insomniac as I took the phone and stared at it until a knock came at my door. I shut the light off in my room then automatically felt stupid. Whoever was outside must've seen that. I groaned silently waiting for whoever was knocking at my door at two in the morning to leave.

Knock. Knock.

It came again and I stifled a groan. My parents were fast asleep and snoring as I stood up. In the back of my mind, the thought did occur that it was Amy, but as soon as I unlocked the door, I knew that was too good to be true.

"Sorry to rain on your parade, I'm not Amy- but I do need a ride home." It was the asshole that I wouldn't have ever dreamed of seeing. Technically if he was anywhere, that would make it a nightmare.

Aaron Paul stood in front of my door with his arms crossed. He reeked of alcohol but seemed completely sober. How did he end up here?

"I walked, I got lost, I still need a ride home." It was like he knew what I was thinking before I said it. Creepy.

"Not really." He said.

"What?" I asked, completely shocked.

"I need a ride home or I'm crashing here tonight." He said, pushing past me. Before I could say another word, he was knocked out on my couch. I considered stuffing him into the trunk of my car and driving him home. Or perhaps off a tall cliff. But I didn't know where he lived and there was no cliff within a hundred mile radius.

I glared at him as his breathing grew uniform. There was no way I was getting rid of him at this late hour. Perhaps putting him in Jessica's room may freak him out a bit. I dragged him up the stairs, making sure not to wake him up and left him on the floor beside my sister's bed.

That ought to teach him.

+++

"Tyler!" An angry scream shook the entire house and I knew that Jessica was awake. Clearly she had walked in on him last night but may have been too tired- or too drunk- to notice. But now, in her more than sober state, her anger was an earthquake. And I wanted to be nowhere near it. Within minutes of her scream, the door bell rang.

For a minute, I wondered why my parents hadn't woken up yet. They couldn't possibly sleep through the tornado that was about to strike our home. I remained in my bed, pretending to be sound asleep as Jessica made her way to my room and pushed the door open with such force that a gust of wind made my blanket fly up a little.

I prayed that I would die peacefully and go straight to heaven. But that was not the case.

Jessica grasped the blanket and tossed it aside and my fear grew.

"Go away." I muttered. Even though I was taller and definitely stronger than her, she was my older sister and I don't really know why I was afraid when I could easily overpower her.

"Not until you tell me why the hell there is a random guy sleeping on my bedroom floor!" She pursed her lips, crossed her arms, and impatiently tapped her foot as the doorbell rang again.

"Okay! Stop yelling, mom and dad are asleep."

"No, doofus, mom and dad went on a trip yesterday evening. They're coming back tomorrow so I can yell all I want!"

"Your nails look great Jessica," I sat up now, attempting and failing to divert the conversation.

"You're ridiculous!" She shouted before slamming my door shut and leaving.

I walked out a few minutes later and headed for her room to make sure the yelling had woken up the idiot in my house.

Aaron Paul lay soundlessly on her floor. Good, he deserved it.

"Why do I deserve what?" His eyes slowly opened as he sat up and wiped them. "Also might I add, my brain hurts and you people need to stop yelling."

I wondered how the hell he knew what I was thinking but didn't ask, I might've said it aloud anyway. I rolled my eyes as the events of last night replayed in my mind.

"Maybe you should go home." I sneered as a small smile formed on his mouth. I couldn't figure this cocky bastard out nor did I want to.

"I'll have you know my father is alive and well." He stood up now, towering ever so slightly over me and I glared at him.

"What?" I asked, extremely confused.

"You called me a bastard!" He declared.

"I did no such thing." I replied, I had only thought it and this idiot...

"Don't call me an idiot, I get better grades than you ever will." He shot back and I groaned.

For a second I thought he could read my mind, but that was physically impossible. Maybe he was delusional- or maybe he could read my mind, I was highly suspicious. I crossed my arms by the door, "you should leave."

"Thanks for the comfy floor man." He randomly said, the intent of his words very present.

I wanted to punch this annoying cocky intruder, but I abstained and instead led him downstairs. I unlocked the front door and opened it with my arm held out for him in a gesture to leave, but I was only to be met with elegant blue eyes and dazzling blonde hair.

Amy.

"I thought you already told him you would date him." Aaron interjected, rubbing his fingers to his temples. He clearly must be feeling the effects of the alcohol.

"I told you that because I wanted to see your reaction." She blushed, "and since you're fine with it," she turned to me, "I will take you up on that offer."

I grinned, a giddy happiness that even Aaron couldn't remove began filling me up as I smiled broadly.

The snake has lost his rattle. I thought just as Aaron turned to me with a smirk.

"That's a terrible analogy."

I glared at him, wondering what the hell in Amy's sentence was even remotely close to an analogy.

"What?" I asked him, more annoyed than ever and wanting nothing more than for him to leave my damn house without the gorgeous girl he whored around with.

He raised his eyebrow at me and then winked at Amy, then he turned away from us and into my kitchen. I heard the fridge open and he appeared seconds later and sat on my couch.

"Why is he at your house?" Any whispered as we both stood by the door watching the weird creature eat.

"Didn't you know, Amy? Tyler and I go way back. To elementary school even." Aaron lied as I raised my hand as a sign of surrender.

"He's lying." But Amy's face contorted into the saddest expression I had ever seen.

"Is this a joke to the two of you- taking turns messing with me and then breaking my heart!" She yelled as Jessica headed downstairs.

"No-no,no,no,no,no Amy! I swear I don't know how this idiot showed up at my house. He knocked in the middle of the night then fell asleep in here- he was drunk. I was just being a Good Samaritan." I held my hands up defensively as Aaron turned on the TV.

"Can you quiet down! My head hurts!" He shouted at us, loud enough for the neighbors to hear.

"Get out of my house man!" I walked over to him and grabbed his arm, dragging him toward the door.

"Amy, I know this is the last thing you would ever want to do and I hope you still want to be my girlfriend, but do you mind driving this deranged lunatic home? I don't have my car- and I don't know where he lives."

"Who are you calling deranged Tyler, you are de-arranged, your nose is too pointy."

"That's not what that means, but okay, you need to leave." How he was valedictorian was beyond me.

He laughed. "Come on Amy, you can have sexy time with Tyler later." He slung his arm around her shoulder, "if you can get me some Tylenol, that'd be great." He said as I watched them head to her car and shut the door.

A single moment of silence lasted until Jessica approached me and began shouting.

Well. This is different.

https://www.amazon.com/Boy-Who-Read-Minds-ebook/dp/B08RYV11F2/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=veronica+Soliman&qid=1609863783&sr=8-3

(Link will be available in the coming weeks)

(Link will be available in the coming weeks)