Break In My Heart

Chapter 12.5: Tyler's Version (bonus chapter)

WARNING: this is a time jump back to chapters 12 and 13 from Tyler's POV

My palms were sweating and my heart was about to burst up out of my chest.

The boy who managed to pull emotions out of me that I thought were long gone was following me up to my apartment, step by step. I couldn't help the embarrassment that I felt consuming me. We weren't even at my place yet and I knew it wouldn't compare to Addison's. He lived in a tall, elegant complex right next to the fancy stores whose alleys you wouldn't have to worry about getting robbed in, whereas I lived in the part of town that made mothers hold their children closer to them and addicts lined the streets. It even smelled poor, and the peeling paint on the walls didn't help.

I just hoped it was good enough for him.

I just hoped I was good enough for him.

Before long, we were standing in front of my door, faded and chipping. With shaking hands, I grabbed my keys out of my pocket and unlocked the door as Addison patiently watched me. I gave the door a quick knock. "I'm comin' in, Pop!" I announced as I opened up the door, something that I regularly did ever since the day that I accidentally scared my dad and he nearly knocked my head off.

As soon as I opened the door, I saw my dad in the kitchen which was smaller than Addison's bedroom. His back was toward us as he frantically flew around the kitchen with my baby sister on his hip. "Hey, son," he greeted without turning to look at us. "Can you take Serenity right quick? My arm's getting tired."

I wasted no time grabbing my growing baby sister and looking down into those chocolate eyes that never failed to bring a smile to my face. This time was no different. "Hey, baby," I softly said as I pressed a kiss to her warm forehead. "How are you?" She gave me a small giggle as she looked up at me in a way that made my insides warm up. It was crazy how quickly she was growing up. It would be no time before I'd be watching her take her first steps, then I'd eventually be chasing off hard-headed boys trying to make a pass at her.

She absolutely had my heart, and she couldn't even say a word.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the corners of Addison's lips turn up ever so slightly as he looked at us. Or maybe I could've imagined it.

"Alright. I warmed up some pasta, and there's some bread in the fridge if you want it," my father rushed out as he scooped some into a portable bowl, urgency ripe in his voice. I looked at the clock on the stove and realized that he was running late for work, something that very seldom happened. "There's also some juice in there too. 'Ren might be getting hungry again soon, but you know how to handle that. Oh and one more thing–"

His words ceased when he finally turned around and noticed Addison. I felt the heat of embarrassment on my cheeks and he hadn't even spoken to Addison yet. But I just knew it was going to be embarrassing, especially because I'd made the mistake of telling my dad about my feelings for him. In order to busy myself, I sloppily put some pasta in my own bowl before I started gobbling it down, not caring how messy I looked. I'd rather be messy than embarrassed.

"Oh. Hi, I didn't see you there."

"Hi, sir. My name's Addison, but most people call me Addi."

My father shook Addison's hand as I saw the gears turning behind his eyes. He was putting the pieces together.

Please don't say anything embarrassing. Please don't say anything embarrassing.

"Ah, yes. I recognize that name. Tyler's told me about you."

His words caused my food to go down the wrong pipe and I started coughing and sputtering uncontrollably. Addison raised a knowing brow at me as my father sneakily winked.