Bounce Back

Chapter 32

Ryan's POV

I didn't want to wake Tyler beside me and a couple of minutes after him I drifted off to sleep beside him. The next time I woke it was already six in the morning and Tyler was still curled up beside me. It wasn't long before we had to get up but it was nice to just lie there for a while.

I was starting to think about waking Tyler when I heard him groan slightly from beside me. I turned to face him and his eyes were already open slightly.

"Sorry for falling asleep on you," he muttered.

"It's completely fine," I assured him.

Neither of us moved for a few minutes before we both knew that we had to get up.

"I think that some of my brother's stuff will fit you," I told him.

I pulled myself out of bed and headed out of the room in search of some clothes. I managed to find a pair of jeans and a tournament shirt that Jason had left here at some point They fit Tyler well enough so he headed downstairs while I changed.

When I made it downstairs Mom and Tyler were talking over toast. I made my own toast before joining them at the table.

"You two looked very comfortable last night," she smirked.

I blushed slightly and Tyler just laughed at me.

"I hope that you don't mind," Tyler said.

"Of course not," Mom said.

We started talking about other things until we had to head out. I was so glad to have woken up without pain in my back so I could go to school. Tyler realised that he didn't have to go home to get anything before school so we didn't have to his house.

Before we did leave Tyler called his Mom to explain what happened so that she wasn't so freaked out and then we could actually leave. We walked closer together as we walked and talked. My friends were waiting outside my locker.

"Ryan, it's good to see you turned up to school today," Drew teased.

I stuck my tongue out at him and I noticed that Tyler wasn't following our conversation. Instead he was following James and the rest of the basketball team with his eyes.

"Go talk to him again," I whispered.

He squeezed my hand slightly before heading away from me to talk to his friends. I didn't worry about it and caught up with my friends instead. I didn't get a chance to speak to Tyler again because the bell rang not long later and we all had to head to class.

I then spent lunch in the library so that I could catch up on some of the work that I had missed in silence so I didn't see Tyler at lunch either. I knew that he had basketball training after school so I wasn't surprised to not see him in the library afterschool either.

My friends all headed out earlier than I did because I had more work to get done than they did. I was however very surprised to see James approaching me instead of Tyler. I didn't know James at all and only knew what Tyler had told me about him.

"You are Ryan right?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Are you really dating Tyler?" he asked.

"Yes."

"How come he never mentioned anything to me before?" he asked.

"Teenage boys are weird and the only reason that I knew was because I dragged it out of him," I told him.

He sunk into his seat and rested his head on the table. He didn't say anything so I returned to the work that I was doing until he wanted to talk to me again.

"I'm not homophobic. I was just surprised," he told me.

"Then tell him that instead of me."

"It's hard to without getting angry with each other."

I smiled slightly because I knew what he was getting at. I didn't get a chance to say anything because Tyler came in and he was very surprised to see who was sitting opposite me.

"How come you are here?" he asked James.

"I was just talking to Ryan and trying to understand everything. Look, Tyler, I'm sorry for coming across rude and I didn't mean to. I was just upset that you didn't tell me," he apologised.

Tyler smiled slightly and nodded at James.

"It's alright and I apologise for not talking to you," he said.

I smiled as they started to talk quietly and I could continue to walk.

"Would you rather that we headed out and stop distracting you?" Tyler asked me.

"Nah, it's fine, I should probably stop soon anyway," I said honestly.

He nodded and for a couple more minutes they talked as I worked before I did give up before Tyler told me that I should. I continued to listen to them talk for a few more minutes before Tyler got a call from his Mother causing him to rush out so that he could look after his sister. That left me with James and we decided to head out together.

"How did you and Tyler meet?" I asked him.

"We were on the same team at a basketball camp when we were young and moved through teams and schools together," he explained.

We continued to talk about Tyler as we walked and found that we actually lived quite close together. We stopped in front of what I assumed was his house and I paused for a minute.

"You seem like you are good for Tyler and a nice guy," he said.

"Thanks, you seem alright too," I teased.

He laughed but then paused for a minute.

"What are you doing next year?" he asked.

"I'm probably going to UCLA as well so hopefully we might stay together."

He smiled at that but I was still surprised when he hugged me briefly.

"I'm sorry for being slightly rude. I'd like to be friends with you and your friends," he said.

"We are in the library afterschool a lot. Just come with Tyler at some point."

He nodded before we separated. It really wasn't far to my house and I had a smile on my face the whole time. I was glad that Tyler and James managed to sort themselves out because I didn't want Tyler to lose his best friend.

In the end he seems like a nice guy anyway so it worked out. I just wished that I could resolve the problem with my parents as easily.

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The Wise One