But the second we pull up outside, I revert to my original mind-set. Tyler’s car is parked on the driveway, side by side with Tiffani’s, and suddenly I’m terrified again. I have to deal with both of them at once, and I’m certain that Tiffani will rip out my hair, and I have no clue what Tyler will say to me. That’s if he even decides to talk in the first place.
I relax only slightly when I spot Dean’s car and Jake’s. The more of us, the better. If I make it over the threshold, at least they’ll be there to make the situation less daunting. Even Jake seems like fun to hang out with right now.
“Remember, leave me to do the talking,” Rachael says as she grabs her purse from the backseat. Quite frankly, I don’t want to do the talking, so she really has nothing to worry about.
We lock up and run across the lawn to the front door, which Rachael promptly shoves open and drifts through. She never knocks, and this is something I’m still getting used to. That being said, not only do I feel unwelcome, I also feel extremely rude. Nonetheless, I follow Rachael into the house and a waft of fresh popcorn overwhelms me.
Immediately to the left of the open-plan area, Jake and Dean are stretched out on the L-shaped couches that run around the room. Meghan’s not coming tonight, because she’s grounded after last weekend, but Dean does sit up when he sees us so that he can acknowledge our presence with a nod and a smile. Other than that, both of them look bored and out of place. Jake’s playing around with the remote for the TV, flicking through channels and sighing in between each one. Usually on Fridays we’re at parties. Usually we’re not having movie nights.
There’s a laugh from somewhere to my right and my eyes immediately snap over to it. The first thing they land on is Tiffani. She’s pulling out a bowl of popcorn from the microwave and then carelessly dropping it on the countertop as it burns her hands, laughing all the while and looking totally normal. Normal, not heartbroken. But it makes sense, because Tyler is standing right by her side, sighing at her ridiculous attempt to prepare food. He tries to laugh, but his lips only pull up into another one of his fake smiles. As usual, it doesn’t reach his eyes.
I wonder what he’s thinking about and what he’s planning to do. Right now, he’s stuck living at Tiffani’s house, believing something that might not be true, something that Rachael is adamant on proving false. What are his thoughts? Are they going to get back together? It would be horrible if they did. Tyler’s only just managed to get himself out of the grip she had on him and I’d hate to see him get wrapped up in that mess again.
The two of them are so distracted in the kitchen that they haven’t even noticed Rachael and I entering the house, so I interlock my hands and twist my fingers around each other anxiously as I make my way over to the living room. I try to force a smile on my face, but my frown only ends up deepening.
Dean must notice my scowl. He sits up, his blue T-shirt contrasting with the brown of his eyes, and whispers, “This is so awkward.” He nods behind me to the pair in the kitchen. Tiffani’s running a hand through Tyler’s hair, her eyelashes fluttering. “They broke up but…”
Tell me about it, I think. We’re all just as confused as each other. Have they broken up? Are they just friends now? Are they back together already? What the hell are they, besides incompatible?
Rachael’s still standing by the front door, just staring at the two of them in disbelief. She cranes her neck to look at Dean and me, pointing a thumb to Tiffani while mouthing, “What the hell?” I’ve discovered by now that Rachael is very anti-Tyler-and-Tiffani.
Both Dean and I shrug, but really I just want to tear the plaster off the wall or smash the TV or set the couches on fire. I want to do something that will release the anger that’s fizzing inside of me, and I can’t even seem to figure out who I’m mad at. Part of me is mad at myself for finding myself in this situation, where I’m stuck between my stepbrother and his ex-girlfriend, or girlfriend. I don’t know anymore.
“Rachael!” Tiffani’s voice calls across the room, and both Rachael and I whip around to face her. She’s hugging the bowl of popcorn to her chest and grinning. But it doesn’t last long. Her eyes drift over to meet mine, and the second she lays eyes on me, her smile falters. “Eden?”
“It took you long enough to notice us!” Rachael complains jokingly as she pads across the carpet toward the staircase.
Tiffani’s still staring at me, still glowering. “Sorry,” she tells Rachael, but her eyes never leave mine. I can feel her glare boring holes in my skin, and I try to glance down at the floor, but I can’t, because I’m staring at the person standing two inches away from her.
And he’s looking straight back.
Tyler’s lips are parted, and he’s biting the skin on the inside of his cheek, his head tilted slightly. He looks paler than usual, and his eyes are set deeper in their sockets, which makes him appear almost lifeless, like he hasn’t slept for days and is about to pass out any second.