Page 61 of Bliss: Part 1
“Travel,” she said with a dreamy sigh. “I would’ve loved to just travel the world.”
“We will, darling. Right after we got our lives figured out after graduation,” Tyler said, pressing a kiss to her cheek.
God, they were ridiculously sweet.
I smiled watching them, and when I glanced at Dash, he gave me a little wink. I looked back at the couple again, thinking how weirdly peaceful this felt. The longer we sat here, the more I accepted that I was truly welcome. Tia and Tyler both enjoyed my company, and they continued to include me in their conversations.
Sometime later, the pizza arrived. I hadn’t expected much from this night. Definitely not something this nice, but I was glad I’d come. And even more than that, I was glad to see Dash like this. All relaxed, comfortable, unbothered by our usual family chaos.
Eventually, as the sun disappeared and the air got cooler, Tyler invited us into what he called his “man cave.” But “cave” was a generous understatement. It was basically a whole separate structure next to the main house.
When I stepped inside, my jaw dropped again. The place had its own kitchen, a huge flatscreen TV, multiple couches, and a pool table. It was basically a second home.
“I want you guys to turn the barn into this,” I said to Dash.
He laughed and touched the small of my back. “I’ll see what I can do.”
As the guys wandered toward the TV to start up a video game, Tia waved me over to the couch with her.
“Come sit here with me,” she said. “We can just hang out and talk.”
It sounded fun, but it was something I wasn’t really used to. Just sitting and talking with another girl. I’d been to parties, but only ever with the guys. It wasn’t that I didn’t want female friends. But no other girl has wanted to be friends with me.
I glanced at Dash, who gave me a small nod of encouragement. I walked over to Tia and sat down beside her.
“Would you like some iced tea?” she asked, already pouring herself a glass.
“Yes, please,” I said.
“Tyler’s mom made it earlier today,” she said. “She has a lemon tree right outside, by the pool. Don’t know if you saw it. But those lemons are the best ever.”
She handed me a glass, and I took a sip. It was crisp and sweet with just the right amount of tang.
“Mm, tastes delicious,” I said, surprised.
“Right? We picked quite a few lemons earlier. If you want, I can give you some to take home. I’ll send you the recipe too. Your family might love this on hot summer days.”
I looked at her, honestly stunned. She was offering lemons and recipes like we’d been friends forever. My brain couldn’t quite keep up with how kind she was being. Before I could stop myself, the words just slipped out.
“Why are you being so nice to me?”
Her smile faltered slightly, and her eyes searched mine. She looked genuinely surprised. And maybe even a little hurt.
She reached out and touched my knee gently. “I know you’ve been through a lot in high school, and I hate that people have been rude to you. But I’m not one of them. I really like you, and I’m having lots of fun with you tonight.”
“I’m so sorry, Tia—” I started, already feeling awful.
“Don’t,” she said softly, her smile returning, though a little more serious now. “I can’t say I know how you’re feeling, but I have a pretty good idea. And I hate that you feel that way. That kids back in high school made you feel like you’re not worth being around. But I want you to know that I mean well, and you deserve good company.”
I stared at her, speechless.
“And that’s why you have such a good relationship with Dash and the others in your family,” she added. “You have a kind heart, and the support and love you all have for each other keeps you strong. I hope you know that every single person who was ever mean to you? They were probably just miserable. Maybe even jealous.”
That was something Dash always said to me too. But this was the first time I truly believed it.
I lowered my eyes to my lap, curling my fingers around the glass a little tighter, trying to hold it all in. I hadn’t cried in a long time, but I could feel the pressure building behind my eyes.
When I looked back at Tia, she was still smiling, still gentle, still completely present.
