Page 83 of Trick or Treat Nurse at My Feet
"Did he tell you we used to talk about getting married someday? Not seriously, of course, but the idea was there." She examines her manicured nails. "His mother loved me. Still does."
My stomach clenches. "If you're trying to make some kind of point, just make it."
"Fine. I'll be direct." Her smile drops, her expression turning cold. "This little... experiment Tyler's conducting with you? It's not going to last."
I'm not surprised, but her words still feel like a backhanded slap. "You don't know what you're talking about."
"Don't I?" She steps closer, her voice dropping. "Tyler Landis has been straight his entire life. Captain of the football team in high school, dated the prettiest girls, fraternity VP. Do you really think he's suddenly gay because of you?"
"He's bisexual.” Words meant to sound certain fall a little flat.
She laughs, the sound sharp and dismissive. "Please. He's curious, and you're convenient. A little walk on the wild side before he settles down with someone suitable."
Knowing I should walk away, my feet feel rooted to the spot. "You don't know anything about our relationship."
"You know his mother called me last week," she watches my reaction. "We had a lovely chat. She mentioned that she hopes Tyler will 'come to his senses soon.' Her words, not mine."
That stings, even though it shouldn't surprise me after the dinner. "Tyler makes his own decisions."
"For now, sure. He's in his rebellious phase." She adjusts her purse strap, looking at me with something between pity and contempt. "But eventually, he'll remember who he is. And where he belongs."
"With you?" The question drips with bitterness; I don’t bother hiding it.
"With someone who fits into his world." She looks me up and down. "Not some nursing student with nothing in common with him or his family. Do you really see yourself at the Landis family holidays? At his fraternity alumni events in ten years? Meeting his business associates when he's running his own engineering firm?"
Each question feels like a needle, precise and painful, targeting insecurities I've tried to ignore. The worst part is that I've had these exact thoughts.
"You're his college experiment," she continues, her voice softening with mock sympathy. "It happens. But when real life starts, Tyler will come back to what he knows. To the kind of relationship that makes sense for his future."
"You're wrong," the words sound hollow even to my ears.
"Am I? Ask yourself honestly, do you really think you're special enough to change who Tyler fundamentally is? Or are you just convenient and new?" She shakes her head. "He feels guilty now, so he's trying to make it work. But we both know how this ends."
"Is this fun for you?" I ask suddenly, anger finally cutting through the hurt. "Trying to sabotage someone else's relationship because your ego can't handle being dumped?"
Her eyes narrow. "Tyler didn't dump me. We were on a break."
"Well, he's not on a break now. He's with me." I step forward, finding my voice. "And if you were as confident as you pretend to be about him coming back to you, you wouldn't be cornering me in empty hallways with these pathetic mind games."
For a moment, I think I've gotten through to her, but then her expression shifts to something colder.
"You know what Ryan says about you?" she asks quietly. "That you're clingy. Desperate. You latch onto anyone who shows you attention because you're so afraid of being alone."
The mention of my ex sends ice through my veins. "You've been talking to Ryan?"
"We've had some interesting conversations." She smiles again, a cruel and satisfied expression. "He had a lot to say about what you're like when the initial excitement wears off. How needy you get. How exhausting."
Heat rushes to my cheeks, a toxic blend of humiliation and rage coursing through me. "Stay away from me, and stay away from Tyler."
"Oh, I don't need to do anything about Tyler," she says, stepping back with a shrug. "He'll figure it out on his own. They always do. Enjoy him while you can."
She walks away, heels clicking on the linoleum, leaving me standing there feeling like I've been hit by a truck.
Leaning against the wall, I'm breathing hard, trying to process what just happened. My phone buzzes in my hand, and I look down to see Tyler's name on the screen again. I can't even bear to read the message.
What if she's right? What if this is all temporary? A phase, an experiment, a curious straight guy trying something new before returning to his normal life?
Sliding down the wall until I'm sitting on the floor, I sit, my bag beside me. I'm fighting against the hot pressure of tears behind my eyes.
