Page 96 of Trick or Treat Nurse at My Feet
"So?" Sylas looks at me with confusion.
"So in the entire time we've known each other, I'venever once heard you use Ryan's actual name. It's always 'The Walking Red Flag' or 'Douche-nozzle' or my personal favourite, 'Patient Zero of Douchebaggery.'"
Sylas's lips quirk up. "That's because Tyler deserves to be a person with a name. Mr. Disappointing Dipstick doesn't."
The realization hits me hard. Sylas has been subtly showing me the difference all along. "You're right. I've been so stupid."
I've been so focused on protecting myself that I've been missing what's right in front of me, a man who cares enough to have his friends calling my best friend for advice. The thought makes me laugh suddenly.
"Finally, he gets it." Sylas raises his hands dramatically. "So what are you going to do about it?"
"Just picturing Gavin and the guys sitting around trying to analyze our relationship." I shake my head, smiling. "It's kind of sweet."
"Disgustingly sweet," Sylas agrees. "So what are you going to do about it?"
The textbook closes with a soft thwack. "That's it. No more being stupid."
By Monday afternoon,I'm practically floating down the hallways of the Health Sciences Building. The past couple of days have been a revelation. After Sylas's unexpected pep talk Thursday night, I texted Tyler, apologizing for being distant and asking if we could talk in person.
His response was immediate and enthusiastic.
Tyler
Yes! Tonight? Tomorrow? Whenever you want.
We ended up talking on the phone for almost two hours that night, not about anything heavy, just catching up and getting back to the easy chats we always had before I started pulling away. We made plans to have dinner tonight, and the excitement has carried me through my Monday classes with an energy I haven't felt in weeks.
"Mr. Barrett, would you be willing to stay after and help demonstrate the procedure for the evening lab section?"
Turning, Professor Kilkarney stands there looking expectant. "Of course." The disappointment about delaying tonight with Tyler stays buried. "I can text to push back my plans."
She smiles approvingly. "Excellent. The additional demonstration hours will look good on your transcript."
An hour later, I'm finishing up the demonstration for a group of first-year nursing students, fielding questions about intramuscular injections and proper disposal techniques. By the time I'm done, the rest of my classmates have long since left.
As I head to the locker room to change out of my scrubs, my fingers are typing a quick message to Tyler.
Just finished. Can't wait to see you. I'll be there in 30
His response is almost immediate.
Tyler
Counting the minutes. I've missed you
His simple message has me grinning like a fool. Howdid I nearly wreck this by pushing him away? Whatever I was scared of seems tiny compared to how he makes me feel, like I count, and I'm enough.
The locker room is empty when I arrive, the rows of metal doors silent and still in the fluorescent light. I spin the combination on my lock, thinking about what to wear tonight. Nothing too fancy, but maybe that blue button-down Tyler once said brought out my eyes.
When I open the locker, an envelope falls out, landing at my feet. My name is written across the front in block letters. I frown, picking it up. It's unsealed, the flap simply tucked in.
When I pull out a stack of glossy photographs, it feels like my world comes to a standstill.
The first photo shows Tyler at what looks like a fraternity party, red cup in hand, smiling down at someone just out of frame. The second shows him with his arm around Cher, her body pressed intimately against his side. The third shows them talking, faces close together. The fourth...
My hands start shaking. The fourth shows them kissing. Tyler and Cher, wrapped up in what looks like a hot kiss, her hands in his hair, his arms around her waist.
As I flip through the remaining photos, each one a fresh knife to the chest: Tyler leading Cher upstairs, Tyler looking over his shoulder with a guilty expression, and Cher looking triumphantly at the camera.
