We'll play hide and seek to turn this around

"Are you okay?" he asked me quietly, as we sat on the couch watching a movie after finishing a dinner of stir fry.

I hummed and turned my head to face him, "Yeah," I breathed out, "I'm just...irritated."

"I’m sorry if I pushed it too far with him," he told me.

I shook my head, "How could have pushed that? He's the one that showed up like we had just murdered his entire family, freakin out and everything!"

Tyler laughed and nodded, "That's true."

I smiled, determined to change the subject, "What's the team up to?" I asked him

He shrugged, "I dunno, I think some of the single ones were going to a club. One last night out here in Dallas before the games,” he said casually waving it off.

"Why didn't you go out?" I asked.

He brought his hand up to rub the back of his neck, "Huh...yeah I 'm not sure. I huh, haven't been into clubbing that much lately. Plus, we had plans, why would I break our plans?"

I smiled lightly at him, "What you've got no...shoot, what did she call them again? Puck rabbits?" I asked, bringing up the conversation I had with Melody months ago.

He laughed, closing his eyes and letting his whole face become overcome with the laugh, I smiled as I watched him. This guy was so special. And I couldn't get over how he acted during the whole thing with Markus. I didn't understand how he was so willing to jump in there and defend me and say all those things to him. It made me feel important, and like I was worth of someone caring about me. And...more than anything...I was happy that Tyler was the one showing me all of that.

"Puck bunnies!" he corrected with a soft smile as his laughter subsided.

I laughed and nodded, "Sorry, right puck bunnies! You've got no puck bunnies on speed dial or somethin?"

He snorted, "I mean...technically, yes. But no. I huh, I haven't talked to them in a while. Maybe I'm growing up," he sending me a wink that made my heart flutter.

I smiled a little back at him, "Maybe," I teased.

He smiled at me, "Or maybe it's because I met you," he said, looking away from me, "you mean a lot to me, Rae. And...I don't know...maybe knowing someone like you exists out there...I dunno, I feel like it makes me want something real."

I smiled at him, "That's actually really mature," I told him.

He nodded, "I want a girl exactly like you, Rae."

I breathed out a small laugh, feeling my face flush, "Someone is out there for you," I told him.

He hummed and looked back at me, "She is...but she's got a boyfriend," he told me.

I diverted my eyes and looked back to the TV, letting my hair cover my face to hide the flush that had become more intense on my face.

"That's a shame," I breathed, still not looking over at him.

He chuckled lowly, "You think so?" he asked.

I smiled and nodded, pushing some hair behind my ear and finally looked back at him, seeing him with a small smile lingering on his face, "Yeah...any girl would be crazy not to be with you," I told him.

Just a tiny tinge of pink appeared on his cheeks, he cleared his throat and looked away, rubbing the back of his neck as he did so, "This girl isn't crazy," he said finally, still not meeting my eyes, "she's perfect."

I smirked and rolled my eyes playfully at him, "No one is perfect."

"You are," he said without missing a beat.

I laughed lightly and looked away, "I'm not," I said airily.

"Then you don't see yourself the way that I do," he told me, I felt him slide closer to me on the couch, "I wanna tell you so many things Rae...but I don't want to ruin this...whatever we have. You are one hundred percent, absolutely perfect to me, Raeanne Townson."

I smiled and looked over to him shyly, "You're pretty perfect to me too, Tyler," I whispered.

He smiled and me, and lifted his hand up to brush some of the hair away from my face, pushing it over my shoulder. And my world felt like it was stopping. He was looking at me, but he was leaning into me too. I was cemented in place. I couldn’t move into him and I couldn't move away from him. Just when his lips were just about to graze mine I moved my head.

"Ty," I whispered, not finishing my thought.

He sighed and sat back into the couch, "I know," he told me.

"I know, Ty, trust me I know," I told him, refusing to look at him; "I know that you probably think I'm stupid and that I'm wasting your time with all of my bullshit. And I know my relationship isn't healthy. I just...I wanna wait until the holidays are over with."

"What's stopping you now?" he asked me.

I sighed, "My conscious," I told him dryly.

"Rae," he began, but I cut him off instantly.

"Ty..." I started and sighed, "You have no idea how hard this is for me," I told him, "I know what I need to do, and I know what I want to do, and they're both the same thing! I am so scared to do this...I'm already so heartbroken over this, no matter how much of a jackass he has been to me. This is still my first love, my first everything, Tyler. This is something huge for me, and everyone pressuring me doesn't help. I just want to have a Christmas with my family and friends and then do what I have to do."

I finally looked over at him and he was nodding and looking away at the TV, "I get it," he finally said, "I mean...I don't like it. And I'm sorry if you've been feeling like I've been pressuring you or anything. I don't want to do that to you, Rae. I just...it's really heartbreaking to me to see you still with him after everything that's gone on."

I let my head fall back onto the couch with a huff, "I know. I know. But you've gotta let me do this at my own speed."

He sighed and fell back into the couch next to me, "Okay," he said, looking over at me.

I cracked a small smile and looked over at him, "Okay," I agreed.

--

"What the fuck, Raeane!" Mae yelled on the other end of the phone.

I gritted my teeth at the volume at which she was yelling, "Yeah," I mumbled.

"Okay, you're done with him," she told me as I stretched out on my bed.

I felt my lips lift up into a small grin, "When did you turn into mama and dad?" I asked recounting the conversation I had just had with them in the living room.

"He needs such a swift kick in the ass, Rae. I can't even believe this!" she ranted, "God, I wanna go to his apartment and kick his ass!"

I snorted, "Don't we all," I muttered.

"It's good that Sawyer came out to help, and then called Tyler," she told me.

I sighed, "I know. I just...God, I wish I could just go to sleep and then everything would be resolved and I could just go on with life."

"Yeah, and if wishes were fishes we'd all cast nets, Rae. So that means you're gonna have to women up and get this done with. For real," she told me.

"I know...Mae, I know. I want to wait until after Christmas and everything is done. I don't want this dampen my Christmas spirit," I told her.

"I tell ya, he's a moron. You need to end it. Seriously, Rae. It needs to be for real this time," she reiterated to me.

I moaned, "I know and it will be. I just had this big ol' lecture from mama and dad. Can we not?"

She sighed, "Fine," she agreed, "how's Tyler?" she asked me.

And immediately my face lit up and the anxiety I had felt seconds earlier was gone from my body, "Amazing," I answered.

"So," she drawled, "what do ya think? How are you feelings going with him?"

"I don't know, Mae," I said with a small smile.

"Bullshit!" she called, making me lean up as I laughed.

"He means...just everything to me, Mae. But I don't know if I would say I love him," I mused.

"How did you feel when he was stepping up to Markus?" she asked me.

I bit my lip, "Like he was protecting me," I told her honestly, "it was a nice feeling."

She groaned loudly, "Then what's the problem here, Raeanne? This guy is head over heels for you and you're just fuckin traipsing along with this dumbass of a boyfriend still glued to you and you're not trying to fix it."

"That's not fair!" I cried.

She scoffed loudly, "How is that not fair?" she asked me, "You've this guy that is willing to get into a fight over a girl that he isn't even dating! He could have gotten his face smashed in, Rae! And you're just letting him hang around while you still fuck around with Markus! How is that right?"

I wiped my face to rid myself of the tears that had freshly fallen, "I don't know what I'm doing, Mae," I told her honestly, "I mean...I know what I need to do...I know I can't be with Markus. I know that," I lamented, "but it kills me. It just me so badly to know that I have to end it...not because I still have so much love for him or anything like that...I know we're not good together. I know we shouldn't still be together...but because he was my first love. I've been with him for six years, and the fact that its ending really does hurt me, more than he's ever hurt me."

I heard Mae sigh deeply on the other end of the line as I sniffled and closed my eyes tightly, "I'm sorry," she said quietly, "I know it must be hard for you, and I'm sure we don't help matters either...we just want what's best for you."

I breathed out a small laugh and opened my eyes again, "And what's best for me?" I asked thickly.

"Tyler. Not being with Markus," she said simply.

I rolled my eyes, "I get it."

"Do you?" she asked, "Because the past few months it doesn’t seem like you do. It seems like you've been opening your eyes and seeing that he's an idiot, but then you shut them just as quickly."

"This is all because y'all keep thinking about Tyler and wanting me to get with him and that's-"

"Rae, that's not what this is all about!" she cried, interrupting me, "This isn't a big ploy to get you and Tyler together! This is about making sure that you're happy and safe! If you didn't wanna date Tyler after this for some reason, then that's fine! We just wanna make sure you're okay! That's what it comes down to! Because you're not happy, and that's not how you should live your life!"

"I know I'm not happy," I said quietly, "I'm just scared, Mae. I'm really scared."

"You don't have to be scared," she said soothingly, "you have so many people backing you for this."

I took a deep breath and decided it was time to admit something, "Mae," I said lowly.

"Yeah?" she asked.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

"I think I'm falling for Tyler," I whispered.

A soft giggle erupted from her, "Well, at least you're admitting it."

"What if...what if after all of this, and Markus and I aren't together...what if Tyler doesn't want me anymore? What if he looks at me like I'm some sad girl that doesn't actually mean anything to him? What if he changes his mind about me?" I asked as my voice cracked.

"It wouldn't," she told me, "His mind wouldn’t change. He cares so much about you, Raeanne."

I sniffled and wiped my eyes once again, shaking my head, "I think I need to go, Mae. I just...need to think."

We disconnected the call and I laid in bed with some show playing in the background. I felt restless. I couldn't get comfortable. I couldn't get to sleep. I laid there for hours trying to shut my brain off but it just wouldn’t stop. Finally with a huff, I rolled out of bed and headed down to the kitchen. I knew there was ice cream and I wanted it.

I was surprised to see the light above the sink on in the kitchen, illuminating the room just slightly.

My dad was leaning against the counter holding a plate in one hand and a fork in the other. I saw his eyes widen when I walked through the door, and I couldn't help but laugh quietly.

"Cake at one in the morning?" I asked cheekily.

He continued to chew and swallow before answering me, "I do what I want," he shrugged.

I smiled as I went to the fridge and grabbed a pint of the Ben & Jerry's Funky Monkey then grabbing a spoon from the drawer; I went and stood next to him as he looked at me with a raised brow.

"Ice cream at one in the morning?" he asked mockingly.

I shrugged, bringing the ice cream to my lips, "There's calcium in it, its okay," I said before taking a bite, savouring how cold it was.

"What brings you down here?" he asked me.

I hummed, "Life troubles," I answered, putting my spoon back into the ice cream.

"Did Markus do something else now?" he asked me.

I shook my head absently, "No...he hasn't tried to talk to me or anything, actually."

My dad snorted and I glanced over to him as he scooped another piece of cake onto his fork, "Moron," he said simply before bringing the cake to his mouth.

"What should I do?" I asked quietly, leaving my spoon in the pint and looking at the floor.

"You know what you need to do, baby girl," he told me.

I nodded and felt the tears well up again, I turned slightly and put the pint onto the counter before facing properly again, "I'm just lost right now, dad."

He sighed and I heard the plate being placed on the counter behind us too, "I know it's hard, Rae," he started, "and you know we're gonna support you. But we can't sit around and watch this go on. Especially not after that."

He wrapped an arm around me and pulled me into him, "I know," I told him, "I just hate things are ending up like this."

"Better things are coming!" he told me, "Better things are already in front of you, with Tyler! Is he what you want at the end of all of this?" he asked me.

A tiny smile broke across my face as I looked up to my dad, "I think so," I told him honestly.

He smiled down at me, "Then what are you doing?" he asked me.

I shook my head, "I don't know," I told him, "my mind is just everywhere is all. I know I need to end it with him, and I know that I'm basically falling for Ty...it just sucks."

He breathed in, "You need to take control of your life, Raeanne. No one is the boss of your life, except for you. No one can tell you what to do or who to be with or anything like that. You know what's best for you. You know what your heart wants. You just have to listen to it and follow it, wherever that takes you, Rae. As long you're safe and happy, then we can't complain all that much."

"I want him," I whispered.

"Who?" he asked.

I leaned into him and rested my head on his chest, "I want Tyler."

"I think that's the most honest you've been with yourself in a long time, Rae," he said quietly to me.

I nodded, and looked up at him, "I think I'm gonna try and sleep, night daddy," I said, before turning, getting the ice cream, tossing the spoon in the sink and sticking the lid back on the container before tossing it into the freezer and jogging up to my room.

I didn't sleep. I looked up flights. I looked up flights to Nashville. I looked up the hotel Tyler was staying in...I booked a flight and a hotel...I didn’t even blink an eye. I didn't think about the fact that I was leaving Texas for the first time. I didn't tell Tyler. I didn't say anything to anyone. I just packed an overnight bag and that was that.

My flight was leaving at noon, so I knew I had to be there a couple hours early, and even then I would probably still need someone to hold my hand and take me around everywhere. And then I was nervous. I don't know my way around any type of airport, how the hell was I gonna figure this all out.

And the biggest question was...would Tyler even be happy that I was going out to surprise him?

Notes

The beginning of the end!! Let me know what you all think!!!!