Thinking Different Thoughts

J ø š h

How and why did Tyler taste like coconut? I mean, it was amazing, don't get me wrong, but just... How?? It was almost impossible! He never ate or did anything with coconut that would end up with him tasting like coconut, you know?

"What're you thinking about?" He asked, turning to look at me. I smiled and looked at the dorky ceiling as I played with his hair a little. I liked listening to him breathe. It was calming and made me feel safe. And happy that he was still alive. I really worried sometimes.

"'Bout what I'm gonna do to the fucker that beat you up," I said easily. I didn't want to tell him I was questioning the coconut taste or thinking about all the possible reasons he could have a taste like that.

My answer seemed to make him upset since he made the 'hmm' noise and looked back at the ceiling. I figured we would probably end up doing something today, since it was only Saturday, but I didn't really know. I wasn't exactly loaded money wise and Tyler still had to talk to his mom about why he had been in the hospital. But that wouldn't take too long.

"We should go swimming," he said lazy, waving his arm slowly in random directions above his body. I cocked an eyebrow, an action he couldn't see, and I waited for him to explain further since I didn't exactly understand what he was getting at.

"I mean, there's a pool here and I know a few people who I used to swim with a lot. Haven't in a while," he said. "We should do that like right now. Like, seriously," he sat up quickly and smiled at me. I laughed and propped myself up on one elbow. It took everything in me not to kiss his wonderful and excited face.

"I don't have swim trunks, though," I said. I wasn't against going, I just wasn't a huge swimmer. I would go if Tyler really wanted me to go, but if not then I wouldn't go.

"I have like four pairs. Don't worry," he laughed, standing up and searching the dresser.

I stood up, too and looked at the beds. It looked like a smarter plan than them being separate since we had been sleeping in the same bed lately. Maybe this would give us more room?

"Here," he said, not looking up as he held the black shorts out. A single red band and a single yellow band was all the colour these had.

I decided to make a joke. "Any other... Less colourful ones? This one's making me feel soft." I said.

"You are soft. Like a giant kitten."

"That better not be you talking shit about cats because I swear to god if you are."

"Nope. Compliment to cats, actually." He said, smiling. I felt like a child again when I put the swimwear on. As a kid, I would always wear a t-shirt when swimming and I usually wore a lot of black or blue. Now, I was again, except I had red-pink hair this time.

Tyler didn't have many bruises left, but I could still see the fading bruises and cuts. It was progressively making me more and more pissed off that I had to watch Tyler wince and struggle when he moved and I all the while he still refused to tell me who had beat him up.

"Stop staring, already," he grumbled. I looked up, realising I had been staring at his chest and arms.

"Who?" I asked again, this time softly. I closed the gap between us and pressed my forehead to his. "Seriously, Ty, why won't you tell me who it was?" I asked. I was actually a little hurt that he hadn't told me. Like he didn't trust me or something.

He shook his head, I guess his way of saying he wasn't going to tell me, and he grabbed his phone.

"Hayley, Jenna, Jack, Vic, and Frank are coming, too." He said. "Sorry ahead of time if they are a little uneasy around you. They kinda only remember you from the beginning of the year..."