Chapter 18 On Thursday, Dash somehow managed to talk me into going to Tyler's house. I hadn't planned on leaving the house. I'd spent most of the day lounging around, reading, watching the guys play video games. But then Dash came downstairs, dressed in a clean outfit, looking as casual as ever, saying to me, "Come with me to Tyler's." Thinking about it now, he didn't really talk me into it. He suggested it, I thought about it for a moment, then agreed to go. I figured we both needed a break from this house. At least for an evening. Dash waited patiently by my bedroom door, watching as I put on a skirt and the first top I could find. He was leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed and that small smile he always got. After grabbing a sweater to make sure I wouldn't freeze later at night, I turned to look at him with a tilt of my head. "Why do you even want me to come?" I asked. He shrugged, letting his eyes wander down my body. "Because I like having you around. Especially when you wear stuff like that." I pursed my lips and looked down at my skirt, picking at the upper layer before lifting it to reveal the conveniently sewn-in shorts underneath. "It's got shorts, so nobody will see my butt." He laughed. "That's good. Are you ready?" "Yes. Let's go." The drive to Tyler's was only ten minutes long, and as we got closer, the scenery changed into something more sophisticated. The road curved through rows of tall trees, and the houses started getting bigger and more spaced out, each one with their own long driveways and fancy landscaping. His neighborhood was in one of those gated lake communities, with posted speed limits and trimmed hedges and docks that probably cost more than our entire property. "Our lake is so much better," I muttered as we turned into the entrance and Dash slowed down for the gate to open. He looked over, raising a brow. "Elaborate." "Oh, gladly," I said, straightening up in my seat a little. "First of all, our lake has clearer water. You can actually see the bottom near the shore. This one's always murky and full of weeds. Second, ours warms up faster because it's smaller, which means it's actually nice to swim in, like, by May. And it's private. Totally on our property. No one gets to use it unless we say so. Which means it's clean and sacred." Dash laughed under his breath. "Sacred?" "Yes, sacred," I said, nodding. "You know what's not sacred? This lake. Full of giant, terrifying fish that brush up against your leg when you least expect it. I swear I once saw a snapping turtle the size of a tire here." He glanced at me, amused. "You've clearly thought about this a lot." I shrugged. "Some of us pay attention to important things." We finally arrived at Tyler's place. The house was massive. It was white with tall windows and a wide porch that wrapped around the front, bordered by white railings. The grass was perfect. It looked fake, but I knew it wasn't. From the driveway, I could see the lake behind it, the water was still, but it still gave me the chills when I reminded myself what all lingered in that dark water. Tyler came out to meet us as we got out of the car, barefoot and holding a beer in one hand. "Finally," he called out to Dash. "Took you long enough." Dash smirked as he stepped forward and pulled Tyler into a hug, both of them doing that quick, casual back-pat guys always do. They pulled apart after a second, smiling like seeing each other was the best thing to happen in a while. It was adorable. "How are you, man?" Dash asked with genuine warmth in his voice. "Good," Tyler replied easily. "Summer break's always a good time to lay back and relax. Needed it after the last semester." Then his gaze shifted to me, and his whole face softened as he held out a hand toward me. "Glad you came too, Bliss. Tia's excited to hang out." I shook his hand, but in the back of my mind, I couldn't help wondering if he really meant that or if he was just saying it to be polite. Tyler had always been one of those genuinely nice guys, but people like him didn't usually go out of their way to hang out with girls like me. And Tia? She was a few years older than me. I remembered her from school, always surrounded by people, always smiling, effortlessly popular. She was the girl everyone liked, and I was the girl who ducked out of side doors after last period to avoid the hallways. Still, I knew Tia had a good heart. She had never been cruel, and neither had Tyler. So I didn't feel anxious around them. Just a little unsure if they actually wanted me here. I gave him a small smile. "I'm excited too. Thanks for inviting us." "Anytime," Tyler said with a nod, then gestured for us to follow him. "Come on, let's head out back. Pizzas are already on the way." He led the way through the house, and Dash and I trailed behind him. As we stepped inside, I immediately was blown away by the interior. Sleek but warm, full of light and high ceilings and polished floors. There were all these little decorative pieces tucked into shelves, glass sculptures, vases, framed photos, and the chandelier hanging above the grand entrance was enormous. "Holy shit," I murmured under my breath. Dash shot me a grin and nudged my side gently with his elbow. Then he tipped his chin toward a massive wall of windows that looked out over the lake. "Wait 'til you see the backyard." I didn't even have time to respond. My mouth stayed open as we followed Tyler out through a set of glass double doors, and I was hit with a view that looked like it belonged on the cover of some luxury travel magazine. I'd seen places like this in movies and on the internet, but it never occurred to me that people in this town actually lived like this. The backyard was ridiculous. Not in a bad way, just...overwhelming. The lake stretched out in front of us, calm and glistening under the setting sun, the surface like glass. A huge patch of perfectly trimmed grass rolled down toward the water, with two small ornamental trees planted like they'd been placed there by a designer. And right in the center of it all was a large pool. It was long and rectangular, with a clear glass wall on one end that made it look like the water just spilled out into the lake. On both sides of the pool were four matching sun loungers, umbrellas, and neatly folded towels. To the right was a small bar with five sleek stools lined up at the counter. It all looked like a resort. Like something you'd pay a fortune for to stay one weekend. I didn't even know where to look. And just when I thought I couldn't possibly be more overwhelmed, Tia appeared. She walked toward us across the patio, barefoot, with the most radiant smile on her face. She looked like she belonged in this scene. Her dark hair was loose and shiny, her skin glowing in the sunlight, and her expression was so open, so kind, that I actually froze for a second. Her and Tyler made sense together. Not just because they were both good-looking, but because they seemed to move through the world with the same calm, easy energy. Like nothing ever rattled them, and no one ever dared to disturb their peace. "Bliss, hi," she said as she reached me, her voice warm and friendly. She lifted both her arms slightly, silently asking if a hug was okay. I hesitated for only a second before stepping forward. She was being sweet, and I wasn't going to shut that down. I let her wrap her arms around me in a soft hug. "Hi," I said quietly. "I was so excited to hear that you were coming too," she said as she pulled back, but her hands stayed gently on my elbows. "I wouldn't have wanted to sit out here with these two alone all evening." She gave my arms a little squeeze, and her gaze went to Dash for a split second. Her voice lowered, but her smile stayed the same. "I've always admired your relationship with your family. You hanging out with Dash so much is truly nice to see," she added. "I wish I was this close with my brothers and cousins." "Oh, uh..." My mind blanked for a second. Instantly, it went to the worst possible place. To all the moments that made my relationship with Dash and the others too close. My intrusive thoughts practically begged me to say something unhinged, but I reeled them in with effort. "I'm excited to be here," I said instead, managing a normal smile. Tia turned to greet Dash with a hug too, then led us over to a seating area by the pool. There were big, cushioned lounge couches with a low table in the center. I sank into one of the seats and turned toward the lake to take in the view. As much as I hated the idea of swimming in this lake, I couldn't deny that the view right now was breathtaking. "So, Bliss," Tyler said after a few minutes, his tone casual but curious. I turned my head toward him. "Any big plans after summer?" Normally, guys like him wouldn't even pretend to care about my life. But Tyler wasn't asking for show. His voice didn't have that performative edge. He was looking at me like he genuinely wanted to know. "I'll be working at The Old," I told him with a tight smile. "Ah, so no college?" he asked, and it wasn't in a judgmental tone at all. Just matter-of-fact. "No," I said. "Never really planned to go to college." "It's not all that special," Tia said, jumping in. "If it weren't for my parents, I wouldn't have gone. I'm glad we're graduating next year." "What would you have wanted to do instead?" I asked her. "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. "I'm not used to other girls being so nice to me," I admitted. "I know," she said. "But that's not your fault. It's theirs for not seeing how special you are." From across the room, Dash's voice cut through. "You okay over there?" Both Tia and I turned to look at him. He was seated in front of the TV, controller in hand, but his eyes were on me. "Everything's perfect," I said. He gave me a look. He didn't fully believe me, but he nodded anyway. I turned back to Tia, and all I could think was that I wanted more of this. More of her. More quiet girl-to-girl moments that didn't come with judgment or competition or forced smiles. I didn't know if she'd want to be friends after tonight. But I knew one thing for sure: for the first time in a long time, I wanted one. A real friend. One that wasn't my brother. Or cousin. Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!