Bitch love.

"You're angry."

I tear my gaze from the trees we are wheezing past and put on what I hope is a clueless face.

"What could you possibly mean?"

He raises a brow and chuckles.

"You've never been good at hiding your feelings, Rapunzel."

I drop the act and his face changes from amusement to fear. I would be scared if I saw my sneer too.

"Shit! You are really mad."

"What oh what could you possibly mean?" My voice comes out saccharine and even manages to grate on my eardrum.

"Look Rapunzel, I am sorry you had to go through all that and I'm fucking grateful that you chose to stick with me through it. I couldn't have done it without you. I would get back at Monique for her words, I promise."

"Oh, I had a pleasant time with the old guys. I just didn't think I was needed seeing as you had your tongue down the throat of the person you claim to be trying to avoid!"

There. It's in the open now. I glare at the window, silently daring him to call me jealous.

"About that-"

"You know that I hate her! You know I would have done anything but go with you today because of her! You know what happened between us. So why did you have me come thinking I was helping a friend out when you would just betray me like that?"

I turn back to him when I feel the car slow to a stop.

"I didn't— I thought that, I'm.. shit!" That you are, Aaron. "I'm sorry Rapunzel. I couldn't resist, I mean, I could, I just— even though I know she cheated, I can't get myself to hate her. I suck at this. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I swear if I knew she would come unto me-"

"Save it. Really. Just take me home." Away from your pathetic apology.

"Rapun-"

"Shut up, Aaron. I hate you right now."

"Okay fine, I messed up. I wasn't thinking and what I did was insensitive but you really shouldn't be this angry. Georgette is my ex you know? We've been together forever and she's only been gone a year. We didn't exactly have a clean break up so I'm allowed to be vulnerable. I'm sorry for what I let happen but you need to suck it up too."

This does it. He doesn't get to dictate how angry I should be.

"Let me out. I'm walking home."

His stare almost makes me believe I have grown another head on my neck.

"Your house is ten minutes away if I drive really fast, Rapunzel."

Why, I didn't know that. Considering it's my house and all.

"Do you even realize how impulsive you are being right now? I won't let you walk home at night, looking like that." I disregard his gaze on my dress.

So now you look?

"Well I'm pretty confident were I to come across a pervert, they wouldn't be worse than you. They wouldn't lure me in with a false promise of rekindling a friendship only to hurt me in the end. They'll go straight up to the hurting and spare me the pain of hoping!"

I relish the look on his face. Broken.

Guilty.

Comprehending.

I reach over and unlock my door, slamming it shut so he understands just how upset I am.

'Just like old times' my foot.

His car roars to life and speeds off. He doesn't take the u-turn so at least I know he isn't going back to suck faces with Georgette.

Good, let them be miserable tonight: they deserve it.

There are no stars in the clear sky so I pretend the moon is guiding me. The street lights give an eerie yet magical feel as I count my heartbeat whilst looking around for any potential threat.

Like boomerang, my thoughts return to her.

She wore a snug beige long-sleeved shirt tucked into a black pleated skirt.

A gold belt sat on her waist and accentuated its size and curve.

Her shirt had a low neckline so she wore a choker with a gold stud in the middle and matching earrings. She wore minimal makeup making her face look innocent.

Her pale blond hair was let down in waves and her doe-like eyes were the picture of innocent curiosity. I know the calculating viper under that sea of blue though, and I wasn't fooled for a second.

You always did have impeccable timing.

She wasn't being sarcastic. She was waiting for me, but how did she know when I would come up?

My impeccable timing apparently.

Why would she want me to interrupt their make out session? It just doesn't make any sense.

"Hey, Tequila." The voice that brings me out of my reverie is smooth as silk.

Black hair, brown eyes, gorgeous face and long slender figure, the last born of the Jonas family smiles down at me from his balcony, his white teeth a sharp contrast to his skin.

"Hey Tyler."

"I'll be right down. Don't go anywhere." As if I would dare.

Tyler has a nice scooter that can get me home comfortably: these heels are killing me. Curse you, Kingsley.

"So, what is the Tequila Wilson doing here? Last I checked, your house is way over there." He points in the direction of my house, emerging from the front door.

"Still is. I had a bad night and lost my ride so I'm braving it as an independent woman alone on the streets."

He studies me for a good minute. "Wanna talk about it?"

I don't know what possesses me to talk to Tyler about my feelings under the starless sky.

I don't know if it is a way to say fuck you to both Aaron and Georgette.

I don't know if it is his genuine smile and easy laugh.

I don't know if it is his dimples, although if it isn't, they definitely come a close second.

I don't know if it is because once, a long time ago, we had been friends.

I don't know if it is because I am also curious.

I just know I feel something akin to peace when I get everything off my chest.

When I get to the part about Jonah, he holds me as I cry. I feel him stiffen when I tell him about Kingsley, and I swear I hear his heart break in the ragged breath he expels as I tell him about Aaron and Georgette.

"You are pretty strong to have ignored that ethnic slur. The last person to call me a negro was rushed to the ER. Said all black people are animals that think with their fists. His parents called me all the names in the book but Negro. They were scared as fuck." His laugh is so infectious I find myself joining in. His dimples are beautiful.

"Isn't that a bit counter productive? You just solidified his claim that coloured people are violent."

He shrugs. "There are some people you just cannot reason with. Besides, he was one to talk. They weren't just white. They were Albinos. Bleached albinos. The idiots were practically transparent! No offense to albinos or anything but they chose to pick on my skin colour."

Another chuckle escapes me.

"Oh Tyler. Well, Monique said it to get a rise out of me. If I had reacted rashly, I would've given her the satisfaction she wanted. God, that woman is insufferable. It's no wonder Georgette turned out the way she did."

That stiffening again.

I have been feeling pretty brave all night so I watch his face and ask.

"What's your deal with Georgette, Tyler? I mean, everyone knows she cheated on Aaron with you but I feel like there's something more here."

He lets out a sigh and looks at the sky. I give up on getting an answer when he says the dreaded words.

"I'm in love with her, Tequila."

Some weeks before the grade 10 exams, Georgette cheated on Aaron with Tyler. It didn't come as a surprise to anyone in school. She and Aaron may have been in love at some point but during those last months, their relationship was loveless and frankly pathetic.

Students already placed bets on who would cheat or dump the other. So everyone expected the cheating. No one expected Aaron's reaction to the news though.

He went ballistic and bashed Tyler's face in. Words were thrown and the school had their scandal fix. It was such a big deal students from other schools got wind of it and there was even a PTA meeting about the hype it raised.

Frankly, many people felt sorry for Aaron, not because he was the victim of a cheating partner but because after Georgette dumped him for hitting Tyler, he was actually lost. He never expected it. He was truly blindsided.

After the summer, when grade eleven began and Georgette didn't come back, he built spikes round himself and kept to his closest friends.

We actually thought he was going to turn cliché and become a player because of what went down but he was exactly the opposite.

He reduced his interaction with girls who were not friends and refused to date.

There was a rumor that he had slept with someone to get back at Georgette the summer to Grade 11 but it immediately died down.

Tyler walked away from the fiasco with a few physical wounds and numerous emotional scars.

People threw all sorts of words at him and used the situation to bully him for being black.

He got the brunt of a horde of judgemental teenagers since Georgette hightailed it out of the country with her parents for a 'much needed vacation'.

Bitch.

All his friends turned their backs on him. I don't understand how he can love Georgette when she is the cause of everything he went through. When she is the cause of everything we went through.

"We all saw how strongly Georgette came on to you whenever Aaron turned his face away, Tyler. She made you lose your friends, made everyone turn on you. She made you an outcast while she was off sipping margaritas on some Fiji island. How can you say you are in love with her?"

He smiles like I just told a funny joke.

"Your sister is still dating the man who tried to rape you, and attacks you every chance she gets but you still love her. You are ready to deal with insufferable adults so Aaron won't feel lonely while having dinner with people he doesn't like because you love him, despite the fact that you stopped being friends years ago. Jonah cheated on you with a girl you introduced him to; a girl who was fast becoming your friend, yet you still love him. Somewhere under that hurt and anger."

He sighs.

"Georgette is... she's broken. I don't want to fix her, God no. Her cracks, her jagged edges fit my cracks like a fucked up puzzle. That's why I love her. I won't hold anything against her. I was at fault too and it doesn't matter that Aaron neglected her and treated her like a liability. She was with him of her own violation and he was my friend. I shouldn't have done what I did."

"Look, we've all made mistakes and we forgive ourselves for them. Believe me, it's easier to forgive others for their mistakes than it is to forgive yourself. I learnt to forgive myself so I don't hold her in mind."

He looks into my eyes, not in the least out of breath from his word vomit.

"We can't help who we fall for, Tequila. Don't hate Aaron for being weak around Georgette. Everyone thought he stopped loving her but Aaron, he loved her in his own way and I saw how hurt he was when he found out that his perfect relationship wasn't as perfect as he thought it was. Life is too short to hold grudges."

"Spoken like a true old man." I murmur, trying to lighten the mood.

I let his words stew in my head though, and suddenly, I feel times better.

He just chuckles and moves to his garage. He understands.

"Yes. Because nineteen is ancient."

He brings his scooter out and gestures for me to get on but I give him a tight hug.

"I love you so much, Tyler. I missed you so, so much. I'm sorry for not being here for you all this while because of my pride. I hated you for being their friend even after Georgette destroyed everything."

He holds me just as tight.

"I never picked sides, Tequila, you left us. But I forgive you and I'm sorry for everything Georgette did. I missed my little shortcake so much."

As my tears permeate Tyler's black T-shirt, I don't care that I am rekindling a friendship with someone who is in love with my enemy.

Tyler isn't automatically the enemy.

He is just Tyler; my brother from another mother.

And I am never letting go again.