Chapter Eighteen

SOLANA

Monday drags on like any other. By the time I get home, the apartment is quiet. Too quiet.

Tyler isn’t here.

Relief washes over me, but it’s quickly followed by guilt. I shouldn’t feel relieved when my boyfriend isn’t home. I shouldn’t be scared of his presence. But after what he did—

I shake my head, pushing the thoughts away. If I let myself dwell on it, I’ll spiral.

I set my bag down and head straight to the bathroom, avoiding my reflection in the mirror as I splash cold water on my face.

Aiden.

The thought of him catches me off guard.

I don’t know why I sat with him today. I don’t know why I asked him to get coffee with me. Maybe I just… needed something different. Someone different.

And he was safe.

At least, that’s what it felt like.

I dry my hands and step out of the bathroom, collapsing onto the couch. My phone buzzes on the coffee table, and for a second, my heart jumps, thinking it’s Tyler. But when I pick it up, my screen flashes with a text from my mom.

Mom: Hey, sweetheart! How’s everything? We miss you! Hope Tyler’s taking good care of you ❤️

I swallow hard. My fingers hover over the keyboard, but what am I supposed to say?

That he hits me now? That I don’t feel safe in my own home? That the only time I’ve felt like myself in a long time was sitting next to a quiet, awkward boy in literature class?

Instead, I type out the same lie I always do.

Me: I’m good, Mom. Miss you too ❤️

I set my phone down and let my head fall back against the couch.

Good. I’m good.

If I say it enough times, maybe I’ll believe it.

I stare up at the ceiling, my mind drifting back to today.

To Aiden.

The way his dark brown eyes darted away when I caught him staring. The way he hesitated before answering my questions, like he was overthinking every word. That slight dimple in his cheek when he smirked, like he wasn’t used to smiling much but couldn’t help himself.

It was… nice.

Simple. Easy.

Unlike everything else in my life.

I shake my head, almost laughing at myself. What am I even thinking? It’s not like Aiden and I are friends. We’ve barely spoken before today. But still, there was something about him—something different.

Something safe.

I’m so lost in thought that I don’t hear the front door open.

Tyler’s voice snaps me back to reality.

"Hey, baby," he calls, his tone casual, like nothing ever happened.

I sit up, my muscles tensing as I watch him walk in. He tosses his keys on the counter, stretching like he just had the best day of his life.

"You didn’t text me when you got home," he says, giving me a look like I’m the one who did something wrong.

I swallow down the bitterness rising in my throat. "I didn’t think you’d care."

His expression flickers—just for a second—before he plasters on that perfect, easygoing grin. The one everyone else sees. The one that makes people believe he’s perfect.

"Of course I care," he says smoothly, walking over to me. "Don’t be like that, baby."

I don’t move as he leans down, pressing a kiss to my temple.

"You look tired," he murmurs, his hand sliding down my arm. "Did you miss me?"

I want to say no. I want to tell him that for once, I didn’t spend my day waiting for his next mood swing. That for the first time in a long time, I sat with someone who didn’t make me feel small.

But I don’t say anything.

Because I know how this game works.

Tyler pulls back slightly, studying my face. "You okay?"

I force a smile. The same one I always wear when he looks at me like this—when he’s pretending to be the guy I used to love.

"Yeah," I lie. "I’m fine."

Tyler grins, running a hand through his hair. "How about we cook something together? Like old times?"

I blink at him, caught off guard by the sudden shift. Cooking together? We haven't done that in forever.

He nudges me playfully. "Come on, Sol. We used to have fun doing that, remember?"

I hesitate, but I know better than to say no when he’s in a good mood. So I nod. "Okay… what do you wanna make?"

Tyler grins, already heading for the kitchen. "Something easy. Pasta?"

I follow him, watching as he pulls out a box of spaghetti and some ingredients from the fridge. He starts boiling water while I chop up some garlic. The atmosphere is surprisingly light, and for a moment, it almost feels normal.

Almost.

"Bet I can cook the pasta better than you," he teases, bumping his hip against mine.

I roll my eyes. "You literally burnt pasta, Tyler."

"Okay, that was one time," he says, laughing. "And in my defense, I was distracted."

I smirk. "By what?"

He leans in, lowering his voice. "You, obviously."

I shake my head, but a small, unwilling smile tugs at my lips.

We move around the kitchen, stealing bites of cheese, flicking bits of flour at each other when we get out the bread. At one point, I turn to grab something, and Tyler playfully wraps his arms around my waist from behind, swaying me side to side.

It’s… nice.

This version of him—the charming, carefree Tyler—is the one I fell for. The one I wish was real all the time.

By the time we finish cooking, we’re both laughing, and the tension from earlier feels almost forgotten. Almost.

We sit down to eat, and Tyler watches me closely, a soft smile on his face. "See?" he says. "We still have fun together."

I nod, chewing slowly, forcing myself to believe it.

Because if I don’t—if I let myself think too much—I might remember all the reasons this moment won’t last.

Tyler leans back in his chair, his gaze soft as he watches me eat. There's a warmth in his eyes that makes me feel... confused. It’s like he's trying to show me that everything is fine, like nothing happened. But deep down, I can still feel the sting of his words from last night, the impact of his anger.

I swallow, pushing the uncomfortable thoughts aside, and take another bite of pasta. I don't want to ruin the moment. Not now.

"See? Told you it would be fun," Tyler says with a smile, his voice light, teasing.

I nod again, trying to match his energy. "Yeah, it’s nice."

He smirks, clearly satisfied with my response. "Good. I like this side of you. You should smile more, Sol. You look so much better when you do."

I freeze for a second, a lump forming in my throat. There’s a part of me that wants to believe him, that wants to think everything can go back to how it was. But I know it can't.

Not when everything feels like a lie.

I look down at my plate, poking at the pasta absently.

Tyler notices the shift in my mood. His smile fades slightly, and he leans forward. "What’s wrong? You okay?"

I blink, trying to focus. "Yeah, just… tired," I say, not wanting to get into it.

He reaches across the table, brushing his hand over mine. "You sure? You know you can talk to me about anything, right?"

I nod, forcing a smile, but it feels weak.

Because I can’t talk to him about anything. Not really.

I think about Aiden again. The way he’d looked at me—how different it felt to talk to him. I shake the thought away. I can’t go there. I shouldn’t.

Tyler squeezes my hand, and I force myself to focus on him. "I love you, Sol," he says softly. "I’m sorry if I’ve been a jerk lately. I just... I get caught up sometimes. You know how it is."

I nod again, even though part of me doesn’t believe him. "I know."

I don’t say anything more, but the words hang heavy in the air. They don’t make everything better. They don’t erase what he’s done, what he’s capable of.

But I don’t have the energy to argue right now.

I just let the moment pass, trying to convince myself that it’s enough.

~~~~~~~

The day starts horribly and only gets worse from there.

First, the cramps. They hit me like a truck before I even get out of bed, sharp and relentless. I groan, curling up tighter, wishing I could stay here all day. But I can’t. Tyler would throw a fit if I skipped, and honestly, I don’t want to deal with that right now.

Then, Tyler himself.

He’s already up when I drag myself into the kitchen, scrolling through his phone like he doesn’t have a care in the world. I grab a mug and pour myself some tea, hoping he won’t say anything.

No such luck.

“You look exhausted,” he says, barely glancing up.

I press the warm mug to my stomach, ignoring him.

He smirks. “What? No comeback? Must be that time of the month, huh?”

I freeze, my grip tightening around the mug. Of course he’d say that.

“Wow. Thanks, Tyler,” I say flatly.

He shrugs. “I’m just saying. You get all sensitive over the smallest things.”

I slam my mug down a little harder than necessary. “Maybe you should stop saying stupid things, then.”

His expression darkens. “Watch your tone, Sol.”

I don’t. I grab my bag and head for the door without another word.

“Sol—”

The door slams behind me before he can finish.

~~~~~

The cramps don’t let up all morning, making every lecture feel ten times longer. I can barely focus, my mood souring with each passing minute.

And then, just to make the day perfect, Aiden is nowhere to be found.

I don’t see him in class. Not in the hallways. Not at the coffee shop when I stop to grab tea, hoping maybe—just maybe—he’d be there.

And I shouldn’t care.

I really shouldn’t.

But after yesterday.... I was really hoping to see him.

I sigh and push my tea away, staring out the window of the café. Maybe this is a sign. Maybe I should stop thinking about him at all.

My phone vibrates, breaking my thoughts. I glance at the screen, already knowing who it is.

Tyler.

I exhale sharply and pick it up.

Tyler: You’re still mad, huh?

Tyler: Don’t ignore me, Sol.

I put my phone face down on the table, rubbing my temples.

Maybe I should have stayed in bed today.

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