The drive back to Sage’s house was quiet, but not awkward. Sage chattered about something to do with a group project, and Tyler grunted occasionally from the backseat, clearly not listening. I stared out the window, trying not to look at him in the reflection.
Trying not to think about what he’d said.
The idea didn’t exactly bother me.
When we got back, Sage went straight upstairs to change for some workout thing she had later, leaving me and Tyler in the kitchen. He grabbed a bottle of water, glanced at me once—just once—and then muttered something about needing to check his bike and went out the back door.
I stood there for a long moment, toast crumbs still on the counter from this morning, the silence swallowing me whole. My pulse hadn’t slowed since the parking lot.
By the time ni
