The Lost World (randomname98766789 and Orion)

[randomname98766789]

“Have fun, but not too much fun.”

“I know, Mom. We’ll be safe.”

“Make smart choices, alright?”

“Always do.”

Eighteen-year-old high school senior Andrew Russo bid his parents goodbye, walking out of his medium-sized suburban home in Los Angeles. It was prom night – a night Drew would remember for the rest of his life. Paired with his athletic build, his tailored, black tuxedo was sharp-looking and well-fitted. The white, button-up shirt contrasted the dark jacket, pants, and gleaming shoes. Dressing up was on a list of Drew’s five least favorite things to do. It was always bothersome, throwing on khaki pants and a collared shirt during away games. Athletes were expected to look nice while traveling to away games – Drew was a star third baseman for Paul R. Williams High school.

It was safe to assume that he had never taken as much time to get ready for something as he did tonight. It was important to him – looking good for his prom date, making the night unforgettable. At six feet tall, he had an athletic build, around 160 pounds. His body was composed of ample muscle tissue, but by no means was he a body builder. His dark brown hair was combed back neatly, stiff from hairspray meant to keep it in place as it bumped against the roof of his father’s car.

It was a 2012 silver Ford Mustang. His stature caused his head to brush the roof of just about any vehicle, making it difficult to style his hair. Typically, Drew was found riding his trusty pickup, but for the special event, his father thought it was more fitting to take his date to prom in a something nicer. After meticulously checking himself out in the rearview mirror, Drew decided it was safe to leave.

Of course, there was no cause for preoccupation. His prom date was also his girlfriend of six years. It was not like she was going to suddenly find him unattractive. Yet, knowing how important of a day it was, perfection was the only way he would feel satisfied. The drive to the Clarke residence took about fifteen minutes. When those fifteen minutes, the male parked his car near the sidewalk in front of the Clark home. After stealing another glance in the mirror, Drew slipped out of the car, straightened up his shirt and jacket, ensured that his shirt was still tucked into his pants, then started walking towards the door. In his right hand, he was carrying a red rose. With his left hand, Drew pressed his index finger into the doorbell.

 

[Orion]

Alicia Clark had spent her life trying to achieve - but for one night she was simply going to be.

High school was coming to an end. In the coming weeks she would start her final set of exams, and within the next month she would officially be graduated. After that Berkeley awaited her, and once summer came to an end in three months time, she would begin a degree so that she could eventually end up a teacher and pass on her passion for learning and growth to youth who deserved to have someone in their corner. It was a strong goal in her eyes, and she found it very achievable.

Tonight, however was prom night. For one Friday she had the go-ahead to relax and kick back. It was hard for her to go in to off-mode, but she somehow managed. It helped that her mother was fawning over her in her dress, a pretty green number that matched the bright, brilliant hue of her eyes. There were slight, subtle ruffles to the skirt of the knee-length ensemble, and Madison Clark had spent probably an hour doting upon her eighteen year old's hair alone, turning the long brown locks in to a beautiful up-do, yet alone the amazing way she had done Alicia's make up.

The mother and daughter duo had finished up just in time for the doorbell to go off, and Madison went to answer it while Alicia slipped some strappy heels on. For the moment she wanted to make a big deal of things so she made her entrance just as Madison had welcomed Drew in to the house. "Why don't you look handsome," she cooed as Madison stepped away in to the living room. Even after six years, Andrew never stopped being the most attractive person that she had ever seen.

 

[randomname98766789]

Jaw-dropping. Breathtaking. Stunning. These were the only words that could describe the way Alicia looked. In fact, Drew’s mouth stood slightly agape when his eyes landed on the form in front of him. It was not a surprise – Alicia’s beauty was never a secret to him. There was just something extra about seeing this girl in a dress, makeup and hair all done fancily – it was a soft spot for him.

“Holy…” Catching himself, realizing that they were not quite alone, he reserved his swearing. Other than that, Drew was speechless.

Standing in front of his girlfriend, Drew took her left hand in his own, slowly raising it to his lips. Never did his eyes leave Alicia’s. Those green orbs stood out most to him, out of all the mouth-watering features of her body. Those eyes just glowed, always inviting him closer.

“You look like you should be modeling for a living.” Chuckling softly, Drew released her hand, slowly wrapping his arms around her shoulders.

Although the embrace was snug, Drew was careful to not screw up any of Alicia’s handiwork.

“I will be at the luckiest guy at prom tonight.” It was stated as if it were a fact, not an opinion. No, Alicia might not have been the head cheerleader or another star athlete. It often surprised everyone that arguably the most popular athlete on campus was dating a quiet, school-savvy girl. It need not make sense with anyone else, though. The only opinions that mattered were those two standing by the front door. Cheerleaders had nothing on Alicia Clark. His eyes were reserved for Alicia – Alicia alone.

Just then, the intimate moment was interrupted by the older Clark female, happily strutting into the room with her camera.

“I know you need to get going, but I need to snap a few pictures of you guys together!”

 

[Orion]

Alicia had also never cared if they seemed mismatched. As much as she wasn't a sports fan and couldn't care less about any game that didn't involve her boyfriend, she was Drew's number one fan. It had been that way since long before he became a star player at their high school, and would continue long in to their lives together. Why would he need a cheerleader when he had her at the sidelines of every one of his games, cheering him on louder than they ever could? (Okay, she spent a lot of his games going through social media on her phone because watching people run around a field wasn't exactly the most stimulating thing to be doing, but still - she cheered him on as hard as she could every single time he played.)

"Mom, you're going to make us late.," Alicia objected. They wouldn't actually be late if they stuck around for pictures, but she had never considered herself photogenic and do she was hoping that maybe she could get out of it by saying something like that.

Madison was not having it, though. Her little girl was growing up and she never got a chance to take pictures for her older boy's prom because Nick just didn't go - and who didn't go to prom? Of all things? Madison was getting her damn pictures, one way or the other.

"No, you won't. Two minutes won't hurt - get close." Being a typical teenager, Alicia rolled her eyes but gave in. Luckily, being close to Andrew came easy to her. Perhaps if she didn't fight it, it would be over with quicker.

 

[randomname98766789]

The reaction was adorable. Drew fought a laugh from escaping his lips. When Alicia stood close to him, the male draped an arm around the back of her neck, his hand resting at the top of her arm. Madison had the chance to snap a few pictures, asking for a couple different poses. Drew didn’t mind, not fighting anything that she requested. Soon enough, she was satisfied.

“Alright, kids. Have a great night. If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call.”

Luckily, there was enough of a rapport built between Drew and Madison that she trusted him wholeheartedly. Some huge speech about being responsible didn’t seem necessary.

“Let’s go, Princess.”

Holding the front door open, Drew watched as his girlfriend walked out. Madison bid them goodbye as they started walking towards his parked car. Drew decided to link their arms together while they approached the stylish vehicle, reaching down to pull open the passenger seat door open. When Alicia found herself seated, Drew closed the door, and walked around the front to get into the driver’s seat.

Once both parties were buckled into their seats, Drew took a deep breath before turning to face the love of his life. One hand gently rested on the side of her face, looking at her with a fond gaze. It did not matter how young they were. To him, he already knew that Alicia was his universe.

“I love you.”

Finally pulling away from her face, he settled for taking her hand, letting it rest on the console as he pulled out away from the front of her house, heading towards one of the country clubs that was rented out by the school for prom tonight.

 

[Orion]

"Well isn't this fancy," Alicia cooed as she laid eyes that awaited him. She should have known that Drew would have traded up his pick up for the night. After all, anything less than "all out" and were they even doing this right? As much as Alicia loved her boyfriend's truck (and all the time that they had spent in it) she also always loved the way that he tried to pull every rope he could for her. Together they made a really amazing couple (in her eyes at least) and Andrew never ceased to amaze her.

Once she had gotten in to her seat she straightened out the ruffles in her dress. Perhaps that was a trivial thing to worry about, but she wanted to look absolutely perfect for her boyfriend as he deserved nothing less. As he got in the passenger side door, Alicia couldn't even tear her eyes off of him. Drew normally looked absolutely stunning to her, but dressed to the nines he currently put his every day attire to shame. He was, quite literally, the most handsome man that she had ever seen.

"I love you, too," she replied. The sweetest, most in-love smile rode on the subtle curves of her full lips as she spoke, and the way she looked at him was just as affectionate. Had he not taken her hand first, she likely would have done that herself. "I know you're not big on dances and dressing up, but you're doing this for me. Thank you so much - I'm never going to have the words to show how much I appreciate all you've done for me."

 

[randomname98766789]

At the next stoplight, Tyler turned to face his prom date. “Oh, don’t worry about not having the words. I accept kisses, too.” Grinning, Tyler leaned over the console to steal one of those kisses from her lips, pulling back with an excited grin on his face.

“I love seeing you all dressed up like this, too. There’s just something so beautiful about you wearing a dress. I love it.” Similarly, Tyler was appreciative of Alicia dressing up for him. Seeing her in a dress was one of his many weaknesses when it came to her. This night was going to be fun for him, in more than one way.

While driving, Tyler kept his eyes on the road, but never hesitated to steal a glance from Alicia when it was safe. When they arrived at the country club, he parked his car in the parking lot, finally releasing her hand from his grasp. It felt odd, not touching her, even for a few seconds. When the girl emerged from her side of the car, Tyler decided they had a few seconds to spare. Both hands were resting on her waist, his forehead now leaning down to rest against hers.

“You are the most beautiful girl in the entire world.”

After relaying his genuine sentiment, Tyler kissed the girl one more time, holding it for a few seconds. When he pulled back, there was this goofy smile on his face – the young man looked completely in love, because he was.

“Alright. We should get moving inside now. Let’s go.” Linking her arm with his, he happily turned away from the parking lot, walking confidently into the club as he knew that his date was the best date of the entire school.

 

[Orion]

Red lights were perfect for kisses. Over the years, Alicia Clark had stolen many from her beloved at one. It would come as no surprise that she welcomed another, and luckily by now the red hue that coated her lips would have dries enough not to stain Tyler's own. She'd specifically chosen one that "didn't wear off" because she had a feeling that they would be doing a lot of kissing throughout the night.

They pulled up and her heart was aflutter. Tyler may have thought that he had the best date at the prom, but Alicia was sure that wasn't the case. After all, she was bringing him along. Nothing in the world could possibly be better. Tyler was hot and charming and somehow hers despite their differences. Not a day went by where Alicia didn't appreciate just how much that meant. She admired and appreciated her boyfriend and best friend more than anything in the world and she hoped that she made that very clear.

"Yes, my love - let's," the young brunette agreed as she gladly linked arms with her lover. Alicia's hand rested over her boyfriend's forearm as they stepped to1wards the country club. She wouldn't admit it, but she definitely wanted them to come off as the power couple to be jealous of as soon as they walked through the doors. Eyes on him - eyes on her. People should be jealous because nothing could possibly be better than their relationship.

 

[randomname98766789]

Beyond the dress, Tyler happened to enjoy seeing her with the red lipstick coating her lips. Obviously, he did not think she needed makeup. Many times, he has woken up beside her on a Saturday morning, hair all ruffled, morning breath, and looking like what she would consider a disaster. To him, though, she never lost that beauty. On the same token, there was just something so damn sexy about seeing her dressed up, from the outfit to he makeup. He could not help his enjoyment of it.

So, wearing that lipstick made him want to kiss her even more often. As they did walk through the doors, Alicia’s secret wish was coming true. Everyone looked at the couple, seeing how stylish they both looked, seeing how happy they both looked – Tyler adored having this relationship with Alicia. He did want everyone to be jealous, because he knew their relationship was pure.

Instead of going to chat with friends or instead of chatting with anyone else, Tyler was committed to making Alicia feel like the only person at the country club tonight. The music was already going, a relatively slow song playing. So, keeping their arms linked together, he started walking towards the floor. As good of an athlete he was, dancing was not his forte. It seemed like he had no balance at all on a dance floor, even though it was opposite on the playing field.

“May I have this dance, Alicia?” Tyler asked, a quirky look on his face, the smile still spread from ear to ear.

 

[Orion]

It seemed that the pair had a similar idea in mind. Like her boyfriend, Alicia wanted to at least start her night off with a dance. Whether he was amazing at dancing or not, she still loved Tyler and the fact that he would give it a shot for her meant the world. No one had to be perfect, and part of why Alicia loved Tyler was that he was not afraid of his weaknesses. He did not try to weasel out of dancing with her, and even offered himself - he could have stepped on her feet a thousand times and she still would have found this night to already be perfect.

"I would love that," she returned with a sweet smile as she held her hands out to her boyfriend. The song was a near-perfect choice as it was one of her favorites - and hopefully her favorite would play later on in the night. If so, Tyler would definitely be roped in to a second dance. Alicia herself wasn't the best dancer, but she was the kind of person who believed that at least trying mattered more than whether or not things went flawlessy.

In the end her arms draped around her boyfriend's shoulders. All she could do was watch him with pure adoration in her eyes as she started to sway. "Thank you for coming here with me," she said to him. Even if it was expected to take your partner to prom, Alicia was genuinely grateful. "I can already tell that we're going to have an amazing night."

 

[randomname98766789]

“Thank you for allowing me to come with you.” Tyler responded with a soft voice, flashing her that signature smile of his. Alicia could have taken any guy to prom that she wanted, yet he was the lucky guy. He knew that Alicia was the kindest, most beautiful girl at school. She could date anyone she wanted, she could do whatever she wanted. It was an honor that they had this relationship. Tyler never took it for granted. He pressed a kiss onto the top of her head while swaying. Indeed, he did bump into her feet a few times, but he tried to compose himself.

Even though he knew that the skill of dancing was not a big deal, Tyler wanted to at least dance presentably with his girlfriend. One hand rested in the center of her back, the other rested along her hip. Tyler kept their eyes locked together while the slow song was moving to an end. It just felt appropriate to shower her in love and affection, right now, so that was exactly what Tyler did.

“I’m so excited to see what our future holds. I know we can do anything together. College is going to be so much fun with you.” As if there was not enough evidence already to prove that they were meant for each other, Tyler was also going to Berkley. They did not exactly intend to go to the same school on purpose, it just happened. He would have a scholarship for sports, plus, his grades (not as high as Alicia’s), were still enough to get in as he worked hard, these last couple years of school, wanting to get into a good college. They both adored Berkley and there was no future trouble of a long distance relationship. Even if there was, Tyler knew they would have been alright, but it would have been a lie for him to say that he did not look forward to college even more.

 

[Orion]

Alicia found his blunders to be adorable; Tyler was strong, and lithe on the field - but a little dance challenged his dexterity. Nothing was enough to ruin that perfect moment for her, and as the song ended it was only right to hold him close. Typically Alicia always wanted to have her boyfriend around, but in that moment it felt vital. Their high school days were coming to an end, and a youth spent in love would turn in to an adulthood. This was the start of the rest of their lives, and she had no doubts that they would spend it all together.

"I'm so glad that you got in to Berkeley," she said as she leaned in for a kiss. Even if they weren't going for the same purpose, Alicia was incredibly grateful that she would get to spend the next few years still at his side. As much as she could have managed to live on her own had she needed to, she had no desire to part from her beloved. Even if they would have been able to see each other during summers and breaks and maybe even weekends if they had gone to schools close enough, Alicia had dreaded the thought that they may be apart. His acceptance letter had been a thrill for the pair of them.

"It's going to be amazing, babe," she said as she continued to hold on to him even though the song had ended. Her mind was starting to wander as she though of what the future would bring. "Pretty soon we're going to have to go apartment hunting - find something small and hopefully reasonably cheap to make our own. Books everywhere! And I'm totally going to plaster an entire wall with pictures." A few years back, Alicia had got her hands on a polaroid camera. By now, she had a drawer in her bedroom that was nearly full to the brim of pictures she had taken, mostly of them. "You can... I don't know, cover the opposite one in sports team flags or whatever kind of decoration you want. It'll be the perfect mix of both of us."

 

[randomname98766789]

Hearing Alicia talk this way brought a smile to Tyler’s face. “That sounds perfect, Princess. I can’t wait.” Living with Alicia was something Tyler dreamed about. It did not matter how young they were – he knew they could make it on their own. It seemed like couples their age got a bad reputation: in-and-out of relationships every few months, getting married way too early, living together too soon, among other things. Tyler had no doubt they were not part of that mold. They would live together in an apartment, they would face the challenges of being together in the same place all the time and overcome it together. Tyler loved the idea of asking her to marry him, but he figured it was best to wait until after they graduate college and prepare to start the rest of their lives together. At the same time, he was attempting to not think too far ahead yet. They still had this night and the rest of their senior year remaining. There was no use of rushing anything. Neither of them were going anywhere.

The next song was a little bit faster, but that did not change how close he hovered around his girlfriend. They continued to dance together until mostly everyone was taking a break to grab some of the punch or a snack. They ended up mingling with a few friends for a bit, but not very long. Tyler was soon pulling Alicia back out onto the dance floor. Soon enough, it was time for the crowning of the prom King and prom Queen. The Queen was awarded first, being arguably the most popular girl at school, also the head cheerleader. The King was none other than Tyler.

Their school had a tradition – the dance between the King and Queen. The girl stood there, waiting for Tyler to join her on the dance floor, but if anyone actually expected him to even look at another girl that night, well, they were dead wrong. Instead, he looked at Alicia, deciding to pull her out onto the floor instead while the song started playing. In a sweet gesture, he pressed a kiss to the back of her hand, letting the other one of his rest onto her side again, now swaying and dancing with his girlfriend, just as he wanted.

 

[Orion]

Alicia's night went by amazing. Even if he wasn't the best dancer Tyler sure did his damnedest, and even when they were socializing or grabbing something to drink instead of on the floor she was still happy. Not a moment had passed that wasn't perfect, partially because he had kept close to her throughout the night.

When it came for prom king and queen, she had known of thw tradition. Because of that, as soon as Tyler's name was called a littl bubble of jealousy formed within her. Not only was he going to have to leave her for a bit, but it would be so another woman could touch him. As much as possible, Alicia liked to keep her boyfriend close. While she could handle separation, every part of life was just better when he was close. Basically, Alicia had clingy tendencies.

She should have known her boyfriend better. When he grabbed her hand to pull her on to the floor, she was genuinely surprised. However, she was also thrilled. She giggled and laughed as she became the center of attention. "You are too perfect," she said with admiration in her eyes as they swayed together. "You've made this whole night perfect. I love you."

 

[randomname98766789]

“I love you, too.” Tyler responded without hesitation, returning the kiss.

Saying that they were the center of attention felt like an understatement. Every eye was on them, every eye was shocked at what happened. Never before could anyone recall something like this happening. In reality, maybe a simple dance did not mean anything. It was just tradition, after all. It was not unlike two people danced together at this point in prom that were not dating. Despite that, Tyler held himself to a high standard. Hell, he barely even looked at another girl, yet he was expected to dance with one? Hell no.

Soon enough, everyone just awkwardly moved back about their business, going back to their dancing partners, letting the attention fizzle away. Tyler soon gently rested his forehead against Alicia’s while they swayed, closing his eyes as he held her close.

“You complete me. You are everything to me.” After telling her this, Tyler opened his eyes and gazed into those beautiful, deep green orbs of hers. Then, his head dipped down, pressing his lips right over where her heart was located. “Mine.” Tyler whispered, loving any chance he was given to shower her in love and affection, this action included.

 

[Orion]

Tyler was everything that Alicia could have wanted. She was crazy to think that even for a moment he would take his eyes off of her, tradition or not. He consistently proved himself to care for nothing but her and it was in moments like this that she felt his devotion most. Because of that, Alicia couldn't help but hold him close.

The attention may have dissipated, but the romance hadn't. Alicia's heart fluttered in her chest and she couldn't tear her eyes off of her lover's form. A soft smile rested peacefully on her lips as he pressed a kiss ti her heart. What other option was there than returning the gesture. She moved in close - closer - and kissed above his heart in return. "Always - just as you're mine. You've made tonight absolutely perfect."

 

[randomname98766789]

“I’m glad to hear that. I feel the same way about tonight as well. I think that this night is perfect. I love you, so much.” Honestly, Tyler was still struggling to get over just how beautiful Alicia looked. His attention was all for Alicia right now, his eyes bright and alive. One hand rested at the back of her neck, the other rested on the small of her back. His movement stopped, leaning down so he could press a kiss onto her soft lips again. Kissing Alicia was Tyler’s favorite thing to do, no matter what. However, when she was wearing lip stick or gloss, it was just even more appealing to him.

The male enjoyed kissing her right now, letting his tongue slide over her bottom and upper lip, peeking inside of her mouth. This was a kiss not safe for a place like this, but he was careful that no adults could see them while they made out, now closer to the corner of the room. “I can’t ever get enough of kissing you.” He admitted softly against her lips, the smile growing on his, even wider than before once he pulled away from his girlfriend’s lips. “You look so good in that dress, Princess. God, you’re driving me crazy.”

 

[Orion]

Tucked away out of prying eyes, Alicia met her boyfriend's kiss with enthusiasm. Tyler wasn't the only one who couldn't keep their hands (and lips) to themself - she was the same way. It was a perfect ending to a perfect night. Tyler had made prom everything that she could have hoped for and then some. If she could have she would have stayed there forever with him - stayed in this moment.

However, eventually things had to come to an end. People started leaving - many with parties to attend to. "Last dance" was announced and the happy couple shared it together. Like the rest of the night it was perfect. As it ended Alicia held in to her boyfriend and rested her head against his chest. "Suppose we should get going eventually," she mused.

 

[randomname98766789]

The night ended with the couple foregoing after-prom parties in favor of hanging out with each other. Tyler safely retuned Alicia to her home, spending the night, cuddled up with her on the couch. Over the next few days, they were forced to return to the reality of their senior year with the final push for classes and graduation starting. That week, Tyler saw more of his classmates miss school than ever before. There was a nasty strain of the flu going around.

One morning, before school, Alicia text him frantically about her situation: Nick was found, hit by a car, high off his mind. She, her mother, and Travis were at the hospital. Tyler wished to be with her, to comfort her, but it was not a possibility yet. When lunchtime rolled around that day, Alicia let him know that she was finally at school. So, instead of going to the cafeteria, Tyler found himself waiting underneath the bleachers, right outside of school, intending to meet Alicia in their usual meeting spot when they sneaked around during lunch.

 

[Orion]

Alicia loved her brother, she really did. When they had been younger he was her favorite person in the whole world. His drug use got to her, though. It was something that had started in her early teenage years and had only gotten worse in the two since their father had died. The vanishing acts became more frequent as did the rehab. Each and every time he swore it would be the last relapse, but it never was. That on its own was normal to her now, as bad at that sounded. This time he had gone and gotten himself hit by a car, though. It was hard not to care about that and she had spent the morning by his side.

By the time that lunch came she just wanted to be with her boyfriend, though. Luckily, Madison was still coming in for the latter part of the school day, so she was able to show up. Tyler didn't even have to tell her where he was waiting for her because they had a normal spot where they would hang out. While she first stopped to drop her backpack off at her locker, within a couple minutes she was at the back of the field and she snuck behind the bleachers. "Hey," she said to Tyler as soon as she saw him. "Sorry that I wasn't here this morning, things were... hectic. I'm here now, though." With that, she gave him an apologetic smile even though she knew that she wasn't in trouble. Seconds later she held her arms out as she wanted him to come over and hug her.

 

[randomname98766789]

The Nick Clark situation was devastating. Tyler was involved enough with the Clark family to witness it firsthand. As if the whole drug addiction was not bad enough, Madison often overlooked Alicia in favor of Nick. It was one of the main reasons Tyler made such a point to make Alicia feel like she was the only girl in the world. Tyler wanted the brunette to feel like she mattered, even when Madison made her feel the opposite: To him, Alicia literally never came second. She was always the center of his universe. “Don’t apologize. You’ve done nothing wrong. This isn’t your fault.” More than anything, he recognized that making Alicia feel better was paramount. Approaching her, Tyler pulled Alicia into one of the tightest hugs they ever shared. “I love you. You’re going to be alright.” He knew how Nick was doing, what the prognosis was, so, he was focused on her right now.

“Come on. Let’s sit down, Princess.” Pulling her towards the back, Tyler sat down onto the ground. Then, he pulled Alicia down with him. His back was against the bleachers. Her back was now pulled against his chest, positioning her so she could sit in the middle of his legs. Tyler’s arms wrapped around Alicia from behind, his lips pressing soft kisses along her neck, focusing on her sensitive areas. “You told me how Nick was doing, but how are YOU doing?” Tyler asked, nuzzling his nose against her cheek. It was all about her right now. Tyler was there for her; always there for her. This afternoon was no different.

 

[Orion]

Alicia sighed as her boyfriend's body engulfed her. His mere touch was enough to make her feel a little more relieved, and she was going to make the most of it. Tyler always did her best to make her feel like she was the only thing in the world that mattered and often that worked. As soon as they touched, some of her hurt faded away. It was no secret that her mother had picked a favorite child and it wasn't her. Tyler would have witnessed that again and again each time that Nick continued to be her priority. Yes he was the sick one, yes he was the one who needed help - but he was also an adult now. Alicia wouldn't even be eighteen for another few months. If anything, her minor child should have been the priority.

"I know I am, but I just really hate that I have a brother sometimes." Alicia really did miss the days when her and Nick were close, but they were long gone now. She walked by Tyler's side until they found their spot in the back, and she gladly sat between his legs. After settling down, she leaned back against him. "I'm alright, I guess. Is it bad that I just... wish he hadn't shown back up? Things would be so much easier if he didn't. I'm a lot better now that I'm with you, though. I love you so much - you're always here for me and just your touch makes me feel better. Thank you for being so amazing."

 

[randomname98766789]

“Alicia, don’t think anything is bad about the way you feel.” Honestly, Tyler figured that Madison made Alicia believe that her feelings were irrelevant. She was probably used to her mother shutting down any talk about the way the situation made her feel. Madison forgot that she was not the only family member dealing with Nick. If anything, Nick’s situation had a greater impact on Alicia. “Family is tough. I get it. I have nothing comparable to your brother’s situation, but I see your struggle. I know how much you want your mother to pay more attention to you. I don’t like the way she treats you, either. I hate seeing you feeling upset because of her. I will do whatever I can to make you feel better. I’m here for you, Alicia. You can talk to me as much as you want. Your feelings matter to me. You matter to me. You’re the center of my universe, my entire world.”

Call it drastic, because they were still in high school and often high school relationships did not work, but Tyler was honestly believing that he would not want to be with anyone else if he could not be with Alicia. She was everything to him. “I love you, too. You don’t have to thank me. You know I’m always here for you.” He decided to let her control the pace. If she wanted to talk about this, then he would allow it. If she wanted to distract herself from Nick and her mother, then they could talk about something else. He was letting her have control, his hand slowly stroking through her hair, the other gently rubbing her shoulders.

 

[Orion]

"Whether you're always here or not, I'm always going to thank you," Alicia said to Tyler as she spared him a sweet smile. One thing that she would always do was make sure that he knew just how much she appreciated every thing that he did for her. Alicia didn't care if that was as small as holding her hand or as big as taking her mind off of the messed up dynamic that her family had developed over the years. "Everything that you do for me means so much and I want you to always know just how much I appreciate that, babe. I'm never going to be one of those girls who takes your affection and devotion for granted."

Letting out a sigh, Alicia did her best to find comfort in her beloved. Luckily that was working well. "We should skip fourth," she suggested - fourth being the class right after lunch. She was a star student and though she had made the suggestion it was mostly fantasy. It would take more than a lost-and-found sibling to make her ditch. "You, me, down to the beach - I'm ahead in Spanish anyways. It would be so much better than being here."

 

[randomname98766789]

It made Tyler laugh quietly when Alicia suggested they skip class. Yeah, right. “Oh? Is my Alicia trying to be a bad girl now?” He teased, nuzzling their noses together. If she had been serious, though, Tyler would have skipped with her. “All you need to do is say the word, then we’ll head down to the beach. We’ll forget about everyone else. It’ll just be us two.” Tyler pressed his forehead against hers, his eyes closing. The thought was nice. Since they were still in high school, they were often supervised. Their true alone time was not something they often had.

“Whatever you want to do, I’ll do it, Princess.” Tyler assured her, capturing her full lips with another kiss. “What if you just lay your head down in my lap right now? Let me play with your hair a bit, we can chat, or stay silent – your call.” Even though getting one’s hair stroked seemed like it would basically only benefit that person, it was different. Tyler could literally lose hours at night, playing with her long, voluminous hair. It was something he enjoyed doing, actually. Tyler loved doing it, probably as much as she enjoyed having it done, so he was looking forward to seeing if she’d take him up on the offer.