Three

The week moved faster than I expected or maybe I was just too occupied with both school work and preparing for the party. I had to go shopping after school each day to pick out clothes and other things for Tyler and I, which was more difficult than I expected.

By Friday, I was beyond stressed, mostly because I had to do all the party preparations without Tyler who was oblivious of the party we were both attending and was still upset with me.

I stepped out of my mum's car in front of Tyler's house, and hurried to the front door. My finger was near the doorbell when the door swung open. "Good afternoon Mrs Peter." I greeted, stepping back quickly.

"Oh hello Jason, Tyler is upstairs." She hurried past me and entered my mum's car. They were having one of their 'ladies night' outings again.

I waved them goodbye before walking into the house.

"Is that Jason?!" A familiar feminine voice yelled from the kitchen. It was Clarisse, Tyler's older sister.

I smiled and walked into the kitchen. "Hi Clarisse."

"Hey Jason, what's with all the shopping bags?"

"Tyler and I are going for a party later tonight."

"How come Tyler has not disturbed me about it yet."

"Well he doesn't know about it yet."

"Whose party?"

"Kate Jackson's."

"How did you guys get invited?" She asked with a surprised look.

"How do other people get invited to a party, Clarisse?"

Clarisse snickered. "You and Tyler are NOT like other people."

I would have taken that as a compliment if I didn't know Clarisse too well.

I walked out of the kitchen without another word.

"Jason!!" Clarisse called rushing after me.

I ignored her and continued toward the staircase.

"Jason! I meant that in a good way!"

False!

"Please don't tell Tyler I said that."

I didn't spare her a glance or respond to her pleading.

"I'll drive you guys to the party." She said finally.

I loved it when she felt guilty.

~* ~* ~* ~

I stood before Tyler's room door wondering if I should knock or just walk in.

Wait, Why did I even think of knocking?!

I swung the door open and stared at Tyler for a while before closing the door behind me.

Tyler had his headphones on and his back facing where I stood. His fingers kept moving rapidly and his entire focus was on his laptop screen.

He was playing a game.

I picked up a sock from the floor,  squeezed it into a ball, aimed for his head and threw the sock.

It missed him completely and it hit his laptop screen instead.

I winced.

Tyler turned around swiftly, with anger spread evenly across his face. "WHY?!!" he yelled.

"I needed your attention." I replied.

"Your little stunt cost me my game!"

I tilted my head to the side to get a better view of his laptop screen, there was a bold 'GAME OVER' written on the screen.

I smiled at Tyler, but he did not return the gesture.

"All of this doesn't matter." I said conclusively.

"What?!" Tyler asked with more anger. "I was almost done with the level after numerous tries, and you ruined it!"

"Like I said it doesn't matter."

Tyler opened his mouth but closed it again. He looked angrier, but he refrained from trying to speak again, he just stared at me.

"I come bearing gifts." I said lifting the shopping bags with a wide smile,  hoping that it was contagious enough to change the look on his face.

"Wow."

The sarcasm in Tyler's voice was clear and the look on his face was not different from what it had been before I made my statement.

I guess my smile was not contagious at all.

I ignored his sarcasm. "We, my friend, have been invited to a party." I continued.

"I'm not interested." Tyler said flatly and turned back to his laptop screen.

What?!

Was he that upset with me to give up a chance to be at a party? Unlike me, Tyler really loved parties.

I was only going for this party for his sake, and he was not interested?!

"What do you mean by that?" I finally asked.

Tyler turned to face me again. "The last time you walked into my room 'bearing gifts', I found myself sitting hopelessly in a smelly apartment with a bowl of stale chips and some weird guys trying to make jokes."

"C'mon it wasn't that bad."

"You weren't even there!!!" Tyler yelled.

"It was not my fault, Alex came home late, so he couldn't drop me off at the party."

"Really? Was there a ban on taxis?"

I thought about it for a while before deciding it was best to discontinue this particular discussion. "It doesn't matter Tyler this is..."

Tyler cut me off with a hand gesture. "I really need you to stop saying 'it doesn't matter' please, its getting annoying."

"This is Kate Jackson's party."

Tyler raised a brow

"I'm serious, Tyler."

"You are lying."

"I am not lying, that was what we talked about on Tuesday."

"Then why didn't you tell me on Tuesday?"

"Because of your stupid Chemistry test."

"I still don't believe you."

I had nothing to say in response so Tyler continued. "Why would she invite us? I doubt she even knows our names."

"Sophia said she wanted to thank you for the 'A' you got her in your group assignment by inviting you to Kate's party."

"Really? Sophia said that?"

"Yes she did."

"Are you sure?"

"Tyler," I said calmly, "do you really think I care that much to lie about something like this?"

Tyler thought about it for a while "No. But how do I prepare for a party happening tonight?"

"I already have everything planned."

Tyler raised a brow.

"Trust me."

Tyler's room door suddenly swung open and Clarisse walked in "When does your party start?"

"10:00pm." I replied.

"Alright." She said and turned to leave, but she paused and turned back to us with a wide smile. "I made cupcakes, are you guys interested?"

"No." Tyler said dryly "You entered my room without knocking."

"Oh." Clarisse gasped, feigning an apologetic look. "Did I interrupt your ladylike bickering?"

Ladylike?! Really?!

"We were not  arguing." Tyler said firmly. He didn't seem to mind her choice of words and chose to focus on the false fact that we were not arguing.

"I could hear your bickering from downstairs."

"Whatever," Tyler said shoving her out of the room "just leave."

*~* ~* ~

Clarisse dropped us of at the venue of the party which was already crowded with human beings and a couple of cars.

"Bye guys!!" Clarisse yelled before driving off.

Tyler and I walked into the building filled with people and booming music.

The fresh air from outside was readily replaced with the stench of alcohol and perspiration.

"This is nice!!" Tyler yelled in my ear.

I nodded in affirmation.

But I would have preferred to wait outside until the party was over than to spend long hours in this smelly and disgusting environment.

"I'm going to find Sophia." Tyler yelled in my ear again.

I nodded in response and watched Tyler get lost in the midst of  drunk dancing, human beings.