Changing into some comfortable joggers and a long-sleeved shirt, I picked up my guitar and songbook. I needed peace. Today had been hell served with a large side of assholes.

It took a while before I eased into my normal routine and began coming up with new chords. After jotting down my new chorus, someone knocked on my door. Probably Aunt Debbie.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"It's me." A low voice said. Shit. Not who I was expecting. Didn't Tyler have a girlfriend to keep him busy? "Why haven't you answered my messages?"

"I'm busy. Go away." I used the angriest tone I could muster.

"I brought food." His tone was playful.

I was starving, but I was willing to starve until everyone went home.

"I'm not hungry."

"I know you haven't eaten all day. Just open the door, Ember."

The way he said my name sent shivers down my spine. Why did he have that effect on me? And how in the hell did he know I hadn't eaten all day?

But none of that mattered. "No. Just leave the food and go."

"We need to talk." Tyler wasn't budging from my door and it was pissing me off.

"No, we don't. You need to go downstairs and take care of your girlfriend." I said.

"Damn it." Footsteps moved away from my door.

Good. He was finally using his brain instead of his... other head.

Suddenly, my doorknob rattled, then twisted, and the door opened. I shot to my knees, ready to beat him over the head with my guitar. "I can't believe you broke into my room. What the hell is wrong with you?"

Tyler picked up two plates from the credenza and stepped into the room, glancing around. "Flowers? Brutal."

"What the fuck? I locked it for a reason. What if I was naked?" I whisper-shouted.

"I wouldn't be complaining." Tyler quirked his head to the side as he took me all in. "Shit. You play guitar, too?"

Glancing down at my guitar, I fell to my mattress with a huff. "Yeah, why?"

"I just heard downstairs that Nancy Trillo is coming out of retirement to prepare you for the talent show and some big audition, and now I'm finding out that you play the guitar. You're super fuckin' talented, aren't you? What else do you do? Do you sing?" Tyler balanced the dinner plates on my bedside table before he snatched my songbook off the bed.

"Hello? No! Give it back. I never gave you permission to look at that." Setting my guitar to the side, I crawled over to him.

When I reached to take my book, Tyler continued to read as he quickly palmed my forehead like a basketball, successfully holding me back. For one long second, I waited for his bare skin against mine to spark another reaction, but nothing happened.

Grateful for normality, I grabbed for my book. "Give it!"

"You wrote all these?" Tyler continued to palm my forehead with ease as he flipped through the pages, stopping to read one. "This is some good shit. We could start a band."

"Just give it back, dickhead." I lunged toward the book, but Tyler was ready for it because he swiftly dodged me while keeping my forehead in his hand.

"Ty, can we go yet?" A female voice asked from somewhere down the hall.

"Yeah, get the fuck out of my room, Ty."

Maybe it was the way I said his name, but Tyler's gaze landed on me and smoldered into a fluorescent blue as his lips quirked up in fascination. "Say it again."

And yeah, there was no way I was falling for that.

"No. Just give it back." I raised my eyebrows.

Tyler only held my book higher, trying to pretend that he was still reading.

"Let's go, Ty." The girl's voice was at my door now.

"Nah, get a ride with Lucas. I'm busy." Tyler said as he continued to dodge my advances.

"What the hell, Tyler? I've never seen you like this with anyone. You should already be done with her. Are you seriously choosing this skanky snatch over me?"

"Don't talk about her like that ever again, Jenny," Tyler said in an angry whisper. "We've talked about this."

What the fuck? They'd literally brought their fucking drama into my room and now she was talking shit next to the place I slept. I'd had more than enough.

Opening my mouth to respond, I glanced over to see Jenny's arms crossed over her chest, and realized her eyes were brimming with tears. She was really hurting, and I knew why. If Josh did this shit with another girl, I'd be angry and sad too.

I stopped fighting to get my book and backed away, causing Tyler to glance at me. He squinted as his eyebrows twitched with concern.

"Just give it back and get out," I whispered. "Your girlfriend needs you."

"That's right. I do need him. Why's he up here anyway?" A tear ran down Jenny's cheek. "What's so fucking special about you?"

I didn't know what to say. I didn't want him up here either, did I?

"Jenny, I told you we're done. For good. How many ways do I have to say it? I know we've had this thing..." Tyler moved his hand back and forth between them, "Going on for years, but it's over. You said you never cared about me, and that's the only reason it's gone on for so long. You know I don't do the girlfriend thing. I've never been yours, and I never will be. It's over. I don't love you and I never will. It's time to move on."

Jenny shook her head as tears began streaming down her cheeks. This was... yeah... way too personal for me to be here.

"I'm just gonna... go." I stood with my guitar and snatched my book from Tyler.

"No, Ember. This is your room. You stay. Jenny goes." Tyler grabbed my elbow and warmth like I've never known spread over my entire body. I swayed slightly, wanting to lean into him. What the hell? I just needed to leave.

"I don't think that's fair in this situation. I'm letting you guys use my room. She needs time alone with you, and you can't just expect her to instantly drop all the feelings she has for you just because you say so, asshole. Girls aren't robots. You can't just turn us on and off whenever you feel like it." I yanked my elbow away as I threw a tight-lipped grin at Jenny, quickly skirting by her for the second time today.

The little I'd learned about their screwed up relationship made plotting my revenge against Jenny just mean and cruel. She had a lot more going on than I'd first realized and Tyler's rejection was taking its toll on her.

So, yeah, revenge would never happen. I could only hope she would leave me alone from now on.

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