Turbulence.

To my surprise, the car ride with Tony was pleasant. He sat up straight in the passenger seat, there was no yelling and no crying about Vic dying. He just hummed along to the mixed CD I had made the other day. He would sometimes comment on how much he liked the song or he would say how much he hates a song, but start being obnoxious about singing along to it. It made me happy, and for once in a long time, I was content with being with Tony. I think I'm fine with him, as long as he doesn't start talking about how much he misses me. But that hasn't happened in about a month, and I was thankful for that.

"You looked nice tonight. Well, I mean, you still do. You always do. So I guess you look nice tonight. N-not like I was purposely staring at you! I -uh... I wanted to tell you that when I first saw you, but I didn't want to upset Mike."
I had started to laugh at him, drunkenly babbling, slurring here and there, and his definition of nice is what I call slutty.
"Tone, I look like a slut!"
"NUH-UH!"
He quickly bounced in the passenger seat and turned his body more towards me. He seemed so excited to be talking to me. Actually talking to me about something other than us. A smiled threatened to play on his lips as he tried to prove me wrong.
"You could.... uh.... Oh! You could walk around naked, with the word 'slut' painted across your chest and you wouldn't look like a slut! You'd look nice."
"Stop picturing me naked!"
"I DIDN'T MEAN TO!"
Tony face quickly lit up a bright red color and I couldn't contain my laughter anymore. Thing is, Tony's face gets really red when he drinks, I never thought that he'd be able to blush while he was drinking. But I guess I was wrong about that.
"I WAS KIDDING! WHY'RE YOU THINKING ABOUT ME NAKED?!"
"I HAD TO MAKE SURE YOU DIDN'T LOOK LIKE A SLUT! I WAS DOING YOU A FAVOR!"
"Whatever you say, Tone!"

When we finally pulled up to my house, our conversation had died down and it returned to us singing along to some songs. Once we got back to my place, Tony whined about how he's gonna have to walk up stairs.
"You'll be fine! I'll help."
He nodded and unbuckled his seat belt then slowly turned to the door to open it. Before he had the chance to open the door and fall out from being unsteady, I ran around the car and helped him. He just smiled at me and threw his arm over my shoulder.
"Don't forget to lock it!"
I did as he said and closed the door behind him, slowly walking up to my apartment. I personally think Tony could've walked on his own up to the door, but he decided to keep his arm around me.
"You know what! Lydia from Beetle-juice is fucking awesome. You're fucking awesome. Is there a thing with people with the name Lydia being awesome?"
I rolled my eyes and unlocked the door, pushing it open and walking ahead of Tony, who just pulled me back, wanting us to walk up the stairs at the same time.
"Hm, I don't know, Tone. I've never met a Lydia before."
"You know, you're the only one I know in person! You're pretty rare."
His face got really close to mine as he smiled at me. Everything inside me had suddenly got nervous. I felt like my palms had become sweaty, my stomach was dancing around, and well, I was sort of scared.
What if he tries to kiss me? Tony! I thought we were over this!
It's going to ruin our night. I'm gonna get mad, leave him alone in the living room and go lay in bed. I really didn't want that. But if he does kiss me, that's what is happening. But as of right now, I'm having a good time with him.
He leaned in a little bit more before he lightly poked my nose.
"Boop."
Once he 'boop'ed me, he backed away and looked up the stairs, quietly counting.
"Dee, there are 16 steps too many in your apartment! Why?"
"It's the only exercise I get, leave it alone."
He laughed and slowly bent down, putting his hands on the stairs infront of him.
"I'm gonna crawl up them. I can do it!"
I closed the door behind us and locked it, turning around to see Tony's butt up in the air, as he stood stationary on the first step.
"You gonna go?"
"I'm trying to get the energy. Motivate me!"
I laughed and before I thought it over, my hand came in contact with his butt, making a loud slapping noise.
"WOAH! That's not what I meant!"
Tony turned around completely surprise.
"Oh by the way, do you like the view?"
He smiled at me and slowly shook his ass, as for me, I laughed and palmed it with both hands, trying to push him up the stairs. And like he said he would, he crawled up the stairs, as if he was a dog.
Once we got to the top, he dropped to the floor, so sudden that I continued to run up the stairs and completely tripped over him.
No apologies or screaming. I tripped and we laughed. We laid on the carpet for a while and just laughed about it. Quite frankly, I think we stopped laughing about me falling after a few minutes in. I think now, we were laughing, just because we needed it.
"MY STOMACH HURTS FROM LAUGHING!"
Tony clutched his sides and rolled around, laughter still loudly erupting from him.
I wiped a tear away and tried to calm down. My laugh turned into a giggle then slowly faded away as we called down.
"Are you tired?"
I shook my head 'no', answering his question as I got up and adjusted my skirt and top. Embarrassment started to take over as I remember what I had been wearing for the time I was at the hospital. I forgot I was in a costume... My attention was taken away from my appearance as Tony started to talk.
"Wanna watch a movie?"
"Can I get changed first? I can also find you something more comfortable than jeans to wear."
"YEAH!"
Tony quickly got up, holding both his hands in the air as if he was flying, then ran to my room. I followed behind and when I got into my room, he was sitting indian style in the middle of my bed with his hands in the pit between his legs.

I was starting to question myself if he was still drunk, or if he was acting to be it because of how well we're getting along.
I know the alcohol he downed down didn't hit him until the car ride to the hospital with Vic. As much as he was freaking out in the hospital about Vic, it was worse in the car.
"OH MY GOD! His blood touched me! It's on my fingers!"
"I'M TOUCHING A PAD!"
"VIC'S ARM IS ON IT'S PERIOD!"
Then the occasional freak out about there being a fork in Vic's arm.
Vic spent the car ride trying to get Tony to stop yelling. It wasn't until we arrived at the ER that he started freaking out over Vic dying.
"Tony is so quiet." Ha, yeah. Just wait until you get drunk with him. Everything shy in that boy vanishes.

I dug around in my drawer and pulled out two pairs of basketball shorts.
"Balla shorts!"
Tony yelled once I threw the shorts at him and when he started to lay back. Without a second thought, he pulled off his pants. Once they were off, he stopped moving and started groaning.
"Now what?!"
"I don't want to put them oooonnn."
"Jesus, Tone."
I walked over to him and grabbed the shorts.
"Only time I am EVER dressing you."
"Yes mommy." He quietly laughed and held up one of his legs for me to slide the shorts on. Once I pulled his shorts up as high as I could, since he decided to not lift his butt off my bed, I walked back to my dresser, getting a shirt for myself.
"Lydia dressed meee." He had started to wiggle around on my bed while talking in a sing-song way.
"Go pick out a movie."
He nodded and rolled off my bed, not even trying to save himself from falling, he landed on his stomach.
"Why is living so much work?"
He slowly stood up and pulled the shorts up the rest of the way.
"Because you're drunk."
He shrugged and walked out of the room.

When I walked into the living room, I was in black shorts and a too big Star Wars shirt, that I actually took from Tony. It was plain white with a ewok on it. Tony never wore it, so it slowly became the shirt I wore when I slept over or if something happened and I needed to change my shirt.
"Still looks good on you. Just like the day you took it. Jerk."
I laughed and grabbed the DVD out of Tony's hand.
"Beetle-juice? Really?"
"I said something about it earlier and now I want to watch it!"
He plopped down on the couch and stretched out as I turned on the TV and put the disc in the player.
I walked back to my room and grabbed my blankets and pillows. Not even fighting the fact Tony and I are going to fall asleep during the movie.

We sat on opposite sides of the couch, and slowly we started to lay down. Our head on both ends, his legs and feet made their way between me and the couch, as where my legs where infront of him. We were both cuddled up to the pillow under our head and the blanket that kept the coldness of my apartment away from us.
"Good night, Dee."
"Good night, Tone. Sleep well."
I closed my eyes and felt Tony shifting around then when he stopped moving, I felt his lips press against my forehead. When I opened my eyes, he hovered over me. The TV had been turned off, making the room almost pitch black. We had both started dozing off during the movie, so we decided to turn it off and sleep. The small light coming in the window from the street lights outlined his figure.
"Tonight has been good, Dee. For the first time in a long time. I was happy. My laughs and smiles were real. I wanted to say thank you for letting me stay here. And, for not coming home and going straight to bed. It means alot."
"Tone... Do you want to start over? With everything? Clean slate. We never fell in love, we never fell apart. Never slept together, never fought. Reset everything back to sophomore year."
"I would love that, as long as we don't have that awkwardness that was there back then. That was horrible."
"That awkwardness was there because both of us are shy. It took everything in me to muster up the courage to tell you that X equaled nine."
"And a half."
"Tone, why do you remember that?"
I chuckled and now that my eyes had adjusted to the dark, I could see his features. The softness in his eyes as they looked down on me, the way his lips curved into a slight smile. The way his hair hung down infront of his face, lightly brushing against my forehead from the small distance between us. He was visibly sober now and it made me happy, that it wasn't out of drunkness he's doing this.
"I remember alot of things about you. And that sounded really creepy."
He backed up and sat down on the other side of the couch, facing me.
"You're my favorite person. Like ever. Not even because I have feelings for you. You just, you don't take anyones shit. You're so dependent, you have your life together. And you have for the past year. You got a job, you saved up and got your own place. Hell, you're even helping you mom out with money. And aside from that, you care. I know you like to say you don't, but you do. You've been like that since I've met you. If you didn't care, you wouldn't have let me crash on your couch drunk. I wouldn't be here having this conversation with you."
"My life together? I find that funny and untrue. I get money every month for going to college, the GI bill that I got from my dad being in the military, and that's the only reason I go to school. I give my mom that money since dad completely left her and hasn't helped her out, even though they have kids together. The youngest being five. I got lucky and got a job doing some sort of tect support that pays well. Most times they look for people with experience. I had an interview, they liked the way I answered questions. Even though it was all common knowledge about computer programs. It gets me by. Mom has no idea, but I signed her up for food stamps. She wants to be dependent and take care of her kids with no ones help, but she needs it. I go out and get groceries for her twice a month with the food stamps. I don't really eat alot so whatever money I have left over from the rent is what I use to buy groceries and anything I need.
I had to grow up so fast because mom didn't want me stuck in the house, watching her struggle. I felt like an adult as soon as dad walked out on mom. I was the one taking care of the boys and house while she worked. The only time I acted my age was when I was with you and the guys. And now, I'm just miserable, Tone."
I sat up and hugged my knees, knowing that our nice conversation turned into me ranting about my life.
"I spend most nights crying in bed, then in the morning I have to fight with myself to get out of bed. I'm up until four, crying, then I sleep until six and stay in bed until 10, when I have to get ready for the day."
Tony had slowly gotten closer to me and had started to rub my leg, trying to comfort me in some sort of way.
"Dee, now you have people here for you. It's not just you anymore. You have the Fuentes boys, Jaime, the girls, and you have me. And you have always had me. Even when we weren't talking. If you had called me up and told me what was going on, I would have dropped anything and everything. Even now. And you know that because I've done it before. If you ever start feeling like you're not good enough or you're just overwhelmed with life, call me and I'll be there for you. Lydia, you don't have to go through life alone. You have so many people that love you and will help you."
He leaned in closer and kissed my forehead again.
"Let's go to sleep? It's late. Come on."
Without hesitation, Tony picked me up and flung me over his shoulder. Earning a small scream from me since it was so unexpected. I didn't yell at him to put me down and I didn't fight it. I simply let it happen. I lightly tapped on his back then told him to walk back to the couch. With Tony carrying me, I grabbed our blankets and pillows.

Once we were comfortable in my bed, he gave my forehead one last kiss and closed his eyes.
"Good night, again."
He nodded and quietly mumbled out a 'good night', exhaustion quickly taking over him. His snores quickly filled the room and I found myself enjoying his company more than ever. Even when we were dating I don't think I enjoyed it this much. Something in Tony had changed. Something in him changed and I found myself really liking it. And as for me, I wanted something in me to change. Tony being an actual friend will be the start of it. Tomorrow, or later today now that it's past four, I'm going to ask Mike to be my official boyfriend, if he answers with no, then that's it. No more fuck buddy. If he says no, then we're going to be just friends. I'm also going to tell him about Tony. Not everything like us at one point being in love, but the fact I've known him since highschool, that I didn't meet him when he came over to practice the music with Vic. I'd rather not lie about being friends with Tony. I'm going to try to have more nights out with the girls, and try to have more get togethes with everyone. I'm going to try to enjoy the little things in life.
I had slowly started to inch towards Tony, curling up to his side. His snoring stopped long enough for him change positions and wrap one of his arms around me as I laid my head on his chest. Once his moving stopped, his snores filled my room once more. And after I had mentally thanked Tony for getting drunk and ending up at my apartment tonight, I let myself fall asleep.

~


Corey and Jaime held hands infront of Tony and myself as we walked down the street of our local shopping center. Corey had called to ask if Mike and I wanted to go out for a double date sort of thing, but since Mike wasn't answering when I called, I asked if Tony could go instead. Of course, she said yes, but it would no longer be a double date. She was excited to know that Tony and I are friends again. She still doesn't know about our past, so she thinks our random falling out was because of a stupid argument. She didn't know it was over me choosing to be with Mike.
Tony walked quietly beside me, with his hands shoved into his jean pockets.
"We should get frozen yogurt. Or ice cream. Maybe pancakes."
"You got the munchies or something?"
Tony rolled his eyes and lightly nudged me.
"No! I just want something delicious. What's better than those things?"
"FRO-YO!"
Corey quickly took off, dragging Jaime along with her as she ran to The Skinny Dip, which was only a few stores ahead of us.
"THERE'S YOUR ANSWER!" Jaime yelled back to us as he started to do a half walk half jog thing to keep up with his girlfriend.

A good fifteen minutes later, we sat at a booth in the brightly green and pink frozen yogurt shop. Corey and I playing with our yogurt more than eating it. The boy had started to chow down as soon as it was purchased. Trying to figure out what Jaime wanted was one of the hardest tasks ever. Once he figured out the flavor, he stood next to the toppings, stroking his non-existing beard.
Corey finally took his bowl and gave him some toppings. He whined about it the whole time, but it needed to be done. If Corey hadn't of done it, he would probably still be there, holding liquid yogurt as he continued to stare at the toppings.
As where I kept it simple. Cake batter flavored with cherries, which Tony kept stealing from me.
"So, how's Vic doing? He's not mad at me, is he?" Corey spun her spoon around in the yogurt infront of her.
"No. I think the only reason why he'd be mad at you for that, is if it doesn't scar. He asked me if I thought it would, when I answered him yes, he seemed sort of excited."
"Well, I guess that's good. I'm terrified to see him because I don't want him mad at me."
We continued to talk about last night, how Tony was crying in the ER, scared Vic was going to die. Of course, Tony started to slouch back in his seat and mumble how it never happened and that I was lying. Jaime told me how everything went once he got Corey home. How they had to sneak in because her parents were sleeping and how she kept trying to get naked in the living room. Every two minutes, Jaime would have to put her clothes back on. As for Corey, she doesn't seem to remember a thing, other than being scared at the halloween party and stabbing Vic.
"Oh! Jaime, I forget to say thank you for last night!"
"What? Making sure Corey was okay?"
"No... well yeah. Thanks for that. But for taking Mike home. I was busy with a drunken Tony."
I shot him a glance and he just smiled and waved at me.
"But, I didn't take him home... He told me he was going to walk home, since it was nice out."
"He told me you did. I was at the hospital when he texted me..."
"I didn't."

My heart felt like it dropped in the pit of my stomach and every doubt I had ever had about Mike suddenly hit me.
Tony's hand made contact with my knee under the table, discreetly asking if I was okay. I gave him a small nod and smile.
I was hoping that Mike told me Jaime took him home so I wouldn't be worried about him walking home alone. But that's not a Mike sort of thing. If Mike can get out of walking, he will. If he thinks it's a nice night, he sits outside of his house for a while. He's not the type to walk because of nice weather.
Quite frankly, I couldn't get the appearance of the blonde girl he's taken home out of my head. Along with the three names Tony has told me about.
He wouldn't do that again, would he?

Notes

I updated this chapter on Mibba a few weeks ago, and completely forgot I had to add it to this website! So my apologies.

Title credit;;
The Story So Far - Face Value