His After The Heartbreak (BL)-Chapter 19: The Party

Chapter 19- The Party

Tyler's POV

I turned to my mom, blinking in confusion. "Next-door neighbor?"

Since when did we have a next-door neighbor?

I glanced at Amara, taking her in properly for the first time. She sat comfortably on the couch, looking completely at ease, her long dark hair falling over her shoulders, and her deep hazel eyes watching me with mild amusement. She wore a fitted beige sweater and ripped jeans, her nails painted a dark shade of red.

How did my mom even know her? And why was she sitting in our house like she belonged here?

I looked back at my mom. "Since when do we have a next-door neighbor?"

My mom gave me a look, as if I'd just asked whether the sky was blue. "Since last week," she said matter-of-factly. "You'd know that if you ever paid attention to anything other than your phone."

I frowned. "I do pay attention."

"Clearly not," my mom teased, crossing her arms. "I met Amara's mom at the grocery store, and we got to talking. She and Amara just moved in, so I invited her over for tea."

Tea? My mom was out here making friends and throwing tea parties while I had no clue someone had even moved in next door?

I glanced at Amara again, and she smiled slightly, as if she knew exactly what I was thinking.

"Nice to meet you, Tyler," she said smoothly, her voice light and teasing.

I nodded slowly, still trying to process everything.

"Yeah... you too, I guess." I nodded once in acknowledgment before turning to my mom. "I have a party to go to."

She frowned slightly. "What party?"

I gave her a brief explanation.

She hummed, then casually said, "Take Amara with you."

I blinked. "What?"

"Take her with you," she repeated. "It'll be good for both of you."

I stared at her, wondering what made her think I'd want to bring Amara along.

I considered arguing but decided against it. Instead, I sighed and muttered, "Fine."

My mom beamed. "Thank you!

As soon as my mom walked away, I let out a deep sigh and turned to Amara, who was still standing there, looking at me with a small, amused smile.

"You really don't have to come," I said, hoping she'd change her mind.

Amara shrugged. "Your mom seems pretty excited about it. And besides, I could use a night out. It's been a while since I went to a party."

I exhaled, realizing there was no way out of this. "Fine," I muttered.

"Thanks," she said with a small smile before turning toward the hallway. "I'll go change. See you in a bit."

I didn't bother responding as she disappeared. Instead, I dragged myself upstairs, flopped onto my bed, and closed my eyes for just a second.

Except that second turned into a deep sleep.

A loud knock jolted me awake.

"Who is it?" I mumbled, rubbing my face as I sat up, feeling disoriented.

"It's Amara," her voice came from the other side. "Are you ready?"

Shit. The party.

"Uh—yeah, give me five minutes," I called back, jumping out of bed.

I hurried to the bathroom, splashed some water on my face, brushed my hair back, and changed into a fitted black shirt and dark jeans. Nothing fancy—I wasn't trying to impress anyone. After slipping on my watch and grabbing my keys, I hurried downstairs.

Amara was already waiting near the door.

And damn.

She looked... different.

She wore a short, off-the-shoulder dress, hugging her body in all the right places, with her dark curls framing her face perfectly. Her makeup was subtle but just enough to make her features pop.

I wasn't expecting that.

"You clean up nice," she teased, raising a brow.

I smirked. "You don't look too bad yourself."

She laughed, rolling her eyes playfully.

We waved goodbye to my mom before heading outside. I unlocked my car, and we both got in.

The ride to the party was surprisingly smooth.

Amara wasn't awkward or shy. She struck up a conversation about music, which led to us debating over our favorite artists. Before I knew it, I was actually enjoying the ride. We were laughing like we'd known each other for years.

By the time we reached the party, the place was already booming. Music blasted from inside, neon lights flashed through the windows, and people were hanging around the entrance, laughing and drinking.

I stepped out and glanced at Amara. "You sure about this?"

She grinned. "I was about to ask you the same thing."

Shaking my head, I led the way inside.

The party was exactly what I expected—crowded, loud, and full of drunk people dancing without a care.

As we moved through the crowd, I instinctively reached for Amara's hand, making sure she didn't get lost in the chaos.

When we reached the bar, I signaled for the bartender.

"A shot," Amara ordered, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

I raised a brow. "Starting strong, huh?"

She smirked. "Are you scared?"

I scoffed. "Make that two," I told the bartender.

We clinked our shot glasses together before knocking them back.

The burn of alcohol was familiar, and for the first time that night, I actually felt like I could loosen up.

As the party went on, Amara and I stuck together. We drank, laughed, and people-watched, making jokes about the drunk couples who were practically eating each other's faces in the corners of the room.

Amara was getting drunk.

I noticed it a while ago—the way she started laughing a little too much, swaying slightly as she stood, and gripping my arm more often as if steadying herself.

I had already decided to slow down my drinking, sticking to a light buzz while letting Amara enjoy herself. Someone had to stay sober enough to get us home.

She leaned on the bar, resting her elbow as she looked at me with a playful smirk. "You stopped drinking?"

I shrugged. "Someone's gotta make sure we don't end up passed out in a ditch."

She giggled. "That's sweet. You're looking out for me."

I rolled my eyes. "More like looking out for myself. I don't feel like carrying you home if you pass out."

She gasped dramatically, placing a hand over her chest. "Tyler, I'm offended. You wouldn't carry a helpless girl to safety?"

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I smirked. "Not if she's the one who decided to drink like a fish."

She nudged me playfully, but her balance wobbled slightly. I grabbed her arm instinctively, steadying her.

"Okay, I think that's enough for you," I said, reaching for her shot glass before she could take another.

"Hey!" She pouted, her hazel eyes slightly unfocused. "One more won't hurt."

I gave her a pointed look. "Yeah? Tell that to your legs when they stop working."

She huffed but didn't argue. Instead, she leaned into me, her body pressing slightly against mine.

And that's when I realized—she wasn't just tipsy anymore. She was drunk.

Her fingers toyed with the hem of my sleeve. "Tyler..." she murmured, looking up at me with a lazy smile.

I swallowed hard. "Yeah?"

She tilted her head, her gaze locking onto mine. "You're really... really good company."

I let out a dry chuckle, ignoring the way my pulse quickened. "I'll take that as a compliment."

She giggled, gripping my hand.

And then—she stepped even closer.

Her body brushed against mine, her breath warm as she leaned in.

Her fingers tightened around mine, her eyes flickering down to my lips.

For a split second, I froze.

I should have pulled away.

I should have stopped this.

But I hesitated.