Chapter 17: Seventeen

After spending the night in the hospital, having another majestic dream about a special someone, and thinking a lot about life, as well as his absence from being Magna man, he was finally cleared to leave on Friday afternoon, just in time for his birthday the next day; Saturday, May 21st. He didn't have anything special planned since Eva had to go back on her business trip and his grandparents were slated to leave as well, though they were reluctant to. For the time being, he decided that Magna Man needed a hiatus, unless some other supernatural being or dire situation was to occur. The authorities could handle stuff without him.

Hours passed by as he channel surfed for the better part of the afternoon into the early evening.

"A hundred and eighty-something channels and nothing on," he muttered to himself.

As he sat on his couch, he remembered his dream with he and Chelsea flying around through the night.

"Note to self: shrink Venus and a bunch of stars down to the size of pearls," he joked to himself. "Another note: stop talking to yourself, Tyler. It's kinda weird."

More hours passed as he became entranced with a horrible Sci-Fi Channel movie, and soon it was already dark outside. He wished that midnight would hurry up and come so he could open his birthday presents. Eva and his grandparents made him promise that he would wait.

"Well, it's midnight somewhere in the world," he concluded. "Come on, Kia, let's see what Tyler got."

Tyler and his dog bolted up stairs into the kitchen, and sitting on the table were four packages wrapped in decorative paper. He grabbed one large rectangular gift and sized it up–then ravaged the paper, shards flying everywhere. Inside the parcel were two jackets: one a dark brown leather James Dean style jacket, the other a long, bright yellow Gortex rain coat with reflective lining.

"What am I gonna do with two jackets? It's almost sum–" he thought aloud, but was cut off by a knock at the front door.

Tyler walked through the living room and opened the door, only to find Jennifer with a large smile on her face, fidgeting with near-uncontrollable excitement.

"What's got you so giddy?" he asked. "You got a man now? 'Cause if so, that might be something you wanna tell Chelse or Rae."

"Thats not it–well, I do got a guy friend with benefits now, but this is way better that I just couldn't wait to show you anymore." Jennifer screeched. "Come on! It's at my house!"

"Okay, what you and your homey do is something I don't really wanna know," Tyler groaned, grabbing his house key and shutting the door behind him.

"Tyler! You got a motorcycle! And me and Ari have been going at it like rabbits fresh out of prison," She called out.

Tyler cringed. Jennifer was like a surrogate sister and the last thing he needed to hear was about her... escapades. "Jay, that is faul–wait... d-did you say I have a motorcycle?"

"Oh yes," she purred as she opened her garage door.

There were only a few things that could cause Tyler to stand in awe, completely stupefied; Chelsea being one, and the sparkling brand new black and white BMW R1150 RT-P bike. There was also another motorcycle of the same make and model, though it was painted white and green, the way German autobahn police motorcycles were.

"My parents got me one for my birthday, too," she explained. "Now we can go on road trips and stuff."

"Ooh! We could be like John and Ponch from that show Chip's. Since I'm dark and handsome, I'll be Ponch," Tyler joked, then gave out a large, cheesing toothy grin, reminiscent of Erik Estrada, the actor who played Ponch. "You can be the blonde guy who no one really remembers."

"Who would that be?" she asked, irritated.

"My point exactly... no one remembers."

The two admired their new sources of transportation. Since Chelsea's favorite color was green, Tyler knew she'd like Jennifer's bike. It was then he realized there was one small problem: the bikes were one seaters, with the spot where the second seat went, there was a top case for storage. He came to the conclusion that it was probably best that he didn't take Chelsea for a ride in the event that he crashed. He didn't want her to get hurt.

"Wait a minute... who's Ari?"

Tyler walked his brand new motorcycle across the street and right into the portion of his room that still resembled a garage, as the floor was made of concrete and a large, red metal Snap-On tool chest sat, pressed against a wall that his grandpa gave him a while back.

"I can't believe I have a motor now," he gushed to himself, staring at his birthday gift.

Tyler briefly ran upstairs, grabbed his last two presents that he hadn't opened, then went back to his room. Before he could open another present, there was another knock, this time, at his door. Jay must've forgot something. And who the hell is this Ari guy? He thought as he got up and opened his door.

Tyler opened his door–and found Chelsea.

"I just wanted to say that... I think–I think I love you." Chelsea nervously said, smiled, then pulled his head down to their lips were level with each other. "I love you, Tyler. A lot."

Before he could answer, the lovely essence that Tyler associated with Chelsea–the scent of Kissy Fresh mint, strawberry lip gloss, and citrus-smelling shampoo–overtook his senses. This time, however, he didn't allow himself to over think the situation. Instead, he let his primal instincts take control, though they had been suppressed and held in check for a long time.

Their lips connected with a force that caused Tyler to step backwards and Chelsea to step forward, kicking the door shut as they made out passionately. Not paying attention to his surroundings, Tyler tripped on the back of his couch and fell onto the cushions, bring Chelsea down with him and abruptly breaking off their kiss for the moment. The two laughed over his clumsiness as Chelsea lay on top of him.

"I have got to work on my cool 'cause falling whenever we kiss is not helping my stature," Tyler joked. "But this position isn't bad."

"Well, how about I lose my jacket and make it a lil' more interesting," Chelsea offered seductively. "But you have to close your eyes."

"Yes, yes. Yes! I-I mean, if you want," he said, trying to keep his composure–sort of.

Tyler closed his eyes. In neon digital lettering, the statement "SEXUAL DRIVE INITIATED... PHEROMONE OUTPUT INCREASE; BLOOD FLOW: RISING... STAND BY..." pulsed within his closed eyelids. It was the first time he had ever seen such a message pop up on his internal heads-up display. In fact, he had just recently been getting worded status check tickers scrolling across his eyes, coming to the conclusion that he was at the age where he was still developing, like most teens his age. Unlike any other, however, he received encrypted text messages that actually informed him instead of having no intel at all.

Though his eyes were shut, the ambient light in his room allowed him to make out silhouettes of what he would see if his eyes were open. Tyler could clearly see her as if she were a shadow behind a sheet, her silhouette adding a tantalizing hint of mystery that he found exhilarating and extremely sexy.

"Okay. Open," she whispered into his ear.

Tyler opened his eyes only to find Chelsea's face nose to nose with his. She raised herself up, still straddling his mid section. Chelsea's attire–or lack there of–was a loose fitting, skimpy, pearlescent toned night gown that barely covered her breasts as well as not leaving much down below as her underwear were clearly visible–

–And gradually getting closer to the zipper of his pants.

"Sweet mother of God," Tyler gasped as he beheld Chelsea and her scantily clad majesty.

"You like it?" she asked excitedly.

"Oh hell yes!" he exclaimed, then joked, "You know, I have one of those. Exactly like yours. But I can safely say it looks a heck of a lot better on you."

"I think so too," Chelsea giggled, leaning back in and connecting for another kiss, this time, opening their mouths to allow their tongues to intermingle and acquaint with the other's.

To Tyler, it was as if someone else was controlling his very actions. Never in his life did he foresee himself in such a position where he actually loved another person so much. Even if he tried, there was no way he could attempt to describe what he felt for Chelsea. He could give a definition of the word love, right down to its origins, but this was something of a different universe. A universe he never wanted to leave.

One of Chelsea's hands snaked its way up under Tyler's shirt and found the bandages from his gun shot wound. Though the bullets were expelled and the flesh scars were all but gone, his flesh was still tender from the blunt force. Inconspicuously, he winced from the minor pain, but endured through it for Chelsea's sake. He didn't want her worrying about his well being.

After an hour of kissing and mild fondling, riddled with giggles as Tyler found her ticklish spot and focused in on it, a loud knock on his door jarred the moment.

"Tyler! I know you're awake! Open up, it's me!" Jennifer called from outside. "I've got some cake."

Tyler pressed his index finger to his lips. "Shh, maybe if we stay quiet, she'll go away."

To no avail, Jennifer continued to knock relentlessly.

"It's okay. We can continue later. We've got all night, birthday boy," Chelsea said, planting one more kiss on his lips, then getting off of him.

Tyler hopped up from the couch, stomped to the door, and opened it partially. "Jay? No offense, but you couldn't have picked a worse time to–"

"Is that Chelly in there?" Jennifer interrupted, then noticed that Tyler's hair and clothing were in disarray.

"Hi Jen," Chelsea called out, peeking her head up from the couch.

Jennifer pushed the door wide open, knocking Tyler out of the way and onto the floor. "Chelly? What are you doing here?" she screeched.

"Doing something important," Tyler groaned as he stood back up.

"Oh, well I brought cake. Tyler, go get us a movie," Jennifer ordered.

Tyler cocked his eyebrow, then was about to say something, until his gaze met with Chelsea's. She silently mouthed "sorry," then shrugged.

"Jay, that better be the best freaking cake in history," he warned with a forced smile, though clearly irritated.

"Oh it is," she gushed as she took a seat next to Chelsea. "It's carrot-lentil with sweet soy butter cream frosting. Um, Chelly? What are you wearing?"

Though Tyler wanted to watch a sci-fi action movie, Jennifer overruled his choice and grabbed The Terminal with Tom Hanks and Catherine Zeta-Jones. The only reason he sat through the movie was the fact that there were a few planes in the flick, including a United Airlines Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet–exactly like the one he saved as Magna Man. Tyler also didn't bother with the cake as he hated carrots, lentils, and soy. Even Chelsea, who was almost as organically driven and Jennifer, barely touched her piece, except for the frosting which she licked off, in some instances in a seductive manner whenever she caught Tyler glance in her direction.

"I'll be back. I need something tasty," Tyler noted.

"There's plenty of cake left," Jennifer offered, eyes still affixed to the movie.

"I said something tasty. Not something I would feed to a rabbit," Tyler informed as he walked upstairs to the kitchen and searched the refrigerator.

A minute later, Chelsea walked in, now wrapped in a flannel quilt that draped over the couch. "Hey."

"Hey," Tyler acknowledged, then went into the freezer and pulled out some Cookie's 'N' Cream ice cream. "Want some?"

Chelsea nodded, Tyler grabbed two spoons, and handed her one. The two then dug their utensils into the frozen dessert and enjoyed.

"Gotta love Jen, huh?" Chelsea mused.

Tyler smiled. "Yeah. She's good people."

"Yeah. Could have picked a better time to come over, though."

"No joke," Tyler laughed, then sighed, "we'd better head back down there."

Tyler put the ice cream away, took Chelsea's spoon, and put it in the sink. Next, the two marched back downstairs, only to find a sleeping Jennifer passed out cold.

"I'd better run her home. Be right back," Tyler whispered as he scooped Jennifer up in his arms gently, then walked out.

Once he made sure she was tucked in, he hopped from her bedroom window to the sidewalk down below. Hoping to continue from where they left off, Tyler jogged back to his house, walked through the door, and shut it behind him.

And found a sleeping Chelsea resting on the couch.

Tyler's shoulders drooped way down and he through his head back, briefly staring at the ceiling, then down to his shoes, which he silently removed.

"Damn it, Jay," he muttered to himself as he tiptoed over to the could, picked Chelsea up, then took her over to the bed, placing her under the covers.

Carefully, he moved some of her reddish hair and cupped it behind her ear. Next, he gave her a small kiss on her cheek, causing her to grin and shuffle a tad, but remain out.

He thought about going on a patrol since it had been a few days since Magna Man made an appearance. But as he looked at Chelsea, who slept peacefully, curled up on his bed, he knew that his place was here for the night. Satisfied with his decision, he kicked off his shoes and slid into bed as well.