We all have our masks [Twenty One Pilots]

Chapter Twenty Eight: Raindrop in your eye

"I'm sorry, you know?"

Lena was whispering. She didn't really know why. She and Tyler were still outside, after all. It wasn't like anybody could hear them. Maybe she was just intimidated by the moon and stars. 

"For the other day, I mean. I shouldn't have..." she started, but couldn't find words relevant enough to explain what she had done. Nervous, the girl was fiddling with her own fingers, trying desperately to keep her voice straight. She didn't want Tyler to guess how emotionnal she was inside. But maybe he knew, already. Ever since Lena had landed in Ohio, she hadn't been able to hide anything from him for long.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is, I..." she hesitated, "I did... want you to..." She was now blushing really hard, and she hoped Tyler wouldn't notice the change in her skin tone under the moonlight. She looked away, speaking even lower. "I did want you to kiss me I just didn't want to rush things between us and I don't know we don't really know each other and I'm scared and-" she managed to say in one breath. 

Tyler turned his head towards her, still unnervingly silent. "And I don't wanna start things if one of us is going to back away at some point..." Lena ended, slightly annoyed now. He could at least say something. Why wasn't he saying anything? Was she just being ridiculous? Did she misread his intentions? TALK TO ME, Lena's mind was screaming.

Something wet crashed on her left cheek and rolled down to her chin, and for a split second, Lena thought she was crying. She soon realized it was only a raindrop. It was indeed getting a little colder, and the wind was blowing harder now. Lena was shivering. She was about to stand up in the trampoline when Tyler's voice broke the silence. 

"I don't want to hurt you," he said, "Ever."

Lena's heart swelled a little in her chest. "That's not what I'm afraid of. I'm bulletproof when it comes to heartbreak now," she admitted, although feeling a bit of guilt surge into her. 

"Then what are you afraid of?" Tyler asked. He was frowning now, and as cute as it was, Lena couldn't help but think it was because of her, and that was exactly what she feared.

"I'm afraid to hurt you..." Lena whispered, her voice breaking at the last word. Much to her surprise, though, Tyler's mouth crooked into a half smile, as if she was saying something slightly stupid. "I mean, I... I cheated-" she started again, trying to prove her point. But Tyler cut her off, shaking his head.

"People make mistakes, that's all there is to it. And trust me... God has a plan. If you did that, maybe that relationship wasn't meant to be..."

Lena shrugged, not daring to look at him right now. Despite the cold air, her palms were sweaty. "I'm still afraid to hurt you." 

She was clearing her throat, the lump in it starting to get painful, when she felt Tyler's fingers on her arm. The touch instantly sent shivers down her spine, but Lena mentally shook her head dismissively. It was just the wind, right? 

"I'm not," Tyler murmured. His fingers finally found Lena's, and he locked them together before finally, finally, turning his head towards her. She did the same. And before she had the chance to say "hey, your hands are cold", they were kissing.

It was a chaste kiss. A soft one, although Tyler's lips were a little chapped. But hers were too, probably. Lena's head was overflowed with dumb thoughts - "What if his eyes are open right now?" or "I hope my nose isn't too big" - and she clenched Tyler's hand a bit more as her heart was racing to keep up with the warm feeling in her guts. 

Finally, they broke apart, panting. It was raining hard now, and they were drenched, but Lena didn't care. She hoped Tyler wouldn't either. He chuckled, and Lena wasn't sure it was a good sign.

"Don't you think this is weird?" Tyler asked, grinning.

Lena raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Kissing, I mean. Like, who decided that to show our liking towards another human being, it might be great to just catch the other's mouth with yours? Like, who invented kissing?" he continued, dead serious, eyebrows furrowed.

Now that she thought of it, it was, indeed, an interesting question. But they had just kissed, for God's sake. "Really, Tyler?" 

He raised his eyebrows questioningly. 

"We just kissed for the first time and you have to go all philosophical on me? Right now?" Lena said, holding a laugh.  "You're SO romantic, aren't you?"

Tyler shrugged. "I could be. But you wouldn't like it," he grinned.

When they ran across the backyard to go back inside, Tyler was still holding Lena's hand.

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I'm sorry this has taken so long and yet this is so short. I've been quite busy these days. But I'll make it up to you. Although this story is coming to an end, plenty of new ideas are flowing, and I'll try to not let laziness get the best of me.