Just an Ordinary Girl

The Other One

Picture of Tyler-----------

Lauren's POV

I can't believe what happened back there with Reed. He just left to his room a couple minutes ago, and I've been standing in the same spot this entire time thinking about what just happened. It was all so crazy.

I went into my room and got my computer and logged onto Facebook. What? I'm a teen, and I've been socially awkward for almost two weeks now!

I checked my wall, just the usual congratulations posts and fans that want to be my friend. Wow, I never thought I would say the word fan... and refer to mine.

I was checking my friends' posts when Tyler Richards chatted me. He's like, the most popular guy at school. And if I said he wasn't the cutest, I would be lying. We started chatting, when I realized something. We've barely talked for almost two years now. Well, he knows me enough to know my name when someone mentions it, but we've rarely even kept a conversation since middle school started. When we started sixth grade...he changed. A lot.

The change was so bad the we both promised to never speak of what happened to anyone. And we didn't. I haven't even told Julia yet.

I looked down at his message,and started replying:

Tyler: Hey, congratulations on making it to bootcamp. X Factor just aired over here. Look, I've been thinking, and I've been a complete jerk. I'm so sorry.

Lauren: Why are you suddenly apologizing? We both promised we would never talk to each other again, and obviously you're really good at that. I'm not an idiot Tyler, I know you're just talking to me because I was on TV. Well, like they say, fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice... shame on me.

Tyler: Look, I know what I did was stupid and rude and immature, but I'm tired of walking past you in the hallway, and not being able to start a conversation because whenever I look at you, i get reminded of how stupid I was back then.

Lauren: You don't think I don't notice you either? Whenever I see you across the room in 4th period, I always think of what happened in fifth grade. I always wonder what happened to you. I'm always fighting the urge to go up and ask you.

Tyler: See, we both feel the same. I feel like I haven't talked to you in centuries and it's killing me, okay? I think that we should just forget what's happened these past years that I've been a complete jerk, and start new. We can talk inbetween periods, during class, and even hang out maybe.

Lauren: I'll think about it.

I let him know our conersation was over by logging off. Was it just me or was it suddenly hot in here? I looked over at my clock and saw that it was almost 7. All the teens that made it to the judges houses are going to hang out in Arin's room for a bit.

I put on my ruffled collar shirt and some jeans, put on some mascara and headed to Reed's room. We're both going to head to Arin's room with Brandon. Even though he is in a boyband now, he's still a close friend.

We got to Arin's room and saw that Bea and Diamond were there. I remembered about what happened a couple days ago with Reed and Bea. I suddenly wasn't in the mood to hang out anymore.

I looked down at my phone to see Julia calling me. Perfect timing. I walked into a hallway and answered.

"Hey" I said.

"LAUREN YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE ME" she practically yelled into the phone.

"What did you do..." I asked suspiciously.

"Well, I was on Facebook when THE Tyler Richards started chatting me!" oh no...please don't tell me he, "He asked me if he could have your number! And he's like the HOTTEST GUY ON THE PLANET, so I gave him your number. I'll be expecting the flowers and thank you card by tomorrow! Bye!" she said, and hung up before I could even yell out my lungs at her.

I was about to go back into the living room when I saw Reed and Bea walking into the hallway, looking serious.

I quickly hid in one of the rooms, and peeked through a crack in the door to see Reed handing Bea a bracelet. I could literally hear my heart subside to the ground. I was about to let a couple tears fall when I realized they might hear me. I went to the other side of the room and just looked out the window, thinking of how stupid

I was to like Reed. I could still hear some mumbling on the other side of the door, but I honestly didn't even care anymore.

It was probably just Reed telling Bea he wrote that song for her and that he has a huge crush on her. Awesome.

When I heard them leave, I went back into the living room, where I saw Carly, the members of Brandon's band, and the rest of the teens.

I sat down next to Carly and we started to get to know each other. We haven't really talked before and she's one of the only girls in this room besides Diamond that isn't a man-stealer.

Yeah, I know I'm being a bit harsh, but I can't help it. I really felt something for Reed all through my heart. He's the only guy that's made me feel like that in nearly two years.

I was talking to Carly about my school, when I saw my phone ringing. Unknown number. I excused myself and walked into the mini kitchen.

I answered, and when I heard his voice on the other line I was reminded of my 30 second conversation with Julia.

Tyler and I talked for a bit, and I realized something. Every time I saw Tyler, I thought of all the times he was a jerk to me. All the times he completely ignored me in the hallways. When he left without a goodbye.

But, maybe I should start thinking about the good things that happened back then. He was sweet, caring, everything I loved.

We were talking until it started to get silent. I heard him take a breath on the other line. I felt like he was going to say something really important, and I couldn't help but hold my breath. It was a habit I had whenever I was nervous or scared.

"Lauren, I've been needing to tell you something since the first day we came back to school in seventh grade. I'd spent the entire summer before seventh grade looking at our chats, emails, pictures, everything. I'd always wondered what happened that year. What happened to us. We both said nothing was going to break us up. I always thought we stopped talking because we just didn't have time. But then I realized that I was the one that left without saying goodbye. I just left you hanging there that summer before sixth grade, and completely ignored you. I got caught up in having a lot of friends, and being popular. But when I started looking at all the pictures we secretly took together that summer, sneaking away from our friends and parents to hang out with each other, I realized that I never stopped liking you. And I think I might even love you now"

Did he just say the L word? We're thirteen for crying out loud! Well, maybe we'd said it when we dated, but we were only 12 years old. We just wanted to be cool by being in a relationship. Yeah, we kept ours a secret from our friends, but that didn't stop how we felt. He was the first boy I'd ever loved.

I remebered about what happened about an hour ago with Reed. He didn't even like me, so why would I even try to get his attention anymore? I haven't liked anyone since Tyler, and he was the only guy I'd ever really loved.

"Don't laugh or say I told you so, but I might kinda still like you too" I sheepishly admitted.

"Well, Lauren Daniels, would you like to be my girlfriend and forget all the times I was a complete jerk to you?" He asked with a British accent. There's that sense of humor he always had.

I agreed, and I told him that I had to go, but I'll text him.

I walked back in the room, apparently with a giant grin on my face because right when I sat in my old spot Carly started to drown me in questions about who the guy was.

She seemed really trustworthy, and we've become really close, so I decided to tell her the entire story. I started from the fifth grade when we secretly dated, until the phone call that just happened. When I showed Carly a picture of Tyler, she literally squealed. She started to say that he was really cute and that I was lucky to have a guy like him.

I guess Reed overheard Carly, because I saw him staring in our direction, with a sad puppy look on his face. Who knew under that cute face was a complete jerk that was oblivious to the people around him.

I can't believe I almost felt sorry for him....almost.