The Aftermath

21

Tyler's POV

Jake dropped me off at the cemetery and I followed the directions I was given and he was exactly where they said he would be. I walked over to him, he's sitting on the grass next to the headstone and I hugged him from behind.

"I didn't know..I'm so so sorry" I say

"Who told you where I was" He asked

"I went to your house and your mum told me" I reply

"He was only 4 and the waves just came over us and I've barely been back into the water since" He says

"I'm so sorry" I cried

"It's the shittest thing when your in charge of looking after someone so little and you can't control the weather and the waves just rolled in and we both went under and the lifeguard could only grab me and by the time they grabbed him he was gone" He cried

I don't know what to say, I just held him. If I had known any of this I wouldn't have done anything.

"I don't think my parents ever forgave me fully for it and that's why I think my dad treats me the way he does" He says

"Your parents love you Sam and nothing could ever change that" I say

He laughed "I don't know about that"

"They do love you, it was a freak accident and nothing could've stopped that Sam" I say

"I could never forgive myself Tyler not ever" He cried

"I know you're feeling like that now but I know you are strong and you will forgive yourself because that will be the only way you will forget about that shitty day and focus on the good memories you have" I say

"I was 12 and he was my parents miracle baby because after they had me they were told that there would be no more babies ever and then they had him and we were all excited and then that fucking accident happened and everything went to shit" He says

"I know Sammy" I whisper and just held him tight "I'm so sorry I really didn't mean to hurt you"

"I know you didn't know. I'm sorry for screaming at you I just got such a scare and I just wasn't expecting it" He says

"No don't apologise it's all on me and I will never do that again ok I feel like the shittest human and I'm so so sorry" I say

"Your not the shittest human Ty" He says with a slight smile

"His name is Tyler?" I ask

"Yeah" He replied with a slight chuckle

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked

"I just thought it was like a sign from above yanno, I met you when I was really down and then you saved my life and then my parents met you and dad hasn't been a dick to me at all since. You've saved my life so many times and you don't know it" He says

"Your dad hasn't been a dick because he finally realised how smart and cool you really are, I only told him to his face because clearly no one else was going to" I say