The Summer He Saved Me

Chapter 6 - Trust Me

Olivia's POV

The next day I was walking on logs along the beach when I saw Tyler up ahead. He looked over in my direction and smiled. I waved to him, and then jumped off the log and ran across the beach in his direction. When I got to him he just smiled at me for a minute. Then said, "Hey, wanna go get some ice cream or something?"

I looked up at him and said, "I would rather just walk along the beach with you."

He smiled at me, then took my arm and led me down the beach. We walked in silence for a while, then he said, "What's on your mind?"

I looked up at him, confused. He just shrugged and said, "I was just wondering."

I sighed, then said, "I have a lot on my mind, Dean and Karen want me to spend more time with my younger siblings but the little gremlins hate me, but mostly, I want to know what you're thinking right now."

He looked at me, his eyes met mine and he really concentrated on me. Finally, after a long silence he said, "I want to know more about you, it doesn't have to be your story, or deep personal thoughts, just basics. I find you interesting, and...familiar in some way. I'd like to know why."

I looked at him, then said, "It will take a lot more than pizza and a walk on the beach to get me to talk."

He stared at me. Questioning me. I just shrugged, as if to say, did you really think it would be that easy? Then I gave him a sly smile, and ran off into the water. I looked over my shoulder and shouted, "Come on! If you want to get to know me you have to spend some time with me!" 

After a pause, he ran in after me and tackled me in the water. We laughed and splashed each other until the sun went down. We stood there, with the water up to our knees and watched the sun go down. Then we turned, and wadded out towards the sand and our shoes. Once we got back to the boardwalk he turned to me with a slight smile dancing on the corners of his mouth and said, "Isn't that worth a little fact about you?"

I looked up at him. I waved him closer to me. He bent down far enough so that I could whisper in his ear and said, "My....favorite....color is...purple." Then I pulled back really quick, giggling. 

For a second he just looked at me, as if he wasn't quite sure what I had said. I looked at him, a playful smile dancing on my face. Then he just looked at me, "What?" 

"You said you wanted to know the basics about me, so I told you my favorite color."

"That's not what I meant..."

I cut him off, "You'll need to know that someday, you'll use all the little things I tell you to find me some day." 

He looked at me, confused. I gave him a quick smile then turned, and started walking down the boardwalk. Leaving him there, incredulous.