The Summer He Saved Me

Chapter 9 - The Biggest Secret

The next couple of days Tyler and I spent time on the beach, walking around the boardwalk, and hanging out. I really got to know him. If I needed to I could tell you his favorite color, his favorite band, what he wants to be when he grows up, his biggest pet peeve, his lucky number, his celebrity crush, his future plans, what he wants to do when he graduates, who inspires him, where he wants to travel, and so much more. Sadly, he can't say the same about me. All he knows about me is my first name, my favorite color, my favorite place in the whole world, my favorite animal, my lucky number, and my favorite flavor of ice cream. There's not much more I have to tell him though, but soon I have to leave. There's nothing I can do, they're going to find me soon if I don't escape. 

"Olivia," he said, interrupting my thoughts.

"Yes?"

"Did you hear me?" He said sounding a little worried. 

"Uhh, no sorry, spaced out for a second."

"I asked if you wanted to get some ice cream?"

"Ummm....why don't we walk around the boardwalk instead?"

"Sure."

We set off, towards the small shops and botiques. As we walked he pointed something out to me.

"That necklace," he said pointing to the one around my neck, "You always wear it, don't you?"

I looked down at it subconciously. 

"Yeah." I said hesitantly.

"Does it have any special meaning to you?"

I looked at my feet, it did have special meaning, painfully special.

"My...My mother gave it to me. When I was little."

"I thought you never knew your mom..." he trailed off.

"I didn't. I meant one of my foster mothers. She took care of me more than anyone ever had. I consider her my real mother."

"That's sweet...Why'd she give you up?"

"I wasn't hers to keep."

"Why didn't she adopt you?"

"She didn't think she could handle me. There were so many other kids she had already adopted. I told her it was fine for her to let me go."

"Ohh.." He said, his voice trailing off. 

Then, he took something out of his pocket, it was a charm. It was a charm that had three silver interlocking hearts on it. He held it out to me. I took it from him, and looked at him questioningly.

"I bought it for you." He explained, "I was waiting for the right time to give it to you."

I whispered, "Thank you, it's beautiful."

I unhooked my necklace and slipped the charm onto it. Then he took it from me and hooked back around my neck. The hearts went perfectly with the rinestoned "L" right next to it.

"Why is it an L?" Tyler asked.

"She used to call me Livvy instead of Olivia." 

"She really meant a lot to you, didn't she?" He asked softly.

I just nodded, afraid that if I spoke I would start crying. He looked at me, saw the look in my eyes. 

"I'm sorry," he said, "I shouldn't be so nosey. Lets get some ice cream."

I sniffed a little, and nodded, as he led me out of the little shop and back onto the boardwalk.