This Girl and Life

Chapter 2: Tuesday

The next day, Rory wasn't surprised to see Tyler already sitting in the seat he had chosen yesterday. She glanced around the room at the readily available desks; it wouldn't be hard for her to pick a new seat and once again be alone with her thoughts. But, as if her feet had other ideas, she went straight to the same seat as they had found yesterday. I guess it is true what they say about the seat you pick the first day... you are stuck to it.

Tyler didn't turn around, but this time he spoke up. "Good morning."

Rory smiled, despite herself. "Good morning."

Tyler's shoulders eased down from a tense edge. As class began, she found herself less interested in the early history of England, and once again starring at the back of Tyler's head. She was trying to figure him out. He wasn't goth looking today, but still edgy enough to be borderline of the same; his black shirt was hidden under a red checkered button up, and his blue jeans, while not black like yesterday, still were plenty dark enough. He must have realized the gloves were too much, but instead of wearing nothing on his hands like a reasonable boy, Tyler wore a silver ring on one thumb, and a strange symbol-like one on the opposite index finger.

This caused a sigh from Rory. This guy was weird in what he wore and how he acted. Why did he have to sit in front of her? Why did she sit behind him? Too many questions for this Tuesday morning for Rory to answer.

When the bell rang, the class quickly shuffled with papers and closed their books. Tyler stood and was doing the same. This is when Rory noticed the doodles on his notebook pages. It was a detailed sailboat and a beautiful start to an open English field. His eyes cut to her.

He swiped the paper up, and turned to leave. She got to her feet and watched him wait patiently at the door for her. When she approached, she could see the hint of a pink shade on his cheeks. He gestured to the door. She dipped her head and headed out.

They walked down the hall together in a tense silence before breaking apart to go to different classes. She watched over her shoulder as he disappeared into the crowd. He was a strange boy...

At lunch, Rory sat at the same table. She took a moment to thank God for her food—something she had been finding hard to do lately. She knew she would need to work on that. It wasn't long before Tyler once again took the seat across from her. Rory watched him unwrap the apple he had gotten from the cafeteria and take a bite. She sighed and began to eat her own food.

They ate quietly together for what seemed like a few uninterrupted minutes. Rory hated to admit it, but the weird company of Tyler was appreciated. She was almost done with her sandwich when Tyler once again pulled out his notebook to begin drawing again. This time he was drawing the cafeteria tables and the people who sat at them. Rory watched with careful interest. Tyler was engrossed in his drawing, detailing each kid's face as if they had frozen in time. It was as if he was taking pictures with his hands!

The bell rang, and Tyler blinked in surprise. He looked up to find Rory watching so intently that she had once again forgotten her sandwich completely. He quickly shut the notebook. Rory watched him quickly speed walk right out the cafeteria doors. "I don't think I will ever understand him," she mumbled with her head in her hands.

She was walking to her next class when she bumped into a hard body. It was the hands that steadied her that made her heart jump. It was Yun, her brother's childhood best friend, and Rory's once-upon-a-time crush. His brown eyes were just as surprised to see her as she was him. "Rory?"

"Yun!" Rory backed away a little too quickly. "What are you doing here?"

"I just moved back to America with my parents." Yun's words were slow, and careful. He came over, smile just as handsome as the day he left for Japan those many years ago. "How have you been? How is Bryan?"