This Girl and Life

Chapter 4: Next Wednesday

Rory was stopped in the doorway by Mr. Roberts. "I saw your name on the History club sheet. Congratulations, Miss Mason! You will be a fine addition to the team."

"Thank you," Rory quietly mumbled. She wasn't sure what to do or say to the man. She barely signed up for it, nor was she all too thrilled for the club meeting after school.

"Don't forget the very first meeting is after school today, in this very room! We will enjoy your inputs in the coming meetings."

"I won't forget," Rory said giving a tight smile, and slide quickly pass. She scurried to her seat. From there, she gave a deep sigh. Tyler wasn't there yet, but on her desk lay a folded piece of paper. She looked one way, and then the other. The class was filling up, but no one looked over to her in a strange 'she-has-a-secret-admirer' kind of way.

Rory picked up the thick paper, unfolded it, and her eyes grew wide. It was an almost perfect portrait of herself in the cafeteria. She was looking to the side, chin in her palm, looking deep in thought. It was a great drawing! She was so... well, she wasn't sure what to feel! Flattered seemed appropriate but creeped out also flashed by in her thoughts.

"Thank you, Mr. Mooney." Rory's eyes dashed over to the class door. Tyler was handing a stack of copies to Mr. Roberts. The two spoke a moment, and Tyler looked over at his seat. He was dressed the same as ever, black clothes on black clothes; the only thing different was how he seemed to look a little shy in the back of his eyes.

He noticed her watching him, and that she was holding the drawing. He adjusted his pack higher on his shoulder and approached his seat slowly. He stood next to the desk a moment, waiting to see if Rory had anything important to say about the paper.

And she did. "Why did you draw me?"

Tyler said nothing. He blinked a few times, then sat in his seat. Rory ran a hand over the paper, held it up to inspect, then laid it back down on the desk. She shifted in her seat. "It's good," came her final statement.

Tyler lifted his head, but he never once turned around. It seemed that he was taken aback by her compliment. Perhaps he wasn't used to people saying his drawings were any good. Rory found that hard to believe, but who knew.

Class began, and instead of daydreaming into her sad thoughts, she actually paid attention to Mr. Roberts lesson. Sometime during the lesson, she found herself drawing small doodles on the margins of her notes. Granted, they were no Tyler Mooney, but it helped her to concentrate as Mr. Roberts continued where he left off yesterday about England's monarchy.

When the bell rung, and classmates began to quickly disperse towards to the exit, Rory fell into step with Tyler. "Your weird habits are rubbing off on me," she groaned.

Tyler merely glanced down towards her. "What are you talking about?"

Rory handed him her notes. The stick figure she had worked on was sailing a boat; Tyler's brows scrunched together into a thick line. "It is a very good... Jam jar, I think?"

Rory snatched the paper back, mouth agape. "It isn't a jam jar!"

Tyler chuckled, but he looked confused. "Then what is it?"

"Oh, never mind." Rory stalked off to her next class.

At lunch, she felt exhausted and irritated. Today felt as if it was never ending, but perhaps that was her Wednesday blues talking. Peering over her PB and J sandwich she was reminded of Tyler's critique of her doodle. Her eyes narrowed and she slouched heavily.