Fools Hope

Chapter twenty one: Buried in Broken Dreams

*~Knowing that you're gone, isn't as painful as wondering if you'll ever come back~*

(Tyler's pov)
Worry has been creeping along his spine, clinging to his bones and coiling around his lungs. Tyler hasn't been able to concentrate all day, his shift is almost over- only twenty minutes to go- and yet he can't help but fidget and check the clock every second. Usually he's calm, and excited. Usually work is fun, exciting, and blurs by altogether but now he has a reason to worry. A reason to be stressed, and unsettled. As the minutes tick by Tyler gets more and more restless, until finally, it's time for him to clock out and go home. Rushing to grab his coat, Tyler throws it on then jogs to his car. Turning it on, he takes a deep breath to settle himself before he pulls out onto the main road. While he's driving, Tyler can't help but think about Iris and how upset she's been this  last week. The way she can't seem to smile without being drowned by sadness. How she can't laugh without sounding miserable. Everything about her is dulled, since she broke up with Rafael, and it's all because Rafael cheated on her with another woman.
Anger courses through his veins,  making his vision go red for a split second before turning back to normal. Why that moron decided to cheat on Iris beats me, but if she were mine I'd never let her go. If I ever had the chance to love her, I'd treat her like a Queen and show her how she's irreplaceable. But she isn't mine and that makes Tyler very sad.
Turning into her driveway he inhales deeply, parks, then turns the car off and takes a few seconds to compose himself before he exits the car. Walking up to the front door feels like ages, when in actuality it was only seconds. He knocks, then opens the door alerting Iris to his presence, Zeke comes bounding over and gives a happy bark. His little tail nothing but a blur behind him. But no Iris. Worry creeps into his chest, even as he bends down to pet Zeke on the head and plant a kiss on the pup's cheek.
"Hey buddy, where's Iris? Huh, do you know where she is?" Zeke gives a sad whine, before turning around and bounding off towards the stairs. Deciding to follow him, Tyler heads in that direction too. "Iris? Are you home? Are you here?" Silence greets him. Zeke gives a bark before rushing up the stairs.
A feeling of dread curdles in his stomach and Tyler rushes up the stairs too. "Iris? Sweetheart are you home?" No answer. A scratching noise captures his attention and Tyler turns towards the noise. He finds Zeke scratching at her bedroom door, whining. "What is it boy? Is she in there?"
A stiff bark and more whining. "Iris? Can I come in?" Tyler waits for an answer but all he hears is silence. Pressing his ear to the door, he waits, counting the seconds, and then- there! He can hear something, a muffled cry. It sounds like she's sobbing but trying to hide it.
"Iris?" Reaching for the knob Tyler turns it, the door opens silently. Peaking his head in, Tyler looks towards her bed, Iris is sitting on the edge of it staring at a box full of photos and memories. "Can I come in?' The question floats towards her, but she doesn't look up. Not right away at least.
"You know I spent four years of my life with this man? He was the only guy I've dated and the only one I ever thought about. Four years, just gone. Wasted and even with everything that brought us to this point, I didn't think my life could get any worse." Her words are tainted with anger, slippery with betrayal, yet it's the quiet fury in her voice that causes a shiver to creep along his skin.
When she looks up, her piercing green eyes meet his and Tyler sees something in there that he hasn't seen in a while, resolve. Courage, and acceptance. "Iris, I'm really sorry. He's an asshole and isn't worth it but I'm here for you if you need a friend" I cringe at the word friend. I don't want to be her friend but that's what she needs so that's what I will be. Tyler turns around and begins to walk away, that early feeling of dread slowly passing away, when he hears her say, "Ty?" "Yes?" Glancing over his shoulder he sees a small smile on her face. "Thank you"Before he can answer she goes back to rifling through that box. So, taking that as a hint to leave, Tyler heads to his room. There is so much to wrap his head around and it's so confusing. But all he can seem to focus on is that nickname she gave him, Ty. How it made his heart swell and his cheeks burn. I am really in love with her, and there's nothing I can do to stop that. I just don't know if she feels the same way...