𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐬 | Tyler Hernandez x Reader

| Ep 31 |

I raise my bow and load it with an arrow, squinting my eyes to get the most accurate aim. I look down at one of the nearest phantoms melting from the lights. I bite my inner lip as my fingers curl around the bowstring, retracting my elbow back.

"Y/N, don't be an idiot." Ashlyn tells me, lowering my bow with her fingertips.

"Yeah," Tyler adds, "Don't waste your arrows like that."

Aiden shrugs his shoulders and says, "I'll just buy her more-"

"Shut up." Tyler hisses.

We all eventually hop back down from the wall, huddling near it. To ensure the jump wasn't too high, we hopped down onto the roof of a bus resting against the wall. Tyler and Logan get down using the ladder, followed by Ashlyn and Taylor. I watch as Aiden recklessly jumps off the bus and I wince, surprised he didn't sprain anything.

I'm about to follow his movements before Tyler approaches the bus and holds his arms up to me, "C'mon, I got you."

I stare down at his outstretched hands before glancing over at the ladder resting against the bus. I'm about to make a smartass comment but decide against it, taking advantage of the gesture instead. I swing my legs over the edge of the bus' roof, reaching for his arms. I hop down slightly and his hands find my waist, softening the impact once my feet touch the floor. I grasp onto his shoulders so I don't slip, then straightening up.

The tip of my bow nearly stabs his eye and I chuckle when he jerks his head back to avoid it.

I peer up at him and when we lock eyes, his grip on my waist tightens for a moment. I part my lips, a little lost for words with the way he was looking at me,

"I- uhm...thank you-"

"God, get a room!" Aiden teases from the circle they had formed.

Tyler and I both step away from each other and I feel the absence of his hands on my sides. He scratches the back of his neck, swinging his bat over his shoulder before joining his sister's side. I'm a blushing mess when I walk over to the group, standing between Logan and Aiden.

"Alright," Ashlyn crosses her arms over her stomach, "Let's go over the plan one more time."

"...Um-" Taylor says, latching onto the ladder beside her, "Are we uh- are we sure we want to do this?"

I turn my head over to look at her just as Ashlyn perks up in surprise, "...What?"

"Tay," I tilt my head at her, "Are you getting cold feet?"

"No! Well...maybe? I mean- y'know, m-maybe just staying in the graveyard every night wouldn't be...so bad, right? Especially with the lights up...couldn't we just hide in here? 'Till the seven hours are up?"

Logan nods from next to her, "I-I like that idea..."

I purse my lips at the two, a little in disbelief that they were changing their minds last minute. We had thoroughly thought this plan through and now is when they decide to have a change of heart?

I refrain from snapping at them, especially due to how sensitive the two were. It wasn't fair for me to react with so much hostility either. It was only human for them to be afraid under these circumstances. Shit, I was scared out of my mind too.

"Are you serious...?" Ashlyn asks, eyeing them both.

She frustratedly runs a hand through her short, orange locks, trying to process this. I frown over at her, wishing she didn't feel like she had to hold up all this pressure on her own. Yes, she's our leader, but that doesn't mean everything has to be up to her to decide.