Raven's Song

Old Friends

Tylor wasn't at school the next week. I told Izzy that we had broken up without any specific details. She must have told Dove and Amber because they were talking to me again on Monday. I listened as they all recounted their homecoming experiences. Dove had broken up with Clint and gotten back together with him all in one night. Amber didn't think Ross was going to be her soulmate, but he was fun. Izzy and Conner had ditched early to drink warm beer in a parking lot watching the boats on the river.

My dad questioned where Tylor was when he didn't come for tutoring on Monday. I'd told him we'd had a bad fight and were taking time to cool off. He hadn't questioned it except to ask me if he had hurt me. Not physically at least. I still had to spend my evenings at the police department, but he left me alone. He was going to let me spend weekends at home as long as no one came over. I figured he just wanted more time with me was why he wanted me at the station during the week.

I asked Mr. Alberts if it would be possible for me to switch partners. We'd finished the pig and were moving on to another project. He wouldn't let me. I was the only one who had been willing to work with Tylor since Tessa. He just didn't want to fight to get someone to switch with me. I didn't blame him. I only hoped that Tylor wouldn't show up except on quiz days.

I did move tables in government. It meant I had to sit with Alec and some of the baseball team, but they were pretty easygoing. Ms. Webb was thankful to have someone who could wrangle them a little bit to get some work done.

Alec started driving me to the police station so I didn't have to ride the bus. I knew he was glad that I wasn't with Tylor, and a little smug because he'd tried to warn me and had been right, but he didn't bring it up. He mentioned it once in passing but had moved on to another topic before I'd been able to process what he had said.

I did stay away from the park. I figured I still had Tylor watching my back, but I wasn't going to take the risk. It was more for my dad than for anyone. I was all that he had now except for a couple of people from the department that he had an occasional beer with. It'd been stupid of me to go there anyway.

Instead, I stood in my room and looked at the trees. With the leaves starting to fall, I could start to make out some of the lights on the paved paths. I would close my eyes and imagine that I was walking them. Sometimes alone. Sometimes with my mom and dad before everything had gone to shit. Sometimes Tylor would appear.

I did miss him. He had become a constant figure in my life. Still, I knew that it was better if I kept my distance. For everyone. He didn't have to worry about protecting me. My dad and friends didn't have to worry about Tylor killing me in my sleep. I didn't have to worry about Tylor being killed. It was just better.

He hadn't texted or called me, either. I wanted to know that he was okay. It wasn't my place, though. I had to remind myself every time I went to type a message or call his phone. The silence was going to make it easier for both of us. We wouldn't feel the need to try to fix everything.

At least that was what I kept telling myself.

Over. And over. And over. Until it was a running stream in my mind.

x.x.x

My mom used to do the grocery shopping. When she left, I came home after school to find a snack only to find the cupboards were empty. My dad was already picking up extra shifts and had cooked everything that had been in the pantry and freezer. I found a list on the counter of what needed bought, but he hadn't made it a priority. That afternoon, I took money out of the safe and, since I still had a car then, drove to the grocery store.