EXPOSURE•tyler owens

Chapter Three

All of the Storm Parr cars are rushing out of the parking lot, and I feel my heart racing. In the distance, I can see the sky getting darker and the clouds beginning to form a funnel.

A tornado is forming, and we're driving right towards it. Scott hands me a pair of glasses that he says will protect our eyes from the dust and anything that comes our way when we get out of the car.

I can hear the loud volume of the wind even while the windows of the truck are closed. I don't know much about tornadoes, but this doesn't seem to be a huge one. Either way, it's terrifying.

It is a giant monster that destroys everything in its path and that might just include us. I hear one of the others over the walkie talkie say that their device is activated and in place.

My eyes widen. There is a tornado right in front of us and it's only getting bigger. Our car comes to a stop.

"You ready, Lena?"

I nod quietly as I put my glasses on and step out of the car. I have to keep my feet steady on the ground as I feel the heavy winds threaten to knock me over.

I speed to the back, helping Scott lift the machine out and then lock it in place. Scott talks into the walkie talkie and I sigh in relief once we make it back into the car.

"Let's get out of here," I suggest.

Scott smiles. "You don't want to go any further?"

"No."

"That's supposed to be Kate and Javi's job anyways."

It's been a while and we haven't heard from either one of them. Their device isn't up and running. I see Scott's face drop when the tornado begins to weaken.

Then I hear obnoxious music again. Tyler's car is next to us and he's grinning at me from his seat. He rolls down the window.

"The tornado's over there. Scared, Elena?" He taunts."

"I'm not-"

The sound of his engine cuts me off as his car move quickly toward the tornado. The drills on the bottom bury it into the ground and then I see the most ridiculous thing ever.

Fireworks shoot straight up the tornado, causing pops of color to interrupt the dark color of it. Tyler just shot fireworks up a tornado.

"Owens is actually insane," I mumble.

"Tell me about it."

The tornado is quickly falling through, and I climb out of the truck, staring at what is the most stupid thing I've ever seen.

Fireworks in a tornado.

"So, did the scan work?" I ask.

Scott rolls his eyes which tells me that it didn't. "Nope. Kate drove them away from the tornado and didn't set anything up."

"Hey, go easy on her. Didn't her and Javi both loose their friends in that tornado?"

"Yeah, but that was years ago. Kate's going to slow us down."

I know that Tyler's group is coming towards us when I hear the loud music. Their truck stops right in front of us.

Tyler leans his head out of the window. "Can I offer you a ride home, Ellie?"

I look away towards Scott. "Just ignore him."

"As much as the guy annoys me, I am going to be heading back to talk with Javi. You probably want to get back to the house."

"Not with him!" I whisper protest.

"I said, do you want a ride home?" Tyler repeats.

He continues to honk his horn until I'm forced to turn around in annoyance. "Why would I want a ride home with you?"

"We have some catching up to do, Rosewood. Boone's already in the backseat. Come on."

I reluctantly sigh. He's not going to stop until I say yes. "I'll see you later, Scott."

I open the car door and climb up into the passenger seat. Tyler starts driving. "Ben, this is Elena. Elena, this is Ben, a reporter from London."

I lean back in my seat, trying to make myself comfortable. Tyler sits all cocky in the front seat, wearing a knowing smile. "How was your first rodeo, Ellie?"

"Fine."

He leans closer, a smirk playing at his lips. "Was it too scary for you, sweetheart?"

"Call me that one more time and I'll throw you into a tornado."

"You couldn't even get me off the ground. You, however, are as light as a feather."

"Is that a challenge, Owens?"

Boone crosses his arms in the backseat. "Do y'all ever shut up?"

"She doesn't," Tyler chuckles.

"Oh, please. I shouldn't have even gotten in your car."

"I am the reason you are even chasing in the first place. You've never taken an interest in tornadoes before."

I know deep down that he's right. I just can't let him best me in something, because he always bests me. I can't let the 'Tornado Wrangler' take me down.

"That's not true. Not everything is about you, Owens," I hum.

The car comes to a stop in front of my house, and Tyler tells me to wait. He climbs out of the car and offers me his hand to climb down from the tall seat of the truck.

I try to push his hand away, but he takes a hold of mine anyways and gently helps me down. I want to smile, but I don't.

"I know your chasing phase won't last," he says.

"Neither will the subscribers on your YouTube channel," I retort.

"Hey, that's mean."

I just give him a small smirk as I head back towards his house. Tyler just watches me as he slowly gets back into the truck.

He's so completely wrong. I'm not going to back out of this. Besides, my first tornado wasn't that scary. I was able to do it once, which means that I can do it again.

Doing this is worth the look on Tyler's face. The same annoyed one he wore at the parking lot today.

Good luck, Tornado Wrangler.