Whispers Of Fate

11| Beneath the surface

The next morning, I woke up with the sunlight streaming through my window. My head was still buzzing from the events of last night. I checked my phone, hoping for a reply from Tyler. Nothing.

I tossed my phone back onto the bed and sighed, rubbing my eyes. Did he really mean it? The question nagged at me, but I knew I wouldn't get answers just sitting here.

Dragging myself out of bed, I made my way to the bathroom to freshen up. The memory of his lips on mine lingered, and I couldn't shake the sensation. It was frustrating. I wanted to know what was going on in his head, but at the same time, I wasn't sure if I wanted to dig deeper. There was something about Tyler that drew me in, but Jason's warning echoed in my mind. Could he really be that guy everyone talks about?

I brushed my hair when suddenly, my phone buzzed. My heart skipped a beat on reading the name that lit up on my phone. It was a text from Tyler:

"Meet me at The Pier, noon."

That was it-no explanation, no emojis, just a command. My heart thudded in my chest. What did he want?

I stared at the message for a few moments, unsure of how to respond. Did I even want to see him after last night? But part of me was desperate for answers. I quickly showered, put on a simple white blouse and jeans, and hurried out the door.

The Pier wasn't far from my house. It was one of those places everyone hung out during the weekends, a stretch of boardwalk overlooking the water. I arrived a little before noon and spotted Tyler almost immediately. He was leaning against the railing, looking out at the horizon. His hair was slightly messy, and he had a pensive look on his face.

I approached slowly, unsure of what to say. When he finally noticed me, his face lit up with that familiar smirk. "Right on time," he said, his voice smooth, but there was something off in his tone, something I couldn't place.

"Hey," I said quietly, standing beside him but keeping some distance between us.

For a moment, we just stood there in silence, the sound of the waves crashing against the shore filling the awkward gap. Tyler was the first to break the quiet.

"You left this at mine last night." He said while handing out one of my earrings which I wore last night. His voice felt stiff even during this moment.

"I looked all over the place for this, thanks Tyler." I smiled while taking the earring from his hand and shoving it into my pocket.

He didn't smile back instead, looked away as though he had something important in his mind.

Does he not remember anything?

"Do you have anything to say Tyler?" I asked hoping he would start the conversation about last night.

He hesitated for a few moments before pulling something out of his pocket. He stopped midway which prevented me from seeing what it was but just as he was about to open his mouth to speak, my phone buzzed again. It was a text from an unknown number:

"Hey, it's me Jason from last night. Just wanted to know if you got home safe."

Tyler noticed my phone and stepped back. His expression shifted, hardening slightly. "Who's that?" he asked, his voice careful, but I could sense the tension beneath it.

"Just... a friend," I replied, slipping my phone back into my pocket.

He didn't say anything for a moment, but I could feel the mood shift. The vulnerable Tyler from a few moments ago seemed to disappear, replaced by the guarded version I had seen so many times before.