He Never Knew

Chapter 8

She became his obsession.  He always tried to make her happy, no matter what.  Her smile was a precious medal, her hair worth more than a thousand diamonds.  When she broke up with Cory Higgins at the end of freshman year, he sat beside her for hours as she cried.  When her grandma died the next July, he held her hand at the funeral.  When her dad decided that he was ready to move on and marry someone new, but she decided that she wasn't, he listened to her scream into her cell phone all night.

Of course, she never thought that their friendship was anything but healthy.  They became closer friends as highschool continued on.  She never once suspected that he spent an unhealthy amount of time staring at her picture.  He never told her how much he loved her.  He didn't want to risk the disappointment of unrequited love.  He went to every single one of her volleyball games, sometimes having to drive for nearly an hour at a time.  He sat there in the front row during all three nights of the play.  He just wanted to support her and make her happy.

Sophomore year was different.  Cory Haggins broke up with Cara, and she wanted nothing to do with relationships.  "I need to focus on my studies," she had said when all the cutest boys in their class had asked her out.    She drug Jeffrey to the library to study for hours at night.    It was during these long nights that Jeffrey started to realize that he loved her.  It wasn't just "puppy love" or a simple "like."  He loved her.  He wanted to marry her, a strange proposition for a teenage boy: commitment.  Many people judged this simple word as the scariest of all.  But he couldn't see his future with anyone else.

He sat on the floor of his room, contemplating his life.  Cara had been one of his closest friends.  She was one of his best.   He loved her.  His brain wandered to the upcoming homecoming dance.  He sat there fantasizing of dancing with her all night.  He wanted nothing more in the entire world than to be with her.  Maybe, just maybe, he could.

He showed up at her doorstep with roses and chocolate; his hand shook as he knocked on her door.  Cara opened the door in what seemed like slow motion.  His heart thumped in his chest.  She gazed up at him with those amazing blue eyes.

"I.. I was wondering if you would like to go to homecoming with me," he stated, faltering only slightly.

She paused, processing what he had just said.

"You know, just as friends," he added, pulling on the collar of his T-shirt, suddenly feeling very warm.  He blushed.

She finally opened her mouth.  

"I'm sorry, Jeffrey.  I don't think I want to go this year.  I just don't feel up to it."

She looked down at her feet, muttering "I'm sorry" over and over again.  She closed the door, not able to look at him.  He stood there for a moment, waiting.  A tear fell onto his cheek and trailed down his face, landing on one of the perfect roses.  He wiped the next one away, and before he knew it, he had run up to his room.  With the last of his strength he threw the roses into the trashcan and cried.  

He screwed up.  More tears welled in his eyes.  All he wanted to do was make her happy.  He had destroyed their friendship.  He had pushed her too far.

His phone buzzed.

Tyler: Hey bro :P

Jeffrey: Hey

Tyler: What's up?

Jeffrey: Nothing, just screwed stuff up with a girl

Tyler: Don't worry, Brosky, women are an unexplained, incomprehensible creature.  She'll probably change her mind by tomorrow

Jeffrey: I don't think so.  She's not like other girls

Tyler: She'll come around.  Just be confident, ladies like that.

Jeffrey: I can't face her tomorrow

Tyler: Hey, this might seem weird, but can I come over this weekend?

Jeffrey: Sure, lol :D

Tyler: Awesome, see you Saturday?

Jeffrey: See you Saturday

Jeffrey avoided Cara for the rest of the week.  While everyone else buzzed excitedly at lunch, he plugged his earbuds in, listening to something heavy and dark.  Cara sat in an opposite corner of the cafeteria, writing something in a notebook.

It rained on Saturday as winds blew all the fall leaves around.  Tyler walked gingerly up to Jeffrey's doorstep, reading the address on the mailbox.

"Must be the place," he wheezed.

Jeffrey let him in before he even knocked on the door.  As he took Tyler's coat, Jeffrey noticed how pale Tyler looked.

"Is something wrong?" Jeffrey asked.

"Nah, I'm fine.  Just a side effect, I'll be fine in a few days," Tyler answered, looking slightly to the left as he spoke.

Jeffrey stared at him a moment more before leading him up the stairs.  He couldn't help but notice that Tyler had trouble breathing as he climbed them.

"You sure there's nothing wrong?" Jeffrey asked once again.

"It's nothing to worry about," Tyler muttered. "Really."

Tyler gazed around Jeffrey's room, noticing the drumset in the corner.

"Bro, that a Ludwig set! How'd you even afford one?" 

"It was a gift from my mom a few Christmases ago."

They spent the afternoon talking and making music.  They laughed for hours.  Tyler's smile never once faltered nor failed.  His eyes twinkled like emeralds.  Happiness emanated from his being.  No one would have guessed that there was something terribly wrong.

A/N: I'm so sorry that I didn't update this in forever.  Literally forever!!! I'm sorry; I'm sorry; I'm sorry.  I have failed you!!!! So... Carissa... You wanted me to update.... See what you made me do.... Do you see it.... I have broken it...