Second Chances for Tyler Landry

Look At Me

Tyler watched Mackenzie's hair fly and tumble behind her as she ran full speed into her back woods. He watched until she ran out of sight and past the thick fir trees.

"What's up with her?" Avery asked and adjusted her low cut top.

Tyler answered with silence.

He missed Mackenzie. Not just her not being there, but the way they used to be. It was easy to just laugh and joke and be around her.

Now it seemed like they were strangers.

Like she had put up an immovable wall and he couldn't climb over. Because every time he tried, she would just build it higher and she would become even more distant.

"Tyler? Did you hear me?" Avery asked.

Tyler shook his head to get out of his daze, "Yeah. I don't know Avery."

Avery stared out the window at the trees Mackenzie just ran into.

"You know Tyler," she started "I might not be one for brains, but I know when someone else looks at someone a certain way."

Tyler turned to meet her eyes. They were a warm brown and liquid; but they weren't the eyes that he wanted to see right now.

"And the way you look at her," Avery smiled sadly "Well I'd just about give my left arm for someone to look at me like that."

He let the words sink in. And as soon as he did, something jolted him out of the moment.

There was a cliff back in those woods. If Mackenzie kept running and turning around the way she was, she could run right off of it.

"Avery," Tyler said quickly "I'm sorry. I have to-"

"I know." she cut him off with the same grieving smile.

Tyler shot her a half-hearted grin and jerked open the car door. He bolted across Mackenzie's yard and into the dead leaves and thorn bushes.

Trees flew by like a bad film and he blinked away the tears from the cold.