Call me Different *ON HOLD*

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

“Okay so when I win, you have to jump into the lake.” Tyler grinned cockily, leaning against a large concrete ping-pong table that was set up on the edge of the large lake. He was twirling his bat in his hands, confidence oozing out of his everything.

“That’s funny, because the thing you don’t seem to realise is that I’m going to win.” I retorted, my voice teasing but still slightly detached. It was hard to act normal when you’d just heard voices in your head from a mind link you physically and mentally weren’t meant to hear. And there was no way I could tell Tyler that, I mean no one except my pack knew that I hadn’t changed yet, and that was the way I was going to keep it. Could you imagine the gossip!?

“Ella?”

“Hmm?” I asked, snapping out of my reverie.

Tyler chuckled. “You really are out of it aren’t you. I said that there was no way you are going to win, but to keep you happy, what’s my punishment if I lose?”

Oh, right. Head in the game, Ella. There is an insanely attractive, charismatic and funny boy trying to hang out with you. Stop being stupid.

I narrowed my eyebrows thoughtfully, and looked around our surroundings. He’d already taken the most obvious punishment – jumping in the lake – which didn’t really leave me with much material. There were a few people milling about, a game of soccer on the far end of the clearing, groups of friends sitting chatting and even some people dragging kayaks down from a sports shed.

“Right, sorry. Um... When I win, you have to... Run up to the kitchen and steal me a box of the M&Ms I saw hiding there.”

He snorted. “Is that seriously the best you can do?”

I smiled and shrugged. “I forgot to bring some and I’m craving.”

“Okay then! But for the record, I would have done that for you anyway, so it’s not really a punishment.”

Thirty minutes later we were still on 2-2. Our current rally had been going on for about 15 minutes, and none of us was ready to lose. I did not want to jump in the lake. I was regretting the punishment I gave him, I should have made him wax his legs or confess his undying love to a stranger or something.

“Lake’s cold at this time of the year. Hope you brought a towel.” Tyler taunted, his eyes never leaving the ball.

I scoffed and lobbed the ball so hard that it skimmed the edge of the table and went flying. Cheering, I threw my arms up and did a victory dance.

“I won, I won, I woooooon!” I sung in a loud, off-pitch voice. I seemed to constantly forget that I was surrounded by other people (other very attractive people, not to name any names) and make an idiot of myself. After shaking my butt in a circle, I came face to face with Tyler, who was barely able to conceal his laughter. I stopped instantly, my cheeks going bring red.

“Um... good game?” I offered, wanting the ground to open up and pull me into it.

Unable to hold it in any longer, Tyler burst out laughing. He laughed, and laughed and laughed. Seeing him bent over, laughing at my expense was a strange feeling, but his distraction allowed me to take a good look at him. Even clutching his stomach he was taller than me. The same kind of broad shoulders and toned muscles that Jay had were evident through his t-shirt. Jay always used to wear those white t-shirts when he was 15, around the time he started getting some serious muscle. My god, was he proud of his six pack. But it wasn’t proud in a show-offy kind of way, it was just who he was. Jay. I wondered what he was doing... Wait. Why was I thinking about Jay? I was having serious difficulty that day, I could not keep focused on a single thing.

Shaking my head, I returned my thoughts to Tyler, whose laughter was easing.

“Done?” I asked, crossing my arms and raising an eyebrow.

He cleared his throat and straightened up. “That was the cutest thing I think I’ve ever seen.”

The blush that had just cleared flared up again in my cheeks. I bent my head slightly, wanting to hide behind my sheet of hair.

“I mean, your co-ordination is terrible, but wow, I wish you could have seen that.”

I gasped and whacked his arm. “Watch it kid!” But I grinned anyway, a rush of excitement flowing through me upon being called cute by this seemingly perfect boy. I hadn’t really had any dating experience, I figured it’d just be easier to wait for my mate, but it didn’t seem like I’d ever be able to even turn so I may as well forget about that. Pain shot through my heart momentarily, but it disappeared as soon as it had arrived.

“Kid!” He scoffed. “I’m easily older than you. By a lot.”

“How old are you?” I asked.

“Guess.”

I pretended to think about it for a while. “I was going to say six, but judging from that little laughing fit before, I’d probably say about four?”

“You think you’re funny, don’t you? I’m actually 17, turning 18 in a few months.” Hah, same age as Jay! And subsequently almost two years older than me. Great.

“Oh. 17. I see.”

“What, is this the time when you tell me you’re actually 12, but just a very mature, very attractive 12 year old?”

Again with the compliments! I was getting kind of giddy, like an excitement overdose was coursing through my veins. I don’t know why I was being so strange, it’s not like he’d kissed me or even touched me, but I was reacting like some kind of hyperactive child. The grin stretched across my face was enough proof of that.

Then I got a sudden boost of confidence, from where, God only knows. “Are you flirting with me Tyler?”

He pursed his lips, his eyes sparkling. “That depends if it’s working or not.”

I began to walk away from the table, pausing to make sure he was following me. “It might be.” And then before he could say anything, I headed in the direction of the kitchen, eager to make him carry out his punishment. 

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Do you guys like Tyler? And what are your thoughts about Ella hearing the mind link?

Thanks again for reading, voting and commenting! I really appreciate it :)