The Story of My Less Than Perfect Life

Part 2:: Tyler

22

Walking out of that room felt good at first, but when I got down the stairs and saw Braidey, Chenelle, Connor, and Ronnie, all sitting on the couch in Carter's living room, I was instantly regretting my decision to walk down those stairs. "What's shakin' bacon?" Ronnie asked me. "Nothing much. Carter's just being an ass." "Oh! Been there done that several times honey. Do you want a ride home?" "Sure. There's no one else who'll agree to drive me right now." I said.

23

When I got home, I had already gotten at least fifteen texts from Carter, 'Babe, i'm sorry' 'Where are you?' 'Babe, you know I love you. Just come back to my house. Please' Pretty much the same thing fifteen times. I stomped my way up the stairs to my room and threw myself down on my desk chair. I was in the middle of booting up my computer when I heard a knock at the front door. "UGH!!!" I clomped back down the stairs, stormed over to the door, and threw it open angrily, flinging it into the wall. "What do you want?" I spat at the tall beach blonde girl on my doorstep. "Um-I-Uh, was told to come to this address and tell a Tyler Cummings, that she has been accepted to be a part of the dance team at South Eugene High" "Oh!!! Well-uh-thanks. A lot!" I slammed the door shut and squealed in delight. I have to call Carter, I thought. But, the moment I got upstairs and dialed the number, I remembered that I didn't want to talk to him. So I threw my phone onto my bed and walked back up to my computer. Yes. It was on. I got into my music tab and started my depression playlist. 'Back to Black' by Amy Winehouse. Perfect. I started practicing my contemporary piece and got really into it. So into it I knocked over my nightstand. "Shit" I said as my lamp hit the floor.

24

The next morning, Ronnie picked me up and took me to school in her car with Connor, Chenelle, and Braidey. Chenelle was more of a quiet person, who, I think, has a lot to say but she doesn't say it. Braidey is one of those kids who you think is trouble just waiting to happen, but he's really just a big teddy bear. And Connor, he's just one of those kids who's in the 'in' crowd. When we got to school I saw Carter standing by the activities entrance, obviously waiting for me. I got out of Ronnie's car and slammed my door shut. "Hey! Try not to break the car please." Then Ronnie saw Carter, "Oh! Never mind then." I walked up the ramp towards the activities entrance and Carter stood up straighter. "Tyler? Sweetheart? C'mon, just-just talk to me." "There's nothing to talk about, Carter," "Yeah. Yeah there is. Why did you storm out of my house yesterday?" "Because i felt like it! Why are you so sensitive about me storming out of your house?" Carter's angry expression then changed from anger to immediate sadness. "That's-uh-that's the way my dad left my mom and me." Carter slid down the wall, put his head in his hands and sobbed silently. "Babe. I'm sorry. I just forgot," I sat down next to him and wrapped my arms securely around his hunched shoulders. One of his hands came out from under his head and gently laid it on top of my own. "It's okay. I know you forget things. I accept your apology," Carter murmured. "Let's get to class," He pulled me up off of the ground, took my hand and led me towards the parking lot.

25

"Uh-um-I-I-uh-I-I thought we were going to class." I stammered. "They're dissecting a whole bunch of animals today in science and biology; We're ditching. I remembered that you told me that you were vegetarian" He looked at my shocked face, and brought his thumb to my forehead to smooth the creases threatening to pull the skin right off of my temples. "You remembered? I told you that months ago." I managed to utter through my shock. "Of course I remembered. I remember almost everything you tell me." He smiled his lopsided, sexy grin that always made my heart skip a beat. He brought his lips to mine and my heart started to race inside my chest. I pulled away, but his lips, yet again, never left my skin. He kissed my neck and I wrapped my arms around his neck. "Carter. I need to tell you something," My breath caught in my chest as his teeth grazed my earlobe. "What is it?" he asked me, his lips brushing the top of my ear. "I got onto the dance team!" He pulled back to look me in the face. "You're serious?! You mean, like, they actually let you on?!" "Yeah. Someone came to my house last night and told me." "Tyler-that's-that's-amazing!" He picked me up and swung me around in a circle. "So what did you have in mind for today?" I asked as we got in the car. "I was thinking that we go to Starbucks and get some coffee. Then go to your house and chill with a movie or two. Then we could go out to a romantic candlelit dinner," "Sounds nice." And with that I grabbed his hand and we pulled out of the parking lot.