The Dancer | Wattys2018 | COMPLETED

9 - The Park

I want to dedicate this chapter to @Kraknik for being such an amazing reader, always giving me feedback and keeping me motivated ❤

The only sound was the ticking of the indicator, whenever they were turning left or right.

Madison had never seen a guy cry before. Not that they weren't allowed to, but it was especially unusual seeing Tyler, the cocky, loud mouth, whom she had only met a day ago, now silently crying in the car.

The police had given them the chance to grab her belongings, most of which were just clothes and a few school books, and so now they were going back to the Ashborne house.

"My parents." Tyler said quietly. At first, Madison thought she was hearing things, but he went on, "They divorced back in '12, six years ago, and mom got custody over us. The cops thought it was my dad who murdered her, but he loved my mom. I swear. He was always sending over gifts, giving her money when she needed it. Then it all stopped when she was murdered. Marcus got custody over us because dad was deemed psychologically ill. He went insane when she died. The cops suspecting him made it worse." Tyler's voice broke and he stopped talking. He drove the car into an empty parking lot, which seemed to be for a park of some sort.

They sat there in silence. Madison was trying not to cry. The Ashborne's definitely had it hard, with murder always looming around their family.

"He started getting better," Tyler continued, taking a deep breath, "But we were always told to stay away from him, and that he was dangerous. My dad wasn't though. He was the one who got me into soccer, and was always there, at every game, in the freezing cold, watching me, helping me out, supporting me. He was put into some government funded home where people like him are too. That, back in the apartment, is the first time I've seen him in three years." Tears were silently rolling down his cheeks, and he was clenching his jaw, trying to stop himself from crying.

Madison looked over at him, tears falling from her eyes too. Three years later, only to see his father strapped to a chair, with a blade dug through his throat, "Tyler, I know it seems hard now, but everything will be okay." She reached over and wiped his tears away. It seemed right at the time. She hadn't ever dealt with a crying boy before, save for the toddlers she used to babysit during the holidays as her part time job.

Tyler pushed her hands away softly, and got out of the car. He didn't say anything as he walked into the park, through the trees.

Madison wasn't going to go after him. If he wanted to be alone, she would stay where she was. Not that she could move anywhere too fast, with these crutches.

Madison had been like that though. Back when she hadn't sold her home yet, she was rarely ever in it, always trying to escape the memories that haunted her inside all the rooms. She would sit out the front of the house usually, trying to find her peace and quiet. She would let Tyler do just the same.

But he came back quicker than she expected. He knocked on her window, and because the car was off, she couldn't roll the window down, so she pushed open the door, "Yeah?"

"Walk with me?" The tears in his eyes were coming back, "Please?"

She limped out of the car and locked up before walking with him towards a park bench. They didn't sit down though, they just stood there.

"I found these in my dad's hands, before I called the cops." Tyler pulled out a note and a USB from his pocket, "I want to see them before I hand them in."

"You probably shouldn't have done that," Madison said, "They'll think you've tampered with evidence or something."

"I know." Tyler said quietly, down casting his eyes and pocketing the items.