Redeeming Qualities

~Chapter 5~

Moss POV

I knew she was back because I could hear her yelling at Ty in the classroom next door. The walls were thin. I heard her take off, out of the classroom, and I heard the door bang on her way out. I couldn't make out everything that they said. I could only hear her yelling something, and him responding in a calm tone.

I got up from my seat and left as well. Class hadn't quite started yet, so I got away unnoticed.

I spent the last week, actually.. I spend the last eight months working up the courage to talk to her, but it was only in the last week when I'd decided I was going to do it. I wasn't sure how, because she'd gotten really good at avoiding me, but I knew I had to do it.

I'd assumed she was in the bathroom, because the hall was cleared, and theres no way she would have made it to the other side so quickly. I go and lean against the lockers on the other side of the bathroom, and wait for her to come out. I'm not sure if now is the best time, but it's probably one of the only times I'll be able to track her.

I hear a loud slap, and then my sister angrily muttering something. Did Ty seriously not fucking tell her yet?

She storms out of the bathroom, not noticing me, but I stop her. I grab her arm, and she turns to me.

"You need to talk to Tyler." I tell her, in a firm tone of voice. She looks surprised, and then she narrows her eyes.

"What are you doing here, Moss, I-" I fold my arms over my chest, and glare at her. She doesn't hit people, that's not who she is.

"I gave Tyler the opportunity to tell you himself, but based on the fact that you're still blindly accusing other people, and hitting them, I can infer that he hasn't said shit." She furrows her eyebrows, confused. My heart hurts for her, because I know how she feels about Tyler. I'm starting to think that maybe giving them my blessing wasn't such a good idea. Her confused expression quickly turns to anger.

"Wait, are you fucking waiting for her? What, are you defending her now? Ty told me everything! He said that she confronted him and was jealous that he was dating me, so she spread the video around! Maybe it's you who needs to do his research." She presses a finger into my chest, shoving me back a little. I quickly get irritated at her.

"You don't know everything, Junebug. Go ask him again, and tell him that I told you to get the real story from him!" I whisper yell at her, trying to make sure that Taylor can't decipher my voice. Junebug steps back, hurt.

"You told me you would tell me what you found out, Moss... Have you known something all along?" Her eyes fill up a little, and my chest aches. This is probably my least favorite sight in the world, but I am not the one that was supposed to tell her.

"Junebug, I really thought that Ty would have told you. Please, just go ask him again, okay?" She frowns a little, and then nods before walking away.

I lean back against the lockers, running a hand across my face. It is only the second week of school, and all of this is going down. I haven't heard from Taylor in almost a year, and I haven't had a reason to not trust Ty in almost just as long... There has to be something fishy going on, even if I don't want to accept it.

It's twenty minutes before she comes into view. My heart stops.

She looks different. She looks tired, and beat down. She looks scared, and I am not used to that look on her. She has an angry red welt on her face, where Junebug slapped her. She's wearing jeans and a tshirt, obviously not trying to look beautiful, but she sucks at it.

She's still beautiful.

Her eyes widen when she sees me, and she stops in her place. I see so many emotions flash through her eyes. Guilt, remorse, sadness, longing... She isn't bad. She can't be.