Light as a Feather

Chapter Twenty-Three

        The next few days were filled with fun and leisure. Tyler and Annabelle didn't accomplish much while in St. George, but they had a great time driving around and just being teenagers, something Annabelle hadn't been able to do in a long time. The morning they left, Annabelle got more food at a Maverick on a corner and they set off in the hot sun. 

        "I can't believe we got to miss school to go play," Annabelle said, laughing. She had been scrolling through Facebook, but she clicked the "Sleep" button so she could talk to Tyler. 

        He shook his head. "I know. I hope we don't get in trouble." 

        Annabelle answered, "I'm not going to get in trouble. My mom is telling the school I'm sick." 

        "Anna, why did you really go and talk to your uncle?" Tyler asked. Annabelle knew that he had been curious, but he, thankfully, hadn't pressed her for information. She breathed out slowly. She was going to have to make something up. And right then, she had no idea what she was going to say. 

        "Look, I just had to talk to him about this family thing. My mom couldn't do it because my uncle doesn't really like her, and I guess he's always had a soft spot for me, so... I went instead." All of that was true. There were just a couple of missing pieces. 

        "If he's always liked you, how come you didnt' know where he lived?" Tyler asked. 

        "Well, he moved. Stopped talking to family, and that included me, I guess." Surprisingly, Tyler nodded at this. He took the answer and they kept driving. Eventually, Annabelle fell asleep, her head on the seat belt. She slept like that for the whole ride home. 

                                                                                        *****

        When Tyler got back to Annabelle's house, he gently woke her up. "You're home, darling." 

        Annabelle smiled. "Now I'm darling?" she asked. She opened her eyes reluctantly and stretched out her arms. Sure enough, they were in her spacious driveway. Everything looked exactly the same. 

        "Well, you don't let me call you Annabelle, so I either have to stick to darling, or Anna." He smiled tightly and then got out of the car, walked around the front of it, and opened Annabelle's door. He looked pained, but Annabelle couldn't figure out why. "Let's get your stuff," Tyler said, walking around to the trunk of the car. But Annabelle stopped him. 

        "Tyler, are you okay?" she asked him softly. 

        "Yeah, I'm fine. Why do you ask?" he asked as he walked back over to the trunk. He got out her bag and set it in the driveway. 

        "Because you seem... different." She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but something was definitely off. His carefree spirit was mostly gone, and in its place was sadness. 

        He smiled, but it wasn't a happy one. His eyes looked empty. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and said, "After being with you for so long, it's going to be hard to see you go."

        Annabelle giggled. "I'm right next door. And I'll see you at school. We have to go tomorrow." 

        Tyler nodded, but hugged her tightly, his face sullen. Yes, Annabelle thought as her head rested on his chest, his heartbeat drumming in her ears. Something is definitely wrong.