Vacant Hearts [UNDER CONSTRUCTION]

Chapter 12 | Say It to My Face

SONG FOR THE CHAPTER: Say It to My Face by Madison Beer

      "Why is Tyler dressed like a homeless man who has been living under a bridge for the past year?" I asked my friends just as Tyler entered the room, slouched over as he walked. He was wearing a pair of stained denim jeans and a grey hoodie. The hoodie was pulled over his head and obscured most of his face.

      Julian, who had opted to sit diagonally across from me on the table, shrugged. "Who even knows."

      I knew Julian had chosen to sit there because it was the furthest seat away from me. Even though it felt like we sorted things out yesterday, it was still a little awkward between us after we almost kissed at the party. We were both making such a big deal out of a kiss that never even happened and it made no sense. Now, I was applying the ignore-it-and-it-will-go-away mentality to the situation.

      So far, so good.

      "He can't still be hungover. It's Monday morning. I wonder what's wrong with him," Lia mused.

      Tyler crossed the room, yanked back the chair beside Julian and sat down with a thud. He dropped his bag onto the ground next to him and let out a long sigh.

      All three of us just stared at him, trying to figure out why he was acting like he woke up to the news that Beyoncé had died.

      "Tyler, what's wrong with you?" Julian asked slowly.

      "My life sucks," Tyler grumbled.

      "Really? I had no idea," I said sarcastically.

      Tyler shot me a hard look but didn't say anything. He just slumped further in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. Something must've been wrong if he didn't even bother replying to me. He hated being insulted and always had an insult of his own prepared to sling back.

      Our tutor walked in and placed her bag down by the computer at the front of the room. Slipping off her red coat, she hung it over the back of the chair before logging onto the computer. After that, she dove into the lesson.

      "Now, this assessment is worth forty per cent of your grade, so it's important–" Elina, our tutor, cut herself off. Her eyes landed on Tyler and she frowned. "Tyler, please remove the hood from your head. This is a classroom, not a gangster hangout."

      A few people chuckled at the back of the room, along with Lia and I. Elina wasn't strict by any means, but even she seemed to find it disrespectful that Tyler was wearing a hood indoors.

      I saw Tyler stiffen, peering over his shoulder at our tutor.

      "I'm good, thanks," was his reply.

      I grimaced, knowing this wasn't going to end well. This may have been college but we were still told to show respect to our teachers. The ones who deserved it, at least. And Elina certainly did.

      "Tyler," Elina repeated with a warning in her voice. "I won't ask you again."

      I saw Julian roll his eyes before he yanked his friend's hood off his head. Tyler jerked in surprise and Lia gasped. I had to press my hand against my mouth to stop myself from bursting out laughing.

      Tyler's usually brown hair was the brightest shade of green.

      "Oh, my goodness," Julian said under his breath, eyeing Tyler's hair with disgust.

      The funny thing was, his green hair wasn't even the worst part. On the side of his neck, there was a reasonably large, full-colour tattoo of My Little Pony. After seeing that, I couldn't hold it together anymore. Now Tyler's foul mood made complete sense.