The Girl Behind the Glasses

Chapter 8

Audrey's POV

I can't believe that I opened up so much to Tyler. He seemed so... Understanding and caring. I wouldn't even guess that he could be a bully. But nothing can change the past.

Even though Tyler wanted to have me forgive him and would do anything for it, I know that there is something he is burying inside of him. Something that is covering his heart. I know about it because I have it to. And the whole thing scares me because the dark secret could be that he is just using me.

I wish that I was able to have a friend like him right now. He could help me with Claire and make me laugh when I didn't feel like moving any further.

We scheduled a plan where we could meet each other every day after school and walk to my house to study. I am not sure if I am glad that I am going to spend a lot of time with him, or mad that he will be bugging me all the time.

I tried to stay away from my father by staying at my mom's house, but it is also a lot of work. I promised mom that whenever she asked me to babysit, I would without complaint. That was our deal for me not going over to dads. I think she is trying to make me crack.

I just hope that he doesn't come and force me to go over. I can't bare getting whipped one more time. I guess when he whips me, he feels like he is changing me into a different person. I am scared that one day I will.

I hope Tyler doesn't figure out too much from my past. If he did, he probably would pity me or worse lose interest in me. No matter how much I would deny that I wouldn't care if he did, I don't want him to leave.

There was no words exchanged about Claire and I was so grateful for that. We are both sitting on the couch trying to figure out which subject to start with in between my sniffles. I could hear that there was feet coming up the porch steps and I realized that it was my mother home from work. She still continued to work until late at night in her office at home.

"Hey Audrey. Who is this?"

"This is Tyler. He is my tutor for school now because my teacher recommended it."

"Oh, well I will be in my office." She says and walks off, not really interested about my new tutor.

"So, let's start with math?" Tyler asks.

"Ugh. Math. Really?"

"Oh it won't be that bad."

"Yes it will!" I over exaggerate.

"You will survive. " Tyler says with a cheeky grin on his face.

He opens the math book and turns to the right page. He turns to the easiest problems in the whole book. They are just like a puzzle to me.
"Okay so what you want to do is make sure the varia-"
How was I going to act like I don't know this? What if he finds out that I really do know this?
"Audrey. Are you there?"
"Uh yeah."
"Okay, well what do you do first?"
I look at the problem.
5x+3=18
It's obvious what you have to do but I go with a different answer.
....
"I'm tired! Can we stop studying?"
"Okay. Let's give it a rest for today."
Tyler closed the book and set it on the table.
"Oh! I should probably wake the kids up."
I get up from the coach and head up to my bedroom. Tyler begins to follow me up the stairs.

Tyler's POV
I watch as Audrey gently shakes Kyle and Ellie to wake them up. I didn't want to leave this house. Not yet. Only if I could spend some time with them....
"Hey guys! Let's all watch a movie together. We can make popcorn, and Audrey and I could have some hot cocoa."
"Yeah." They both smile, half asleep.
"What do you say Aud?"
"First, don't ever call me that. And second, you want to stick around to watch a movie?"
"Sure. Why not?" I say.
"Fine. Only this time."
"Yes. Let's go."
I pick up Kyle and start to move to the downstairs.
Audrey then begins to follow suit by picking up Ellie.

Audrey's POV

We set them down by the selection of movies that are mostly Disney. They both pick out Peter Pan. Figures, I have only seen that movie a million times in the past year. That is the only movie that they will both agree on. Tyler begins to set the DVD in the rightful spot in the DVD player and the movie trailers come to life on the screen. I walk out into the kitchen and set a popcorn bag into the microwave. I could see dirty blonde hair come into my view and I turned away in search of coffee mugs.

"I hope that Peter Pan was okay with you. We can change the movie if you want?" Tyler suggests to me.

"No that's fine with me. I have just seen it a lot because that's their favorite movie."

"Well we could watch any movie you want sometime at my house or if you were more comfortable doing it while the little kids take a nap..."

I suddenly felt walls of security rise up inside of me. "How about we just stick to one movie, since you are supposed to be my tutor, not my entertainer." I said coldly.

Why did I say that? I know that he was trying to make things better and he was being so nice.

"Why is it everytime anyone tries to be nice to you and be your friend you have to beat them down. Is that why you are so grumpy all the time? Because nobody is there for you?"

"Well sorry for being a little rude when you are here trying to be forced into my life like you did nothing wrong! You are here to tutor me! Not be a favorite uncle to my siblings!"

"There is nothing wrong with having a friend to look after you. And I was just being nice!"

The kitchen door open and Ellie pops her head in. I begin to calm down. "We'll be out once we are done making the snacks and drinks sweetie. Go on and watch the trailers." I say and the door closed. I grab my mug that had a reference to the fault in our stars.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have overeacted the way I did." He paused for a second."I didn't know that you were the romance type." Tyler said.

"I'm not. Just this romance story was realistic and doesn't end in happily ever after."

"So, if I am getting this right. Somebody has to die for it to be a 'realistic' romance?"

"No, I am just saying that happily ever after isn't true. No one is ever going to have an absolutly perfect life with no challenges. It's impossible."

I got done making hot chocolate for both me and Tyler. I handed the plain mug to him and I grabbed the bowl full of popcorn.

"Since you think that happily ever after is impossible, let me ask you this. There may no be such thing as a perfect life but could some person make the un perfect life bearable and worth it to overcome each challenge?"

"Yeah, but I don't think that a certain person should have to give you the motivation. I think that each person should have their own self motivation."

I open the door and walked out, not wanting to go any further into the conversation.

The screen showed the disc menu of Peter Pan. I set down the bowl of popcorn on the floor so Kyle and Ellie could share and pressed play on the remote. Tyler was waiting on the couch and sipping on his hot chocolate.  

I sat down on the couch beside him and watched the movie. I totally don't agree with this plot line. The whole movie is about never wanting to grow up. I had to grow up and there was no choice in the matter. I had to become a strong independent woman for Kyle and Ellie when I reached 11 years old. Before that my father abused me. There was no trip to neverland. There wasn't even a little warning.

Tyler's POV

I began to grow less and less interested in the movie so I kept sneaking glances at Audrey. She was so beautiful. The way her laugh was the warmth of the fire and her smile was the sunrise. Her eyes began to shut but she forced them open. Without thinking I set down her mug on the coffee table and then I grabbed her shoulders and layed her on my chest. I then wrapped one arm around her as if I was protecting her. At first she was as stiff as a rock but then she began to curl into me. Her breathing steadied 5 minutes later. The kids did not notice that we have moved a bit because their eyes were glued to the tv. I leaned down and planted a kiss on Audrey's forehead and stroked her hair.

This felt so perfect.