500 Words in a Chapter

2. Keeping Him

@TheVisualist:
Hey! I read your comment last chapter, and yeah, you’re totally right. That word is going to be the most frequently commented word in the book. And I read the comments, and that would get annoying, soooo…

Guys, don’t overuse the word cliché because now it’s kind of becoming cliché.
If that makes sense.

Just say “spotted” or “found one” or something like that. ‘Kay?

STORY CHAPTER.

“Isobel, what are you doing?” The words come from the mouth of a boy sitting across from me, and I shoot him an unfocused look before I return my gaze to my notepad.

       On the notebook paper in front of me, I quickly reread my messy handwriting as he opens his can of soda.

       “I need a word . . .” I start, playing with the black pen in my hand, “that rhymes with—”

       “Isobel, if you say orange, I swear—”

       “Orange.”

       Tyler sighs. I look up again, this time to take in his cute, pale, freckled face, and watch him roll his dark eyes at me. “I don’t know, Isobel. Door hinge?”

       I stare at him, then lean my elbow against the lunch table in front of me. I’m about to run my fingers through my hair, but then I remember I haven’t straightened it and my fingers would only get stuck in the thick dark curls. “Tyler, why would I be writing a song about a door hinge?”

       “Well, why are you writing a song about the color orange?”

       “Because—” I start, but then I pause, and read the words that I’ve written so far. And that’s when I realize what I’m writing makes absolutely no sense. I close the notepad. “Look, I’m running out of creativity. I don’t think there’s anything left of my brain after watching so many reruns of The Bachelorette. By now I am convinced that that show literally causes brain cell loss.”

       I pick up my sandwich and take a bite, looking out into the room. All around us students are eating, but it still seems relatively quiet in the lunchroom. Besides us, our whole table is missing today, and so is half the school, because some of the more fortunate students are attending a field trip.

       “So stop watching it,” Tyler says.

       I down a huge chunk of my iced tea and then answer, “I can’t. I’m obsessed now.” He watches me carefully, and I raise an eyebrow. “What?”

       “I just don’t see why you’re spending your time watching a show filled with a million guys pining after one girl for a relationship that might not even last, when you’ve got a boyfriend here. One who can find other ways to occupy your time.”

       I roll my eyes at his suggestion and ignore his wiggling eyebrows. “Because, Ty,” I say, reaching across the table to rest my caramel-colored hand against his pale one, “you are not a hot twenty-year-old with abs who always ends up shirtless and in the ocean.”

       Ty snorts and gestures at himself. “Clearly. If I were standing in your linen closet I’d get mixed in with the white sheets and you’d never find me. Think it’s safe to say I do not tan at the beach.” Then he grins. “But I think we can negotiate the shirtless part. If you’re willing to participate.”

       I smile disbelievingly at him, but then I look at him for a moment. He’s looking back at me, too, but he doesn’t say anything. So we look at each other. And no one turns away, and I stare into his brown eyes and start to think I could sit here forever.

       And then, in less than a second, it’s all ruined.

       There’s a loud crash that comes from behind me, and I turn around to see where it came from. Standing at the entrance to the lunchroom is Valerie Davis, a clumsy smart underclassman that still hasn’t quite gotten used to high school after a year.

       I take in a breath.

       Her eyes are wide and she scans the room carefully as she picks up her fallen books. And then her eyes land on our table. A table that used to be her table, once upon a time.

       She sees Tyler, and she looks at me, and now she remembers that this isn’t the love story of the nerd and the popular boy anymore. And she puts her head down, and continues walking.

       I turn back to Tyler, who watches her shuffle all the way to her own small corner and sit alone, and I breathe again, but I am not relieved. I know it’s wrong that I don’t want her here. But it’s the truth, and it won’t change.

       Because as long as she’s here, Tyler’s thoughts will be about her. And I don’t think I would survive if I lost him to her.

       Not again.

          *          *          *

Aaand comment away! c:

And point out any mistakes.

'AwesomelyBlaze