Air Catcher

I'm No Good Without You

Alyx's pov

It took me three long weeks to build up my courage just to have an actual conversation with Tyler. He never spoke to me first and if I asked him something he would give me short answers and go back whatever he was doing. It wasn't rude though, more like we had back pedaled to the first few weeks we knew each other. It hurt more and more everyday. But after a thousand two minute conversations I had made up my mind, and nothing, not even the most stubborn boy on the planet, would stop me.

I talked to him about the assignment in English, because that seemed like a good start. At least it was something. The end of the semester was coming up and if I didn't resolve this before the break I would be furious with myself. I was already furious with myself. At the end of our conversation I worked up enough nerve to ask him the important question.

"Could you meet me at the library tonight?"

He seemed surprised by my question. "I- um, I don't know. I'll think about it."

"Thanks. I'll be there at six o'clock if you decide to come." I smiled. He gave me a smile smile in return, not one of his bright happy ones, but a beautiful smile nonetheless.

My head was everywhere and nowhere for the rest of class. I was going to go insane with all the thoughts flying around and yet there wasn't a single thing on my mind.

At lunch Tyler pulled Josh aside to talk to him. Luckily for me they didn't go very far, so I could still hear part of the conversation.

"Should I?" Tyler asked.

"I don't see what harm it could do." Josh reasoned.

"Except to me. Being around her all the time- it... it's hard. It hurts." My heart sank at his words.

"But you don't want to lose her all together, do you?"

Tyler sighed. "No. It's even worse when she's not around." He paused. "I'll go."

My heart pounded. I was terrified, but there was no turning back now.

_________________________

I paced outside the library for fifteen minutes. Every time I sat down I would fidget and twitch until I stood back up and began walking again. What the heck was I doing? Why on Earth did I think I could do this? Something was going to go wrong somehow, I knew it.

I thought about just leaving the library and going home, but that would make everything so much worse. So I stayed and waited and walked.

I was so lost in my thoughts and stressing out of my head that I didn't even realize when Tyler came up to me.

"Hey."

"Oh, you're- you're here. Hi." My heart sped up.

"Yeah," He looked around. "Why are we here?"

"I... um." I couldn't make words come out. "Let's, uh, let's walk." I started down the small path that circled the library, looking down at the flowers that lined both sides. Neither of us said a word, but my head screaming at me was loud enough to make it too much to bear.

We walked for around ten minutes before Tyler asked a question. "Are you going to tell me why you asked me to come here?" His voice was just a few degrees away from being cold.

I stopped and turned to face him. "I... well... yeah. I guess so." I looked down at my feet. I could feel his eyes on me, waiting expectantly.

"Yeah?" He prompted.

I took a deep breath and looked up. I had to do this for myself. "I didn't want to ask at school so..." I trailed off. Why couldn't I speak? "I wanted to talk somewhere a little less... crowded." I cringed.

Tyler's eyebrows shot up.

I groaned in frustration. "Do you want to- want to.... maybe..."

Tyler stood patiently, waiting for me to get one stupid sentence out.

"Do you want to go to Taco Bell with me sometime?" I forced the words out of my throat in a rushed tone, unintentionally raising my voice slightly.

"Like as a-"

"Yes. As a date." I tried to read his face, but I couldn't.

"But you-"

"Friend-zoned you hard. I know. I'm sorry. I was scared and stupid and I don't know what I was thinking. I just didn't want you to know, I guess, and I was terrifi-" I couldn't get the words out fast enough. He watched me closely as I confessed all. While I was in the middle of the word he outstretched his hand and in one swift motion reached behind my hair to the back of my neck and pulled me to him.

His lip pressed into mine and all the tension in my body vanished. I kissed him back, wrapping my arms around his neck. I definitely had not anticipated this reaction. I could feel everything at once, his weight pressed against mine, the air stirring around us, and raw emotion flooding from both of us. Why had I been so scared? This was right. This is what I wanted. I wanted to be with him as much as possible, as close to him as I could be. He pulled away all too soon and rested his forehead on mine.

"It'd be sick to go to Taco Bell with you. Sick as frick." He grinned.

I let out a contented sigh. I couldn't think of any words to describe how I felt, but this time that was OK.

"Let's go."

"Right now?" I asked.

"Why not? Come on." He didn't move.

I grinned. "Alright." I moved to pull away, but as soon as I took the smallest of steps he leaned in and kissed me again and then a third time.

"Goofball." I giggled and took his hand. Suddenly I felt like I had all the energy in the world. We ran to his car and drove away, all smiles and laughs as the sun set over the hills.