a beautiful tragedy

6: Tyler

Carlette's POV
*The next day*

I fluttered my eyes open to get used to the bright sunlight that creeped in through the windows of my apartment. I headed straight for the shower. The water, streaming down my body felt relaxing, and released my body from the mass amount of stress that consumed me. I needed to focus. Today I look for a job.

In the past few years I've been here, I've had a couple of jobs, but was let go and replaced of my previous one a couple months ago. Ive been meaning to get a new one, but i haven't had any time to find one, and no openings have been offered so far.

As I made my way through town, the silence rang in my ears, and forced me to get lost in my thoughts.

I know Taren's been drinking again, the evidence laid clearly on the floor of his living room. He doesn't think I notice, but I do.
Im so confused as to why he doesn't just open up to me like he always does, like every time he comes home from a weekend visit to see his family in Louisiana. He never lets me go with him. He usually comes back with bruises. He doesn't think I see them, but I do, and if he knows I do, we don't acknowledge them. He doesn't like to fight back, but he usually does. No one wants him there except for his mother and his little brother Jackson who is 13. His stepfather loathes him and his stepbrother could care less about him and is drunk about half the time. His stepsister is hardly ever around, too tired to care from the last night's hook up with some guy she met at a bar. He hasn't been back in a year or so. No matter what happens there, he always comes back and tells me. He occasionally has horrible nightmares which fill the night with his screaming. Which usually ends up with both of us on the floor, his head in my lap, with me trying to calm him down and convince him it's just in his head. He hardly ever cries though, he thinks it makes him look weak, so he drinks away the pain. Downing each tear with endless shots of whiskey. Which makes it even worse, although he won't admit it. He's becoming like his stepfather and he doesn't even realize that his stepfather is the reason he stays up at night afraid to go to sleep and be forced to live in his terrors.

He always opens up to me. Always. So why not now? Something is holding him back, and it must be bigger then both of us for him to just get up and run away from it. That isn't him, at all.

I watch my feet as the old, cracked sidewalk below me swiftly passes by, and then i focuse my gaze on the shop windows down the busy street desperately looking for 'Help Wanted' signs in any of the windows. I refuse to go into any stores without a sign. That is just an awkward and unnecessary conversation waiting to happen, and if i can prevent it, i will.

After about twenty minutes of job hunting i spotted a sign in the window of a small shop door. I observed the shop's exterior and realized that it was a bookstore called 'Maria & Marco's'. It looked inviting, so i walked in.

I pushed the door open and i immediately had to duck my head to avoid the many colorful dream catchers hanging from the door's threshold. A loud chiming sound came soon after, followed by almost being knocked down by the overwhelming yet comforting smell of cinnamon and mint incense. I was welcomed by a warm, smiling face and a deep spanish accent.

"Hola, Señorita,"

"Hello... Are you Maria?"

"Sì, that's me. Is there anything i can help you find?"

"Great, um.. Oh no, actually i saw the sign in your window and wanted to ask about applying for a job..... If thats okay?"

"Yes! Sì Sì Sì ! Of course! We've been trying to get some help around here for about a year now, but that lousy sign hasn't brought us any luck. Its hard to get anyone in this town to work, much less in a bookstore. Come to think of it, i don't think I've ever seen you here before. Are you from here?"

"Yeah i am," i smiled. "I don't really come to town often."

"Oh, well what is your name cariño?" She smiled back.

"Carly."

I held out my hand for her to shake.

"Oh no niña."

She walked, almost ran, around her desk and gave me a giant, bone crushing hug. I laughed and then proceeded with my reasoning.

"I really need the extra money, nothing has been going very well lately. It would be amazing if i could..." I was interrupted by her insisting.

"Carly, you are always welcomed here, and as far as I'm concerned, you've got the job as well."

"Are you serious?" I asked in disbelief.

She nodded her head with a smile.

The excitement overwhelmed me and i pulled her in for another hug. Silence was quickly brought to an end as the air was filled with laughter.

"Thank you so so so much!!! You have no idea how much this means to me," I half scream/ shouted.

She continued laughing and stumbling over her words.

"You're welcome child."

"I cant thank you enough."

"No problem- oh by the way, there is someone you should meet if you're going to be working here all the time.....Tyler!" She screamed. "Can you come out here please? There is someone you need to meet. She'll be working with you."

With his head buried in a book, he walked around a bookshelf, tall and lanky. He looked up as he stuck his thumb in his book to take the place of a bookmark. The muscles in his arms seemed perfectly placed, as was his quiffed, brunette hair. I finally focused in on his face, which wass watching my reaction intently. His perfectly defined jawline, and crystal blue eyes held me firmly in a trance. He reached out for my hand to shake and cleared his throat nervously before speaking.

"Hi, Im Tyler."

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OMG AN UPDATE FINALLY WERE SO SORRY FOR MAKING YOU WAIT THIS LONG. I HOPE THIS CHAPTER IS GOOD FOR YOU GUYS. ENDLESS LOVE FOR YOU ALL. PLEASE STICK WITH US BECAUSE THIS BOOK IS GOING TO END SO AMAZING IT MADE US FEEL ALL TYPE OF THINGS WHEN WE CAME UP WITH THE IDEA FOR THE ENDING OMG, OK SHSGSJDBSHCBHEKV COMMENT PLEASE ALSO WE REALLY NEED YOUR FEEDBACK..❤️❤️❤️