Never Again

chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

The next day, after school I met Tyler at the park again. This time he brought me some hot apple cider which I drank thankfully.

"Okay, so what were the questions that you forgot to ask me?" I asked.

"Um, about that," Tyler said. "I lied about that."

"What?!"

"Well, not completely. There are a few things I need to ask you but I just wanted to see you again." He replied.

"You saw me today in English!"

"I know, but that's not the same you know?"

I nodded but I was really confused. What did he want?

There was an awkward silence between us until Tyler finally spoke up.

"Do you want to go grab some ice cream?" he asked.

I turned blood red. I didn't know what to say at all. I finally mustered the courage to say something.

"Uh...sure," I stammered.

"Do you like Vanilla Skies?"

I nodded. Tyler gestured his hand towards the walkway and we stood up to go.

We walked in silence for a bit and then eventually started to make small talk.

"You're not mad at me for lying to you are you?" Tyler asked.

"No, not really, just a little confused I suppose." I replied.

"I guess I just wanted to get to know you better in a way that wasn't just sitting on a park bench."

"That makes sense," I said.

There was a bit more silence so I just took in the scenery. It was a lovely day outside. The sun was shining and it wasn't too cold. We were walking along a road with super tall trees on either side that reached out over the top of the road, kind of like it was forming a tunnel. The sun was reflecting through the red, orange and green. I smiled at the sight of it all.

"You must really love the outdoors," Tyler noted.

"Yeah, I do. I just love the smell, the color, the feel of it all. It's beautiful." I replied.

"I love it in the winter when the entire world is white. Especially when the sun is out but nothing is melting; or when it's early in the morning and no cars have driven on the fresh white blanket of snow." He said.

"It just is so-"

"Beautiful!" we said at the same time.

I looked over at Tyler and smiled. His smile was equally genuine and sincere.

When we got to Vanilla Skies ice cream Shoppe it had gotten a bit chillier. We quickly rushed inside and welcomed the swoosh of warm air from the store. Instead of what I had gotten the day before with Willow, I ordered the special: the Vanilla Sky Sorbet. It was this rich vanilla sorbet tinted light blue with white swirls and two piroulines on the side. Tyler ordered a rocky road. When I pulled out my wallet from my bag he stopped me.

"Don't worry about it, I can pay." He said.

I thanked him and put my money back. He was such a gentleman.

The gestures never stopped after that. When we sat down he pulled my chair out for me and even got me a spoon. No one had ever been that polite to me before.

"So do you come here often?" I asked.

"Not twenty-four seven but it's a favorite." He replied. "What about you?"