Help Me Through This

My Secret Garden

Tyler's POV

As I watched Chloe limp away my heart sank. But it quickly filled with anger after I heard what Amber said to Chloe.

"Amber." I said with a fake smile. She tossed her hair over her shoulder and gave me a flirty smile. Gross. "You know I would love to but you said it yourself- so out of his league." I smiled as her mouth dropped. I proudly walked past her gently hitting her shoulder. "And by the way, you don't know me or Chloe so do us all a favor and stay out of peoples' business. Oh and close your mouth or else you'll catch flies." Her mouth snapped shut and her cheeks reddened. I laughed and ran out the door, the same way Chloe had gone.

I ran towards her dorm but Jeff stopped me. "Tyler!!" I halted. "She went that way," he said pointing towards a gate outside that was hidden by tree branches. I studied the gate. Could she have really ran through that?? I turned to ask Jeff but he had already left. Well, might as well try. I was soon jogging towards the mysterious Secret Garden.

Chloe's POV

Why do I even try? Amber's right. She's always right. No guy like that would like me. I scoffed. Stop kidding yourself, Chloe. He just feels sorry for you.

"Chloe?!" Speak of the devil. I sat on my bench, frozen.

"Chloe! I know you're in here somewhere!" I sighed and I turned my back so when he came up he wouldn't see my face.

"There you......" I heard him halt. "Are you okay?"

"Just......peachy." I said between breaths. I could hear the leaves crushing under his shoes. Suddenly I heard the creaking of the old bench signaling he had sat next to me. Neither one of us spoke. I sat their silently crying.

Why was I so weak all of a sudden? What is this guy doing to me? I never talked to anyone and cared what anyone said to me. But all of a sudden he comes and starts paying attention to me and I'm an emotional wreck.

I never use to care what Amber thought of me. What changed? Tyler came into my life that's what. But why did he change everything? That's what I don't get. How come as soon as he comes to the center, I completely change?

"I know what you're thinking and you should stop. Because you're wrong." He broke the silence. I would've forgotten he was there if his arm wasn't touching my back.

"And what am I thinking?" I croaked out. The bench creaked as he turned towards me.

"Chloe. Look at me." I didn't move. He sighed. "You are thinking about what Amber said." Bingo. More tears fell. "She's wrong. You're not out of my league. She is." He chuckled. "She has nothing what I look for in a girl. She's not funny. She doesn't have an inch of kindness in her. She doesn't even have a heart. She isn't pretty. She's not you." He paused before continuing. "And she has all her cards on the table. I like a girl who has secrets." He gently turned me around.

"Because when she finally decides to tell me her secrets that means she trusts me." He wiped the tears off my face. His hang lingered on my cheek before sliding down to my neck. He slowly began to pull me towards him, looking at my lips and then back into my eyes.

Soon I felt his lips on mine. I closed my eyes as my lips reacted to his. The kiss was slow but sweet. He tasted like strawberry Chapstick. Our lips moved in sync. For a moment, time seemed to freeze. It felt like it was just me and him in the world. No Amber. No Jeff. No center. No dark past threatening to ruin our happiness. For the first time in 913 days, I was truly happy.

And nothing was going to change that.