The Girl Behind the Glasses

Chapter 9

Audrey's POV

I fell asleep during the movie Peter Pan in Tyler's arms. I would never admit this but it was the first time I had actually felt safe in awhile. Tyler eventually went home and the kids were in the backyard playing with sticks and their imagination while I watch on one of those swinging chairs. I thought back to when Tyler approached me about Claire. It has been a long time since I had heard her name aloud. It gave me an ache in my stomach. I longed to have her here with me now. To just hear her voice one more time. It takes me awhile to remember what it sounded like and it scares me that one day I won't be able to remember. That I will forget the memories about her. That I will forget the clothes she used to wear, and what songs she used to listen to. But I could never forget her. I could never forget the way she was able to make me laugh until tears formed in my eyes, even though things seemed to be falling apart in my life. I will never forget how I was able to talk to her about anything and she would listen with no judgments. But she was gone and I am left here empty and alone. Until Tyler.

......

Tyler's POV

I can't get Audrey off my mind. No matter how hard I try, I can't push the thought of her away. What if all of this was for nothing? What if I never get her to be my friend? What if she is always going to put her walls up and never trust me? No. I couldn't think like that. I have to get her to like me enough. I was determined to.

....

I was waiting for Audrey by the school's exit doors hoping that Thomas wouldn't come and see us here. I could just tell him that I was tutoring her, but it would lead into an interrogation that I wasn't in the mood for.
I saw Audrey walking down the hallway towards me with her head down.
She always seemed to have her head down and trying to not draw attention to herself. Because of me. Because of Thomas. She finally reached me and I began to speak. "I have something different that we are going to do today. Just trust me on this one. I got my friend to babysit the kids and I already cleared it up with your mom. So it's just me and you today."

She gives me a confused look but I just grab her hand and guide her to my car that was parked in the parking lot. I had a plan and I hoped that she liked it.

Audrey's POV

Where was he taking me? We got in the car and he started to leave the school while turning the radio on to the station he wanted.
"Come on, just tell me where we are going. For all I know you could be taking me into the forest or something to murder me."
Tyler raises his eyebrows and smirks as the car slows to a stop for a red light.
"Okay, tell me where we are going or I'm getting out of this car."
Tyler chuckles. "No one is getting murdered today, and you'll see."
I let out a groan and cross my arms. Maybe he will fall for my pouty face. My lip starts to quiver and I start to stare at Tyler and whimper.
"Oh my gosh you are going that road haha. We'll it is almost working but nothing is going to make me say it. Nice work though. Where'd did you learn how to do that so well?"
"I learned from the best." I say as I started to examine my nails with images of Claire starting to race through my head. I force the thoughts out of my head. I can't breakdown now.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. " I say forcing a smile on my face.
"Okay." Tyler says, not fully believing me.
We pull into the parking lot of an ice cream shop.
"Seriously?" I say as I raise my eyebrow. "An ice cream shop?"
"What you don't like ice cream? I can turn ar-"
"No!" I started to giggle.
"Okay then let's go get some ice-cream." I say with a smirk.
We walk into the shop and the cool, fresh air greets us like a hug.
The smell of the ice-cream reaches our noses and we both sigh.
I get in line and get a chocolate scoop of ice cream. It's an original but one of the best kinds. Tyler gets the cookie dough and we go to sit down at one of the tables.
Tyler begins to ask simple questions about my life and listens intently to my answers and seems to listen as if in my answer there was some sort of prize he could get by listening. His face fills with emotion in the right places and I haven't felt like this in a long time. Not since... Well that was a long time ago. I felt like I could tell Tyler everything right then and there.
"We should go. I have one more stop." Tyler says.
"Where are we going?" I ask.
He motions his fingers over his lips and seals up his mouth and locks it.
"Of course." I say.
......
Tyler leads me onto the school soccer field and shows me the spot where a picnic has been set up.
"Can't have ice-cream without dinner."
I chuckle at his statement.
We sit down on the blanket and eat the sandwiches he prepared.
This was perfect. Almost too perfect. The lights shone down on us and the grass seemed to be lighter than it usually is.
"So there something I was wondering..." Tyler says shyly.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah, Ellie and Kyle said that you can sing. Is this true?"
"Oh...well I'm not very good at it. It's just something I enjoy to do sometimes when I'm alone or with them."
"You are probably really good and you just don't know it."
"I don't know about that..."
"You should sing to me sometime."
"Maybe. I'll think about it."
"Alright. Wanna play some soccer?"
"We don't have a soccer ball."
"Yeah we do." He grabs a soccer ball out of the basket.
"You come prepared haha."
He gives me a smile and stands up.
I run to him and steal the ball from him and dribble the ball to the net. I kick the ball into the goal and Tyler grabs me from the back.
"Cheater! I wasn't ready to go yet."
"Too bad! I made a goal fair and square!"
I turn around and face him. He begins to inch closer to me. He grabs my faces and puts his lips against mine. His lips were warm to the touch and I don't push away. I start to kiss back.
We break from each other and I bury my face in his chest. He puts his arms around me.
.....
Once we are back to my house, he walks me up to my door. I turn to him and he gives me a kiss on the cheek.
"Goodnight All-Star." He winks at me and heads back to his car.
I start blushing furiously and a grin forms on my face. Tonight is a good night.