66. Chapter 66
Chapter 66
Sloane
T yler guides me through the woods to a small creek. "There's a bench over here." He walks me over to a bench that has been cut out of a log and faces the creek.
"This is beautiful. I didn't even know this was here."
Tyler reaches into his back pocket and pulls something out. "Here," he hands me a small rectangular box, "I made you a mix tape."
I take the cassette tape and flip it over to read the song list, but all I see are blank lines. "Wait, you didn't list the songs?"
Tyler shakes his head and there's a glimmer in his eyes. "Nope, it's a surprise this way."
"I love surprises." I smile and see writing on the side. "Songs for Sloane." My smile grows and I look at Tyler's handsome face. "Thank you so much." I squeeze his hand.
"You're welcome." He sits down, and I follow. Tyler angles his body toward me. "I wish I had the guts that you have." He runs his free hand through his hair as I look at him with a puzzled expression. "I've liked you for a long time, but boy was my timing off."
I tilt my head and my eyes grow wide as I gaze up into those beautiful dark eyes, stunned at this information. "What do you mean?"
He releases my hand and rubs his palms on his jeans. I miss his touch instantly. "I really liked getting to know you in marine bio and when we were at that party at the beginning of the year, I was going to ask you if you had a date to the Snowball dance." He pauses. "Because I wanted to go with you."
I cannot believe it. My left hand goes to my chest and I let out a breath that relaxes my shoulders. "Is that what you were going to ask me when I ran into you in the hallway?" I smile at the memory of walking straight into his bare chest.
He nods, and his eyes widen with expectation. He looks so vulnerable; I can almost imagine him as a child. I'm speechless, so he continues. "After we were interrupted, I didn't see you again. Sara played beer pong with us, and we had a lot of fun. I wasn't sure if you were into me. I guess I just got mixed signals from you." He ducks his chin, then looks back at me, giving me a nervous smile. "If I had waited, would you have asked me?"
I can't believe it. I close my eyes as I nod my head over and over, then look back into those handsome eyes. "Yes," I smile. "Remember when I saw you before football practice?"
Tyler’s shoulders visibly relax and he nods. "When your friend came screaming for you?" A slow smiles spreads across his face.
"Yeah," I tuck my hair behind my ear. "Kurt knew I was going to ask you. In fact, I was going to ask you in class but that was the missing tarantula day." Tyler’s chin tilts up as he looks skyward, then nods. "And Coach K held you after class. I was determined to ask you that day and went to find you before football practice. I had no idea Sara had already asked you in between marine bio and the end of the school day. Kurt found out and saved me from embarrassment."
Tyler shakes his head as he looks at his lap. "Dang tarantula.” He looks at me and his Sloane-melting grin appears. "That means you would have asked me before Sara did. I can't believe it." Another pause as his eyes search the sky. "If Kurt hadn't stopped you, I would have at least known you were interested."
"I never thought about that. I was just so glad I didn't embarrass myself." My pulse is beginning to race as I realize that Tyler has liked me all along. "And as for the mixed signals," I add, "I was so nervous around you and I'm generally awkward so…"
"Then Sara and I started dating—"
I add, "And then I met Ky at the concert—"
"Then you took Evan-freaking-Dando to prom," he says, smiling, then he rubs a hand on the back of his neck. "I thought for sure I didn't have a chance after that." He shifts on the bench and looks down at it. "I didn't think I would be cool enough for you, especially after you showed up to prom with Evan."
I laugh as I look down at my lap, then back at Tyler with a smile. "Evan is awesome and so kind and fun, but he's a rock star, and I'm a high school senior. He's living in a whole different world than I am." I pause. "I want to be with someone my age, who I have great conversations with, who loves good music…and who lives within an hour of me.”
I swear I can see relief in his eyes now. "Man, it's crazy how one thing could have changed everything." He runs his hand through his hair again.
I think it all through, and he's right. "Just like how I never would have met Evan if I didn't have to stay home with my sister instead of going to his concert. With us, it all started with Amber and Lori in the hallway at Jesse’s party," I say. "Dang, Amber made this year so hard for me," I quip, hoping to lighten the moment. "Even when I didn't realize it, she foiled things from the start." I smile softly at him.
"Stupid Amber." Tyler grins which of course, melts me. "You looked so cute in that Pantera shirt."
I feel myself blush and laugh. "Right," I say then look at him and his expression is serious. His eyes make me decide to continue being bold. "If you only knew how much I liked you…Since the first day of school when you dropped your flannel, then sat next to me in marine bio."
He grins again, and this time, it's a smile of pure happiness. "Is it too late to try?"
The butterflies are back and warmth spreads through me. "I want to say yes, but—" Am I really telling Tyler Finlay no? "We're both coming off of break ups and going to different colleges in a few months." Why is my brain being so rational right now? Tyler inhales sharply, and I reach for his hand, my body reacts with a flood of warmth. "I just don't want us to be each other's rebound, you know? Or make it harder once we go off to school." I can't believe I'm saying this to him because I want this so bad.
He dips his head, and I don't like it when his smile goes away. "For what it's worth, you wouldn't be my rebound…because I've liked you all along. I’ve thought a lot about it and, subconsciously, I think that's why things didn't work out with Sara and me."
I squeeze his hand. "For what it's worth, your smile still made me giddy when I was with Ky. And, he wasn't nearly as interesting to talk to as you are." There it is, the grin is back.
"Yes!" He pumps his fist with his free hand and makes me laugh. I'm glad for the levity.
We're quiet for a moment and I think about seizing the day and all that. I give his hand a squeeze. "You know what?" His eyes shine with hope. "We'd be stupid not to try." Oh my gosh, that grin is back in full force, and I must be seconds away from turning into a puddle and flowing into the creek.
"Really?"
I nod and now I'm smiling wide, too. "I don't want to be forty years old wondering what-if, you know?" He nods, then I add, "We just need to have a plan for college because I don't think I can take another long-distance relationship."
"What are you thinking?" he asks as he rubs his thumb on the back of my hand, sending shivers through my entire body.
I mull it over. "Well, if things go well this summer, and we go our separate ways…" I hate even thinking about it. "I don't want to worry about all the girls that are going to be hitting on you." I search his face and his eyes are serious. "I can't believe I'm even saying this, but we might have to take a break when we go off to school and just…see what happens."
He nods, "The whole, if you love something, set it free-thing?"
"Yeah, I think it's just better if we go into it that way. I mean it'll be hard either way because we know we're not going to the same school." I realize that Tyler will be in South Georgia, just like Ky, and try not to dwell on that fact.
"Yeah it will, because I'll have to think about all the guys throwing themselves at you. Not to mention all those cool musicians in Athens."
I laugh. “Yeah, right,” I say as I look at my lap then back at Tyler.
His smile fades. "I mean it. It's going to be hard for both of us." His eyes grow serious, and it's like he can see into my soul. That connection I’ve felt since the first day of school is so strong, like there’s a magnetic force pulling us together. I feel like the Millennium Falcon trapped in the Death Star’s tractor beam. Except Tyler is the opposite of the Death Star. His face inches toward mine. "Can I kiss you?" he says softly.
My body is humming with energy, and I smile. "Yes, please. I've kinda been waiting for this moment all year." I giggle as he cups my cheek and leans into me. When Tyler Finlay's lips meet mine, it's like nothing I've ever felt before. Electricity zings through my body and makes me feel like I've entered another dimension. It’s like I’ve just entered hyper speed. I no longer hear the sounds of the forest; the tree frogs, the crickets, or the babbling stream. It's as if all my senses have dulled while my sense of touch is heightened. Tyler kisses me softly at first and in unison, our kiss becomes more urgent, filled with passion and longing. We're both breathless as we pull away from each other and neither of us can help the smiles on our faces.
"Dang," Tyler says with that grin and his eyes sparkle.
"That was a pretty good start, huh?" I feel myself blush and make that grin of his grow which makes me happy.
Tyler leans toward me and rests his forehead against mine. "This is going to be a great summer." His grin turns devilish and makes me squirm.
I wrap my hand around the back of his neck and kiss him some more.
The End