practically ran away.
I went straight to my room, his room. More than ever before I was very aware that this was his room, and more than ever before I felt like I was intruding.
I didn’t know why I ran away from him. I didn’t know why I’d kissed him. I didn’t know anything. I was so confused. I had never thought of Tyler as anything other than a friend, a kid I’d grown up with. But down there at the pool he felt like something more and that scared me, confused me. Maybe it was because I was so isolated from my life back home. I’d spent the whole summer here with him. My perspective was off. I had to admit he had grown into a handsome boy. But he was still a boy, I reminded myself. Almost two whole years younger than me. He was 15, I was 17. What was I thinking?
I stayed locked in the bedroom all night. There were only a few days left until my last performance, until I would be going back home. I wasn’t sure how I was going to face him in the morning. Would it be awkward? How could it not be? I couldn’t sleep all night, worried about how I would face him again.
Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, I didn’t have to. He was already gone when I woke the next morning. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that, relieved and disappointed at the same time. I wondered where he could have gone. He hadn’t gone anywhere without me all summer, but I didn’t ask.
Wherever he went he stayed there all day. I heard him come home late that night, but he didn’t come knock on my door and I didn’t go out to see him. The next day was the same and so on. I knew he was avoiding me. I knew I had hurt him with what I said, but I didn’t know how to fix it.
Finally the day came for my final performance. To my surprise Tyler was gone that day too. I thought surely he’d be there to see me off. That he just needed a few days to get over the embarrassment of the other night. But I didn’t see him that morning as I got ready.
My parents and brother had come up and so had Aunt Amy, Uncle Dan and the girls. Everyone had come for the final performance and so the small apartment was crowded and overflowing with excitement. I tried not to focus on my disappointment at Tyler’s continued absence.
I heard my mom ask Aunt Claire about Tyler but couldn’t hear the answer over the hum of everyone else talking. I did however hear my Uncle Charlie say: “I told you this would happen.” And I wondered what that meant.
Backstage before the performance my nerves were working in high gear. My palms were sweating, my pulse racing. Strangely it reminded me of how I felt after Tyler kissed me. I quickly tried to push that memory out of my mind and focus on the piece I was about to play. I took my seat and looked out into the audience.
There in the front row were my Mom, Dad and Chance, Aunt Amy, Uncle Dan and the girls, Aunt Claire and even Uncle Charlie who hadn’t been to any of my other performances, but Tyler wasn’t there. I scanned the front row again, sure that I had just missed him.
He had to be there, he was my good luck charm! He had helped me practice this piece all summer. He wouldn’t miss my last performance, he just wouldn’t! I looked again, but still no Tyler. I felt panicked suddenly. How could he not come? Had I hurt him that badly?
My heart sunk as I finally accepted that he would not be here. I wanted to cry, but then the music started and it was time to perform. I closed my eyes and allowed the music to take over.
Chapter 6: Bad Choices
I stole one stupid car and they shipped me off to military school. I wasn’t even the one to technically steal it. I had just gone along for the ride. But they weren’t interested in technicalities.
My dad couldn’t have me jeopardizing his career, especially not now that he was being considered for the promotion to head coach. Like I gave a damn.
Ever since we’d moved to L.A. his job was all he’d cared about. He should have just come by himself and
I went straight to my room, his room. More than ever before I was very aware that this was his room, and more than ever before I felt like I was intruding.
I didn’t know why I ran away from him. I didn’t know why I’d kissed him. I didn’t know anything. I was so confused. I had never thought of Tyler as anything other than a friend, a kid I’d grown up with. But down there at the pool he felt like something more and that scared me, confused me. Maybe it was because I was so isolated from my life back home. I’d spent the whole summer here with him. My perspective was off. I had to admit he had grown into a handsome boy. But he was still a boy, I reminded myself. Almost two whole years younger than me. He was 15, I was 17. What was I thinking?
I stayed locked in the bedroom all night. There were only a few days left until my last performance, until I would be going back home. I wasn’t sure how I was going to face him in the morning. Would it be awkward? How could it not be? I couldn’t sleep all night, worried about how I would face him again.
Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, I didn’t have to. He was already gone when I woke the next morning. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that, relieved and disappointed at the same time. I wondered where he could have gone. He hadn’t gone anywhere without me all summer, but I didn’t ask.
Wherever he went he stayed there all day. I heard him come home late that night, but he didn’t come knock on my door and I didn’t go out to see him. The next day was the same and so on. I knew he was avoiding me. I knew I had hurt him with what I said, but I didn’t know how to fix it.
Finally the day came for my final performance. To my surprise Tyler was gone that day too. I thought surely he’d be there to see me off. That he just needed a few days to get over the embarrassment of the other night. But I didn’t see him that morning as I got ready.
My parents and brother had come up and so had Aunt Amy, Uncle Dan and the girls. Everyone had come for the final performance and so the small apartment was crowded and overflowing with excitement. I tried not to focus on my disappointment at Tyler’s continued absence.
I heard my mom ask Aunt Claire about Tyler but couldn’t hear the answer over the hum of everyone else talking. I did however hear my Uncle Charlie say: “I told you this would happen.” And I wondered what that meant.
Backstage before the performance my nerves were working in high gear. My palms were sweating, my pulse racing. Strangely it reminded me of how I felt after Tyler kissed me. I quickly tried to push that memory out of my mind and focus on the piece I was about to play. I took my seat and looked out into the audience.
There in the front row were my Mom, Dad and Chance, Aunt Amy, Uncle Dan and the girls, Aunt Claire and even Uncle Charlie who hadn’t been to any of my other performances, but Tyler wasn’t there. I scanned the front row again, sure that I had just missed him.
He had to be there, he was my good luck charm! He had helped me practice this piece all summer. He wouldn’t miss my last performance, he just wouldn’t! I looked again, but still no Tyler. I felt panicked suddenly. How could he not come? Had I hurt him that badly?
My heart sunk as I finally accepted that he would not be here. I wanted to cry, but then the music started and it was time to perform. I closed my eyes and allowed the music to take over.
Chapter 6: Bad Choices
I stole one stupid car and they shipped me off to military school. I wasn’t even the one to technically steal it. I had just gone along for the ride. But they weren’t interested in technicalities.
My dad couldn’t have me jeopardizing his career, especially not now that he was being considered for the promotion to head coach. Like I gave a damn.
Ever since we’d moved to L.A. his job was all he’d cared about. He should have just come by himself and
Similar Books
