Chapter 9
Mel was more open to people. She trusted easier. She didn't like the stairs she got when she was younger or even now when people found out about her mother and her childhood but if she was having a conversation with someone and they asked she would tell them. If an outsider saw this they would most likely think that she had a hopeful heart. This was true. However, there was more to it then that. There was Loren.
Loren protected Mel and had from the first day they met. Mel had only been in the system a year when she and Loren met...Loren had been in a month or so but in that time she had developed a strong shield. Mel's shield was strong...just not as strong as Loren's. Mel protected Loren too, but Loren was better at it. She could read people faster, in an instant she knew what they were about. It easily could have been the other way but Loren was more naturally a protector. It seemed that she always needed someone to look after. But we'll get to this later...for now Mel was having fun with Tyler. He was an easy person to have fun with.
"You've got to be cheating!" Tyler laughed as he pumped as hard as he could. They'd walked over to a park and were on the swings. Mel was going twice as high as Tyler in half the time.
"Nope! I'm just naturally this awesome!" Mel said as she braced herself and jumped off landing gracefully on her feet. (Maybe stumbling a bit...but just a bit!)
"Your crazy! You know that?" Tyler half laughed stumbling to her side.
"Yeah, but the crazy one's are the most fun!"
"That might be true." Tyler said softly looking down into her eyes. This was the moment...if he was going to kiss her it would have to be now. Tyler wasn't the type to miss out on an opportunity. The kiss was hot. Mel had kissed quite a few boys in her day and this was definitely in the top five.
As they broke apart Tyler looked down at her and said "Your a pretty amazing girl. You know that?"
She smiled "Yeah, I get that a lot. Then her phone went off it was Loren she'd be sleeping at Eddie's tonight. Mel was glad she thought that those two would be good together. Then she saw the time. It was late.
"I should get home...I've got work in the morning."
"Ok, I'll take you back to your car." Tyler was sad to see the time they were spending together end.
"Great thanks."
As Tyler watched Mel drive away a nagging thought that wouldn't let up came flooding back. He was in love. Not with Mel; He was not the type to fall in love so fast. He was in love with a girl he left back in Fresno. She'd moved to LA as well but, she wasn't the same.
He wondered if he'd ever be able to let go of Chloe Carter.
He hoped so. But as we all know...we don't always get what we want in life.
Back with Loren and Eddie.
He'd made her hot coco. Loren tried to remember the last time someone had done that for her.
"I wasn't sure if you wanted marshmallows but I figured you would so I threw some in." He grinned the crooked grin at her.
"With me always air on the side of sugar!" She laughed.
"Good to know."
A silence fell between them. "Do you want to talk about it anymore?"
She looked at him. It had felt so good to open up too him. He was making it so hard for her to keep him on the outside of the wall around her heart...it was as if he'd found a secret door she wasn't even aware existed. She'd talk to him more...about so much more. But tonight she was exhausted. She sipped her coco and looked at him.
"Not tonight, that was exhausting." she sighed never breaking the gaze they held. "But thank you. It felt good talking to you."
"That's what I'm here for."
"Tell me about you. I want to hear all about your life. What were you like as a kid?"
"Pretty normal aside from the fact that my parents were always on tour and I was always with them so I was home schooled until about third or fourth grade it was really pretty average."
"What kind of things would you do with them?"
"We have a beach house where they would watch old movies from the 80's...and while they did that I liked to take walks."
"What would you do on the walks?"
"Write, mostly."
"That's good. The beach is a great place for writing. It's really inspiring."
"I think so too!"
"Who'd have thought we have so much is common?" she giggled.
They talked like that until the sun was high in the sky. She wasn't sure what time they fell asleep but when she woke up she was in his arms...she didn't shrug them off. She just stayed there laying against him listing to the sound of his slow, steady breathing.
She was still petrified of falling for him...really truly petrified. But she was starting to think that it would be ok.
AN: See? I told you that would be faster! I want to address a few things 1. Eddie does NOT smoke that was a one time thing I added for dramatic affect. 2. Ian will enter soon and Tyler will show his true colors and 3. Loren and Eddie with have a huge knock down drag out fight that will dramatically change their relationship. I have the day off tomorrow so I'm going to try and knock out at least two chapters. Please keep reading and reviewing!
