Your Tired Eyes
Chapter Twelve:
Everything

-

Jeremy P.O.V.

Tyler is leaning against my car, waiting for his dad to show up, as he reads my history essay out loud. "President Herbert Hoover started numerous programs, all of which failed to reverse the downward spiral of the economy. It seemed that the Great Depression would never come to an end. In June of 1930, Congress approved the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act which raised tariffs on thousands of items. The intent of the Act was to encourage the purchase of American made product by increasing the cost of imported goods and -," Tyler cuts himself off and looks at me. "Do I really have to read this?"

"It's my term essay. I just wanna make sure I've got everything right."

"It's Saltzman. He's banging your aunt, he's going to give you an A anyways."

I wince, "Please, no references to my aunt's sexcapades."

"What's this even on?" Tyler asks, running a hand through his hair.

I stare at him, "How did you even pass ninth grade history?"

"I'm guessing this isn't on the War of 1812."

"The Great Depression?" I answer, raising an eyebrow, hoping this will ring a bell. "You're an idiot."

"It's not like you're dating me for my brain, okay?" Tyler says, seeming hurt.

I swear, seemingly unnoticed by Ty, who's staring at my paper.

"For your body, actually," I say going to stand next to him, and when he starts to protest, I cut him off, "I like your brain just the way it is."

He smiles, rolls his eyes and then starts to say something, but stops abruptly, the grin slipping away, "Mayor Lockwood's here," he says, his voice dark. "I'll call you later, Jere." I nod, and force my fingers to cling to the paper, so that I don't try and kiss him.

It's a lot harder than it looks.

-

Tyler P.O.V.

I close the door behind me, as I slip into the car. My father glares at me, before switching the car back to drive, "I'm a busy man, Tyler. I don't have time to do this."

"Sorry," I say trying to avoid a fight.

"Tell me again why you didn't have your car with you," he says, his voice condescending, as he backs out of the parking lot.

"Jeremy drove me to school."

"Because?"

"Because he's my friend, dad. Can we drop it?"

"Since when are you friends with trash?"

"Jeremy's not trash."

"You have terrible taste in friends," he comments.

I turn away, clenching my jaw in an effort to not say whatever smart aleck reply is on my tongue. It doesn't work, "About as bad as your taste in mistresses."

"Excuse me?"

"Nothing."

He smirks, "Someone in this family has to get laid," he says, simply, as if this is a completely normal comment to make, before swerving, quickly to make his turn.

-

Things don't get extremely ugly until four days later, when my father gets my report card in the mail. I used to be able to hide it for a week or two, but he'd caught on, and being the mayor he'd insisted that the school mailed him my grade reports from now on. He's waiting for me when I get home.

"Three B's, and a D?" he says, almost as soon as I walk in.

I close my eyes momentarily, hoping this is one of my stupid dreams, before I open them, to see him advancing.

"Dad - dad, I'm sorry. It's - I'll do better."

His face is grim, "No. You'll do worse. You've been benched. Terrible grades. And - oh, of course, still no decent girlfriend to date. You really are trash. I can scarcely believe you're a Lockwood."

"Yeah, well; sorry to disappoint."

"And that tone again. At least you could act like you gave a damn."

"Just drop it, Dad."

"Drop it? Drop the fact that my son is a complete effing failure?!" he asks, almost yelling.

"What do you want from me? A written apology? How about you give me one? Dear Tyler, sorry I'm too busy screwing my secretary to give a fuck about you. Love, Dad."

And then without much warning he picks up the chair he was previous sitting on and throws it. He, apparently, has impeccable aim. It hits the arm I was trying to fend it off with as well as my head, which is currently throbbing. And then he comes at me, fists swinging.

This isn't going to end well.

-

Jeremy P.O.V.

"Do you know how scared I was yesterday night?" Jenna asks me, her face contorted with concern and anger. She'd asked me to sit down on the couch, so she could yell at me, evidently.

"I left you a message."

"A vague message! That's all I get? A two second message?"

"I'm fine."

"But I didn't know that! You should've called should've told me where you were! Where were you?"

"I was at the Lockwood's."

"Since when do you even like Tyler Lockwood? Last I heard you were mortal enemies and now you're having sleepovers? What are you really doing with him, Jeremy? What - is he selling you drugs?" she asks, lowering her voice.

"For god's sake, Jenna, I'm better, okay? I know I hit a rough patch, but I don't drink anymore. I don't do drugs. And I don't get in trouble. Give me a break."

"Something's going on. I'm not stupid, Jeremy."

"Fine, Jenna. I was doing drugs in the cemetery. Is that what you wanted to hear? Tyler delivers my hits to me."

"Are you being sarcastic?" she asks, squinting.

"Thanks for the trust, Jenna. Means the fucking world to me."

"Jeremy-!"

But I don't want to hear anymore, so I simply leave, trying not to pay attention to Jenna's objections.

-

I texted Tyler about an hour ago, and he's still not here. I'm started to worry, wondering where he is, and if this is the right thing to do, I sit nervously along the edge of the grass, staring into the lake. I get up, ready to leave, just as he gets there.

"Well it took you long -," I get a good look at his face, and stop mid-sentence. The bruising on it is fresh, as if he's been punched repeatedly, and remembering that it is report card day, I realize what has happened. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, they're all pretty shallow. The D in calculus pissed him off though," Tyler shrugs. "You texted?"

"Yeah. I, uh - shit, I'm not even sure now is a good time, I mean -,"

"You wanna wait for my face to heal?" Tyler asks, raising an eyebrow, obviously amused

"Right," I say, and then, "Jenna's been bugging me about the other night. She still thinks I'm doing drugs."

"Do you want me to talk to her?"

"She thinks you're my drug dealer."

"Oh. I can see how that would be a problem. So, is that it? That's why you wanted to see me?"

I look away from him, "I think we need to stop, Tyler," I say, trying to blink away tears.

He scoffs, "Are you serious?" his voice comes out breathless.

"Yeah."

"But we're finally together. We're doing - we're happy, Jeremy. I thought this was...this was what you wanted. I don't understand. What's wrong? What changed?"

"I just - I'm tired of half being with you Tyler. I deserve to be able to love you without terms and conditions. I'm tired of this."

"You think I'm not?"

"You made them. Not me. It's not - it's not what I signed up for."

"I know, and I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Fuck's sake, Jeremy, don't do this."

"Stop apologizing to me, Tyler. Stop it. I get it, okay? I get it. You want us to be together, but God forbid your parents find out that you're in love with guy, right?"

"That's what this is about? Jeremy, I -,"

"I'm sorry, Ty. If you're not giving it everything, then I don't know why I should be."

"You're breaking up with me. Again."

"Do you love me?" I ask, my eyes not straying away from the ground.

"More than anything."

"Then tell your dad. Tell your dad, and then I promise you I will try as hard as I can to keep us together."

He is silent for a moment before he starts fumbling for words once again, "Look, I'm not sure about - anything. But I'm sure about you," Tyler pauses, his fingers running through his hair anxiously, "I'm sure about this. You're - you're my everything, Jeremy." He lets out a shuddering breath, "Please don't leave me."

"I'm sorry," I reply.

"Jere - Jere, I'm falling apart here. You can't - you're all that's holding me together right now," he says, and his voice is desperate now, I can hear the twinge in his voice that obviously tells me he's trying to hold back tears just as hard as I am, "Please. Please."

"I don't want to do this. But I can't - Jenna doesn't trust me. My sister doesn't trust me. You're all I have, and - what if we fall apart, Ty? I need something to fall back on, and they're not going to be there. And I'm not taking that chance. I care about you more than I care about myself, Tyler. And obviously more than you care about me. So I'm done with this."

"Jeremy."

"Just leave, Tyler. Leave. You obviously don't give a damn about me."

"What the fuck do you want me to say?" he half-shouts, "You're my fucking everything, Gilbert! I love you. I am in love with you. Fuck I can barely breathe when I'm not with you. I can barely -," he breaks off, "I need you. I need you. Please Jeremy. Don't ask me for this. Don't ask me for this."

"Bye Tyler," I reply, walking past him, trying to get away as soon as possible so I can sob in peace.

-

Tyler P.O.V.

I am numb.

-

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Ugh, sorry for ending it on such a sad note. I hate myself a bit, as well. I thought it over long and hard, werewolf or not, and I decided that I don't want to take a chance at ruining what I've already created by adding the whole new storyline in it. Right now, human is good. I'm sorry to anyone I've disappointed! And I'm sorry for not updating for quite awhile, I'm a rather large ho. I've been stressing over grades and weight and other teenage things, so sorry again. I hope you enjoyed the chapter at least, and will review! :) I love you guys!