Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own characters.
A/N: First, I'm sorry this is such a short chapter, lengthwise. And second, if you read, please review. I really like reading your opinions and ideas. I just want to make sure that there is still interest for this story. Also, I have a fairly new fic up as well. It's called "Drive till you lose the road". It's set in Season 2, and I'm really happy with it thus far. Check it out and let me know what you think! Thanks for everyone that reads and reviews, I appreciate it!
Charity was shaking with anger. A million questions flashed through her mind, but only one came out.
"How the hell do you know Zach?" She asked, stalking angrily after Lauren. A few steps ahead of her, Lauren sighed and turned around.
"I don't know him, okay? We bumped into each other in the hall today. It was nothing." Lauren explained casually. It might have been nothing to Lauren, but it sure as hell was something to Charity.
"And you couldn't at least mention it?" Charity asked, shaking her head in disbelief. Without waiting for Lauren's reply, she pushed past her and headed outside. She saw Tyler trying to catch her eye, but she kept walking. She wanted to be as far away from Lauren as possible. A few blocks later, she realized that Tyler was following her.
"What do you want?" She asked, not bothering to stop or turn around. He jogged up and fell in step with her.
"I wanted to make sure you were okay. I don't know what happened back there, but it was pretty intense." Tyler noted, watching for her reaction. Charity stopped cold and turned to face him.
"Wow, just call you Captain Obvious. FYI, Zach was telling the truth, I am guilty of everything he said. So why are you still here?" Charity asked coldly. This was how she coped. She turned on everyone she cared about, before they could do the same to her. She had managed to convince herself that it hurt less this way.
"I'm not going anywhere Charity. What happened between you and Zach is in the past. It doesn't affect the way I feel about you." Tyler said, reaching out to squeeze her shoulder.
"And how do you feel about me Tyler? Cause it seems to me that whatever it is we do, its not friendship. It's me messing things up between you and Lauren, over and over again. I wouldn't blame you if you never spoke to me again." Charity replied, her voice shaking. She was scared he was going to do just that. She knew that she'd messed up with Tyler too many times to count, and that she deserved far less than he gave her. She wasn't sure, that if she were in his shoes, that she could be such a good friend to someone who had caused so much trouble.
"I don't know how to describe what I feel for you. It's complicated. All I know is that since the day I met you, I can't imagine my life without you. I love your silliness and your laughter. I love the way you make everything, better. I can be having the worst day and then I'll see you and suddenly, the rest doesn't matter." Tyler explained with a smile. Charity wiped a tear away as she smiled. Tyler leaned down and pulled her into his arms. She buried her head into his shoulder, relishing the feeling of him. She wanted to stay in his arms forever, but she forced herself to remember that he had a girlfriend, and it wasn't her. Slowly she untangled herself from him.
"Thank you." She whispered. Tyler nodded.
"Are you ready to go back?" He asked. She shook her head quickly. She needed some time alone.
"No, but go ahead, I'm going to go for a walk." She said. Tyler squeezed her hand before heading back in the direction they had come. Charity watched him go for a minute, before setting off in the opposite direction.
She could still smell Tyler's cologne, and her hand still tingled from his touch. She had fought so long to keep her feelings for him at bay. She'd practically fallen in love with him the day she'd moved to Tree Hill. The problem had always been that he'd belonged to someone else. Someone that she cared about.
She had started dating Derek with the hopes that he would help her get over Tyler. He hadn't. She had tried to convince herself that she was over him. She'd put on a pretty good show of it, but it that's all it had been, a show. A show that she didn't know how she was going to carry on. His touch had opened the floodgates of her emotions.