Broken
Chapter 6
The next day I was walking
on logs along the beach when I saw Tyler up ahead. He looked over
in my direction and smiled. I waved to him, and then jumped off
the log and ran across the beach in his direction. When I got to
him he just smiled at me for a minute. Then said, "Hey,
wanna go get some ice cream or something?"
I looked up at him and said, "I would rather just walk along
the beach with you."
He smiled at me, then took my arm and led me down the beach. We
walked in silence for a while, then he said, "What's on
your mind?"
I looked up at him, confused. He just shrugged and said, "I
was just wondering."
I sighed, the said, "I have a lot on my mind, Dean and Karen
want me to spend more time with my younger siblings but the
little gremlins hate me, but mostly, I want to know what
you're thinking right now."
He looked at me, his eyes met mine and he really concentrated on
me. Finally, after a long silence he said, "I want to know
more about you, it doesn't have to be your story, or deep
personal thoughts, just basics. I find you interesting,
and...familiar in some way. I'd like to know why."
I looked at him, then said, "It will take a lot more than
pizza and a walk on the beach to get me to talk."
He stared at me. Questioning me. I just shrugged, as if to say,
did you really think it would be that easy? Then I gave him a sly
smile, and ran off into the water. I looked over my shoulder and
shouted, "Come on! If you want to get to know me you have to
spend some time with me!"
After a pause, he ran in after me and tackled me in the water. We
laughed and splashed each other until the sun went down. We stood
there, with the water up to our knees and watched the sun go
down. Then we turned, and wadded out towards the sand and our
shoes. Once we got back to the boardwalk he turned to me with a
slight smile dancing on the corners of his mouth and said,
"Isn't that worth a little fact about you?"
I looked at him. I waved him closer to me. He bent down far
enough so that I could whisper in his ear and said,
"My....favorite....color is purple." Then I pulled back
really quick, giggling.
For a second he just looked at me, as if he wasn't quite sure
what I had said. I looked at him, a playful smile dancing on my
face. Then he just looked at me, "What?"
"You said you wanted to know the basics about me, so I told
you my favorite color."
"That's not what I meant..."
I cut him off, "You'll need to know that someday,
you'll use all the little things I tell you to find me some
day."
He looked at me. Confused. I gave him a quick smile then turned,
and started walking down the boardwalk. Leaving him there,
incredulous.