Saving Jasper | ✓ [COMPLETE]

Chapter 12 - Letters To Charlotte

I couldn't stop pacing back and forth. Tyler was picking me up to go get coffee in, like, ten minutes. I had hoped and prayed that he wouldn't consider this a date, because I for one, did not. We were simply going for coffee. I had been in Maine for one day, and I didn't hate it as much. I decided that I might as well have a good time while I'm here, right?

Moping around and pouting wasn't going to make the time go by faster, so why sit around doing so? Today, instead of going out on extravagant adventures, we just sat around the house and caught one another up on the latest family gossip. Serena and I organized my belongings in my room, and I helped her clean her own room.

Needless to say, we had a fun day even if we didn't do much. I also spent time watching TV with Carter, and playing catch outside with Layla. In truth, I had missed my cousins more than I thought. My mind has been caught up in so much drama and stress with Jasper, that I hadn't had time to focus on things the way they used to be before he arrived.

I didn't have a problem with him here, but the stress was taking its toll on me. Now that I was in Maine, I realized I hadn't had a headache, and wasn't worrying over anything. I felt myself relaxing more and more. Even now, as I was waiting for Tyler, I was content. I sighed a little, taking another sip of my iced tea.

I returned to the wooden porch chair and sat down, balancing my phone on my knee. Serena, luckily, had just left with Aunt Sophie to get something at the store. I sent a text to both of them saying I was going out to pick up a last minute toiletry that I had forgotten when packing back home in North Carolina.

I made a mental note to stop this little game with Tyler before it got out of hand. He was just another version of Mason, and Serena wanted him for herself. I had no intentions of liking him, or anyone for that matter. It was a boys-free summer, at least I hoped so. And if any boys tried anything...well, I would just have to curb stomp them. I smiled at the thought and shook my head.

Tires moved over the gravel driveway and I looked up. Tyler had pulled up. He turned the car off and got out, shooting me a smile.

"I'll be right down," I told him. Rising to my feet, I took my glass inside and put it in the sink. I grabbed my jacket from the hook in the hallway and shrugged it on as I walked outside and hopped down the steps.

"Starbucks?" Tyler asked as we climbed into the car. "Or somewhere more low-key?" The latter was most likely a non-mainstream coffee shop that could only be found here in Maine, whereas Starbucks was a mainstream coffee place, found just about everywhere.

"Somewhere else," I told him, wondering where he would take me. He fiddled with the dials on the radio and settled on a station, turning the volume down so it became a background hum. Tyler looked over at me as he drove, meeting my eyes for a second. It wasn't awkward, but it wasn't enjoyable. When he returned his eyes to the road, I sighed a little in relief.

"So what have you been up to, Charlie Chandler?" he asked, sounding genuinely curious. I bit my lip. What had I been up to? Slaying dragons and conquering all of Russia? Passing Junior year and teaching a seventeen-year-old boy how to live seemed more accurate. How could I put that into words for him?

"I'm not sure how much I can tell you, Tyler." I frowned, looking out the window. Trees blurred by, obscuring my view of anything but a lush green and brown wall.