Every Day has a Memory

Chapter 2

And I didn't want to stand her up-a part of me wanted to ask her on a date because I was genuinely curious as to what she would be like beyond the guarded outer-shell.

I liked her.

Rain drenched us both now, but it didn't seem to bother either of us as neither of us moved from our spot on the path. We just stood there, staring at each other while others scampered around us to their cars or under shelter. And though the rain didn't seem to be washing away the tension that existed between us, it was washing away something in her exterior. I could see the change in her eyes. She looked somewhat taken back and incredulous now, instead of simply angry.

Maybe I'd hit a nerve.

But then that anger flared again. Her light brown eyes reflected fury. "You don't think I feel the same way?" she barked. "You don't know me, either. But does that stop you or your friends?" She didn't wait for an answer. "No. You don't."

My walls crumbled. "But that's not me-" I started, pleading.

"It was you." Tamsyn looked defiant on the outside, but I could tell that she was generally hurt. Her brown eyes held that note of sadness now-something that affected me in such a way, I wanted to somehow find a way to fix it and make it better.

Regardless of what she thought of me right now-I didn't like seeing her upset.

I studied her hard. This girl wasn't a looker, sure, but she was pretty in a plain sense. She didn't wear makeup and she always wore her hair the same way-either down so it flowed over her shoulders in dark waves, or in a French braid-but she always walked and spoke with confidence-a sexy aspect in most women. But it seemed almost stupid that she cared what a couple of guys thought about her.

Then again if those "thoughts" were been spread to half of the student body already-then I understood why she was so upset.

God. Now I felt like a complete ass.

My shoulders slumped, defeated.

"Can you take me home?" she asked, her voice quiet through the gush of the rain falling upon us.

We had started on the completely wrong note, but I wasn't ready for this to end. "The date ain't over yet," I said softly, trying not to provoke her. "You still hungry?" I felt as it I was walking on egg shells-an extremely daunting and careful process.

She looked confused-and not at all amused. "What?" Then she frowned, hiding her confusion. "This was a dare wasn't it? You don't have to-"

"This wasn't a dare, goddamn it! I just asked you out because I figured if I could get you away from all those people who are creating these rumours and crude comments about you, then you would give me a chance and hear me out!" I exclaimed.

Then I regretted even mentioning it...

Why did I have to open my mouth?

Tamsyn looked a little embarrassed now, her cheeks flushed red-but that could've been from the nip in the early Spring air. "B-but I thought-"

I cut her off. "Yeah, I get it. You thought I was set up by Tennan. But fact is, I don't even like Tennan O'Brien, Tamsyn."

"Well..." she raked her hair back from her face. "I didn't think that you would just openly ask me to go somewhere with you, so I-"

"Assumed I was playing you?" I got where she was coming from, but I hoped she knew that I wasn't that shallow.

Rain streamed down my face, into my eyes and saturated my clothing, slicking them against my body like a gross second skin.

"I'm sorry," she started. "About this. You can just-"

I set my hands up in surrender. "Stop. Its okay. Look, let's just..." Do what? "Start again." I finished, swiping water from my eyes.

I glanced up. Rain still bucketed from the sky. "Let's get food-my shout-and then... we'll just take it from there." I looked back at her, waiting for her to disagree, but she seemed to be debating.

So I waited.

Then she answered, nodding as she went along. "Can we go somewhere sheltered? But not public. I'm freezing and I don't want to be watched, in case we see someone and it starts more unwanted rumours." she explained. "And I'm certain I'm going to get sick later on this week."

"Your house?" My words left my mouth before I could stop them.

What the hell was wrong with me? I couldn't stop myself today.

"No way, my brother is at home. He thought I was going out with Jacinda today." She paused for the longest time. "Maybe you should just go, and I'll ask Jude to come and get me." She shrugged, thinking she'd won me over. "Save the hassle. So I guess I'll see you round." She started walking.

I reached out and snagged her arm before she could get too far. "No. We're on a date. You can't just bail." I was teasing, but I would feel genuinely cut up if she did just decide to up and leave. We had come this far. Why leave now? "Look, we can go back to mine-"

She gave me a look of vague disgust. "I'm not going back-"

It made me laugh a little. "You'll be safe." I explained. "My mom and sister are there. I'm not playing you, I swear." That wasn't a lie either. My mother was supposed to be home all day, and with this shitty weather, I wasn't sure she would be leaving in a big hurry. And my mother knew Tamsyn through Alicia-the pair of them had been friends when they were younger, if I remembered correctly. But when Alicia exceeded on the popular scale, their friendship had been relinquished. But Leesy had never had anything but nice words to say about Tamsyn-she even stood up for Tamsyn when dickheads would make shit up about her.

But the girl didn't seem persuaded. Yet. "They won't mind?" she asked, nervous.

I shook my head. "They have their own things to do. We can just hang out in the lounge." I felt like if I told her we could hang out in my room she would get the wrong impression, so I figured the lounge would be the only safe zone of the house. That and the kitchen.

"Ah..." she hesitated a little before nodding. "Okay."

Okay? She agreed. She had to be warming up to me.

"But food first?" she added, appearing a little more comfortable around me. Sure, the tension was still there and not all of the fury had left her eyes, but she had somewhat relaxed.

"Sure." I said. "You want Mcdonalds?"

Tamsyn gave me a look that said, are you kidding?

I raised my hands. "No judgement. I'm just starving. Could really use a burger," I informed her, rubbing my stomach for emphasis.

Her eyes narrowed a little, but her lips deceived her by tugging upwards in a smile.

"Sure. Let's get McDonalds."

Ha. I had won her over.

***