The Luna's Nerd

~Chapter 14~

"I'm so prepared for the game. Aren't you?" He questions to further our conversation.

"Yeah. You're going to crush the other team." I force myself to say.

"Other team? Tyler Drake Woods do you realize who we're going against?"

"Yeah, yeah. Big, bad wolves. Ooh, so very spooky." I roll my eyes to explicitly let Titus know I'm unconcerned about the entire football game.

"How's your project with Nicki going, by the way? I forgot to ask." He grins at me childishly.

I rest my elbows on the kitchen counter and watch him work on dinner. "It's doing well. No salt, and more pepper. It takes a lot to overseason meat." I instruct as he works carefully.

"My bad, Gordon Ramsay." Titus scoffs and gives me a look of disgust.

"Learn to cook, idiot sandwich." I retaliate and we both can't hold in our laughter. The sound of Titus laughing brings joy to my soul. Titus is laughing so hard he ends up dropping the roast and we both laugh even harder.

When we sober ourselves, Titus hands me the phone, and grins. "Pizza or takeout?"

~•••~

"Tyler, sweetheart, grab my glasses over there." Grandma requests of me. She's so frail and tiny as she hunches over her walker. I wonder if she spends any time outside of mom's art gallery.

A ghost of a smile pulls at the corner of my lips. I hand her the spectacles perched on her desk and she seems relieved. "My eyesight won't stop me from seeing art just as my legs won't stop me from walking." Grumbles Grandma Woods with confidence. I've got to hand it to her for giving Titus the attitude he has to this day.

"You go, grandma." I snicker and she rests herself on the sofa next to a wall filled with art. I still haven't had a chance to sift through any of moms pieces, but I plan on it. Art is the closest aspect of my life I can relate to her in my life now that she's gone.

Grandma has all of  my sketchbooks in hand, including the one I'm still working on. She looks pleased as she flips through each page. Her expressions change from shock, to pain, few times anger. Art is my way of relieving myself of emotions.

Grandma takes awhile to get through each book. She soaks in the images as if to paint them on her brain. "These are so lovely, Tyler." She whispers as she begins to quickly flip through my current sketches. "I'm so honored to-" Grandma freezes on a page in my sketchbook.

"What is it?" I take her side, and immediately feel my face on fire as I snatch the book away. "Th-That's-"

Grandma shakes her head with a playful smile, "Nicole Hanson."

I hide the sketchbook from her view as if it's nonexistent and if no one can see it, it doesn't exist. "I-I can explain-"

"Why you have sketches of her in your notebook? I love the way you carefully crafted her features."

I grind my teeth. I'm irritated at grandma for talking about it, but it is my fault I showed her in the first place. "Tyler, this art gallery is a safe place. Come, join me." Grandma pats the empty space in front of her, and with a deep sigh I take the seat. "Now,: Grandma sits up with her hands on her chin and grins at me. "Tell me, is this girl special to you."

I avoid grandma's eyes because I feel like she'll judge me, and if not verbally, her emotions will certainly seep through her eyes. "N-No, well, y-yes."

"Boy!" I feel grandma's strong hand against the back of my head. I frown and place my hand over where she hit me. "If you don't tell me..." I look at her eyes and they're filled with a fierce passion and I finally sigh.

"She's a friend... A friend I-I..." I can't find the words to describe my relationship with Nicki, and whenever I do think of something it drowns on my tongue.

"Blushing? Stuttering? The dreamy look in your eyes when you saw that sketch of her? Tyler, I'm older than the dust collecting on the shelves at your local library. Don't tell me she's just a friend. I want the details, child!"

"I-I'm sorry. I-I just-"

"Start off by telling me how she makes you feel." Grandma guides me.

I exhale and can't help but smile. The way she makes me feel? "Giddy... Like-like I'm going to drown in these pleasurable-it's electric! My stomach explodes into these... These butterflies! It's so satisfying-and her lips. God, her lips. They're so perfect! So soft!" I continue to ramble on and on about nonsense. Grandma is moved by my words, and I stop speaking because of the stare she's giving me. I can't read her expression, but I know she's not fired up in hitting me again.

Grandma Woods shakes her head with a grin. "Tyler, have you ever considered the fact that you might be in love?"