Just Another Teenage Outcast

Chapter 6

Chapter 6~

     I hugged my knees closer to myself as I sat on a log and ate an apple. It was freezing after I got out from the lake because of Tyler. He was so annoying! I mean, if I could go back in time when he begged to come with me, I would say no to his face.

      "We should get a move on," Tyler said, approaching me and towel drying his hair. His voice sounded different for some reason, or was it just me? I nodded slowly and got up, flinging the apple to the ground. I shouldered my bag and hopped onto the back of the bike, waiting for him to come.

     After he was done stuffing his clothes and food in his bag, he got on the bike carefully and rode off. "Are you comfortable back there?" Tyler asked. "Umm yeah," I replied. What the fuck? Why was he being caring all of a sudden? That guy is really weird.

     We rode on the entire day, and had a few rest stops. We barely spoke, just small talk here and there. Why was Tyler acting like that? Usually he was the annoying talkative happy-go-lucky person. Now he was all thinking-y and spacing out now and then. It was starting to get a little boring.

     Yes, I admit that I miss Tyler's annoyingness. It was so dull and lifeless without him doing anything funny. Maybe I should be the one to stir up the activeness. I picked up a huge purple grape and threw it at him. It landed right on his left eye. Oops.

     My aiming skills are weak as fuck. I clapped a hand on my mouth and my eyes grew wide. "Owww! Oh fuck!"  Tyler groaned, rubbing his eye and trying to open it. "I'm so sorry, Ty! Oh my gosh, I honestly didn't aim for your eye," I rambled.

     "What the fuck, Ashley?! That really hurt! Why would you throw a grape at me in the first place?" he demanded, still rubbing his eye. "I...umm...well," I stuttered. Oh great.

     Tyler muttered something under his breath and got up, walking off. I just stared at the grape that had fallen near to where Tyler was sitting. Stupid fucking grape. Why in the world did I throw it, anyway? Do I have some kind of psychological problem?

     I buried my face in my hands and tried to hold back tears. The reason I cry so much is because I've been crying nearly all the time during my childhood when my father used to abuse me. Now, even the slightest offense can make me break down in tears.

     Of course I've been training and willing myself to hold back tears and do something instead. So instead of crying like a big fat baby, I pinch myself or bite my tongue. I also clench up my fist and dig my long nails into my palm; which explains the nail marks and cuts on my palm.

     I must have dozed off because when I lifted my head up, the sun was just setting and it was getting dark. I looked around and didn't see Tyler anywhere. My heart started to thump a little faster as panic rose inside me.

     "Tyler?" I yelled at the direction where he walked off to. "Tyler!" I kept yelling and walking into the dark forest. The shadows of the trees kept freaking me out and making my heart leap. I could see beady yellow eyes up in the trees as the nocturnal animals and birds came out.

     Sweat beaded on my upper lip and forehead as I cautiously walked onwards, calling out Tyler's name. Where the fuck could he have gone? He wouldn't be so stupid to walk all alone through the forest in the darkness...right?

     What if there was a huge bear or something that killed him? Shut up Ashley, stop always thinking the negative. Tyler's athletic, he could outrun a bear, right? How fast are bears anyway? Okay, I really needed to shut up.

     "Tyler!" I yelled out again. "Tyler! Ty-" I  stopped myself when I heard a rustle of leaves behind me. I swallowed a lump in my throat and spun around, bracing myself for whatever there was behind me.