The Lunacy of Tyler Lockhart ✔️

Chapter Four - Past

"Are you flirting with me, Tyler Lockhart?" I asked.

"I'm and you're enjoying it."

I hit his back with my books, giggling. Some girls there at the corner, friends of Harper Woodley rolled their eyes. I ignored them.

Tyler was his usual cheerful-teasing self and it appeared like he had forgotten about our study date on Saturday, but knowing Tyler, he could be pretending to forget it.

The two of us sat together during English. I was taking notes as usual, but Tyler was writing something in his diary. The diary that he carried with him everywhere. When I tried to peek at it, he covered the page with his hand.

"What are you writing?" I asked.

"I can't tell you that," he said secretively.

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because my mom says that I shouldn't. If I show it to you, there's a big possibility you would judge me and—"

I touched his arm lightly, "I will never judge you for anything, Tyler. You know that."

"And maybe even hate me." He completed his sentence, and turned his astonishing blue eyes to me, "I don't care about other people, but I would never want you to hate me for it, Victoria."

I stared at him trying to decipher the meaning of that last sentence. He always gave me subtle hints, and teased me twenty-four-seven and three-sixty-five days but never clearly shared his true feelings, and that really confused the hell outta me.

I wanted to know if Tyler liked me in any way, even if it was just a little bit. My mom always advised me against running after boys, she said that a girl should maintain her pride and instead let the boy chase after her. I agreed to that at some degree but with Tyler it was different. He was my best friend, we saw each other most of the time and it was hard to not feel anything or want something when we practically breathed the same air.

"Okay, class listen up," Mr. Brooks, our English teacher called. "You're getting a chance to do an assignment this term. The grades will be added in the final exam."

There were collective groans from the entire room.

Mr. Brooks was a chubby middle-aged man with a large belly and bushy mustache. Tyler joked that Mr. Brooks watered his mustache with his plants every morning. I'd laughed so loud in class that day and everyone had looked at me like I'd gone crazy.

Mr. Brooks mustache twitched as he said, "The assignment should be submitted in a pair of two students." He mentioned, "And, I'll be doing the choosing for your partners."

There were a collective 'Nooooooo's' from everyone.

"Oh, yes." Mr. Brooks said. "Last time I let you choose your partners and some of the students hadn't found suitable pairs. This time I've taken it upon myself to see to it that it is fair." He had a glass bowl ready with folded paper chits inside. He pushed his chubby hand into the round bowl, for a second I suspected his hand would get stuck but he successfully pulled out the first chit, and read. "Amelia Hall and..." he dug his hand in the bowl again and took out another one.

I prayed 'please not me. Please, not me.'

"Ian Rossi."

I sighed. Tyler passed me a look. "Who do you wish to be partnered with?"

"Naturally, you."

Tyler grinned, appearing pleased, "Naturally."

"What about you?"

Tyler's eyes roamed around the classroom, it reminded me of a predator, a very dangerous one. "I guess Harper Woodley."

"Of course. She's beautiful, head cheerleader, nice big boobs, drives a Porsche, and gives you the occasional fuck-eyes. I get it. She's totally your league," I said feeling a hurricane of jealousy inside me.