I don't go to lunch the day after Nicole and I began our project. She and I both enjoyed our time, and, call me crazy, but I think I like her.
My arms trembled underneath my wool jacket. I visited the local library instead of eating. With me knowing something is going on with Titus, gradually, it grows harder for me to sleep at night. I keep one eye open at all times, and I've even hidden a bat underneath my bed unsure of what to expect at this point.
The first book I pulled off the shelf was filled with history conspiracy theories on animals and nature. I'm not necessarily targeting anything, but the way those wolves showed up at the party so unexpectedly put holes in any logic I can think of.
"Ty?" Questions someone as I'm flipping through the pages in deep concentration.
When I look up I meet familiar eyes of a girl I've never seen. Her hair is the color of the pitch-black night sky and her eyes twinkle like stars. "Hello?" I reply setting my book aside.
"Hi!" She hugs me very tightly all of a sudden. Her hair brushes against my cheek and she smells of a fruity fragrance.
"Um," I scratch the back of my head nervously as she pulls back and sits in the chair beside me. "Who-Who are you?" I manage to ask. The girl looks no older than 13 and wears a short black dress that reaches above her knees. Her hair is abnormally long and she also has grey eyes.
She looks at me funny, "Imogen. My name is Imogen. Don't you remember?"
My head lifts from the desk of the library in a sudden jolt of my phone vibrating. I check my surroundings: First, the seat beside me that lay empty of the girl I previously saw. The book I'm reading is still opened to the page I left it on. I don't remember falling asleep while reading; and I definitely don't remember an Imogen. My phone continues to vibrate, and I reach into my pocket. When I fish it out, I realize it's my alarm telling me to go back to school to before class starts.
Pale as I ghost, I gather my things-including the book-and hurry out of the library without checking out the book because I'm so panicked.
When I reach the outside and embrace the cool air I see Imogen across the street. This time she stands beside an animal that is so large I can't call it a dog or wolf. Imogen smiles at me faintly, and the midnight-black wolf follows me with its crystal-like blue eyes as I walk in the direction of the school.
Still in a hurry and stricken by what I'm seeing, I can't keep my eyes off of them. The wolf is unfazed by my presence, and Imogen waves at me just before a bus passes, and as it crosses over the wolf and Imogen I'm left with the sight of a stop sign frozen over by the ice and empty patch of snow where Imogen and the wolf once stood.
Even under the hazy weather and disbelief that occurs between the distance between the stop sign and I, There is still recognizable paw prints engraved into the snow.
~•••~
"Ty, you alright?" Asks Titus tossing a football at me, and under a trance, I catch it just before it reaches my face. "Nice reflexes. What are you, The Matrix?" He scowls as I drop the football.
It's been hard for me to keep my concentration after what I experienced earlier in the library. How would a sane person react to something that was real-but isn't?
I need to take a few deep breaths and relax. I've been so caught up with this Titus business it's been lowering my grades.
"I'm fine." I finally manage to say under Titus' condescending stare. I avoid looking at him in the eyes. The dead, empty look he gives me makes me wonder if this man in front of me actually my brother. The Titus that doesn't have to deal with all the issues, the pain, and have to feel like I can't take care of myself.
"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?"