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Chapter 3
Audrey’s POV
I strutted into the cafeteria. I was so nervous! How will Tyler react to seeing me? After all this time? After all I’ve supposedly put him through? His back was to me, but Grace wasn’t. She was grinning like a buffoon on steroids. She’d give me away! I was only a foot or so away from him when I cleared his throat. Slowly he turned around. His tired, sad eyes suddenly widened and his skin paled. He looked like he’d just seen a ghost!
I heard him speak for the first time in years, but it’s not what I wanted to hear.
“I’m crazy.” He closed his eyes and pushed his hands to the side of his face. Was he trying to crush his skull? Good God, he was putting too much pressure! That cannot be healthy!
Just as I was about to voice the danger when Grace spoke up. Very slowly and carefully I might add. “Tyler. You aren’t crazy.” He shook his head and his hands turned white under all the pressure he was using with them. “Tyler. Open your eyes. Remove your hands.” She sounded like Jesus preaching with the way she said it. Calm and full of authority. But I was shocked that he listened to her. He looked at me with such intensity I thought I’d explode.
“You see her too?” he asked quietly
“Yes Tyler.” She looked at me apologetically.
“She is real?”
“Yes.” He looked at me closer as if memorizing me. “Audrey? Is it really you?”
“Yes Tyler. It’s really me.” He suddenly looked scared.
“You’re alive?” he was shaking his head as if I’d disappear if he did it enough times. “No. You aren’t. I’m sorry. She’s dead.” My heart broke a little at his words. But his next actions frightened me even more.
His eyes looked empty and he ran outside, the two of us followed him. He collapsed on the grass. I made a move to run and help him but Grace held me back.
“Stop. You may want to see this. Then you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.” I was scared by her response. He doubled over. He screamed and I cringed. What the heck is happening?
Suddenly he stopped screaming and was just lying on the grass panting and twitching uncontrollably. Every now and then he’d mumble things like: ‘she’s dead’ ‘she’s gone’ ‘Audrey’ ‘I’m so stupid’ ‘why?’ ‘Just let me die already’. It broke my heart. I did this to him? What kind of person am I? Oh yeah that’s right. None. I’m a monster. A cruel, heartless, stupid monster.
“No you’re not.” I didn’t realize I’d said that out loud. “It’s just been hard on him. He was so in love with you, and when you left…” she sighed “It was scary at first. But it’s worse now. Once he accepted you were dead—which was very recently—he’s crumbled. He’ll act normal most of the time. To a degree. Then when he’s alone, or it’s just me, he allows himself to break down. And this happens.” This isn’t the only time it’s happened? Oh my god. What. Have. I. done.
When he was finally finished crying himself out, he got up and walked to Grace. He stumbled but I caught him.
“What the heck?!” he looked at me and screamed. He fell backward. Did he only just notice me? What about in the cafeteria. He saw me then right. Damn. I messed him up good.
“Ghost!” my eyes opened and a bug could’ve nested in my mouth with how wide I had it open.
“Tyler? You honestly think I’m a ghost?” I whispered. I was hurt. That really stung. It’s one thing to think I’m dead, but now I’m a ghost?
He pressed the sides of his heads again. “I’m sorry okay Audrey?! Please don’t haunt me!”
“What?” it was barely audible
“I don’t need another reminder of you. Just leave me alone!” his eyes shot open and he pointed at me. “It was you wasn’t it?! You’re the reason I can’t die!” I can’t believe my ears. “You pulled me to shore! You made my dad come home early! You stole my pocket knife! You hid the ammunition!”
“The what?” Grace said horrified. Apparently there were times they didn’t catch him, things just went wrong on their own.
“What do you want from me?! You got a kid!” I felt like I’d been hit in the gut. “You got my despair!” twice “What more do you want from me!? And I bet you had something to do with the fact my failure will always be with me! See this!” he pointed to a line I hadn’t noticed on his neck “Rope marks from my first failure!” three “Why do you hate me so much Audrey?!” four “I was in love with you!” five “Now I don’t know what to do!” six ”You’re dead! I can’t change that! But I can’t help myself!” I was too stunned to speak. Grace picked it up for me.
“Enough Tyler! She isn’t a ghost!”
“Tell the ghost that! Send her back to hell where she belongs!” oh my god. He wants me in hell. “Get outta here!”
Is it wrong to admire how hot he looked under the anger and sadness? I did the one thing I could think of to convince him I was real. I ran to him.
And I kissed him.
song of the moment: Live While We're Young- One Direction
picture is Grace (Lucy Hale)