Warnings: none
I am so happy with the word count. Holy moly.
Words 999
• Tyler •
One week later
Jenna seemed to get more distant, but also closer at the same time. She would tell Tyler how she felt that day, and then after that they'd go on with their days.
He wished he could help her in some way, but he couldn't unless if she opened up.
He decided to ask her to dinner tonight, because even though he's been wanting to ask her out for a while, she needed it. She hadn't left her house, aside from going to work, at all.
"Jenna." Tyler called, making Jenna look up with her blue melancholy eyes.
"Yes, Ty?" Jenna asked. She's grown used to calling him Ty. It made him smile.
"Would you um... would you like to accompany me to dinner?" He hesitated, "It doesn't have to be fancy or whatever, just to get out of the house and loosen up a bit." Tyler rambled. "But that doesn't mean drinking.— unless if you want to—" Jenna's eyebrows furrowed, making Tyler backtrack. "no! Not if you want to either because we're seventeen." Tyler let out an awkward laugh, rubbing the back of his neck as he scraped his floral vans on the dark wooden floors of the music shop.
"I'd love to." She gave him a soft smile, and Tyler melted at the sight of it. He hadn't seen her smile in a while.
Jenna had fully grown on Tyler, and now fully trusted him. She'd been on two dates with him already, no matter how much Tyler denies it as a date. They went stargazing. How romantic is that?
(It wasn't a date. - Tyler)
"Great!" He clapped his hands together and then intertwined his fingers, pulling them down as some sort of stretch. Something he's noticed he does to contain excitement. "Okay, so, go home and put on a dress. Not to fancy, or to revealing—" Tyler stopped himself to think of where he was going with this. He hummed as if he was unsure, looking up at the ceiling in thought. "I don't know, just wear something I guess." He concluded. He didn't want to request a dress unless if she was comfortable with a dress.
Jenna giggled, and nodded. She began walking backwards towards the glass doors with her purse hugged against her chest. "Alright, I will definitely wear something." She smiled, giggling again. Tyler chuckled awkwardly as he watched her twist around on her heel, quickly prancing for the music shop exit. He decided to wait until she left to head to his car.
Tyler sighed in awe of her. He wished he could make her the happiest woman alive.
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• Jenna •
Just as Tyler requested, Jenna wore a white dress with sunflowers printed on the soft thin fabric. It was wavy all the way down to her feet, and her arms were covered in her black leather jacket. She was never a fan of showing skin.
After the party when she was 16 she hadn't worn anything to reveal her legs, except maybe longer than normal shorts. But even the shorts were at least two fingers above her knees. They made her look awkward which is mostly why she stuck with jeans, or even skinny jeans.
She got into the car, buckling her seatbelt as she scanned Tyler's attire. He was wearing a button up white shirt, and black skinny jeans like he usually wore. The white button up was enough to make him look dressy though. His hair was still messy from running his fingers through it prior to his arrival.
Jenna giggled. "I feel like a middle schooler."
Tyler furrowed his eyebrows as he began to drive. "How so?"
"Well, I don't know. I just feel so giddy inside about this date."
Tyler chuckled. "Me too."
Date. She knew it was a date and she still said yes. That made Tyler feel flutters in his heart, and a warm feeling spread through his chest.
"So, where are we headed?" Jenna asked, her smile evident on her face. Tyler liked how happy she was being. He knew it wasn't going to stay like this for long. She was sad, and some date wasn't going to flip the switch of happiness on. But at least he could make the stars in her eyes bright for now.
"I'm not tellin'." He sassed, and Jenna giggled. Tyler immediately smiled, praising himself for making her laugh.
"Okay, whatever." She watched the trees pass, and the sun rays shine above them. They hit her face just right for a sun ray to light up her blue eyes.
Tyler glanced at Jenna, taking in her beauty, and then back at the road. Her dress was a good choice. The sunflowers seemed to attract the sunlight, or maybe it was just Jenna that attracted the sunlight. Tyler wouldn't be surprised. If that was the case, then Tyler and the sun weren't to different. "I like your dress." He complimented.
Flashbacks played in her mind.
"I like your dress." Carter said, as he sat next to her.
She took a deep breath, but smiled. She looked out the window, squinting her eyes at the setting sun. "Thank you." She gulped down the memory.
"You're very beautiful." Tyler added, nodding his head as if he had just agreed with someone. He seemed to agree with Carter without knowing it. However, his eyes weren't fixated on her thighs like Carter's were. His eyes were focused onto the road out of respect.
"You're very..." Carter let his eyes trace down her body and land on her thighs. "Beautiful."
She smiled softly. It warmed her to know how Tyler felt. Who cared about what Carter said. Like Brennan said: Tyler wasn't Carter. He was more than Carter could ever be. Respectful, kind, and gentle.
She wished she'd never met Carter.
"Well, I think you're handsome." She replied, rather confidently. Tyler took a deep breath as a smile creeped on his face. He loved her compliments.
Writers note - I love his compliments almost as much as I love his face.
- Jenna Black
ಠ_ಠ
First date!!!! YEEEEE