Love's Destiny (Love Trilogy #2) (13 page)

“So what about you?” she asked as she plopped down on the homemade patchwork quilt that covered her bed. “You’re from San Diego, right?”

“Yeah, my dad’s an artist and my mom’s a chef.” I told her feeling like it was my turn to share. She’d already told me so much about herself.

“I have a little brother named Chance who is 8 and can already charm the pants off anyone.” I laughed.

I told her about San Diego, about the school I’d attended, the violin lessons I’d taken since childhood. I told her about everything back home, except Tyler. He was in my mind, but for some reason I didn’t talk about him. My memories of Tyler were too personal, too painful to share.

Carrie and I stayed up late into the night, sharing and talking about our lives. I could tell already that we were going to be great friends. Finally we decided we should get some sleep before the sun came up and we both settled into bed.

With the lights out and the room quiet the one thing I’d been avoiding thinking about all night came to the forefront of my mind. Tyler. As I lay in bed trying to fall asleep I wondered what he was doing, how he was doing, I wondered if he was thinking about me.

The big house seemed strangely empty with Destiny gone. I tried not to think about her too much, but she was always in the back of my mind. When Chance did something funny, I imagined how she would have laughed or what she would have said. When I passed the corridor that led to her rooms on the second floor I tried not to look towards them, but I always did as if I expected her to materialize even though I knew she was thousands of miles away in New York.

In addition to working a few days a week at the hardware store I also ran deliveries for Aunt Katherine’s bakery. Whenever I came by the shop I always looked for Destiny behind the register knowing she wouldn’t be there. Uncle Mike had just opened his art gallery and Chance and I spent a lot of time there helping with painting the walls or arranging the displays. I imagined how proud Destiny would’ve been of her father’s gallery. Even though I stayed very busy, I took her with me wherever I went.

My junior year of high school was off to a good start. My teachers had no idea about the trouble I’d been in back in LA. I had a fresh start. I studied hard and got good grades, school had never been easy for me but when I applied myself I did well. I figured I owed it to Uncle Mike and Aunt Katherine for giving me a second chance. I didn’t take anything for granted anymore.

“I think your dad needs some help at the gallery today.” I told Chance as I drove him to school. “He’s supposed to be getting a big delivery this afternoon and he’ll need help uncrating it all.”

“Okay, but I have baseball tryouts at 6. Can you take me?”

“Sure kid. We’ll put in a couple hours at the gallery and then I’ll take you to the ball fields.”

“Dad said you used to play.”

“Yeah”

“How come you stopped?”

“I don’t know.” I answered, not sure how to explain to an 8 year old the complexities of the situation. “But I wish I never had. I loved baseball.” That much was true.

“Me too! I hope I make the team.” He said excitedly. It reminded me of how I was when I was his age.

“We’ll have to start practicing.” I told him and he beamed at me.

“Really? You’ll practice with me?” he was bouncing in the seat.

“Sure kid.” I ruffled his hair as I pulled to a stop in front of his school.

“Thanks Tyler, see you after school.” He shouted back as he climbed out of the truck.

As I drove a few more blocks to my school I thought about what it had been like to be 8. Inevitably it made me think of Destiny, she had been a big part of my childhood. I parked the truck and walked into the building trying to push her out of my mind.

I didn’t even notice the group of girls huddled near my locker until one of them broke away and approached me.

“Hi Tyler.” I heard a shy voice say and I peered around the locker door to see a timid brunette looking up at me with wide scared eyes. I heard her friends giggling behind her and looked over her shoulder at the group of girls.

I recognized the other girls from several of my classes, but I’d never seen this little mousy girl who was standing in front of me. She truly looked terrified. Some of the girls standing behind her had cruel smiles on their faces as if they’d intentionally set her up for embarrassment.

“Hey” I said looking back at her

“My name is Sara, we have American Government together.” She said looking at her feet.

I heard the snickers from the girls behind her and decided they were definitely not her friends. I just wasn’t sure if she knew that.

“Cool, I guess I’ll see you in class.” I said as the bell rang and the halls began emptying.

She blushed and rushed away without another word and I heard the cluster of girls who’d been watching laugh loudly as she passed by them.

I didn’t think much about her the rest of the day until the class we shared. When I entered the room I saw her sitting in the back row and I saw a couple of the girls who’d been in the hall earlier sitting one row away looking over at her as they whispered. The seat next to her was empty, so I took it.

“Sara, right?” I asked as I took the seat.

She looked up at me in surprise and I wasn’t sure if she was going to speak or jump up and run away. Finally she nodded.

Just then the teacher entered and class began. I watched as the two other girls continued to peer over their shoulders at us and pass notes. Sara kept her eyes averted.

When class ended she stood quickly and gathered her things, before she could make an escape I reached for her arm. She practically jumped out of her skin when I touched her.

“Would you like to sit with me at lunch?” I offered releasing her arm.

I heard one of the girls watching us gasp and I smiled. It served them right for setting up this poor shy girl to be humiliated like that.

“Really?” Sara asked disbelief coloring her voice.

“Unless you’d rather sit with someone else.” I said glaring over her shoulder and successfully scaring off the two girls who continued to linger and watch us.

“No. I mean yes… I mean sure I’ll sit with you.” She stuttered obviously nervous.

We walked to the cafeteria quietly and once inside I purposefully pulled out a chair for her that would seat her with her back to the table of girls who continued to examine us closely. I sat across from her so that I was privy to all their shocked expressions and whispers.

It was difficult getting two words out of her, but I learned that she just moved to the area from a small desert community near Palm Springs and had yet to make any friends. The group of girls she’d been with that morning had basically cornered her and poked and prodded trying to convince her that I’d shown interest in her and that she should approach me.

I had to admit that I’d never actually noticed her before and that those girls were definitely not trying to befriend her. But I assured her that I was glad that we’d had the chance to meet because I was new to the school also and I could use a friend. By the end of the lunch hour she’d finally relaxed enough to smile tentatively at me. She was plainly pretty with dull brown hair and eyes and soft features. She was sweet and shy, and I felt protective of her knowing that those girls she’d been bullied by that morning could eat her alive.

I didn’t see her the rest of the school day and she drifted out of my mind as I picked up Chance and we headed to the gallery to help Uncle Mike. We worked for a couple hours unloading crates, and then left for the ball fields. I watched Chance with pride as he hit every ball that was pitched to him and easily made the team. We stopped for ice cream on the way home to celebrate, but I made him promise not to tell Aunt Katherine that I’d let him spoil his dinner.

The next day at school I sat with Sara at lunch again. Partly to annoy the mean girls who enviously watched and whispered about us, but also because I enjoyed her company.

Days flowed and time passed. When I wasn’t working at the hardware store or making deliveries for Aunt Katherine I was playing ball with Chance in the big backyard. I didn’t think about Destiny as much anymore, but still listened intently when Aunt Katherine spoke of her over dinner telling us about the latest phone call or letter she’d received.

I knew Destiny was coming home for Thanksgiving and I grew more anxious as the date loomed closer. I wasn’t sure why I was so nervous about seeing her again, but I couldn’t shake the feeling.

Sara and I had gained a few extra friends at our lunch table over the semester. Chris was a tall gangly boy who was shunned for his lack of ability to be classified into any particular group. He was not athletic or overly smart, he was not artistic or musical, and he wasn’t into fast cars or hard partying. He just was. He had no strong interests and therefore had a hard time finding his place in school.

Rebecca was a boisterous red head who was a little on the heavy side and always laughed a little too loudly. She wore bright clashing colors and was always buzzing with energy. She was the complete opposite of Sara, but had immediately gravitated to her and the two had become best friends. We were a mismatched group to say the least, but we were friends.

“You need a girlfriend” Chance told me one afternoon as we tossed the ball out back.

“Oh really? And I suppose at eight you’re an expert on women?” I laughed.

“I’m almost nine.” He reminded me “And I have a girlfriend.” He said proudly.

“I bet you do.”

“Destiny will be home next week.” The sudden shift of conversation surprised me.

“So I heard.”

“You should bring a girl home for Thanksgiving.” He said and I realized that maybe the two topics of conversation were related.

“Why is that?” I asked

“Mom said Destiny is dating someone.” He said casually but eyeing me with a maturity beyond his years.

“That’s… good.” Why did my chest hurt all of a sudden?

“But she’s not bringing him home for Thanksgiving.” The pain eased a little

“Oh.”

“You should, though” he continued and I stopped tossing the ball to look him in the eye. He was smiling his wicked smile and I realized that he was definitely more mature than most almost-nine year olds.

“I’ll take it into consideration.” I told him tossing the ball again

I tried to dismiss our conversation but found that I couldn’t. Aunt Katherine hadn’t mentioned in front of me that Destiny was seeing someone, I wondered if that was intentional. But why would she keep that from me? Probably the same reason Chance suggested I bring a girl home for Thanksgiving. They all saw how I felt about Destiny, and how she didn’t feel about me. Well I wouldn’t let Destiny see it, not again.

“Do you have plans for Thanksgiving?” I asked Sara at lunch. It was the last day of school before the break and I realized I’d waited until the last minute. I hadn’t even been sure if I was going to ask her until the moment I did.

“Not really.” She said shrugging. “Mom has to work.”

“Want to come to my place?” I asked noticing how big Rebecca’s eyes bulged.

“Of course she does!” Rebecca exclaimed before Sara could answer. I felt Chris shift uncomfortably next to me, and thought I saw him and Sara exchange a brief look.

“Um, that would be nice.” Sara answered for herself and Rebecca immediately took over the conversation with a detailed account of how she’d be spending her Thanksgiving.

I had considered inviting Rebecca but I knew Sara’s parents were divorced and her mom worked two jobs, so she was the one least likely to have any family plans.

I was on edge as I drove home from school that day. Chance was equally quiet beside me, which was not like him. I wondered if he understood the reason for my silence. I was beginning to realize he was much more perceptive than people gave most children credit for. Destiny would be home when we got there. Her flight got in that morning.

I walked into the front entry and heard the sounds of laughter coming from the kitchen. I hesitated considering running to my room to hide. But as soon as Chance was through the door he was running through the dining room toward the kitchen to see his sister, and I decided that I would not be a coward. I followed him to the kitchen.

By the time I’d entered he’d already thrown himself into his sister’s arms and she was hugging him tightly exclaiming about how much he’d grown in such a short time.

I was amazed with how much she’d changed. I stood in the doorway quietly watching her. Her dark hair had been cut short and sleek and framed her porcelain face perfectly. She wore a tailored suit that fit her long slender body in a way that made you think it’d been made just for her. She looked sophisticated, mature, different. I was immediately intimidated and wondered if I could still make a retreat unnoticed. Just then she looked up and met my eyes.

“Tyler!” she exclaimed as she came forward and wrapped her arms around me.

My heart stuttered at the feeling of her in my arms and I cursed myself for the response. I tried to remind myself that she’d hugged her brother in the same way.