Lost Boy

Chapter Twenty

The future is the past returning through another gate.

- Arnold II Glasgow.

...

Fawn's POV

The past few days had certainly been interesting. Between working on the project and taking my meds, I had barely had a chance to breathe. Doing a two man job was exhausting, but I had to get it done.

I mean sure, since the incident my stutter was worse than ever, and it was driving me insane. But it was manageable. I spent hours cleaning my house from top to bottom, finding anything to make time pass, and worked as hard as I could on the project designs before my brain exploded. The doctors had given me more medication for my anxiety, which was definitely helping. Not that it seemed to be helping. My stutter was worse than ever. I could barely get two words out without breaking down in hysterics. 

You're broken. The voices in my head reminded me constantly. 

I couldn't let the voices get to me. I had to push through.

The house was mostly silent except for the white noise coming from the tv. I had gone off the grid, and I knew I had worried Ada sick, but I needed some time to myself. 

I was standing up to go into the kitchen when the bell rang. 

As I was walking to the front door I noticed a car across the street. It was parked at a weird angle, with one wheel on the curb and the other three halfway into the road. Whoever owned that thing clearly hadn't been taking good care of it either; that much I could tell just by glancing at the dusty windows and muddy wheels.

Before I could stare any longer and question how the owner even got their license, the bell rang again.

Then there was a banging at the door. Someone's impatient.

It was hit with such a force that I found myself flinching from where I stood in the hall, and I being my clumsy self had to trip over the doorframe and fall flat on my face right in front of whoever was at my door.

That's what you get for gawking at a stranger's car dumbass.

"O-Ow." I rubbed my ankle where my shoe was bent at a funny angle. I was trying to dust the dirt off of my hands when I heard a voice from above.

Not as in heaven 'above' I mean 'above' as in standing beside me.

"Fuck! Shit I'm sorry! Fawn?"

At the sound of the now familiar voice  I completely froze. In no way was I prepared for this ambush.

What are the odds that this would happen to me right now?

Hopelessly I tried hiding my face behind my hair as I tried to regain my balance, but I wasn't quite fast enough. An arm soon reached out in front of me in offering.

If my body hadn't been stiff already then it certainly was now. I was still determined not to make eye contact with he-who-shall-not-be-named, but after a few painstaking moments of waiting for him to disappear I could still see his hand hovering before me.

"You gonna take it or not principessa?" He smirked down at me, somehow acting as if nothing had happened between us.

Hesitantly I placed my hand into his, noticing how rough and callused it seemed.

He was back.

But then I remembered that feeling of complete abandonment from when I had woken up in a hospital only to find him gone.

Shit. I hadn't had time to apologise for telling Ada about him either. What was I supposed to do in this situation?

"Th-th-th-." I tried to thank him before remembering my stutter. I couldn't do it. I knew Tyler would ask questions if I stayed still any longer so I sat up, and stubbornly began limping back inside.

My ankle throbbed with every step and I had to force myself to hold back a grimace. That was definitely going to leave a bruise.

"Are you seriously going to ignore me Fawn?" He called, sounding frustrated and acting as if he actually had any right to be angry with me right now. I chose not to answer and continued hobbling, nearly tripping over the doorframe for a second time.

"Tesoro?"

The name made me pause. The nickname stirred something inside of me that urged me to turn back.

I instantly regretted it when I made eye contact with his worried expression. He still wore his hood but I could make out his furrowed brows.

For a split second an emotion that could have been hurt flashed in his eyes, and it was like the curtain dropped for a moment.

But the minute my eyes widened at the way Tyler looked so exposed, it was gone. Replaced with a mask of ignorance as that arrogant smirk was placed back on his face. I sighed.

"I forgot how stubborn you are." He snorted, pointedly staring at my ankle for a moment and then looking at me with an eyebrow raised. "You're seriously planning on walking around like that?"

"Mhmm" I avoided using words.

"You're too stubborn for your own good."

"Mhm."

"Ouch." He feigned hurt. "Not even gonna speak to me?" I shook my head. "Why not?" I shrugged and scowled at him. He stared at me for a few minutes, studying my face. I tried to close the door behind me once I was inside but he stopped it with his foot, giving me déjà vu. I let him follow me to the couch, too tired to argue with him. It's not like I could argue verbally anyway. 

"I know you haven't been eating." I stopped where I was leaning down to the couch, feeling a shiver up my spine. I pretended not to hear and sunk into the mess of blankets and pillows.

I looked up confused, gesturing to the trays of pizza boxes and ice cream around me. I had most definitely been eating, arguably too much. 

"That sneaky bitch." Tyler grumbled. "Ada said-" He stopped. "Nevermind what she said, I'm here now. So stop fucking ignoring me."

I continued to do so, enjoying the peace.

My peace lasted about ten seconds before I let out a loud scream.

Everything was upside down.

"P-p-p-ut m-m-m-m-me down!"

"Sorry I didn't quite catch that down there, what did you say?"

"I s-said to p-p-p-put me d-d-down!" I yelled, thumping at his back like a maniac. I could feel the blood rushing to my head.

"No can do sweetheart." He laughed, and I felt his torso move as he did so, sending tingles along my spine.

I continued hitting his back as he kept walking, the ground seeming to wobble beneath me as he carried me on his shoulder, sometimes dropping me a tiny amount to make me squeal in fear.

"W-Why?" I breathed, finally coming to terms with the fact that he wasn't letting me down anytime soon. Maybe if I just gave short responses my stutter wouldn't be so bad.

"I may not be the most chivalrous guy out there, but I wasn't gonna let you injure yourself so easily."

"Are you s-s-sure this isn't j-j-just a ploy to get m-me to f-f-forgive y-you?" I questioned, still trying to work out what his intentions were. It took me a few tries and moments to get it all out but I was somewhat proud of myself for communicating.

Tyler didn't even acknowledge my speech struggles. He just snorted at me, continuing up the stairs and into the bathroom. "Don't move." He pointed at me and gently placed me down on the bathroom counter, careful not to hurt me.

He brushed a piece of hair out of my face and bent down so I could see his smile. "Let's get your ankle looked at."