Small Wonders

Tyler

Tyler

 I started. Nobody except my mother and my father knew about my photography, and I liked to keep it that way.  I turned around to see an unfamiliar boy standing about three feet away from me.  He was tall, although he looked close to my age. He was pale and lanky, with short brown hair and blue eyes. He offered me a hand to help me up.

“I’m fine.” I said “I can get up myself.”

I pulled myself up and looked at him.

“Well I never miss the opportunity to help a lovely lady such as yourself up.” He said.

I tried my hardest not to smile. It was not often I got called a lovely lady. I didn’t even consider myself lovely or really attractive. I was tan, with dirty blonde hair that fell down past my shoulders. I suppose I would consider my eyes my best feature. They were green, with flecks of gold and brown. All in all, I was pretty average looking.

“Well, seeing as I do this all the time, I kind of know how to get myself up.”

The boy laughed. “You’re pretty funny.” He said.

“I wasn’t trying to be” I said, slightly annoyed.

“Exactly. People are funniest when they aren’t trying to be. I’m Tyler, by the way.” He stuck out his hand.

I shook his hand. 

“Kassidy.” I replied.

I began to put my stuff in my bag, and made my way to the end of the jetty.

“Are you done?” He asked.

“Yes.” I replied.

“Is this all you ever take pictures of?”

“Yes, partly because I like it, and partly because I don’t have anywhere else to go.”

“That’s a lie.”

I stopped. I turned around to face him. He was standing with his hands in his pockets meeting my gaze.

“What did you say?” I asked.

“I said that’s a lie. There are plenty of places you could go. There’s so much besides this section of ocean. You have a car don’t you?”

“No, I don’t have a car, but I do have a bike.” I didn’t add the fact that the only time I took pictures at this area of the beach in the morning or at night was because I didn’t want anyone making fun of me.  

“There you go. I have a car, so if you ever need a place to go I got you”

“Well I don’t know you, so I just can’t just hop in a car with you.” I said, secretly hoping to get rid of him.

“You’re talking to me, so you are getting to know me more and more every moment.”

He had a point. “You could be a murderer, or something, trying to lure me into your car.”

Tyler started laughing. “Kassidy, do you honestly believe that I am a murderer, for God’s sake! I’m a sixteen year old kid who doesn’t know anyone in this town. Learn to trust.”

I sighed. He was right, and if I was honest with myself, I really sort of liked the curious kid that never shut up.