Tyler and the Valaholics: The Beginning

Chapter 37

Song of the chapter- 'That's My Girl' by Fifth Harmony

'You've been down before, you've been hurt before, you got up before, you'll be good to go.
Destiny said it, you got to get up and get it; get mad independent and don't you ever forget it.'

Nat's mouth hangs wide open at my random outburst. Stacie maintains a neutral expression but I'm sure she must be mentally connecting her face and palm repeatedly. Rosaly frowns at me but her lips are plenty close to settling on a smile. Strange, but Rosaly, Nat and I are the very definition of weird so I'm not complaining right now.

Lauren suddenly springs to her feet, exclaiming that perhaps the girls should play outside in the plentiful sunlight. She insists on taking them out as she gives Stacie a look whose meaning I know very well. Lau has never been one for a whole lot of drama and stuff so she always tries to avoid them by escaping. Thia rises too, pointing out that there are three kids so she should accompany Rennie out too. Typical behaviour of these two, running away from conflict even though they will eventually have to face them sooner or later.

While my mind wanders off into thinking about the numerous times one or both of them have done this, sudden jerky movements catch my attention in my peripheral vision. Now completely distracted, I realize Natalia is fidgeting with the zipper of her hoodie, the stray strands of her hazel hair framing her face and basically anything within her reach. Her body language clearly implies that she doesn't want to be in this situation but she makes absolutely no move to leave, eyeing Ros ever so slightly. Knowing her for as long as I have, I'm well aware of her complete adoration for Ros and how she holds back from doing a lot of things just so as to not displease the girl. Since she won't do anything, I have to take matters into my own hands and relieve Nat of this torture.

I open my mouth, startling everyone after the long silence that ensued once Van, Tracie, Violet, Lau and Cynthia left, "Perhaps we should get out of here since everyone is more or less done, and then we should probably be on the lookout for someone who might trade partners with us, right?"

My heart sinks as I say the words, mentally repetitively smashing my head against a wall for just how much I've managed to mess up any chance of even retaining a friendship at this rate. Tears involuntarily spring into my eyes but I do my best to blink them back, lifting my head only after I'm sure my tears aren't visible. That's when I notice the undeniably sad and upset expression coating his face in no less concentration. Dammit, I just had to mess this up!

"So y-you- you don't want to, you know, perform with me? I get it, we had a good run, we did, but now I guess you don't want to perform with me," his voice trails off, bringing me to lift my eyebrows as I finally meet his eyes, confusion clashing with sorrow.

"I'm sorry, what?" I blurt out.

His eyebrows furrow in what seems to be confusion, "Uhm, what?"

He maintains eye contact with me, his eyebrows eventually straightening out as his lips curve to form an 'o'. Wait, does he actually think I don't want to perform with him? I thought he wouldn't want to perform with me after my awful behaviour! The more I look into his eyes, the more prominent the shade of peat brown his eyes are become. I wonder how I never noticed them before, what with them being such a gorgeous shade, although brownish shades are less prominent to view from afar than lighter or bluish shades.

Rosaly decides to clear it up for us and tells him of what I had thought, me nodding my head almost imperceptibly as reassurance. She then proceeds to tell me that Josh presumed I had gotten far too irritated with him and didn't want to ever see him or again, or whatever the equivalent in his mind. I find myself unable to believe this being fact as my eyebrows immediately shoot skywards, bringing him to respond with a sheepish smile. So this has basically just been a bundle of misunderstandings then?!

"Well, I'm hoping I didn't annoy you enough because I really want to perform with you, heck, I was even thinking about what to do!" I let out, still feeling quite guilty of saying ape faeces crazy things all this time.

Clearly mollified, excited and relieved all at once, his expression softens and his face lights up, "Well then, Erie, shall we get on to practice as soon as we get back because we don't have a whole lot of time?"

After paying the bill, we leave to get back so we can practise at the earliest. Stacie seems so much happier than before and she casts me a knowing look that makes me doubt the reason. Wait, did Josh tell her what happened?

"Did you?" my voice yells, nervous as to how she would react in case he did once we reach home.

I look to my side to see that he jumped away from me the second I yelled. My palm slaps my forehead when I realize I just randomly yelled out without even giving them any clue of what I was thinking of before that. The pure fear on his face would make me laugh had I not been so preoccupied with the issue at hand.

Stacie, however, seems to have understood as she tells me quietly, "Val, don't hold him responsible, I might have terrorised him enough for him to spill. You know, it's not a bad thing for me to know. I won't scold you, I would just like to know so I can help you better. I have no rights to rebuke you, and I wouldn't if I did either, well, not a lot, I guess. The point is that I'm more of a big sister for you and you can tell me anything, I know you haven't ever had one of those."

"I didn't want you getting worried, Stace, or unnecessarily scared," guilt lines my voice as it exits my buccal orifice.

Rosaly speaks up, her tone being the sonorous equivalent of a smirk, "Yeah, but the one thing I still can't believe is that he literally handed you over to that psycho when he told you to hand over your valuables! I mean, that's cute as hell but also extremely stupid and dangerous. Well, you two are perfect for each other!"

"Well, duh! That's pretty obvious!" Josh and I reply at the same time.

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Here I am with a chapter I should have published yesterday but was way too sleepy to assemble this together. Anyways, let me know what you think!

Also, I think Erie and Josh are perfect for each other now, but what do you think? Why?

Next update (hopefully) coming #SOON!

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