The Guardian

Chapter 20: Judgement Anyone?

Once the initial shock was over, I closed my mouth. "Tyler! What are you doing here?" I asked as I hugged him.

He hugged me back. "I got out of class early. I texted you 10 minutes ago if you wanted to go to coffee later. When you didn't reply I figured you were in class. I decided to drive over here and wait for you in the parking lot, but I had to pee really bad. I couldn't find the bathroom, then I heard someone stomping around. Obviously, it was you. Haha."

Oh Tyler, how I missed him. "The bathrooms are just around the corner." He started heading towards them. "Oh, and I would love to go to coffee."

* * * * * *

Twenty minutes later Tyler and I were sitting at Fusion talking about life. "How are you liking Cedar Creek?"

"It's great. I am getting to know people really well. There isn't any drama. I love it. How are you and Maccy?" I said. I couldn't imagine them still together. Maccy gets around fast.

"We are holding on by a thread. I don't see us together for much longer. She is being a real pain in the ass. How are you coping?"

"Coping with everything? Well, I'm doing the best I can. It's been rough." I said. I was proud of myself for staying strong for this long.

"I bet it has. It hasn't been so easy for me either." Tyler said. I watched his face drop. "Derek's parents disowned him. They cut him off. They never even knew about you. They knew he had a girlfriend, but not you specifically. He begged me to let him stay with me. My dad didn't care. He's not usually home anyways. Derek lost it, Quinn. He doesn't even show up at school anymore. He goes to whoever he can find for alcohol and weed. If he's not hungover, he's extremely high. The worst part is that he doesn't regret it one bit. He says you deserved it. When I told him you were pregnant, he laughed. Quinn, I'm sorry."

"Tyler, you shouldn't be the one apologizing. You're just being a good friend. You can't help how he feels." I hoped he didn't feel responsible for what happened. It's not like he could have stopped it.

"But Quinn, I told him to take you to the cabin. I didn't think this would have happened, but it did. I blame myself. I should have told him to take you to a movie or something else, but he said he wanted it to be 'romantic.' You should hate me, Quinn"

"Tyler, I could never hate you. I don't blame you for anything." I took his hands. "You are one of my best friends. I don't want to ever loose you. Don't beat yourself up over something you had no control over. It's alright."

"I don't see how you can be so forgiving. You're really something." Tyler smiled, he looked me right in the eyes. I never noticed how attractive Tyler was until now. His black curly hair reached just above his eyebrows, and softened his rough features. He had minuscule freckles that dotted his cheeks and nose. His eyes were a deep green with gold and blue flecks.

Right in that moment I couldn't tell you wether I liked him or not. There were these things that drew me to him, but then I couldn't help but think of Christian. Christian.. He had been there for me. He took me into his house when he had no idea who I was. He accepted me into his group of friends. He was gentle because he knew I was broken. He never pressed me for explanations when I was feeling down. Christian features may have not been as prominent or as abrupt as Derek's or Tyler's, but his self, his inner being was superior to their's. That's what made me want him so much.

I felt confused. I couldn't think like that. I was still broken. I watched Tyler lean closer towards me, keeping our gaze locked. Suddenly his lips were on mine.

Shock over took my body. Tyler pulled away. "What the hell, Tyler?!? You have a girlfriend! I don't care if it's Maccy or not. I am not going to be used!"

"Quinn.." Tyler started.

"No. You don't get to explain. Leave." I snapped. I pointed towards the door.

Tyler left. My eyes darted around the room, nobody was paying attention. My eyes went to the coffee bar. Brian stood their with a rag in his hand. His eyes were as wide as an owls. I went up to him.

"Brian.. It's not what you think."

"Really Quinn? I heard everything you two said. And I mean everything. We would have found out sooner or later. It's not like you can keep a baby a secret forever."

He was right.. I couldn't keep it a secret forever. I was already gaining weight. "Brian.."

"Don't worry Quinn. I won't tell anyone. I'll make you, and hold you accountable if you don't. I don't need to know the details, who or how, and I don't want your excuses. I don't care if you were 'in love' with whoever. It's inexcusable. You think you can come to my school and have the easy way out. Guess what Quinn, not happening. Now that you have Christian wrapped around your little finger are you going to get him in bed with you too? Huh? Just go, Quinn."

Tears pricked my eyes and threatened to leave their incarceration. I left without a word.

Dark clouds covered the sun. They angrily threw buckets of rain to the ground as I walked to my car. I didn't care if I got wet. I didn't actually make it out of the parking lot. I just sat in my car and sobbed for the first time in a month. If that's how Brian reacted, how would the others react. It would be worse. I had lost two friends in 5 minutes. Neither of them were my fault really, but it felt like it was.

There was a soft tap on my window. Christian's face appeared in front of me. I was so relieved he was here. I unlocked my car, and he got into the passenger seat. "It seems that almost every time I happen to find you somewhere, you're upset? Awful luck we have."

"Maybe it's a good thing. You always seem to patch me up." I said wiping the tears from my eyes.

"What happened? After you got kicked out of class, I left to find you. Nobody saw you, so I thought you went home. I went to your house, and nobody answered. I couldn't think of anywhere else you could be. I drove around town for a while. I came here just in case."

"I saw Tyler.. We came here for coffee."

"Oh, I see. What happened?" Christian asked. I could tell he was trying hard to keep his cool.

"He.." I started.

"He what? Did he hurt you, Quinn? I swear to God I will beat the shit out of him if he touched you." Christian replied anxiously. I could see the vein in his forehead pop.

"Kissed me." I whispered. "I freaked out on him, and made him leave. That's not why I was crying though."

"He fucking kissed you?!? I am going to fucking drop kick his sorry ass to China!" Christian yelled. He collect himself and I chuckled at how angry he got. "Anyways. Why are you upset, Quinn?"

"Brian found out about the baby.. He freaked, Christian. He's so mad at me. He thinks I'm a slut.. He doesn't know that it was.." I couldn't do it. I couldn't say the word. I was just starting to feel normal again, and now the past was coming back like a tsunami. Images of that night flashed in my head. I tried to push them out, but I couldn't. I remembered how I couldn't defend myself, how he dumped me in the road, how beaten and bruised I was.

I started to cry again. Christian unbuckled my seatbelt and scooped me into his arms. I was so small compared to him. I continued to crying into his chest for a few minutes.

Once the tears stopped, I wiped my eyes. "I better get home. I have homework, and my mom expects me to be home for dinner."

I climbed out of Christian's lap into the drivers seat. "Why were you looking for me?" I asked, the thought popping randomly into my head.

"I was going to ask you.. If you would like go to May Bash with me."

----author note----

SURPRISE!!! I wrote this on my drive down to Cali, and wasn't going to post it until I got home. My best friend talked me into it, so VOILA!! Have at it. It's my gift to you.

I'm going to go nurse my sunburned shoulders now. ;)

I love you all!!

<3 Joelle