Author's note: 

Hey, everyone! I'm back! I've been taking a long break to focus on tough classes and for mental health reasons. This chapter is short, but I'm hoping it will be the first of more consistent updates! 

Thank you guys for being so patient and supportive over my break. I was overwhelmed with all of your messages and encouragements. You're the reason why I come back. It means a lot to me that I'll always have a supportive community of friends on here. :)

You all are such thoughtful, positive people who deserve so much. I hope you find white dandelions to wish on and shiny pennies in parking lots. 

XO, Charity Juliette

BACK TO THE STORY

His eyes drifted dangerously, dangerously down to your lips. 

Oh, God, he's going to kiss me. The intense realization burned in your mind, like red, glowing embers. Shifting in excitement as they prepared to burst into flames. 

Tyler's hand slid behind the nape of your neck, steadily forcing you to look up at him. The skin underneath his curled fingers blossomed with hot anticipation. His eyes held yours, keen, sunlit oceans in deep hues of green. 

It was so, violently wrong. Tyler Galpin was bad news. Even his own father had whispered urgent warnings to you. Don't get close to Tyler Galpin. One rule. But here you stood; unsteadily swaying in the dim overhead lights, with your face leaning toward his and your heartbeat pattering. 

Suddenly, Tyler dropped his hand. A rush of cold air replaced his touch on the back of your neck. Frowning with self-restraint, he harshly cursed under his breath and took a quick step back. "(Y/n), you don't want this," 

"Do you think I'd still be standing here if I didn't want this?" 

A pause. A cold silence, where Tyler studied you, his eyes intense as if shimmering thoughts flashed through them like frigid riverwater in a storm. 

"Just- just get out," Tyler finally insisted, pushing past you none too gently 

"What's wrong with you?" Disappointment mingled with hints of relief coursed through you. You wouldn't kiss Tyler Galpin tonight. You wouldn't spend your emotions on his risky betting game. And that should be a good thing, but a forbidden, dangerous longing whispered over you.  

"A lot," Tyler darkly muttered, curling his fingers around the metallic crunch of his key chain. 

"In the forest," you huffed, crossing your arms, "You said you'd never give me a reason to be scared of you. Should I be scared of you switching up on me every day? One moment you're about to kiss me and then you're doing-" you irritably gestured toward Tyler's careless, retreating form, "whatever this is!"

"Yeah, I said that," Tyler said quietly, adjusting his soft, dirty-blond hair with a nonchalant toss of his head.  "so this is me keeping that promise. Keep me at arm's length, and you have nothing to be scared of."

With an enigmatic glance over his back, Tyler paused in front of the glossy shine of the glass door. "(Y/n), if you know what's good for you, you'll go home and forget about tonight."

"Oh, and you suddenly know what's good for me?" You angrily launched after Tyler, but the door had already clacked shut, abandoning you in the darkness of the closed Weathervane. 

Grudgingly, you admitted he was right. Breathing in Tyler's kiss, tethering yourself to his tumultuous, unreliable soul, would be the worst possible thing you could do for yourself. 

But that knowledge did little to calm the electric thrum pulsing in your chest.