Trying to... - 2. Trying to Figure out

‘Ty!’ Scott tried to get his attention, running after him through the lobby, only to find that Tyler’s shoulders squared and if possible, his pace grew quicker.

Ever the gentleman, Scott let a woman and her child enter the hotel before he could dash out after the man of his dreams. It was that little delay that let Tyler jump into the cab and speed away.

‘Ty!’ he called out again, hoping he would hear, rather listen. He thought he saw Tyler turn back and look at him from inside the cab; he just couldn’t be sure, but the taxi didn’t stop, it didn’t slow; it just took Tyler away into the night.

Scott tried to hold it together till he reached his suite; his heart hurt; it definitely wasn’t easy dealing with rejection. It wasn’t that he hadn’t ever turned down before; it’s just that when he could clearly see through Tyler’s façade... no, that wasn’t the right word, Tyler did not try to hide it; he just made it very clear that nothing was possible between the two of them even though both of them wanted it to. Tyler had expressive eyes; Scott could see that he’d meant every word, and he could also see how much he was hurting.

Trying to sort through his head why he was putting himself thorough this was proving to be a waste of time. His thoughts went round in circles, coming back to the same conclusion: I cannot have him, because he thinks he cannot have me.

Six weeks: it had all happened in six weeks. He had turned into almost an emotional wreck over someone he knew only for 6 weeks.

He proceeded to try and drown himself in whiskey.

* * *

Six weeks back:

‘Good morning, Mr. Peters. There is a Mr. Summers here to see you.’

‘Send him in please, Sam. Thank you.’

Summers, Tyler, the musician that his sister spoke non-stop about; back when she could speak. He thought it would be a pleasant surprise for Mel’s wedding if he could get one of her old friends to participate.

‘Hello, Mr. Peters.’ A soft voice called from the door.

‘Good afternoon, Mr. Summers. It’s Scott.’ He stood up and walked to the door, holding his hand out.

‘Tyler.’

In a few moments, aided by an awkward handshake, owing to the fact that Tyler’s touch almost made Scott’s skin tingle and he found himself unwilling to let go, Tyler Summers had made quite an impression on Scott.

Scott and Tyler soon became fast friends, trying to do something special for someone they cared for deeply. Ever since the accident that left her mute, Mel hadn’t really kept in touch with people from her previous life; not once she saw the pity in their eyes.

Tyler was one of the two that made the cut; the other was to be waiting for her down the aisle in just a few weeks’ time.

After four weeks:

Scott looked at his watch again, Tyler was late; he was never late. Worried, he tried to call, but that went straight to his voice mail. Pacing in front of the restaurant, smoking in a manner that would have given anybody the impression that his wife was having a baby right then, Scott tried to not worry.

‘Scott?’

At the sound of Tyler’s voice, Scott looked up. He saw Tyler waving at him from the other side of the road. He dashed though the almost empty road, not minding the pouring rain, in November. All he knew was that he had to get to the man he was worried about, the man he cared about, more than he would care to admit.

Halfway though, he paused as he noticed Tyler grinning at his madness, what he also noticed was the bruise on Tyler’s forehead. He ran the rest of the way and threw himself against him.

Tyler held him as tightly as he did; Scott buried his face in Tyler’s neck and thought he felt the taller man kiss him on the head. The feelings came pouring out of him like the November rain around them as he cupped Tyler’s face and kissed him.

Like all good things, the perfectly synchronised movements of their lips against each other’s with their hearts providing the beat, also came to an end... too soon.

‘No Scott!’ Tyler took a step back, shaking his head.

‘Sorry Ty, I got you all wet. Let’s go inside.’ Scott smiled up at him.

The look in Tyler’s eyes almost made Scott scream; Tyler looked positively horrified.

“Oh please, please don’t let him think this was a mistake, oh please!” Scott’s mind repeated over and over when Tyler just stood there, in silence.

‘I... we shouldn’t have done that, Scott.’ Tyler whispered, his gaze fixed on the footpath.

‘What? Why?’

‘I can’t... it’s not you... I wish we could... I just, can’t!’ With what sounded terribly close to an agonised sob trying to claw out of his throat, Tyler stroked Scott’s cheek with the back of his hand and left.

* * *

‘Dammit! I need to know why!’ Scott flung his glass to the far wall where it shattered into tiny little bits and glittered prettily in the light.

“To hell with promises,” he thought as he dialled the number like he had more than a thousand times in the past; only this time, he didn’t hang up before it connected. His heart racing like he’s just run a marathon, he counted the number of rings.

‘Hello,’ said a soft voice after the fourth ring.

‘Hi, may I speak to Tyler?’ He wondered who it could be that answered his mobile.

‘He’s in the shower, who are you?’ And a giggle.

‘Uh, Scott. Scott Peters.’

He heard a light rustle, a knock on a door and the girl’s voice calling out, ‘Daddy? There is a Scott on the phone...’

Scott hung up.

Daddy?

Please visit the topic in the forum. It's not just a discussion thread. I need help on the story.