Don’t Cry Baby novel Chapter 1

It is cold today for the first time in almost a month, rain breaking the hot dry streak we've had. The smell of the cold damp earth is overpowering but, it has always been my favorite scent.

While walking to the grocery store, I listen to the patter of rain drops on the hood of my rain jacket and suddenly I'm so focused on that, it's all that I can hear. I am so lost in the beautiful sound and the way it feels against my face as I look up; loving the cold jolt the drops send through my body. I don't even notice him come up behind me until he grabs me by my shoulders and spins me around.

"Jesus Christ Ty you scared me half to death." A deep laughter breaks through the sound of the rain. He smiles down at me, because he's at least a foot taller than me.

"Sorry baby I saw you from my kitchen window completely lost in your own thoughts and I couldn't resist taking my chance." I roll my eyes. I do it often, daydream about nothing and everything.

"Hello, earth to Ashley." I punch Ty in the arm, and he acts like I stabbed him, of course, typical Tyler. How I put up with this dweeb I do not know. He grins and pulls me into him. His soft lips planting themselves gently on mine. I feel the warmth only for a second before he pulls back smiling. I take a minute to scan his features as he smiles down at me. The light stubble I can see on his skin makes him look even older. His beautiful blue eyes dressed in thick lashes hold my attention.

" Where are you off to my love?" He takes my hand in his and squeezes gently.

"Grocery store, care to tag along?" He nods and kisses me gently on the cheek. I enjoy the feeling of his calloused hands against my innocent unscathed skin. The warmth of his body brings me comfort. He falls in step beside me as we walk in a comfortable silence through the rain towards the store.

We really shouldn’t be going to the store together, the looks that we get from the people around here. My parents are well known in our small community, they own a small flower shop on main street and donate to the community centre often. When news about our relationship surfaced and we started to be seen together around town, people were not happy, my parents included. There is a bit of an age gap between us, Tyler is 21 and I’m just 16. Tyler has always said I am mature for my age so we try our best to ignore what other people say but, it can get hard to see each other when my parents try to keep us apart.

I brought him over once for dinner at our house, it ended in an argument and my dad throwing him out. Since then, we've had to sneak around and act like we aren't together.

We near the grocery store, the closer we get the more anxious I feel. Ty stops us before we get to the front door. He turns to face me and holds both my hands gently in his scanning my face. His eyes stop on mine and he rubs his thumb across the top of my hand.

"You're nervous about us being seen together." I nod sheepishly and look down at me soaked sneakers. Ty places his hand under my chin and lifts my face up to hers. He places a kiss on my lips and smiles at me. His hand lingers under my chin before dropping to his sides.

"I won't go in with you, okay." I crack a small smile and stand on my tip of my toes to place a small kiss on his cheek.

"Thank you, baby, I am sorry we always have to sneak around. I wish things could be different." He pulls me into a hug, and I melt into him enjoying the feeling of his strong arms around me. I breath in his scent and let it calm me down. He squeezes me tighter before letting me go.

"Me too." He says and we part ways so I can go into the store.

I walk slowly towards the store; I really hate leaving him. If things were different, I would want to be seen with him everywhere we went. As I near the store I see that it doesn’t seem to busy, which is good, I really don’t like going to the store that much. My parents sent me off to grab a couple things.

I make my way through the parking lot and just as I am walking into the entrance, I see one of my mother’s friends, she stops me and gently places a hand on my arm.

“You deserve so much better you know.” I look up at her, her brown eyes hold so much pity. I pull my arm from her grasp and take a step away from her.

“I appreciate that you care but, with all do respect you have no idea what you’re talking about.” She nods with a sad smile and with one last look towards me she walks to her car. I shake my head and walk into the store. I never liked her anyway, she always brings her kid to our house when she comes to visit my mom and I am forced to entertain her.

I’m glad Ty wasn’t with me when she said that it would have hurt him.

…

When I got back from the store my moms friend Cheryl, the one from the store, had already called to inform them she had seen me with Ty. Of course, I had to sit through a lecture before dinner about what company I keep and how he is bad news. After their lecture I endured the most awkward dinner, we sat the entire time in silence. The only thing that could be heard was the horrible sound of metal screeching across our plates.