Deviant(4)

“It was just an idea. I’m sure you won’t like it.” I waved my hand in front of me, just to prove the point.

“I want to hear it.”

Sighing, I looked across at Mr. Walker. Maybe he wasn’t the hard-ass everyone made him out to be. “I wanted to run an article on childhood sweethearts. Just a nice article about children who have grown up together, who are still with each other, and may even be married with kids.”

Smiling, Mr. Walker leaned forward on his desk again. “I like the idea.”

Shocked, my posture straightened. “You do?”

Laughing, he said, “Yes, why not? Have you got a childhood sweetheart?”

Thinking about Dean, I often wondered what would have become of us if he had stayed. Feeling a little saddened by the idea, I shook my head. “No. I’m young, free, and single. I think a bit too single. I haven’t had a date in—”

Fucking hell, Tyler. What the hell are you doing?!

“Shit… I mean, sorry. That was a little too personal.”

“That’s quite all right,” he said, smiling. “I like the idea. Why don’t you run with it and let me see what you come up with?”

Feeling my heart drumming, I nodded. “Of course. It would be my pleasure.”

“Excellent. I’ll let Suzie know you’re working on something for me, and we’ll see what you produce. I’ll give you forty-eight hours to find some stories. How does that sound?”

Shit, that wasn’t a lot of time, considering I had to find people to talk to. Thank God for the internet. “Yes, that sounds fine with me.”

Banging his fist lightly on the table, Mr. Walker sighed. “Good. Now get to it. Before you go to your desk, can you please tell Suzie I want to see her?”

Taking that as my cue to leave, I quickly got out of my chair. “Of course. Thank you.”

I was out the door as quick as my legs could carry me, then went in search of Suzie to let her know Mr. Walker wanted to see her.

Scurrying back towards my desk afterwards, I sat down and breathed a huge sigh of relief. Louisa motioned with a thumbs up, a questioning look on her face. I smiled and gave her one right back. I knew she couldn’t get away for a chat, so a very brief thumbs up was all she needed to know that I was okay.

Slouching down in my chair, I thought about Andrew Walker and how much he surprised me today. He wasn’t at all how I imagined. In fact, he seemed nice. But it was the thought that he let me run this story I’ve wanted to do for years which impressed me the most.

With that running through my head, I started frantically searching for people to interview. I sent out message after message, and it was only once I’d finished my day that I got through them all.



*****



Once I was home, I sent a couple of messages back, thanking some people. I had managed to secure an interview with two sets of couples…one had met in school when they were ten, and the other was a step-brother/step-sister who had met when they were twelve. A little strange, but still a story nonetheless. People always got a kick out of that sort of thing.

I just finished my messages when I decided to get something to eat. My belly was rumbling and I knew it was crying out for something more substantial than burgers and fries.

I grabbed my car keys and made my way out to the car park so I could drive down to the local Chinese restaurant. It was only when I got to my car that the hyperventilating started.

I pulled my car into my spot every day. Now, however, my car was backed into my space. I had only left it there about two hours ago!

This led me down the path of only one solution. In the two hours of arranging emails and interviews, my stranger had been in my car, reversed out of my space, turned the car around, then reversed it back in again.

I should have been scared. This whole thing should be scaring me but, for some reason, all I did was laugh. Right there in the middle of the car park, I laughed my head off.

“Are you okay?” said a voice, startling me.

Looking to my right, I saw it was Alan, one of my neighbours, looking at me peculiarly. “Yes, sorry. I was just thinking how silly it was that I forgot my car keys.”

Looking down at my hand, he said, “But they’re in your hand.”

Laughing, I nodded. “Yeah, I know. I forgot that, too.”

Alan laughed right along with me and shook his head. “It happens to all of us, Tyler. Don’t worry. It’s probably old age.”

Pushing his shoulder, I scowled at him. “Hey, less of the old, mister!”

Alan laughed, but went on his way. All I could do after waving goodbye was stand there, completely bewildered. I knew my stranger was trying to communicate with me, but I wasn’t sure just how much further he would take things.