Song: Flowers in December by Mazzy Star

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Tyler's (Solo) POV:

I glance over to the clock that hangs against my wall, my heavy eyes reading the time. Normally I wouldn't be up this late but tonight was the last night I could submit my application. I had procrastinated enough already and if I pushed it off any longer it would be too late.

I scroll through my computer, reading tiredly at all the different colleges. I look over each one, reading and jotting down any information that might be of some importance. I lean back against my chair, exhausted and ready to fall asleep. I let out a deep sigh and my feet shift tiredly, this was not what I imagined myself to be doing at 2:00 in the morning on a Wednesday night.

Luckily I didn't have work tonight, Audrey and I both ended up getting a few days off and instead of catching up on sleep, I was up filling in an application for a college I didn't even know if I wanted.

I look down at all my messy notes and suck in a deep breath, What was I doing?

I shake my head, clearing my mind of all the doubts that lingered in my mind before looking down at my empty application.

As I began to type, I read out loud, testing the way it sounded coming from my mouth. Making myself realize that this was real. There was no going back if I got accepted. Once I was in, I wouldn't allow myself to drop out.

"Tyler Manning Williams," I type, my voice coming out deep and hoarse from lack of use. "Age twenty."

I type in my birthday and address, filling out the form completely. I sit back, looking over the filled out page before hitting enter, not allowing myself to think twice about it. I watch as the form is submitted, the small check mark confirming that there was no going back.

I let out a sigh, leaning against my chair and pushing myself across the floor, stopping when my eye catches sight of a strip of paper hanging beside my bed.

I reach over, picking up the strip of paper and turning it around in my hand. It was a photo strip from a photo booth Audrey and I had found at the fair. My eyes scan over the three pictures of us and I try to hide my smile at the memories.

The first picture had Audrey smiling, her eyes glinting as she tried to get me to smile with her. I looked awkward, but still, a small smile was pulling at my lips as we both looked at the camera.

The second picture had Audrey posing, her hair pulled across the top of her lip to look like a mustache as she held bunny ears behind my head, my eyes creased as I laughed at her.

And then there was the third picture, my favorite.

I can't even remember how it happened, I had said something to make her laugh and Audrey found it hilarious, her laugh was obnoxious and contagious, something I'd only ever heard from her. The picture showed her with her head tilted back, the biggest smile I had ever seen on her face as she laughed. Her white teeth showing and her hand clutching my arm as she tried to calm down. Then there was me. I was looking at her, the biggest grin on my face, my ears a shade of red and my eyes the brightest I had seen them. It was embarrassing really, seeing me like that. Seeing how happy she made me.

I remember that once we got the two copies of the pictures, Audrey tore the third picture off and put it in her phone case, saying something about how it was her favorite picture.

I didn't tell her but it was my favorite picture too.

Suddenly the sound of my phone buzzing against my desk breaks me out of my thoughts, and I reach over to answer the late call.

Who would be calling me so late?

I stare down at the glowing screen of my phone, watching as Shrimp's name pops up. I accept the call, curious as to why she was calling me at two in the morning.

"Hello?"

I hear a muffled sound on the other end before complete silence.

"Shrimp?"

Theres another long silence and I lean back in my chair, staring up at my ceiling, "If you're going to call me this late at night, can you at least say something?" I tease with a smile on my face,

"Yeah, i'm here." a shaky voice croaks through the speaker.

I press the phone to my ear, hearing long and choppy breaths from the other side. My eyebrows furrow and my heartbeat picks up. All the joking in my voice fades and I sit up in concern, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, can you just stay on the phone with me?" She asks with a noticeable crack in her voice.

My mind doesn't seem to work, I've never heard Audrey sound so upset.

"Is everything all right?"

"No,"

My heart drops at her answer and my mind begins to race. Something bad must have happened, I think to myself as I slide out of my chair and pull my old sneakers out from under my bed before slipping them onto my feet.

"Tyler?" Audrey's voice says softly, breaking the silence.

"I'm here. I'm on my way over, Okay? Just stay where you are." I say as I grab a shirt and pull it over my head before grabbing my keys from my desk.

"Thank-you."

Her voice is quiet and muffled and it causes my heart to soften a bit. My throat suddenly feels dry and my lips chapped. My tongue slides over the bottom of my lip, wetting it as I climb into my Jeep.

"No problem Shrimp. Your doors unlocked right?"

I hear her hum in response.

I had no idea why she never locked her door, it was careless but tonight I was grateful for the unusual habit. It made it easier for me to find her.

The drive to her house seemed to be longer tonight, each minute passing like an hour. I hold my phone to the side of my ear, occasionally asking If she was alright. I don't know what happened to her, especially at two in the morning but I knew that something was wrong.

After what seems like hours, I pull into her drive-way and quickly put the gear into park before hopping out of my Jeep and running up to the front door. As annoying as Audrey could be, she was one of my closest friends, someone I felt at ease around. Ever since that morning at the Friendly Market I had thought she was a little weird, but she turned out to be someone in my life I couldn't imagine myself without.

Because the truth was, Audrey made me curious. She was interesting and different from everything I had known. She didn't even know how much she's helped me, how much she's been there for me.

And now, it was time for me to help her.

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