Tanner

Looking over at my left, I saw Shelly walking toward me. A giant smile fell onto her face as my eyes met hers. The ends of them crinkled, which made my heart race as I knew they only did that when she smiled at something she loved.

"Hey."

"Hey yourself," I replied, slinging my arm around her.

"So, are we going tonight or what?"

"Yeah. Your parents allowed you to go? I thought they didn't like you out much."

"Yeah. Had to ask all week but they finally budged. My first football game, yay!"

She brought her hands up for a little movement that mimicked pom poms. Shaking my head at her, I pulled her closer. But that only made Jackie fake gag.

"Can't you guys get a room? We are at school." Her nose was scrunched up.

"I could care less," I mumbled as Shelly pulled away from me.

"Tanner," she scolded.

"What?" I looked down at Shelly.

"Nothing. C'mon, let's go."

We walked to a more secluded spot. We'd be leaving soon anyway as school had just ended. Plans were in order for our date too, well it was really a homework date but I wouldn't change it for anything.

"Why do your friends dislike our relationship? I mean, McKenna and Freddy are the only ones who are truly nice to me. Joseph hates my guts!"

"He probably does because I stopped giving him so much attention, with homework and just him himself. And it's different, I don't act like this with anyone."

"I hope not. I better be the only boy in your life you act like this with."

"Well duh," she laughed.

"Good."

"So, what time are we meeting up?"

"We can talk about that later. Let's go eat."

"Okay."

Pecking her on the lips, we walked over to my car. We got in and drove off. Since I had a convertible, I made sure the top was down. She loved it when it was like that.

She said she loved the air in her hair. The freeness of the air made it fly and caressed her face even if it got bugs in her teeth. Looking over at her, she looked at me with a wide smile. That smile only increased my love for her.

"Whoo!" she screamed as we got on the freeway and the wind yelled in our ears.

"You're crazy!"

"Only for you!"

I loved her like that. She had a lot of issues because her father had gotten home with his new son. Things were rough and her free side barely came out. These moments were scarce for me and I took them where I got them.

Getting off the freeway, she made the top go back up. Cruising down the street, we found ourselves in the parking lot of Taco Bell. It was a simple restaurant that barely got full and was oftentimes inexpensive.

"God, you sure do know me," she laughed as she went to open her door.

Taking our stuff inside, we ordered before sitting down. We laid our homework out and did our homework.

******

"Go Falcons! Oh, and the game has just ended and we have won the game! I repeat! We! Won! The! Game!" the announcer screamed into the mic.

Shelly and I cheered with the rest of the student section. It was cold, the tip of her nose turning red despite being tan, and our breath was in front of us. Our jackets were thin and yet woolly.

"We won!"

"I guess you can say you're the good luck charm," I laughed.

"Yeah." Her head moved up and down.

I took her cold hands in mine. In a few seconds, we'd be in my car and the heater would warm them up better than my hands. I should have told her to dress warmer as it was already midnight and the breeze was harsh.

"Let's go. You are freezing!"

Once inside the car, I made sure the heaters faced her. She was always the one to get sick first out of the two of us, I worried that if some big epidemic hit that she would be one of the first to leave. A sharp pain hit my chest and I covered it with my hand.

Don't think like that.

We drove back home. She had started to sweat so we cracked the windows. It was a weird thing, she was one of the people who got hot quickly yet wore a blanket because she also got cold quickly. I would never understand how one lived with that.

"Thanks for tonight." She turned to look at me.

"For taking you to the game?"

"No, for taking me out. It's been hard. Since my mother took him back and took Seb as her own. It's been super duper hard on me. I just-I'm glad that you are here for me."

"I'll always be here for you. No matter what."

"He looks funny!" a giggle sounded.

"Shh! You'll wake him. Here, give me that marker."

"Okay."

My eyes fluttered open. With a blurred sight, I was able to make out Shelly. Her hair was dangling over her shoulder as she was propped up on her elbow and the sky looked darker. It was already in the pink and purple phase.

"Hey, there sleepy head."

"Hey," I brought my hand up to rub my eyes.

The dream slipped away like a distant memory. The edges of the dream were there with the car ride and the game. All things I wished we could have, a normal life. But normal wasn't how we found each other, our normal was weird.

And I was okay with that.

******

A/N:

So yeah, 'twas all a dream. Dream chapters are legit an AU but in short form. I'd love to think that Shelly and Tanner (still) had a beautiful love story if the virus hadn't hit. 

And the next chapter will be the last chapter for Tanner! So gear up to those of you who love him, his side of the story is almost done.