"Just go talk to him!" Mackenzie urged.

I looked at the new boy and sighed. He was tall, looked as if he was athletic and very cute. His hair was styled in that messy way guys do these days and his smile, oh his smile. As he was talking to some people, I saw him laugh and glance at his schedule.

"Oh, I don't know. He looks as if he's so cool, and I'm just...well...me."

Ariel slammed her locker shut and stared at me. Her deep brown eyes bore into mine. Once you get Ariel ticked, nervous, or go all match-maker, there is no going back.

"September Ann Jones, you are going to talk to that cute boy and you are going to like it! Don't make me force you!"

After several moments of arguing, they finally gained the courage to push me. I hopped from one foot to the next as I tried not to fall, which I was unsuccessful at doing because I bumped into someone. When I turned around to see who it was, my gasp got caught in my throat.

"Hi," he said.

His eyes were a deep blue. I couldn't help but get lost in them. Once I realized I was staring, I blushed and apologized. I quickly walked away, holding my hand above my eyes like a visor. Mackenzie and Ariel caught up with me.

"Thanks, guys," I said sarcastically.

A few hours later, Mackenzie and Ariel stood by our French class. As I stood before them, my back was towards the current of students walking down the plain, narrow hall. They scorned me multiple times for unsuccessfully talking to the new guy.

"Don't look now," Ariel said.

I held my breath, reluctantly turning around. She lied. He was not heading our way. In fact, he was putting his textbooks into his blue locker. Taking a deep breath, I walked towards him before either of them could push me again.

"Hi," I said.

He turned around and smiled. "Hi."

Mention church, I thought.

"I know this may be a little random...and weird...but my youth group is having a pool party this Friday and since you're new, I was wondering if you wanted to go...? With me...?"

I held my breath, awaiting his answer. Realization occurred to me that I had been holding my breath for quite some time now and let it out. He chuckled and put his Environmental Science book into his locker.

"You're asking me to a pool party?" he asked, smiling.

"Um...uh..." I could feel the heat rush into my cheeks.

"Wait a minute, weren't you that cute girl who ran into me earlier?"

There it was. My cheeks got warmer and with every second I got redder, I wanted to find a huge rock and hide under it.

"Yeah, I am...maybe I should just...?"

I turned around, and as I was about to walk away, he grabbed my wrist. When I looked at him, he let go and smiled a little, looking embarrassed.

"Wait, uh...what's your name?"

"Oh, sorry. I'm September."

"September. That's a pretty name. I'm Tyler."

I waved a little.

"September," he began, "thank you for inviting me. I would love to go."

"Cool," I said, smiling.

We stood there for a moment. I began to laugh at the whole awkward situation, starting from this morning to now. Before I knew it, he was laughing, too. The bell rang, cutting our laughter in half and silencing us.

"Do you know where the French classroom is?" Tyler asked.

He has French now, too? Weird.

"Oh, yeah. It's right across the hall." I turned to point at my class. Ariel and Mackenzie squealed, then ducked into the classroom as we stared at them. Tyler lifted an eyebrow and tilted his head as he looked at me.

"Um...they're just..." I began, soon realizing I could not come up with a sane answer. "I don't even know anymore. My friends are a little...yeah...that."

He chuckled and nodded.

"When do you have lunch?" he asked, catching me off guard.

"Fifth," I said, failing to hide the surprise in my voice.

"Me too. Could we talk more during lunch? I kind of need a friend. And I like talking to you."

He likes talking to me?

"Sure," I smiled, feeling my cheeks heat up a little. Curse my blushing problem.

We walked into French class, leaving our conversation in the hall until lunch.

————————

I woke up to the sound of Mom using the hand mixer. The aroma of pancakes filled the air, making my mouth instantly begin to water. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes.

"Hey, Sleepy Head," Tyler said, helping Mom by setting the table.

"Hey," I said, sitting upright, realizing the panda blanket Tyler had covered me with. He got me this for Christmas last year; I couldn't stop smiling after I opened the beautifully wrapped gift.

"Would you like some pancakes, my dear?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'll get some in a minute. I just want to wake up first."

He nodded and finished setting the table.

"Tyler!" Megan yelled, running down the hall.

"Hey there, Little Munchkin," he said, picking her up. She giggled and hugged him.

"I missed you," she said.

"I missed you, too," he responded, smiling. "But do you know who missed you more?"

She shook her head. "Who?"

He pointed to me. "You're perfect sister over there."

Tyler let Megan down and she ran to me. I opened my arms, awaiting her glorious hug.

"Hey there, Monkey," I said.

She made her monkey face, which made us both laugh.

"Where were you yesterday?" She sat in my lap, cuddled up in my blanket.

"We were at church yesterday."

"Oh, I thought you were out on a date."

Tyler overheard and laughed, as did I. Megan smiled at him then at me.

"We kind of were," he said, looking at me.

"Did you kiss?" she asked.

Both Tyler and I laughed again. He walked over to us and sat down beside me.

"Okay, that's enough out of you, Little Munchkin," he said, and began to tickle her stomach. She squealed with laughter and tried to push him away. He stopped tickling her, leaving not only her laughing, but all of us.

"Tyler, what is your favorite memory with September?"

"Hmm..." he looked at me. I could almost see the gears turning in his head. "Well, you're lovely sister here invited me to a fall retreat for church."

"Uh oh...." I said. I knew full well what story was coming.

"They had this huge swing," he continued. "Well, I wanted to go on. Her, not so much. I kept begging her until she snapped. It worked. When we got up to the top, she held onto me like she would die if she didn't. She was so scared. Before we went down, she screamed, 'Tyler, I will kill you if we die!' I laughed and tugged on the rope. She couldn't stop screaming. Think September on a roller coaster but ten times worse. The best part? We lived."

Megan began to laugh uncontrollably.

"What about you, Little Munchkin? What's your favorite story of September?"

"I think I like the story of her lip sync battle last year!" she exclaimed cheerfully.

I could feel the heat creep into my cheeks, making me a tomato. What is this? Embarrass September Day?

"Oh, she did a lip sync battle?" he asked, a little intrigued.

"Yeah. We don't need to hear that story. Why don't you get some pancakes?" I interrupted.

"Okay!" She got up and ran to the kitchen.

"You're really good with her," I said. "I know my mom and I have said that plenty of times, but you are."

"It's a gift," he said, grabbing my left hand. "I guess you can call me the child whisperer now."

I lightly slapped his arm and laughed. He grinned and kissed my forehead.

"You're a dork."

"Oh, I'm a dork?" he asked, grinning.

"Yes, you're a dork. A huge dork."

"Well, you're a nerd!"

He began to tickle me, which resulted in a scream.

"Tyler! Stop!" I squealed.

I got up and ran away from him. He jumped up from the couch and followed me. Before I knew it, he grabbed me by the waist from behind.

"Got you," he whispered.

Megan peeked at us from behind the wall and giggled. When we noticed her, she gasped and looked away.

"Well, would you look at that," I said. "Not only are you a child whisperer, but a Jones catcher, as well."

I turned around and kissed him. When I heard Megan's giggle, I ran into the kitchen.

"I'm going to get you, Little Monkey!"

She squealed and laughed.

Tyler laughed and joined in. We were chasing her in circles. I heard Mom's laugh in the background. When I looked over at her, she was recording us on her video camera. "It's a better way to keep memories," she always says, and I guess she's right.

"September!" Mom called out after we picked Megan up and tickled her on the couch. "Do you want to invite your friends over for lunch?"

"Yeah," I said, turning around to look at her. "I'll call them now."

I grabbed my phone and clicked on Mackenzie. She answered within seconds and agreed to the invitation. Next was Ariel. She agreed as well.

She loved having a meal at my house simply because we "act like a family." I have explained to her multiple times that growing up without a father is hardly a family. Her response is always the same: at least you act like one. Sometimes I forget how broken Ariel's family really is. Her mother is barely home and her father constantly calls her a mistake. Then she met God, the parent that will always love her.

"They both said yes," I said, walking into the kitchen.

"Okay."

I went back to my room finding Tyler holding Mr. Panda, the panda he won me at the fair just before the school year ended.

"Hey," I said, sitting beside him on my bed.

"Hey," he said.

"I remember when you won me that. I was so happy," I said, smiling.

"Yeah," he said, smiling back. "I loved seeing the smile on your face."

"Do you remember when we went to the food court that night and the bee fought me for my ice cream?" I said, barely getting through the sentence without laughing.

"Yeah," he said, laughing. "You finally gave up and let the bee have your ice cream. I think we laughed so hard we cried."

"Yeah, we did," I said, remembering the moment all too well.

Long story short, a bee chased me for my mint chip ice cream until I threw it on the ground. It was always a fun story to look back on. Tyler really got to know the weird side of me.

"Remember the time Kevin threw you into the pool?" Tyler asked.

I laughed and nodded. "Yes. I thought I was going to die."

"You always thought you were going to die."

He was right. I am a person who isn't afraid to accept death, however, I always think I'm about to die. It's kind of insane if you think about it. Then again, I am an insane person.

"Oh, what would I ever do without you?" Tyler asked, tickling me.

I screamed and laughed, trying to get away. He knew me too well, as he caught me in a bear trap.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you, too."

He grabbed my hand and looked at me. Sighing, he looked down and released my hand.

"Can we talk about last night? I feel so guilty for scaring you like that. And your reaction was the first time I have ever seen you like that in a long time. I want to know what triggered it so I won't do it again."

Tears filled my eyes as I thought of last night. I was so scared that I couldn't breathe, I couldn't speak, I couldn't do anything. After a moment of silence, Tyler spoke up again.

"September, please."

I looked at him, nodded, and took a deep breath.

"The past few nights, I have been having this awful nightmare. We're at the beach and in the ocean. Everyone is laughing, screaming when the waves crash, and everyone is just having fun. Then the wind picks up a little and everyone decides to leave." I close my eyes and take another deep breath. "Soon, it's just me and you in the water. There are whistles and screams but we don't pay attention. Thunder rumbles in the distance, but we don't hear it. Then something brushes against my leg."

"September," he whispered.

I continued as warm tears trail down my cheeks. "I look down and don't find anything. Then suddenly, something grabs my leg and I'm pulled underwater. There are so many screams and they're deafening. The thunder rumbles and lightning strikes and I look up and there's red. There's so much red. I am so scared that I can't breath, I'm in so much pain that I feel paralyzed. Then I wake up and I'm back in my room, crying."

I open my eyes to find Tyler staring at me. His eyes are now a dark blue as they swim in a puddle of tears. He grabs my hand and hugs me as I cry in his arms. I try taking deep breaths as I close my eyes once again. Tyler begins stroking my hair in an attempt to calm me.

"Hey. You're okay, alright? It's just a dream. Nothing like that will ever happen to you."

The next hour or so, we sat on my wood floor in silence. It was so quiet that Megan's yelling caught us off guard. I jumped at the sound of her voice. Tyler laughed, telling me it was okay and that I was such a scaredy cat. I nodded and got up off the floor, grabbing Tyler's hand to help him up.

"September! Tyler!" Megan yelled, the pitter patter of her feet on the wood floor following her as she ran into my room. "Ariel and Mackenzie are here and Mom has a surprise!"

We walked out of my room, hand in hand, and into the living room. Sure enough, Ariel, Mackenzie, and Mom were sitting on the couch, a plate with a slice of pepperoni pizza in their hands. I took a slice from the box and placed it on a paper plate. Tyler did the same.

"So," Mom began, "summer is nearly over. If it's fine with your families, I would like to take you to the beach for the week."

Everyone cheered at the idea to the point where they were all quick to ask their parents. Within minutes, there were answers.

"I can go!" Ariel yelled.

"Me too!" Mackenzie squealed.

We all looked at Tyler as he held his phone to his ear.

"Okay." He hung up and looked at us, a smile plastered on his face.

"Alright," Mom said. "We leave after lunch."