"I just don't think that it's socially acceptable to clap when the people in the movie clap."

Tyler shook his head.

"That's where you're wrong, Samantha." He whispered as the movie continued to play. "I've been telling you this for two months now. The people in the movie deserve all the appreciate they can get. I like to help them out by clapping for them."

"But they can't hear you. And we get weird looks from the other people in the theater."

Tyler laughed quietly.

"Who cares? You're Lincoln Carter's daughter, you can do whatever you want."

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean my boyfriend can."

We sat in silence as the movie continued on. I had enjoyed dating Tyler Vanzy for the past few months, and there was nothing about him I didn't find attractive. His smile, his hair, his eyes, his face, his laugh, his demeanor...everything was perfect. And yet I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something off about our relationship. We had only ever been on dates to the movies. We had barely made ourselves an official item, and he had never openly referred to me as his "girlfriend".

Jessica said I was paranoid, and I was inclined to believe her, if only because being paranoid meant that Tyler was actually interested in me. Being paranoid meant that what I was increasingly beginning to suspect wasn't true.

The movie finished and we walked out to Tyler's car; he had just recently passed his driver's test and was over the moon excited to show me how well he could drive. He wasn't supposed to be driving anyone outside of his family for the next three months, but I conveniently left that part out when telling my parents what I would be doing tonight.

He opened the passenger side door for me before walking around to the driver's side and climbing in. If nothing else, he was still a gentleman to me.

"So do you like the ride?" He asked as he closed his door, turning to look at me.

I glanced around the car. It was as clear as ever that this was an insanely rich part of Texas, since a sixteen year old kid was able to have his own Ferrari a week after passing his driver's test.

"It's great." I nodded. "I really like it."

"I'm glad." Tyler smiled as he reached for the gear shift. Every time he did that, I hoped he was reaching for my hand, but he never was. "Your opinions are important to me."

"That's good." I nodded, unsure of what to say in response to that. "So, can I ask you something?"

"Sure." Tyler nodded.

"Do you consider me to be your--"

"Whoa, what was that?" Tyler exclaimed, swerving as he got onto the main road. "That guy just totally tried to cut me off!" He shook his head angrily, shouting obscenities out the car window. "What kind of person does that?"

I shook my head, shrugging. I wasn't eligible to take my driver's test for another two weeks, so I had never driven alone--and shouting words like the ones Tyler was using with my dad in the passenger seat was a definite no-go.

"Anyways," Tyler rolled the window back up and continued driving smoothly. "What were you asking?"

I shook my head.

"Nevermind. It's not a big deal, we can talk about it later."

Tyler shrugged.

"Alright, if that's what you want." He responded, turning on the radio. An obscene rap song started blasting through the speakers, and I sat in silence for the rest of the ride home.

<><><>

"So how was the movie?"

I ignored my mother's question as I sat down at the kitchen counter, unwilling to speak as thoughts raced through my head. I wasn't sure of what Tyler wanted out of this relationship--if it even constituted as one--but I did know that our tastes in many things were far too different to have this work out.

"Samantha?" My mother repeated, "How was the movie?"

"It was alright." I replied as she slid a glass of water across the counter to me. "It was just a bit on the crass side for my liking. And Tyler claps when people in the movie clap."

My mom nodded, sitting down next to me.

"Your father used to do that same thing before I told him it wasn't socially acceptable."

"That's what I said!"

We both laughed shortly before silence fell again.

"Has he kissed you yet?"

"Mom."

"I'm allowed to be curious!"

I took a sip of water, embarrassed of the answer that I knew was coming.

"No, not yet. He hasn't even held my hand yet."

"Hug?"

"Nope."

It was as if he were just my friend who I called my boyfriend. My friend who didn't even call me his girlfriend.

"Well, some boys just move slower than others." My mom said, "Maybe he's waiting for the right moment."

"To hug me?"

"No one's hugging my little girl." A voice could be heard as the garage door slammed shut. "I have a shotgun."

"Dad, it's Texas. Everyone has a shotgun."

My father thought for a moment before nodding, heading over to kiss my mother hello.

"How was the concert?" My mother asked as he collapsed into a chair nearby.

"It was alright." He shook his head, "But I definitely feel like I'm getting old. I don't think that this whole singing thing is going to last much longer."

"You always say that, you liar." I rolled my eyes, "You're going to keep going because you love it and you're going to stop complaining about it."

Lincoln Carter's eyes widened in surprise.

"Wow, someone is a little bit touchy tonight." He laughed, "Bad date?"

"Sweetheart, not now." My mother shook her head shortly, "We're having a heart to heart."

"Oh, girl talk. I'll be in the living room."

He got up to leave, giving my mother another kiss as he went.

"You two are disgusting. Most parents don't do that."

"Don't kiss each other?" My mother laughed, "Well that's awfully sad."

I tried to make fun of my parents' relationship as much as possible to avoid reminding myself that I would probably never have a love like theirs.

<><><>

"So can we talk about something?"

I looked around me, unsure of what Tyler wanted to talk about at dismissal, with hundreds of other teenagers jostling around us.

"Um...sure?"

"Great." He took my arm--still not my hand--and led me to a corner of the hallway, far from where people were running to get out of the school.

"What's up?" I asked, trying not to sound too anxious. It had been three days since our date and my talk with my mother, and there was little else on my mind besides the abnormality of our relationship.

"I was just wondering if you could help me out with something."

"I can try."

"Awesome." He nodded. "I was wondering if you could hook me up with some tickets for the concert this Saturday? I think it's sold out, but I figured you could help me out with that."

"What concert?"

"Your dad's concert."

I shook my head, "I don't want to see my dad's concert this Saturday."

"Then don't." Tyler shrugged, "I don't care what you do. But can you still see about the tickets?"

I was pretty sure that I had never been so confused in my life.

"If you're not going with me, then you're going...alone?"

Tyler laughed.

"As if." He shook his head, "I'm taking my girlfriend."

"Your--"

"Girlfriend." He nodded, "Brittany took me back."

The girl from Middle River.

"She took you back?" I raised my eyebrows, "As in, you wanted to date her this entire time? What were you with me for?"

Tyler shrugged.

"You're hot, and you're totally famous. I just figured that you knew it wasn't serious."

"So this is your way of breaking up with me? Telling me that you want to take your new girlfriend to my dad's concert?"

"Old girlfriend, technically." He nodded. "Is that a problem?"

I shook my head, knowing that I was going to pay later for what I was about to do.

"No problem at all." I smiled sweetly, "Just make sure to let her know I say hello."

"Thanks Samantha, you're pretty chill." Tyler grinned as he started to walk away.

"Eh, not really." I said, before punching him square in the face.

A/N: So I lied and there's actually three chapters per guy: The Beginning, The End, & The Aftermath.

I couldn't just leave it on her punching him.

I hope you guys are enjoying the book! I'm trying to make the chapters longer than my usual books because I feel like my chapters are always short. So hopefully I can make them longer in this one!

I'll be back on Monday with Chapter 3!

Also, I got a new laptop today and it's so much bigger and faster than my old one I am absolutely in LOVE.

What do you want to happen with Tyler and Sam in the Aftermath of their relationship?

-Katherine