The Pick Page 15

  Once sacrament meeting was over, Kylie let him go home. He couldn’t stand another second at church. He was surrounded by single people who were searching for “the one”. Two of them had apparently found “the one” as they cuddled on the row in front of him. He never realized how much he had looked forward to graduating from the single’s ward until now. He thought he was getting out, but now he had to start over and that was the worst feeling ever.

  When he got home he threw himself on his bed and loosened his tie. Why did he feel that Ally was “the one” when she obviously had other plans? How could he be so blinded by love? Why had he felt so strongly that he was supposed to marry her? The questions flooded his mind. He thought to pray, but it just seemed too hard as he felt a tear roll onto the pillow.

  Instead of letting the tears come, he fought them off by quickly putting on his running clothes. He grabbed his headphones and decided a long run was just what he needed.

  Ally had spent all Sunday debating if she should text Tyson, call him, or just show up at his apartment. How much time did he need? After deciding that texting was the best route, she couldn’t seem to format a text that said everything she wanted to say.

  She missed him more than when he left on his mission and it had only been two days. There was a constant ache in her chest and tears that were ready to spill over at any moment. She loved him so much that the thought of not being with him hurt so badly. Ally didn’t know what she was going to do if he never forgave her.

  Finally, she couldn’t wait any longer and sent Tyson a simple text Monday morning.

  Tyson was walking into the football facility when he saw Ally’s text. “Can we talk? I miss you.”

  The thought popped into his head that he missed her too. But he quickly dismissed it as the image of her kissing Justin and anger clouded his mind. She couldn’t possibly miss him. She had another boyfriend.

  As he opened his locker, Ally sent him another text. “Please, just let me explain. It’s not what you think, I promise.” In Tyson’s mind, there was absolutely nothing to explain. He had seen it with his own two eyes. He turned off his phone and put it in his locker. He didn’t feel like talking to anyone right now, and he especially didn’t want to talk to her.

  In the following days, Tyson studied harder, tackled better, and ran faster to become stronger. Fall camp had started and his hard work was paying off. There was a possibility he could be a starter this season and he was going to try his best to prove that he deserved to be there.

  He loved the feeling of his muscles burning and constant distractions. It kept him from feeling his aching heart and that was exactly the way he preferred it. Especially since Ally reached out to him on a daily basis. He was able to ignore her phone calls, but even though he tried to ignore her texts, he still found himself reading and rereading them.

  Part of him wanted to believe everything she was telling him. How she had dated Justin while Tyson was on his mission. That once Tyson came home, she had stopped writing Justin and had focused solely on Tyson. Most of all he wanted to believe that she hadn’t even known what day he was coming home and it was all just a fluke that Justin had been on Temple Square that night.

  But there was always the other part of him that told him it couldn’t be true. There was no one in their right mind, who would kiss someone the way Ally and Justin had kissed without seeing or talking to each other in the last two years. For whatever reason, this part of him always seemed to win out. So, Tyson continued to ignore Ally and put his heart and soul into playing his best on the football field.

  It had been almost two weeks since Tyson had attempted to propose, when he got home from a nice, long run to find David waiting for him. He was surprised to see David still awake past midnight on a weeknight. Sure, it probably wasn’t the greatest idea for Tyson to be running around that late at night. But sometimes he just couldn’t sleep and it was too hot outside to run during the day.

  Tyson removed his headphones and turned off his music. “What are you still doing up?”

  “Well I don’t ever see you anymore and I need to ask you a question.”

  “What’s up?” Tyson asked as he sat down across the kitchen table from David.

  “How would you feel about me marrying Kylie?”

  “I wouldn’t have set you guys up if I was against you marrying my sister.”

  “So, you would be okay with it?”

  “Of course,” Tyson said with a slight smile.

  David let out a breath. “Good. Because I am going to ask her on Friday.”

  “Congrats, man. We are going to be brother-in-laws. Who would have thought? Do you already have the ring? Have you asked my dad?”

  “Yes and yes, and I need your help setting up. What time do you get done with practice?”

  “I should be done by 3.”

  “Great! I will send you the directions to the park. But now, I have to get to sleep or I won’t be able to wake up for class tomorrow,” David said as headed off to his room.

  Tyson hoped that David’s proposal would go better than his.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Why couldn’t this guy take a hint? And why couldn’t Ally just tell him to go away either? Ally settled on sending Justin another text explaining that she was busy again that night. This time it was the truth though. She glanced at the time and realized that she needed to go help David set up decorations for his proposal tonight. She fought off the wave of sadness she felt, wishing that Kylie and Ally could have been planning their weddings together. She knew tonight would be hard watching her best friend get engaged, but she was determined to put on a smile and celebrate.

  When she pulled up at the park David had given her directions to, she was worried she was in the wrong place until David pulled up next to her. Ally grabbed the pictures David had asked her to print off and got out of the car.

  “What is she doing here?” Ally froze as she recognized Tyson’s voice still full of anger.

  David’s voice was a little strained, “I asked her to help. She is Kylie’s best friend. Who else did you expect would be here?” Maybe he was starting to realize this might not be the best idea.

  Tyson picked up the table he had pulled out of David’s trunk and walked quickly toward the gazebo where David would propose. Apparently, that answer had been good enough. David smiled at Ally and thanked her for coming.

  “Of course,” Ally responded sincerely. “I would do anything for you and Kylie.”

  David described to Tyson and Ally the vision he had for the gazebo and they went to work. David and Tyson worked on getting the lights wrapped around the gazebo while Ally hung pictures of Kylie and David from the ceiling at varying lengths. Luckily, someone else had had a similar idea recently, leaving strings dangling from the ceiling to easily hook the pictures onto.

  Ally had hung up a dozen or so pictures, when she realized that even though she was standing on her tippy toes on the step stool, she was not going to be able to reach. She risked a small jump, but when the step stool wobbled she decided it probably wasn’t the best idea.

  “David, can you come hang this? I can’t quite reach,” Ally called out.

  “I’m kind of in the middle of something,” David said as Ally looked over to see him trying to untangle the lights, but in all reality, he was just getting himself tangled in them. Ally smiled but it was instantly erased as David told Tyson to help Ally.

  Tyson was closer to her, but she remembered that Tyson had ignored her for the last two weeks and the scowl that Tyson shot in David’s direction said everything she couldn’t bear to hear.

  “No, it’s okay. I can do it.”

  Tyson must have given in as he yelled something to David in Spanish and started to walk towards Ally. “Give it to me,” he grumbled.

  “It’s fine, I can do it,” Ally insisted as she tried jumping again. She was so close.

  “Seriously, just give it to me,” Tyson said with his hand held out.

  “You
can do it,” Ally thought to herself. “Just a little bit higher.” In the blink of an eye, she hooked on the picture and then found herself in Tyson’s arms as the step stool tipped over under her unbalanced weight.

  They locked eyes for a second before Tyson quickly set her down and stepped away. Ally’s skin burned where Tyson touched her and she felt the weight in her chest as she realized that she had only seen anger in Tyson’s eyes. Did he not care about her at all anymore?

  “Why do you have to be so stubborn?” Tyson mumbled as he walked back to where he was wrapping lights around a post.

  “I’m stubborn?” Ally retaliated as an unfamiliar feeling of anger filled her. If he didn’t care about her anymore, then she wasn’t going to let him think she cared either. “You’re the one who is stubborn.”

  “Me? Well I’m not the one who almost got hurt because they wouldn’t let anyone help them.”

  “Well I didn’t get hurt and look,” Ally said as she pointed at the picture. “I got it up there.”

  “Not even a thank you?”

  Ally shrugged as David yelled, “Tyson, Ally, stop it. Tonight isn’t about either of you, so knock it off. Kylie will be here in an hour and we need to get this finished.”

  Tyson and Ally both stormed off to complete their tasks.

  Ally finished putting the final touches on the table where David and Kylie would be eating after the proposal. Tyson had gone to move the cars while David changed into a suit and tie. She smoothed out a bubble underneath the tablecloth as she saw David and Tyson approach along with both of their families. What did the Brooks think of her? Did they believe that Ally was telling the truth? She suddenly felt like she wanted to go hide. Instead, Ally busied herself by straightening things on the table that were already straight.

  “Ally, dear. How are you doing?” Mrs. Brooks asked, embracing Ally as if nothing had happened between Ally and her son.

  “I’ve been better,” Ally responded without looking Kylie’s mom in the eye. She was practically her second mother and just like her mom, she knew that she wouldn’t last long in her company without breaking into tears.

  “Hang in there,” Mrs. Brooks said as she squeezed Ally’s hand, “It will all work out in the end. Maybe not the way any of us planned, but I know it will.”

  Tyson clenched his hands while he watched his mom give Ally a hug as if nothing had happened. She was there too. She saw Ally kiss Justin. Why wasn’t she mad at her too?

  Realizing he still had Ally’s car keys in his hand, since David had forced him to move her car too, he chucked the keys at Ally in order to break up the little pow-wow between her and his mom. “Catch,” he yelled.

  Ally had quick reflexes but the force that Tyson threw the keys with sent pain up Ally’s arm. “Ow, you didn’t have to throw them so hard.”

  The look his mom shot him made him cringe, but he just shrugged his shoulders and walked over to where David was standing. Eventually the little group formed into a circle as their parents talked about how great the lights and decorations had turned out.

  “This is a little nerve wracking, isn’t it,” David said as he went to straighten his tie, but ended up making it more crooked than it was before.

  Ally stepped forward to fix it. “Don’t worry. I have seen the glow in her eyes when she talks about you and I have heard it in her voice that she loves you. She will say yes and then you will wonder why you were ever nervous in the first place,” she said with a smile.

  “That is until she shows up with her other boyfriend,” Tyson mumbled loud enough for Ally and David to hear.

  Ally turned to face Tyson, “For the millionth time, Tyson, he’s not my boyfriend.” The newfound feeling of anger filled Ally again.

  “I didn’t realize you make-out with complete strangers,” Tyson said as their voices were starting to escalate.

  “I wasn’t making out with him. He kissed me!”

  “And you let him. Willingly, I might add.”

  “That’s enough you two,” Tyson’s dad yelled before Ally could come up with a rebuttal.

  Just then David’s phone lit up. “She’s about 5 minutes away. Everyone should probably get to their hiding spots.”

  Tyson and Ally were still standing in front of David when he said with a touch of disappointment in his voice, “Thanks for the pep talk, guys.”

  David had sent Kylie on a chase around town with clues leading her to the different places they had gone on dates. David had sent his friend with her to video her expedition, so she knew what was coming when she reached the last clue. Her jaw dropped when she saw the pathway lined with lights. At the end was David standing at the bottom of the gazebo steps. As she neared the gazebo, she couldn’t believe that he had gone to all this effort to put the lights up and she smiled when she saw the pictures of her and David hanging from the ceiling.

  David took her hands in his and she felt her heart start pounding as she smiled at David. This was it. The moment that every girl dreamed of.

  “Kylie, from the moment I met you I knew that I wanted to spend forever with you. I can’t imagine my life without you.” David got down on one knee, holding out a ring. “Will you marry me?”

  “Of course I will,” Kylie said as she shook her head yes. He placed the ring on her finger and they kissed. Cheers erupted as their families came out from behind the bushes. In that moment, everything seemed perfect.

  Ally stayed back as the group rushed forward to congratulate the newly engaged couple. She took a couple of deep breaths to keep the tears that were threatening at bay. She couldn’t determine if they were sad tears because this is what should have been happening to her two weeks ago or if they were happy tears because her best friend was getting married. Either way she wasn’t going to let Tyson see her crying.

  When Ally felt like she had her emotions under control, she put on a smile and headed towards Kylie. She hugged Kylie and David and congratulated them in the happiest voice she could muster.

  “Okay, so let me see the ring,” Ally said in a chirpy voice as Kylie held out her hand. “It’s gorgeous, Kylie. I’m so happy for you.”

  “Thank you. Thank you for being here. I know it is probably hard,” Kylie said nodding her head toward Tyson. “But thank you.”

  Ally glanced over at Tyson to see him with his arms folded as he stared at the ground. A lump in her throat formed as she held back tears. She would give anything for it to be her and Tyson who were getting engaged tonight. But today he had spoken to her with such anger in his voice, that it hurt her. He wouldn’t listen to her and he kept his distance from her. Maybe he didn’t ever love her after all. If he had loved her, why wasn’t he fighting for her? Why wasn’t he trying to understand? If he truly loved her, how could he hate her so much?

  “Are you okay?” Kylie asked, shaking Ally from her thoughts.

  “Ya,” Ally said with a forceful smile. “I’ll let you enjoy your evening. Congratulations, again.” She quickly stepped to the back of the group. She wiped away a tear as she turned her head so that no one would see. She was grateful when the group dispersed to let Kylie and David eat dinner together.

  When she got home, she checked to make sure none of her roommates were there. Then she crawled in bed and let out everything she had been holding in. She sobbed into her pillow as she thought about the past and her diminishing future with Tyson. When she opened her eyes to see the picture of them on her desk, she felt as though someone had knocked the air out of her. There wouldn’t be a future with Tyson. His actions tonight said everything. He didn’t want her in his future.

  Ally realized that she needed to move on. She couldn’t spend the rest of her life begging Tyson to listen to her. She was suddenly determined to prove to Tyson and herself, that she could still be happy. Attitude was everything right?

  She spent the next hour disposing of Tyson. Pictures, t-shirts, letters, and random objects were shoved up into the top corner of her closet where she would be able to forget about them
and him.

  Exhausted, Ally grabbed her phone to delete Tyson’s texts and phone number when she saw Justin’s last message asking her out. Justin hadn’t given up on her. Somewhere inside, it gave Ally hope that maybe there was someone out there besides Tyson. Maybe Justin had showed up because she wasn’t supposed to marry Tyson. As she pondered that thought, she decided that maybe she should give Justin a chance. Maybe he was the one she was supposed to marry.

  Ally found it a little exhilarating as she sent the text to Justin. “I’m free tomorrow.”

  Before she fell asleep, Justin had responded and the date was planned for the following evening. She wondered if the ache in her chest would ever go away, but there was only one way to find out.

  Ally was dressed to impress the next evening when Kylie and David returned from their late lunch date.

  “Wow, Ally, why are you so dressed up?” Kylie asked, knowing that Ally hadn’t exactly changed out of her pajamas for the last two weeks.

  Ally shrugged, “I have a date.”

  “Wait, what?” Kylie asked in shock.

  Ally sighed. “Tyson hates me. If only you could have heard the way he talked to me. And did you see the way he looked at me? He’s never going to forgive me. I’ve got to move on. Or at least try to.”

  “Just give Tyson some time. He’ll come around,” David inserted.

  “It’s been two weeks. I’ve called, texted, and practically begged him to listen to me. To let me explain what happened. But nothing. If he still loved me, it wouldn’t take this long,” Ally said with determination.

  Before Kylie could say anything to persuade Ally, the doorbell rang and Ally opened the door. Kylie did a double take before Ally quickly shut the door behind her.