Stranded 19

Alright, enough is enough.
Tyler has something of mine.
I have no idea what it is.
It’s been stuck in my mind for the last three weeks.
Hell it’s probably been in yours too.
Because how on earth could he have something that belongs to me?
I didn’t have anything besides the shirt on my back at the island.
And that didn’t even last until the end.
So what could it possibly be?
How could something be so important to me that I would agree to never speak to him again?
Whatever it is, it must be massive in order to validate such a proposition.
Was it something I really wanted that much?
I could figure it out though.
I could get it from him by accepting his demand.
But to never see him again...
I don’t know that I could agree to it.
I survived the last year without him.
But I could never make it official.
Regardless if I ever do see him again.
There is just that small chance.
It was that pocket of hope that kept me going.
And to seal it off and ship him away for good?
There was no chance of it.

My name is Luke Gray and Tyler’s getting his answer.

433 Days After Being Rescued

I said no to Tyler.
I said I couldn’t agree to it.
But I’m sure you know that.
He told me I have a month to change my mind.
Otherwise he’s throwing it out.
But I decided whatever it may be, he wouldn’t do it.
I know him too well.
He doesn’t have the heart to build up the hype only to throw it out.
So I decided to tell him I couldn’t agree to it.
Tell him he means too much to me and I could never banish myself from him.
Who knows what that would bring.
But it couldn’t hurt to try.

Sterling – Who you calling?
It’s not worth lying anymore.
He’ll find out sooner or later.
Luke – Tyler Carson.
Sterling – What!?! Really?
I nodded.
Sterling – Wow, that’s awesome.
Luke – So sit down and let me talk to him.
He was right up in my face.
Luke – Sterling...
I pushed him away.
He didn’t look like he would back down. I couldn’t call Tyler with someone listening to the conversation.
Luke – Stay.
I walked out of the room.

Tyler – Hello?
Luke – I can’t do it.
He didn’t respond immediately.
Luke – I can’t say I’ll never see you again.
Tyler – I don’t blame you.
Luke – I just can’t do it, Tyler. You mean too much to me.
Tyler – I know. It’s okay.
His voice didn’t sound disappointed but almost relieved.
Luke – Then how could you ask something like that of me?
Tyler – I dunno. I guess it was a way to get you away permanently.
Luke – You don’t ever want to see me again?
Tyler – It’s hard to explain.
Luke – I’ve got time.
Tyler – I can’t explain it to you in this way.
Luke – Okay... Well what do you have of mine?
Tyler – Uh, yeah you really should have it.
Luke – What is it?
Tyler – You’ll just have to see it for yourself.
Luke – I don’t understand. What could you possibly have of mine? Neither one of us brought anything back.
Tyler – I did.
I didn’t understand.
Was it something figurative?
Was it something small?
Would I recognize it when I saw it?
Should I know he has it?
He left me completely in the dark.
Luke – Then can I come and get it?
Tyler – I dunno.
Luke – I’m not going to agree to it no matter what you say.
Tyler – I know.
Luke – Then can I come to see you?
He paused.
Tyler – I dunno.
It suddenly occurred to me. I wasn’t thrilled about proposing this, but I wanted to know what he had.
Luke – What about mailing it to me?
Tyler – No.
His voice sounded scared.
Tyler – I don’t trust the mail and...
Luke – And what?
Tyler – I just... You really should get it from me.
Luke – Okay, then can I come?
Tyler – I guess.
Luke – And you won’t make me agree to never see you again?
Tyler – No.
I felt a load of relief off my back.
Not to mention that I was going to see Tyler again.
The idea wasn’t exactly a reality to me yet.
But it slowly took over my body.
After all this time without him, I began to envision what he looked like.
I started to think about how different he may be.
I thought about how his stomach muscles felt when I placed my head on him.
His smell started to come back to me.
And his big blue eyes.
I wondered what it would be like to use my senses on him again.
If he would let me.
Or would it be a quick visit?
I dunno.
Luke – Well when?
Tyler – Uh, not yet.
Luke – Tyler...
Tyler – Okay, how about this weekend?
It was Monday. I could wait a week.
Luke – Okay.
He didn’t say anything.
Luke – Where do you live?
Tyler – It’s not that far.
He gave me an address.
Luke – So Saturday, mid-day?
Tyler – Yeah, that’s fine.
There was a bit of an awkward silence. I didn’t want to hang up because I still wanted to hear his voice. It was soothing me as I missed it so much.
Tyler – It’s good to hear your voice again.
He was thinking the same thing as me?
Are you serious?
Luke – Yeah, same.
I wanted to say how weird it would be to finally see him again.
I wanted to know if he thought the same.
But I kept it all bundled up.
It’s hard to explain. How often does someone spend every second with someone and then one day, they are separated for an unexplained reason?
I only waited for him to say something else.
Tyler – So I guess I’ll see you this weekend.
Luke – Yeah, see you then.
Tyler – Bye.
Luke – Bye.

The end of the call was weird. We both sounded like we were waiting for the other to say something more.
Our responses were slow and delayed.
But whatever, I was going to see him.
That’s all I need to know to be happy.
I put my cell phone back in my pocket and walked into my room.
Sterling was standing in the doorway waiting for my return.
I only pushed him to the side as I walked past him.
I went to my bed and sat down.
I deeply sighed in disbelief.
I fell back and stared at the ceiling.
Sterling was still right up on me but for some reason I didn’t care.
To me he basically wasn’t there.
I felt he was just some piece of furniture or, as I called him, a pillow.
I was going to see Tyler and if something were offered, I’d get back with him in a heartbeat. I would dump Sterling right then and there.
That is how I feel about him.
Horrible, I know.
Sterling – So?
Luke – What?
Sterling – You just talked to Tyler Carson.
Luke – Yes, I did.
Sterling – Well you have to tell me more.
Luke – Why? You know I spent two years on an island with him. He isn’t Tyler Carson to me.
I mimicked the accent he put on Tyler’s name.
Luke – He is just Tyler and you know him and I were together?
Sterling – Yeah...
He made a dreamy sigh like he was filled with jealousy.
Sterling – What did you talk to him about?
There is no way out of this.
I know Sterling pretty well, and this was one of those times where he wasn’t going to drop it.
Luke – I agreed to meet him somewhere.
Sterling – What!?! Really?
Luke – Yeah.
He was freaking out like a teenage girl for a Backstreet Boy or what is it now-a-days, a 15 year old runt who’s name I forget.
I just let him piss his pants. My mind was back thinking about what Tyler had of mine and what it will be like to see him again.
Sterling went on and on about something. I wasn’t focusing on what he was saying. I only nodded and agreed with whatever he said.

Sterling – So I can come?!
Something finally sunk in.
I sat up.
Luke – What?
Sterling – You said I could come! Oh this is gonna be so amazing. What will I wear? What will I say?
Luke – Wait, I said you could come?
He was ignoring me now and frantically running around the room searching for something.
Luke – Sterling!
Sterling – Yeah?
He stopped and looked up at me.
Luke – You can’t come.
His expression was crushed.
He looked like I just told him the worst news of his life.
And it suddenly hit me. I started to see Sterling for who he was.