A hidden Talent: Chapter One

"Tyler!" her mother called through the doorway, "Wake up! If you miss the bus, no one is driving you!"
"Fi-i-i-i-ine," Tyler moaned sleepily in response.
"Now," demanded her mother.
"Alright!"  Tyler rolled out from under the blanket and jumped up-and-down, waving her arms. "I'm awake."
"Get dressed."
"I'm going to school naked," Tyler sarcastically joked, closing the door and walking to the closet. She decided today to be a casual day—jeans and a t-shirt. She dressed and brushed her red-dyed hair; spraying it with water and pulling it up to partially tame it in the day's humidity. Looking at the clock, which said 6:57, she decided to check the weather and finish the last of her Algebra problems she was assigned for homework.
"Tyler Anne! You have five minutes! Get down here and eat!" called Mrs. James.
Five minutes? Tyler thought. She looked at the clock; 7:35. Oh man! She shot up, collected her things, and ran. "Bye mom, love you!"
"Take a muffin, please?" Tyler's mother handed her a pancake muffin; a personal creation of hers.
"Okay. Bye."
"Be safe."
"Yeah, I will," Tyler waved as she hurried down the back stairs, chasing her younger brother.

Walking into the school, she snuck up behind her friend, Marie, or "Missy".
"Jeez, Ty, don't do that!" she laughed"
"What? I don't speak Polish!" Tyler joked.
On the way to their lockers, they talked about things they updated their blogs with, the latest update of a comic they read, and exchanged last night's art. They slipped through crowds of students, put away their backpacks, and continued the conversation in homeroom at Missy's desk.
"He is such a cutie!" Tyler squealed.
"Oh my god, I know!" Marie sighed.
"You guys," a friend of theirs, Michael, walked over, resting his elbows on the desk, "stop talking about me already! It's embarrassing!"
"Nice try, Mikie," Missy teased.
"Nice try what?" Mike faked confusion.
"How about… nice try booty-butt?" Tyler said slyly.
Michael laughed. "You guys are so weird." He walked away, and they continued their conversation until the teacher forced everyone to their assigned seats.
After the morning announcements, everyone filled out to their scheduled classes. Tyler and Missy simply changed seats, and brought out their Geography books and homework while everyone else filed in. Tyler and Missy exchanged last looks for the moment as Adam, Tyler's seatmate, sat next to her. The sad look in his eyes tugged at Tyler's heart.
"Adam," she said softly, "is something wrong? You look so sad!"
Adam's sadness turned to shock as he turned to face her. He replied shyly, "N-nothing's wrong. I always look like this."
"What happened to those faces you usually make?"
"You've seen those?"
"Duh! I've only known you for nine years!"
"But… I didn't think you paid attention to me."
Tyler was now thoroughly confused. "Why wouldn't I pay attention to my best friend in the world? Seriously man, you're freaking me out!"
"I'm freaking you out? We barely know each other!"
At that statement, something in Tyler snapped.