Everyone's Got Problems

[susanf6230]

Good luck with your exams, looking foward to your next update, you are one of my favourite writers, you write so expressively and emotionally.

[Zetti]

The chapter was great, I really hope Tyler talks to Aden about it and soon.

[Symphony]

I love your fanfics :D

Ooh, I wonder why Tyler dislikes the Drop In centre - I'm intrigued now!

Wish I could write like you - can't wait for an update

[Inactive User]

Wow had been reading all the chapters. Sorry haven't been reading more of this story and commenting on it! It's a good one. Update soon

[wrongturntaken]

Thanks for the comments! I really appreciate them. This chapter is kind of filler, not too sure about it really but ah well...

Chapter 22.

"Jimmy, wait up!" Tyler called in a hushed voice as the bell rang, signaling the end of school and the end of the school week.

"Hey, man, what's up?" Jimmy turned to greet him and gestured him to a quieter corridor.

"Have you got any more stuff for me?" Tyler asked quickly.

Jimmy sighed, "Look, I'd love to, but you owe me thirty dollars for the last lot and I can't give you anymore 'til you've gotten that to me," he told him with a genuinely apologetic tone.

"I don't have it," Tyler said. "Right now, I mean."

"Well you better get it soon, cos I owe my Dad that money, and I'm not gonna be the one to bear the brunt of the blame if he doesn't get it, if you get my drift?" Jimmy explained, hardening slightly.

Tyler nodded in acceptance, "So that's how you got in to this, your Dad?"

Jimmy nodded, "Let's just call it a family business and then you can stop asking questions," he added and Tyler got the impression he was being threatened.

"Okay, I'll get the money to you," Tyler told him adamantly.

"By tomorrow," Jimmy said.

"Tomorrow?" Tyler exclaimed.

"Yeah, is there a problem with that?"

"No," Tyler said immediately.

"…and I tell you what, if you get that money to me, I'll let you try something a little better," Jimmy said as a sly smile appeared on his face.

"Like what?" Tyler asked.

"You'll see. Meet me at the beach tomorrow at three, okay?"

Tyler nodded.

"See ya around, mate," Jimmy bid him before walking off, leaving Tyler to run a hand through his hair.

*

"Oh my God!" Amanda exclaimed from the weight of carrying two medium sized suitcases. She put them down on either side of her once she had entered the house.

"You're only staying two nights, Mum, I don't see why you needed all this stuff," Belle complained as she carried yet another bag in after her mother.

"Grandma!" came an excited squeal from Tess as she ran into the kitchen and hugged Amanda.

"Hello, darling," Amanda responded. "Gosh, you look even more beautiful every time I see you."

"You saw me like two months ago," Tess answered but couldn't help smiling as Belle watched her mother and daughter interact with a smile. She was glad that Tess had got the chance to know Amanda as she had been growing up, something she had made sure of since she hadn't been able to. "Did you bring me anything?" Tess asked hopefully.

"As if I would turn up here with nothing to present my favourite granddaughter with!" she answered.

"That's a bit unfair on Sophie, isn't it?" Tess laughed.

"Okay, well, one of my favourite granddaughters then, it's gonna take a while for me to realise I have two now," she laughed as well.

"Speaking of, where is Ryan?" Belle asked.

Amanda turned to Belle, "They said they were running late, it's the first trip they've had with the baby, I think Becca is probably paranoid about forgetting something," she continued.

"Ah, I remember that," Belle said fondly. "They better appreciate this time, they grow up so fast," she added, looking at Tess adoringly.

"Don't go getting all broody, Mum," Tess replied, "This house is packed enough without another baby."

"Don't worry, Tess," Belle told her. "You're alright… for now."

Tess just shook her head. "I'm going to go and call Tyler," she said.

"Tyler?" Amanda said excitedly, after Tess had left the room. "Boyfriend?" she asked Belle.

"Complicated," was Belle's response.

"I see," Amanda smiled with a twinkle in her eye, "Where's that handsome husband of yours?" she added in question.

Belle smiled, "At the Drop In Centre, he's got a group on at the moment, he shouldn't be too long though," she added as she looked at her watch.

"What about yours?" Belle asked.

"Sitting in the car, waiting for us to finish our 'girlie' greetings before he comes in, as he put it," she said tiredly.

"So that was just an excuse to get out of carrying your stuff in, was it?" Belle asked; amusedly.

"I don't think so, Peter jumps at the chance to help. I think he was actually being serious," Amanda laughed.

"Okay, well I think we're done with the 'girlie' chit chat, you can go and get him, if you want," Belle suggested.

"I'll do that," Amanda answered, "Oh, hang on, where's Mark?"

"Footy practice," Belle told her. "Aden's gonna pick him up on his way home."

Amanda smiled warmly, "This was a great idea, Belle," Amanda told her. "Getting everyone in one place for the weekend."

Belle nodded in appreciation, "It's so rare that we all get to see each other, a family reunion sounded good. I just wish we had room for everyone to stay here. Do you know where they are staying?"

"I think Ryan and Becca are staying at Leah's. VJ's at university so he's not there at the moment. And I think Drew, Harriet and Dan are going to stay with Irene."

"Good, barbecue tomorrow should be nice then," Belle said with an awkward smile. She hadn't seen Drew since he had told them his news a couple of months ago, and even then he had done it over the phone. "How is Drew?"

"He's doing okay," Amanda smiled sadly, Harriet's been amazing, he's so lucky to have her, and as for that son of his…" she trailed off. "Well, he's gotta lot of support at the moment."

"Is he up for this?" Belle asked concernedly.

"He wouldn't miss it love," Amanda told her. "He loves his niece and nephew and you and…"

"…Aden?" Belle almost laughed.

"Okay, maybe not 'love', but they get on now, don't they?"

"Now, being the operative word there, Mum," Belle said with an amused grin.

"I'm going to go and get that husband of mine," Amanda sighed and left Belle alone in the kitchen.

*

Tyler looked around his house, searching for something he could sell. He had sold the old TV to pay for food and there was nothing else of any value in the house. The money he had earned from the couple of shifts he'd worked at the diner had been paid to him in cash whilst he was on a trial period, but he had used that to give to Jimmy before. He sighed not knowing what to do. He was likely to get the s**t kicked out of him if he didn't turn up with at least something. Thirty dollars wasn't really that much but he was finding it hard to scrape together anything. He had lost weight in the last week and generally wasn't doing well mentally or physically. The one thing he was doing was keeping up with his school work. He figured that if he was alright in that area, no one would become suspicious and start snooping around.

Aden had backed off talking to him, since the fiasco break up with Tess, though he was generally polite when Tyler worked at the diner. Orders from Tess he supposed who he had spoken to most nights as they used to. Never bringing up the more horrific subjects of what Tyler had told her. He knew she was worried about him, but he kept brushing her off and telling her that he was okay. That it would take time for him to adjust. She seemed to accept this but he knew she would continue trying. She had invited him to the barbecue they were having at her house and he had eventually agreed to go, though he wasn't sure if it was a good idea.

He was walking down the street, shaking slightly even though it wasn't cold, when he saw a parked car with the keys in the ignition. He knew the couple that the car belonged to, they were elderly and so he assumed it was just getting older that had caused the man to leave his keys where someone could so easily see them. There was no point taking the car; it wasn't worth much. But a blanket covered something that looked fairly big in the black seat. He looked around cautiously before opening the back door and uncovering what looked to be a fairly nice laptop in its original box. He glanced around again before taking the laptop and shutting the door quietly.

*

"Here you go," Tyler said as he handed over thirty dollars to Jimmy on the beach.

"It's fifty," Jimmy said, looking at Tyler; void of emotions.

"But yesterday you said…"

"You cost me time, man," Jimmy said and seemed to wince at the words.

"Are you alright?" Tyler asked.

"Fine," Jimmy stated. "Just hand over the money."

Tyler reached in to his pocket and got out the wad of cash he had managed to get from flogging the laptop.

Jimmy eyed the money excitedly, "I'll tell you what, you give me an extra seventy, and I'll give you two new things to try. They go together nicely."

"What?" Tyler asked carefully.

"Coke… and smack," Jimmy told him coyly.

"No!" Tyler exclaimed immediately. "I can't do that."

"Why not?" Jimmy asked him. "Just try it once, if you don't like it, you don't have to do it again."

"Why both?" Tyler asked curiously.

"Just trust me, take the coke first, and then when that's starting to wear off, take the heroin, you can smoke that in a pipe," he told him.

"I don't know," Tyler said; beginning to get worried. He really hadn't thought about doing anything worse, or better it may seem, than the weed Jimmy had been giving him.

"It's not working as well anymore is it?" Jimmy asked, with a knowing smile.

Tyler looked at him and hesitated for a moment, "No, its not," he said sadly.

"Then try this, it'll help."

Tyler hesitated for a moment; contemplating his choices, "Okay," he eventually agreed quietly, thinking that he'd probably just made the worst mistake of his life, but he really wasn't sure that he cared.

Hope that was okay, please leave a comment!

[LAURZY!]

No Tyler!!! he can't get into drugs!!!

Awww there's a family reunon, how sweet

I really really hope Tyler talks to someone very soon!

Loved it hun brill update, cant wait to read more

[Jody]

Tyler, I hope he realises what he's getting himself into soon. That part when he was looking for things he sell and realised he sold the T.V a while before for food was sad.

I loved Amanda making an appearance. I liked her and Tess together. It's so weird imagining Ryan being an adult with a child. The family reunion sounds good.

[Taniya_K]

:o Tyler! Nooo!

Great update, as always! I love that you've brought Amanda and the rest of the family into it. It's so great finding out about where everyone is 17 years down the line!

Tyler... tut tut tut! I can understand why he needs the lift, but I wish he would talk to someone. I've got the feeling that something's gonna go horribly wrong at the BBQ. Either

he'll turn up high and they'll, obviously, realise, or someone will find the drugs on him.

Cannot wait for more! Hope everything at uni's going good! I know what it's like to have yourself torn between life and Adelle

xoxo

[xknomex]

Tyler! you cant get into drugs!!!!!!!

That was a brilliant, it was so weird to read. VJ at Uni wow. and little Ryan with a baby AOL. so cute!!!!

lol at Amanda being called Grandma.

That was brill,

xxxxx

P.S where was the blue writing, I like the blue writing

[Symphony]

NOOOOOOOOOOOO BAD BOY TYLER NO DRUGS FOR YOU!!!!!

You can't let Tyler get into drugs; he's so perfect for Tess - but this, and, stealing hte laptop?! NOOOOOO!

Please save him before he goes down the wrong road too far....

I got so caught up in that, it sort of summed up the entire chapter for me; i'd been hoping that he was going to go to Tess and ask for a loan or something!!

Oh man you have me on the edge of my seat now waiting for the next chapter!!