CHAPTER ONE. part 1
(then)

( Whiskey Lullaby — Brad Paisley ft. Alison Krauss )

"I CAN'T keep doing this Tyler." Paisley Walker stressed, pointer finger and thumb rubbing against the ache thrumming against her skull. It had been like this for weeks – after investors in L.A. had offered to hear her idea on 'killing tornadoes', Paisley was quick to make her interest known. Everyone was supportive, everyone except Tyler.

He made it known that he thought it was all a waste of time 'they'll never take it darlin', city folk are fickle like that'. At first, she was willing to hear him out – hell, parts of his argument made sense – but after a while, it got irritating.

Fights behind closed doors began to air out into the open, none of their friends willing to choose sides in a battle where both sides were bound to lose.

"You know how much I've wanted this, why can't you just pretend to be happy for me?" She looked like she was at her wits end, tears beginning to blur hazel eyes.

"They will chew you up and spit you out Pais," Tyler argued, "One look at you, and any chance you had was gone." He kept following her as she packed, hovering as he spoke.

"You're the one that's undermining here Ty. What ever happened to 'if you feel it, chase it', huh?" Paisley whipped around, poking her finger into his chest.

"You know what I mean Paisley! If it don't benefit 'em, they walk away – why can't you see that!" He grabbed her shoulders slightly shaking like it would make her understand.

"No, no, no this is my dream! Even if they reject it, I can at least say that I tried – that's more than you can!" Paisley shoved Tyler's hands from her person, spitting every word into his face like venom.

"Oh really, you're gonna bring that up?" that, being the fact that Tyler never got a bigger audience than 50 people. "God, that's just rich coming from the same girl who's willing to sell out for a cheque!"

Paisley clenched her jaw, eyes hardening despite wanting to break down in tears right then and there. She truly didn't understand why he was making such a big fuss over her going to L.A - why couldn't he just be happy for her.

"Screw you, Tyler." She leveled, body tense. Her voice finally softening – but it was nary a comfort. "You preach about following a feeling and chasing what you want, but heaven forbid it contradicts anything you stand for – you're nothing but a hypocrite."

"Better to be a hypocrite than a sellout."

Her brows pulled taut, eyes widened and glazed over as she stared back at Tyler in disbelief. Please for the love of God, please say he didn't mean it. But that look his eyes, that cold detachment, told her he meant it. Paisley nodded her head, sniffling and wiping away her tears.

He didn't stay long, leaving to chase tornados with a slam of the front door. It wasn't until then that Paisley finally let out a sob, sinking to the kitchen floor as she clutched her necklace – one that Tyler had wrapped around her neck after promising her forever – it all felt like a cruel, cruel, joke.

How far had they tracked from that night he knelt before her, declaring with a beautiful diamond ring that he wanted forever with her. Love was supposed to be unconditional, so why was Paisley just now seeing the fine print?

After weeks, damn near months, of none stop fighting and treading on eggshells, Paisley Walker could say she was tired. She was tired of that sinking feeling in her stomach when she and Tyler were talking, she was tired of waiting until the crack of dawn for him just to see him pass out on the couch – Paisley was tired of watching the love they once shared sink to the depths of the ocean.

Why worry about rocking a sinking boat when you could chance swimming to safety?

So, she packed away her most important belongings with tears streaming down her face. Her shaking hands folding a piece of paper that gave away nothing but would tell him everything – a simple goodbye blotched against the tears that fell. His name written on the envelope and sealed in bittersweet heartache. She struggled to remove the necklace, choked out sobs when she slipped off the ring and stumbled out of the house, distressed as she began to drive away.

***

The scariest thing about tornadoes isn't the twister itself, but the sound it makes as the violent gusts of wind wreak havoc over small towns – hinges squeak and nearby trees begin to give way when you finally hear a body shaking rumble, eyes screw shut, and you tuck into yourself as a home's very foundation creaks and croaks against unforgiving winds.

All you can do is hope and pray to God that you aren't in the way of the 'nadoes war path, hiding from the flickering lights.

But those were never the worst parts, it was the ear shattering screeching that they always made – like a jet ready to take off or a freight train blazing through – it was enough to make a deaf man wince.

Tyler Owen's loved it.

After experiencing his first one with his aunt when he was all but nine years old – Tyler Owens had both feared and loved the eye of the storm.

But that was nothing compared to the gut-wrenching fear that pulled at him when he returned home to find paisley nowhere to be found.

He'd arrived at around midnight, exhausting clear in his eyes as he pulled off his hat. He'd called out her name, expecting to see her sat on her usual chair – passed out despite waiting for him. Tyler would smile, shaking his head and planting a kiss along her hairline before carrying her to bed, laying on the couch so as to not wake her.

Tyler loved Paisley, there was no doubt about it. If you'd ask any of their friends – they'd say that Tyler was hopelessly and incandescently in loved with Paisley. He'd do anything for her, protect her from what could hurt her – if only he'd known that overprotection was what would push her away.

His heart burned as he read her letter, 'i'm sorry, goodbye'. The dried tears, her tears, that stained the white paper and ink blended with the same ones that dripped from Tyler's eyes.

His grip about the paper was so tight it damn near ripped, his hands shook as he picked up the engagement ring, sobs ringing as he clutched her necklace to his chest – against his heart.

Paisley Walker was now on her way to L.A., away from Tyler Owens and that killed him.

KOREY SPEAKS !

First chapter is out!!

How are we feeling about how Tyler and Paisley first split up? What are y'all's opinions on both of their feelings and thoughts on the matter?

Hope y'all enjoyed!