If You Want To
“Hey, Zac, isn’t that your girlfriend?”
Zac looked over to where his brother was pointing, and saw a dog lying on someone’s porch. “Very funny, Taylor,” he said, shoving him lightly.
“What, you’re not going to go talk to her? That’s not very nice. Well, fine. We’ll get her over here. Come here, girl. Come here!” Taylor clapped his hands, laughing when the dog didn’t respond. “Guess she doesn’t want to talk to you.”
“You’re so funny, Taylor,” Zac said, his voice dripping with fake admiration. “Funny looking, that is. In fact, it cracks me up just to look at you!”
Taylor started to reply, but Isaac held up his hand. “Hold it, you guys. Do you hear that?”
All three boys paused, listening.
“Yeah, what is that?”
“Sounds like a fight’s going on, or something.”
“Where’s it coming from?” Taylor asked, looking around.
As they walked farther up the street, it became obvious they were nearing the house in which the fight was taking place. The words became clearer.
“I hate you! How could you do this to me? And then stand here and lie about it to my face! You disgust me!”
“Who is that? Is that Molly?” Zac asked, incredulously.
“I think so…”
“Shut up! I don’t want to hear your voice anymore! Get out!” There was a pause. “I said, get out! Leave me the hell alone!” Another pause. “Get out of my house!” This time, the voice was edged with tears. “I don’t care what you say!” The pause was longer. “You know what? Screw you! Screw you! Get out! Get out of my house!” The last two sentences came out in a shriek, high and unnatural.
The three boys looked at each other in amazement before breaking into a run. Isaac got there first, and he flew into the house.
There stood Molly, her eyes full of rage, tears streaming down her face. She was screaming at her boyfriend, Tony. He had a hold of her arm, gripping it tightly. He was talking in a low voice to her.
“I believe she said to get out.” Behind him, Taylor and Zac skidded in the door and stopped.
Tony turned around, looking ready to fight, but decided he was outnumbered. “Yeah, fine.” He shoved past the three boys, and Zac heard him mutter “Bitch” under his breath.
“What was that about?” Taylor asked.
Molly shook her head. “Nothing. Tony and I are over.” She plopped down on the couch, her arms crossed over her chest.
They walked over to her, Zac and Isaac settling on either side of her, Taylor on the armrest.
“You okay?” Zac asked, rubbing her knee in assurance.
“Yes. No. I don’t know.” Molly buried her head in her hands and let the tears come. “Tay, will you get me some water or something?”
“Sure. Ike, come on, and grab some tissues or something.” Taylor left, Isaac right behind him.
“Is there anything I can get for you, Mol?”
“No.” Zac offered his shirtsleeve, and she laughed, wiping her eyes with it anyway. “I just thought he was nice, you know? And then he goes…” She broke down in tears again, and Zac wrapped his arms around her, letting her cry into his shoulder.
“It’s okay,” he muttered, patting her on the back, a little awkward. When Taylor came into the room, he nodded his head slightly to him, and then turned Molly over to him.
Molly Adams and Taylor had been best friends forever. Everyone thought they’d make the perfect couple, but they just couldn’t seem to get together. They didn’t even want to. Sure, Taylor admitted he’d thought about kissing her from time to time, but he just couldn’t. And he never “couldn’t kiss a girl” before.
So he and Molly stayed “just friends.” And if you’re friends with Taylor, you’re friends with his whole family. Molly didn’t mind; she loved all the Hansons and was over at their house as much as possible, especially ever since her parents had split up a few years ago. Her dad moved to Tennessee with his job, and she stayed with her mom. But her mom was gone almost constantly, so Molly was alone most of the time.
Isaac walked into the room, stopping when he saw Molly and Taylor. He looked over at Zac, his eyes full of sadness. It was a rare thing to see Molly cry, and it took a lot. None of them wanted to admit it, but it filled them with a mixture of sadness, fright, and rage.
“Hey, Molly, do you think you could run me over to the library? I need to check out a few books and now is usually a good time to go.”
“Sure, just give me a minute.” Molly finished putting in her contacts and turned to Zac. “Okay, let’s go.” She grabbed her keys off the small table by the door, shouted to Taylor and Isaac that they’d be back soon, and slammed the door behind her. She hopped into her Jeep, rolling her eyes as Zac immediately set out to find some “good music” on her radio. “I have a few CDs on the floor, if you didn’t step on them and crush them.”
“Me? Crush them? Ha! I’m as light as a feather!” He leaned down as Molly laughed, and sifted through her small stack of CDs. He opted for Eve 6, and popped the CD in, switched to the track he wanted, turned up the volume, and settled back.
“Nice, Zac. That really won’t attract attention,” Molly smirked, lowering the volume.
Zac just shrugged.
The whole scene at Molly’s house had happened almost a week ago, and Molly was almost back to her normal self, much to the relief of, well, everybody. Tony had called repeatedly, and even stopped by a few times, but always left after seeing that the guys weren’t going to let him near her.
“Be quick,” Molly said, putting the Jeep in park, but leaving it idling.
“Yeah, sure.” Zac jumped out and took of in a run. He glanced back and saw Molly pulling her long, light brown hair into a ponytail, and almost ran into the door. Feeling like an idiot, he pulled the door open and entered the cool library.
He browsed for a few minutes, but he knew that when Molly said to hurry, she really meant it, so he quickly picked out a few books. He tucked them under his arm as soon as they were checked out and ran outside.
"Zac, Zac, calm down. Come on, come and sit beside me on the couch, okay? Come on," Molly soothed, leading him toward the couch.
Zac sat, and Molly convinced him to tell her what was wrong. When he finished, he sighed. "I just...ugh, I hate it so much."
"I know, baby." Molly leaned over to him, putting her hand high on his thigh. "I can make it better," she whispered, her breath hot on his ear.
Zac felt all the blood rushing to a certain part of his body. "Oh, yeah? How?"
"I'll show you." Molly climbed on his lap and kissed his lips, running her hands up and down his chest.
"I feel better already."
"Baby, I'm just getting started."
Molly and Taylor locked eyes, jumping at the same time. They went higher and higher. Suddenly, Molly screamed as she flew into the air. She landed on her butt, glad that she was on a trampoline. She glared at a laughing Taylor. Without warning she reached behind his knees, and with one quick swipe, he was sitting beside her.
“Think you’re slick, huh?” he asked, his eyes sparkling. “Well, let’s just see about that.” He lunged at her.
Molly wasn’t ready to give up so easily. They rolled over and over, laughing and making lame threats. Finally, Taylor got the upper hand, and he pinned her down.
“Haha,” he said in triumph.
It was too good to last. Molly wrapped her legs around his upper body and she came up as he went down. “Who’s laughing now, mister?” she asked, straddling him and tucking his hands under her knees.
He fought back for a few seconds, but to no avail. “I give,” he gasped, and Molly rolled off of him.
She lay beside him and the two stared up at the starry sky, trying to catch their breath.
Zac let his head fall back, enjoying the feel of Molly's lips on his neck. "Molly."
"Hmm?"
"I love you."
Molly froze, then looked up at Zac, her eyes wide and her lips swollen from kissing. She looked startled, to say the least. "You-you do?"
Entwining his fingers in her hair, Zac nodded, playing with the silky strands. He avoided her eyes, afraid he would see that she didn't love him back, that she thought he was just a kid.
"Zac..." Molly sat up quickly, not even wincing as the sudden movement pulled out long threads of her hair. "Zac, no." She pulled on her shirt and stood before gathering her stuff. "I have to go."
"Molly, wait." Zac stared at her, not sure of what was happening. "Don't leave; why are you leaving? Please don't go."
"I have to, Zac. You'll understand, later." Shoes in hand, she leaned over and dropped a kiss on his cheek. "Besides, Taylor should be home in a couple of minutes." Lingering in the doorway, she smiled. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"But, Mol-" Zac's sentence was cut off with the slam of the door. Hearing her jeep start up, he sighed and lay back against his pillows. Girls.
"What?" Taylor gasped.
"I'm pregnant," Molly repeated tearfully. "But that's not the worst part."
"What could be worse than that?"
"Your brother is the father."
A short silence fell over the room. Taylor stared at Molly, tears in his eyes, breathing faster than normal.
"Please," he said, "please tell me you're talking about Isaac."
Molly looked down at the ground, not even noticing the tears that were running down her cheeks.
Taylor's breathing sped up even more, and he started to shake his head, slowly at first, then faster and faster. "Not Zac. God, no, not Zac. He's just a kid, Molly! A kid! Oh my God, I can't even look at you right now." He turned and started for the door.
"Taylor! Where are you going?"
He didn't even turn. "I just, I can't be here with you right now. I can't!"
"Tay, no. Please, don't leave! Please, don't leave me here alone..." She trailed off as the door slammed shut behind Taylor. Sinking to her knees, she screamed as loud as she could and pounded the floor with her fist. Then she just sat there and sobbed.
