"What does this one mean?" Taylor asked, pointing to one of the tarot cards that Carter had laid out in front of him.
"It means you're a wank." Zac rolled his eyes. "I'm telling you Taylor, these cards are crap. Don't let her drag you into her sick and twisted world."
Carter ignored him. "Well this one represents somebody who is a son, a brother, and a friend."
"Right." Zac shook his head. "She just makes stuff up as she goes along."
"Shut up!" Carter grabbed her book.
"See, she doesn't even know what they mean without looking in her cheat book."
"Actually, I was just going to hit you with it." Carter threw the book across the table and laughed when it hit Zac in the face. "Ok, now this one maens you're constantly re-evaluating yourself and trying to gain knowledge. And this one means you're a wank."
"What?" Taylor grabbed the card and looked out it.
"Relax, I was kidding. It means you have a future in the arts."
"Sweet."
Zac shook his head again. "Don't do it Taylor. Don't let her drag you in. Just cause she's pretty doesn't mean you have to believe her."
"Shh." Carter raised her hand in Zac's face.
"What are we listening to?" Taylor looked around the room while Carter remained completely silent.
"Isaac is on the phone."
"So?" Zac shrugged. "Why do we care?"
"I heard him say something about going out. You don't think he's talking to Beth, do you?"
"He could be." Taylor followed Carter as she tiptoed over to the kitchen door and sat down next to it. "Maybe they're making up?"
"They can't do that! I'm not done plotting her death yet!"
"Oooh, how are you gonna do it?" Zac's eyes lit up.
"Some jello, whipped cream, and a flaming poodle. But we have to use naked Taylor as a decoy."
"Nice."
Taylor made a face. "You guys are weird."
"Oh come on! I like naked Taylor!"
Zac and Taylor looked at eachother and then back at Carter.
"Forget I said that."
"Trust me, I will." Zac sighed.
"Ok, shut up now. We have to hear what they're talking about." Carter whispered as she leaned closer to the door and listened to the one sided conversation.
"You're right. The whole situation was a little unfair. But things could change. I could get better. Is she still mad at you? Yeah. I'd talk to her, but I don't think she'd listen to me."
"He's so talking to Beth." Carter grumbled. "What a Bitch."
"Who? Isaac or Beth?" Taylor smiled.
"Wow, you actually said something remotely funny." Zac clapped. "One point for Taylor."
Carter shushed them again. "Do I have to hurt the two of you? Shut up and listen!"
"So did we decide on tonight? I could always take you out to dinner. Ok then, do you want me to pick you up or did you still want to meet me here? Ok then, I'll wait for you here and then we'll go. Of course she'll be pissed about it but she'll get over it eventually. Cool. See you at six."
Carter, Zac, and Taylor all looked at eachother in fear as Isaac hung up the phone and began walking toward the dining room. They all ran at once to the dining room table, but they ran into eachother and fell onto the floor in a heap.
Isaac stopped in front of them and looked down. "Hey guys... whatcha doing?" He raised his hand. "You know what? I really don't need to know." He laughed and went upstairs.
Taylor pulled himself up and then helped Carter up. Zac crawled over to the dining room table and sat down. "Ok, that was weird. Why would he take Beth out to dinner?"
"I thought she cheated on him." Taylor sat down and sighed.
"The question is, what do we do now?" Carter scratched her head.
"Forget we ever heard anything?" Taylor almost prayed.
"As fun as that sounds... I'd rather wait next to the door for the bitch to show up so I can knock her back down the front stairs." Carter grinned.
"I'd like to see that, too." Zac nodded and looked at his watch. "Wow, they were cutting it short. It's 5:30."
Carter giggled and ran over to the couch. She waited there for a half an hour until the doorbell rang. She jumped up and grabbed the doornob. Then she turned to Zac and Taylor. "Ok, do I let her speak, or do I break her in half without saying a word?"
They both shrugged.
"Or maybe I should just hurt Isaac. He's the dumbass that offered to go back out with her. I can't believe he'd give her another chance..." Carter ripped the front door open and glared. Then, her glare changed to a look of shock. The girl in front of her was dressed in a pair of black pants and a black tanktop with a see-thru black shirt covering her arms. Her long, dark brown hair was cut shorter, coming only a few inches past her shoulders. It was straightened and layered, making her look almost completely different. But there was no doubt about it. It was Gabi standing in front of them, not Beth.
"Hey, Carter. I'm meeting Isaac here. Is her around?"
Carter stared without moving.
"Guys?" Gabi looked over Carter's shoulder at Zac and Taylor, who also looked shocked. "Is she going to flip out?"
Zac nodded. "There could be a meltdown at any moment. Remove your pants and step away slowly."
Taylor slapped Zac on the arm. He stood up and lightly grabbed Gabi's arm. "Go ahead upstairs and get Isaac. Carter will be fine."
Gabi smiled. "Thank you, Tay."
"No problem." Taylor waited for Gabi to disappear before trying to snap Carter out of it. "Hey, are you ok?"
"That... was no Beth." Carter shook her head.
"I know."
"That was Gabi."
"Uh huh."
Zac stood up and started for the stairs. "I'm gonna go accidentally eavesdrop and see if I can find out what the hell is going on."
Carter sat down on the couch next to Taylor after Zac laughed and sighed. "I'm trying to decide what to do to be a good friend."
"What do you mean?"
"I really want to be a good friend to Isaac. I've kind of screwed him out of the friendship thing for a long time. I just don't know if I should support this whole thing and really give Gabi another chance, or if I should go with my instincts and tell her to back off."
"I wish I could help." Taylor put her arm around her. He was never really sure how affectionate he should be with her. Their relationship was still a little confusing and he wasn't even sure if they were a couple.
"I guess I just trust his instincts and let him do what he wants."
"Or who he wants."
Carter laughed. "Thanks, Taylor. Huge help there."
"Sorry. Well, if it helps, I think you're amazing."
"Eh?" Carter looked at him.
"You're changing a lot. Normally you would have jumped down Gabi's throat and told Isaac what to do. I think it's great that you're trying to be his friend... and letting him choose for himself."
"Key word is trying." She sighed. "He's not going to get hurt, right?"
Taylor didn't know how to answer that. "I wish I could say he isn't going to get hurt... but I think the important thing is that, if he does get hurt, you'll be there. He knows that, right?"
"I think so." She nodded. "I hope so." Then she smiled. "So I guess you don't have to be naked Taylor anymore."
"Your plot to kill Beth is off?"
"Postponed for the moment. I'll let you know if I need you for that." She laughed.
"Goody."