The light was shining off of her eyes so brightly, he could barely look away. She was dressed very simply, a long, black skirt, and a black sweater. She had 3 pairs of tiny silver hoop earrings on, but no other jewelry. Her hair was down, and her eyelids were shimmering.
"How did I do?"
Todd nodded and smiled. "Very good." He looked down at the floor. "Could I maybe... buy you something to eat?"
Carter shook her head and sat down in the booth at the back of the club. "I ate right before I came."
Todd sighed.
"But, I'd like a Dr. Pepper."
Todd practically ran to the kitchen and came back with two sodas. He set hers down and sat next to her so that he could keep an eye on what was going on. He was supposed to be working, but his dad let him off for a few minutes so that he could talk to Carter.
"So how is Bianca?"
"Good. Good." Todd nodded. "I think her parents are going to stay together. I guess it was just one of those things."
Carter nodded and took a sip of her soda. She looked around. "There's a lot of people here tonight."
"There usually are Tuesday nights. It's just one of those things."
Carter laughed.
"What?"
"Nothing. That's just like, the second time you've said that."
"Oh." Todd chuckled and almost blushed.
"You're really not yourself tonight."
"How so?"
"I dunno. You've never blushed before. At least not that I've noticed."
"I'm just nervous."
"About what?"
"Well, this is kind of like a date. Sort of. I don't know." He paused and looked up at her. "What should I call it?"
"If I let you call it a date, will you shut up, chill out, and act normal?"
Todd nodded.
"Ok, Todd. We're on a date. Don't fall back on your chair or anything. Because it is... just a date."
Todd shook his head and pushed the sleeves up on his dark maroon shirt. "Not to me."
"Oh that's right. This is your prize." Carter smiled to herself, she meant it as a joke, but Todd frowned and stood up. "Where are you going?"
"It's 9:00. I hafta get back to work." Todd sighed and forced a smile. "Thanks for coming here, singing, and spending a couple minutes with me."
"Todd... I didn't mean anything..."
"Don't worry about it. I got my prize." He smiled sarcastically and went back into the kitchen.
Carter sighed and shrugged her shoulders. She lifted her guitar over her shoulder and pulled her carkeys out of her pocket. When she got back home, she dropped her guitar in her bedroom and then crossed the balcony to go see Zac. She pushed open Taylor's bedroom door and went inside to see him laying on his bed, staring at the ceiling like usual. "Do you ever move?"
"Sometimes." He shrugged and looked over to her. "You look nice."
"Thanks." She sighed and sat down on his bed.
"Uhm... hmm." Taylor sighed and continued to stare at the wall. He'd never been able to understand Carter and the way she was so nonchalant about laying in his bed and cuddling when just last year she was booby trapping his room and arranging his death. "Can I ask you something?"
"Uh huh."
"Why are you always like..."
"What?"
"Well, you always come in here and stuff and its just kinda... weird."
"Weird? Why? Because I'm not the kind of person that likes talking to people and socializing? Because Isaac's friends say I look like a vampire? Because I SUCK at being a person and I never say the right thing and I always end up hurting his feelings when he's just trying really hard to be himself and get me to like him?" Carter let out a soft scream and got up from Taylor's bed, causing him to bounce a little bit.
Taylor sighed and put his pillow over his head. "Geez. I just wanted to know why you don't hate me anymore."
Carter knocked on Zac's door and waited until he said "come in". She sulked her way over to his bed and laid down next to him. She put her head on his arm and sighed. "Why do guys suck so much?"
"Huh?"
"Well, you're a guy. So why do guys suck so much?"
"Are you saying I suck?"
"No. I just mean, guys in general. Why do they suck?"
Zac looked down at her and gave her a strange look. "What makes you think I'm a guy?"
Carter laughed and smacked him on the stomach. "Dammit Zac. I'm serious. Why do guys suck?"
"Well, technically, if you think about it... isn't it the girl's job to do the sucking?"
Carter smacked his stomach again. "You're in a good mood. Why are you in such a good mood?"
Zac grinned. "Melissa and I had a bet."
"What kind of bet."
"You and Todd. I bet her that you would go and sing tonight and you wouldn't be back until after 8:30. She said you wouldn't go, and if you did, you wouldn't stay long. She lost."
"So what did you get?"
Zac smiled.
"Ew god. You know what? Don't even answer that."
Zac stayed silent until Carter jumped up and smacked him again. "OW!"
"Tell me what you got."
"You said you didn't wanna know."
"I need to know. Tell me."
"It's not that bad. She flashed me." He grinned, proudly.
"Wow. That's pretty special. Melissa wouldn't show her goods to anybody. She used to yell at me for walking out of the house with my bathing suit on."
Zac laughed.
"So why do guys suck so much?"
"I'm not gonna say anything cause you'll just smack me again."
Carter sighed. "Fine then. Can I stay here tonight? My room is cold."
Zac nodded and put his arms around her. Carter fell asleep long before he did, leaving him to watch her breathe.