Four days later:~
Sighing, I looked right, left and then right again before I crossed the busy intersection by the mall. I was suppose to meet Kerri and Zac here, as a "chaperone"...or so Zac says. Actually he wants me to pretend I'm casually waiting for my new "date" and he never shows, so Kerri will most likely invite me to join them. I'm basically suppose to watch Zac, and warn him when he's crossing an emotional line with her. They were originally suppose to go to Lazer Tag, but the business closed down for the summer. So they went for plan B, and here I am. Unwillingly may I add.
*~*
Running across an intersection, in high heels, is not the easiest thing in the world, but I made it. Tidying up my short lime green silk skirt, I straightened my posture, pushed my hair behind my ear, and steady my gaze in front of me. Trying to ignore the cute faces that seemed to be surrounding me.
"Hey Amanda!," a distantly familiar voice called. I debated wheither or not to turn around, but fighting against myself, I turned around anyway. Grazing the crowd with my emerald green eyes, I noticed a friend of Elementry school leaning up against a gold Chrystlar Sebring, LX. Matt McGregor. Deep red hair, eyes of hazel and light blue, and the cutested birthmark on his left cheek. He smiled at me, and I decided to join him.
"Hi." I said, trying not to sound too over joyed to see him. He stood up, and pulled me against him for a quick hug.
"Still looking incredible from the last time I saw you," he complimented, "How's life treatin' ya?" he asked. I locked eyes with him, and couldn't help but smile. He still had his punk look, the extra long shorts (the ones that looked like pants), and long sleeved baggy shirts. Quite a cute style, a style Taylor would look to-die-for in.
"Okay, I guess. You?"
"Fine. Perfect actually. I've been living in New York for a while, and I just landed a great job for 'Head Trip', but I decided to come back here to visit some old friends." Matt answered, "What's your new career?" he smiled. I laughed, rolling my eyes.
"Actually, I was working in New York about a month or so ago, and I came back to stay with Taylor, since my aunt is out of town for a few more months." I told him. His joyful twinkle in his eyes fell, and he placed a hand on my shoulder.
"Sorry to hear about your parents. I called you, but the number was turned off. Your still in love with Taylor huh?" he couldn't help but crack a smile.
"Sorta." I blushed.
"Oh," his tone fell, "Did he hurt you?"
"Oh, no! No Matt, its not that. We just broke up, because of his parents."
"Why what happened?" He dropped his hands to his sides, and then shoved them into his pockets. I sighed.
"His parents thought we were having sex, and they band us from seeing each other." his face fell.
"Seriously?" he asked. Matt leaned against his car, and I did the same, ignoring the coldness on my thighs.
"Yeah." I looked toward the mall, seeing Zac looking around for me. "Shit," I turned toward Matt. "Hey are you doing anything?"
"Right now?" I nodded. "No." I smiled.
"Wanna see a movie with me?" His gorgeous face lite up, and he smiled.
"Really?" I laughed, nodding. "Sure, let's go." He held out his hand, and I took it, as we walked together toward the mall entrance.
*~*~*~*~*
"Zac? What are we waiting for? The movie is going to start, and we'll miss the previews." Kerri whined, laughing.
"Amanda said she was suppose to stop by, she wanted to introduce us to her new boyfriend." Zac lied.
"New boyfriend? I'm her best friend, why didn't I know about this?" She turned, and saw Matt and I walked toward them. "She's right.....ohmigod..."
"What?" Zac asked, glaring in my direction.
"She's with Matt McGregor. He used to be the hottest guy in elementary school, but in 7th grade he moved away with his father to Washington State."
"Oh. Well let's go inside now," Zac said, trying to tug on her hand.
"No. I want to say hi to Matt."
*~*~*~*~*
I smiled brightly, as I looked from Matt to Zac and Kerri. Seeing Kerri's reaction was a Kodac moment baby. "There's Kerri and Zac...their gonna be goin to the movies too." I told Matt. He smiled,
"Kerri from elementary school?" he asked.
"Yeah, do you mind?"
"No. Like I said, I came back to see old friends." I was starting to believe he came back to see me, as if it were fate, as if I am actually meant to move on from Taylor... I almost gagged, just the thought made me want to cry, but being here with Matt, made me feel strong and protected. Matt came back...for me...it was fate. Right?
*~*~*~*~*
Taylor sighed, and gazed over toward his older brother. "Shouldn't you be out with Zac and Kerri?"
"No." Ike answered, not bothering to look up from his homework.
"Oh." Taylor said, sighing again as he dropped his pen onto his math book and slumped in his seat. Isaac rolled his eyes, knowing his brother couldn't see him.
"What is wrong with you?" he asked, once again not bothering to look up.
"Amanda."
"Listen Tay, you still could have been together, but your not. And I want you to realize that it was your stupid idea to break up in the first place. If she moves on, and sees other guys...its your fault. Not her's." he implied. Taylor nodded, also knowing his brother couldn't see him.
"....and?..." Taylor whispered, knowing that his brother was right. But if he played dumb, then Isaac could probably unravel Taylor's broken feelings.
"She's going to end up moving on. And your going to live your whole life knowing that it was your fault..and then your going to just be best friends like you were before her parents died. Then your going to blame yourself for letting her go everytime you look at her, or see pictures of her with her new boyfriend, or when you read a book she recently published, and even when Micheal's little sister Amanda comes over to play with Avery. You just sold your heart my friend." Taylor's face was pale, and his blue as ice eyes were watery, when Isaac finally looked at his brother.
"Oh." Taylor forced out. Ike closed his World History book and folded his notebook closed, putting them on top of each other.
"Listen Tay, I just wanted to tell you that you really fucked up this time...and you know mom and dad are going to see how 'well' you are doing, and then...wamm..its over." he said truthfully as he picked up his calculater and pen, placing them on his books, and leaving the room.
"Well thanks for the information. I could have told you that much." Taylor sighed, getting up and walking outside.
*~*~*~*~*
Grabbing his bike, Taylor wondered where I could be. Sighing again with pure fustration, he rode down the street, his strong legs starting to ache in pain. Leaning forward, hunching over the handle bars, he reached the intersection, his mouth already dry of the air that filled his body. Turning left, he rode three blocks down, stopping at all my friends houses, and stopping by my favorite spot to spend the afternoon. "Where the hell could she be?" Taylor gasped, taking a sharp right, huffing and puffing as he followed along the highway, taking the back-routes to the crowded center of the city.
*~*~*~*~*
"Let's go out in the lobby, I think Zac is kinda hinting that to me." I whispered to Matt, leaning close to him neck and mouth. He smiled, swallowing an M&M.
"Sure." he whispered back, with a smile. I turned to Kerri, trying to fight back a smile.
"Matt and I are going to get some more popcorn, we'll be right back."
"Take your time alright?" she smiled. I giggled softly, patting her hand just before I grabbed Matt's hand and pulled him into the lobby. Silently I squeezed his hand, telling him not to stop. He looked at me, his blue-gray eyes sparkling.
"We aren't really getting popcorn are we?" he asked, even though he knew we weren't. We walked straight out of the theater, and outside by the parking lot. Teens were all over the place, little ten year old girls applying plastic lipstick and 'fluffing' their hair.
"I think we should leave them be..they need to talk." I told him, as I sat down on the curb. Matt followed my motion, leaning over, his deep red hair covering his eyes. I watched him shove his hair back innocently, as if out of habit. If that were Taylor doing that, I would suggest he cut his hair..but this Matt, he can't cut his hair. I haven't even ran my fingers through it yet, so I refuse to let him cut my hair.
"What made you come back?" I asked him, looking ahead of me at the passing couples. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him shrug.
"I don't know. I just had a feeling that I needed to be back here in Tulsa one last time."
"What do you mean?" I asked him, my stomach turning.
"Well, like I said, everything with New York...if the job goes well, I might be stationed in France for a while."
"Really? That's great!" I laughed, patting his back, almost lingering for a minute. He looked at me, and I pulled away. His eyes stopped on mine, and for a minute I felt liquidy warmth flow in every part of my body. I almost felt scared, but when his emotional eyes gazed back at me, I knew what I was feeling was some sort of sign. Kerri always told me I fell "in love" to easily, and deep inside I knew it was true. But maybe that was because it was my heart's way of telling me Taylor isn't the one for me.
*~*~*~*~*
Taylor crossed the intersection, and his now dark eyes searched the mall parking lot. He saw me. His eyes fell over my small body, my waving hair, my emerald eyes,....my partner. "Who's that?" he whispered softly to himself. So softly he was sure he was just thinking it to himself. He slowly approached, watching me carefully.
*~*~*~*~*
I felt the wind kick up, and my hair covered my face. I struggled to pull the hair from my eyes, and Matt, I could tell was trying to do it himself also. I leaned forward, and I felt my head hit something. It was Matt's shoulder, I noticed, as I cleared my face.
"I didn't expect to see you here." Matt laughed. I smiled, tilting my head up toward him. He followed my act, and before I could wish for it to happen, Matt' warm, softly mouth touched mine. I kissed him, noticing I was starting to lose my breath. He squeezed my head as he took it into his own. I sighed, and then I heard someone gasp. It wasn't Matt, because all Matt turned his attention to was me.
I pulled away, looking around me. I then noticed Taylor. His face told me everything. He dropped his bike on the side walk and approached us.
"I'm guessing thats Taylor, am I right?" Matt whispered, trying to loosen me up. I squeezed his hand, telling him to shush and that I would explain later.
"Taylor." I gasped, trying to push my heart back down from my throat.
"Amanda....," he glanced at Matt, "Matt...nice to see you again. Glad to see you decided to come back." he lied. I could see right through him.
"Thank you. I'm just visiting."
"Taylor...um..if your looking for Zac, he's inside with Kerri." I told him, hoping he'd take my hint as to follow along with his stupid ass 'plan'.
"As a matter-a-fact, I wasn't looking for Zac, but I guess I am now." Taylor replied. I smiled, almost ready to cry. Matt didn't say anything.
"Look Taylor, Matt and I were just about to leave. Tell Zac I'm sorry." I gave him an 'I love you' sympathetic smile, and turned toward Matt. "Let's go."
"See you around Taylor..." Matt began, but then I pulled him away. That was the hardest thing I had ever had to do in my entire life.
*~*~*~*~*
Zac smiled at Kerri, and she turned toward him. "I'm sorry about the other night. If I crossed a line...or if I do again, please tell me. I didn't mean to come on like that." he whispered. Kerri smiled.
"I have one thing to say to you." she whispered, her voice soft, sexy.
"What?" he asked.
"Will you please kiss me and find out?" she leaned forward, bringing her face to his. Their lips met, and for the best kiss she had ever experienced. Just as Zac warmed up to her, he found himself being jerked away.
"What the..." he turned to see his brother gazing down at him, tears reflecting off his face.
"We're going home." Taylor demanded. Kerri was silent., she knew it was my doing.
"No we aren't. You are." Zac said back, standing up.
"WILL YOU SIT DOWN? I'M TRYING TO WATCH THE MOVIE."
"Sit down Taylor."
"You sit down!" Taylor shot back.
"You first."
"NO! You. I'm sick of listening to your bullshit Zac."
"GUYS!" Kerri said, pushing both Zac and Taylor out of the isle and out of the theater. "What is up with you?" she asked them.
"It's none of your business Kerri." Taylor told her.
"Leave her alone. If this has to do with me, it has to do with her." Zac shot back.
"Your an ass Zac." Taylor said, shoving his brother and walking out.
you'll smile when you go.....