Chapter 45: Old and New Friends



I knew I had to talk to Joey and soon. When no one answered at her house, I paced around my room, still shocked about the news I now beheld. After Zac's call, I decided to go to Joey's house later and see her in person. I knew this wasn't an issue I could talk about over the phone. For some reason, I suddenly felt a sob fest coming on. I knew Joey would probably cry, and it would be the first time in a long time that she cried because of something I brought up. I knew I had to make it a gentle, yet forceful question. I thought about what I how I would ask on my way over there. Then I realized she might need an ear to listen to, especially with the baby thing. I knew this wouldn't be the time or the place to bring it up, but I had to know why she didn't feel she could trust me with something that big. I'd have to expand on her always listening to me and thanking her for what she had done, cause she had talked me out of some pretty stupid things, and I appreciated it, especially when it involved bodily harm to me, or anyone else for that matter. By the time I had thought it over, I showed up at Joey's door. I knocked. It was about 9 at night, but I knew at least she would be up.

"Hi Kat." she said halfheartedly.

"Hey Jo, how are you holding up?"

"Well, I'm a lot better, since I found out the baby would live. Now we have two new little girls to love and take care of: Abigail and Amanda." There was a slight pause, then she let me in. "So, what's on your mind Kat? Bill bothering you again?" Even after she had a major crisis, she still wanted to hear about my stinky little problems.

"No," I took a seat on the chair and pulled it over to the coffee table and motioned for her to sit on the couch, "Joey, Zac and I were reading what you had written on the story today. And, I saw the part about your molestation. I was really upset that it happened, and I wished you had told me, and I was even more upset that you didn't trust me." I knew it came out wrong, right about the time I finished saying it. It wasn't the speech I had practiced over and over in my head on the way to the place I was now. I was expecting her to scream and yell at me and kick me out of the house until she could forgive me, but she took it surprisingly easy.

"Well Kat, its really hard for me to talk about. The only reason I told Taylor, is because I was very vunlerable at that point in time. I was going to tell you, but every time I went to, you began to tell me about your problems, and, being a good friend, I just listened and comforted you." She smiled weakly at me. I felt the tears coming and I got up and hugged her.

"Thank you and I'm sorry." I sobbed onto her shoulder.

"Why thanks and sorry?" she asked, choking up a little bit.

"Thank you for being the most kind, important and caring friend I've ever had, and I'm sorry for how selfish I was for unloading my problems on you, when you had enough to deal with. I wish you would have told me just to shut up and listen for once. I'm so sorry Joey, its all my fault. I mean, even when I told you that I figured you hadn't a problem in the world, yet you were carrying the world on your shoulders......I feel so terrible right now." I let go. I collapsed into the chair in a heap of tears and just sat there crying. Joey began to let the tears go, too.

"Your the greatest friend I've ever had, but the most difficult at the same time." She began to laugh, which of course made me laugh. It reminded me of the time Joey and I saw Titanic for the first time with Taylor and Zac. I was crying so hard, I was embarrassed and started laughing. So it was laughing and crying all at once. I cried for at least the last 30 minutes of the movie, and even Zac couldn't make me stop.

I stayed at her house that night until 11:30 reminiscing about the days of old. And, Joey found a gallon of mint chocolate chip ice cream in the freezer, so we had a major sobfest, just as I had planned. I walked home thinking, again, of how lucky I was to have such great friends, especially Joey.

When I walked in the door, Bill and my mom were talking in the kitchen, they were whispering, so I closed the door quietly and tip-toed over to the wall.

"Should we tell Kat?" Bill asked.

"Not yet, I'll know when the time is right to tell her."

"All right, if you're sure." It sounds like this had been an ongoing conversation for awhile.

"Tell Kat what?" I stepped in.

"Kat, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN EAVESDROPPING?!?!?" I don't think I've seen my mom HALF that mad in years.

"Just for a minute." I was almost in tears cause her tone was so sharp.

"We aren't going to tell you yet so just go up to your room and pretend you didn't hear anything." My mom pointed to the stairs. I walked up, not knowing what had crawled up her ass, but still wondering what they weren't going to tell me.




I was glad Kat had confronted me about the molestation thing last night. It felt good to get that off my chest more, and it helped me have a better friend. Today was trash day, so I collected all the trash from the kids' rooms, and from the kitchen, and took the garbage out to the front walkway. I had just noticed the other day that the James' finally moved out of their house. They had lived next door for about 6 months, and they were unhappy with the location, so they moved. I guess they had now sold it, because there was a moving truck out front. I set the trash down, and walked over to politely introduce myself to the new neighbors, maybe I could make some new friends. I cautiously knocked on the door and heard a faint, "Come in." I walked into the bare house and asked, "Hello?" to the empty walls.

"Hi!" I heard a cheerful woman's voice.

"Hi, I'm Joey Baldwin, I live next door. I just noticed you were moving in and thought I'd come over and welcome you."

"Well, that's very sweet of you Joey. Thank you. So how old are you? You look about Tim's age." She stood back and admired me. Oh, a boy, hmmm....Tim, huh? I thought.

"I'm fifteen." I replied.

"Yeah, Tim is fifteen too, only he acts twelve." She laughed.

"And you would be?" I asked, realizing I didn't, yet, know the ladies name.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I'm Megan, Megan Campbell." She shook my hand. "As soon as Tim finishes fighting with his little sister over who gets which room, maybe I could introduce the two of you."

"That would be delightful Mrs. Campbell." I added on a cheery note. I needed some more guy friends.

"TIM, MELLIE GET IN HERE, WE HAVE COMPANY!!!!!" She screamed. "You can call me Meg if you'd like."

"Sure, Meg." I said. It was nice to have to call a grown up by their first name, and not feel disrespectful. Finally Tim and Mellie came running in.

"This is Melissa, Mellie for short, she's twelve and a handful! Mellie, this is Joey, she's your knew neighbor."

"Hi, do you like Hanson?" She asked immediately.

"Yeah, I love them." I figured I'd better keep that I know them a secret, unless I felt that they would have no harm done to them by releasing that information to her.

"I do too, but I hate obsessed people."

"MELLIE!"

"Sorry, I hope you're not obsessed." She put her hand over her mouth.

"No, I just like the music."

"Good, me too."

"And this is Tim." Meg introduced me to Tim.

"Hi, I'm Joey." I shook his hand and smiled.

"Hi, nice to meet you." He mumbled. Maybe the guys would like a new fifteen year old friend.

"So, now that we're all aquainted, why don't we sit down and have some cocoa or something."

"I'm sorry, I've really got to go home, thanks for the offer and nice meeting you." I said, heading out the door.

"Same to you Joey." Meg called. I left and returned to my house. I'd have to go over there later and ask Tim if he'd like to go with me, Kat, Tay, and Zac to the movies when we went tonight. Yeah, I would.


Chapter 46: The Classic (And Somewhat Unwanted) Fifth Wheel



"Joey said she was going to bring some new guy that just moved into their neighborhood along. She said he had no friends and it'd be nice to hang out with him." I told Zac, as we were preparing for our dates.

"Oh, I guess, in other words, that means your replacement, eh Tay?" Zac snickered. I punched him in the arm.

"He's JUST a friend." I emphasized. I had no worries about Joey cheating on me. Or breaking up with me for another guy for that matter.

"Sure, whatever you......."

"I'VE FOUND IT!" Ike came bursting in, interrupting Zac, and waving a leaf of the day’s paper in his hand.

"Found what?" Zac asked, having no more urge to finish his sentence.

"The perfect apartment!" He exclaimed. He pointed in the paper.

"App. 2 bdrm, 1 ba Pine Appartments, 3221 Pine Rd. Tulsa, Oklahoma. Call (918) 446-2172 for more details.” I read to myself. I understood it, but Zac was confused.

"Two b-d-r-m? One ba? What the heck?" Zac sounded somewhat like a sheep I laughed.

"Zac, they're abbreiviations. Bdrm, is bedrooms, and ba is bath. Usually they have kitch, for kitchen or kitchenette." Ike explained.

"Ohhhhh..." Zac nodded. Then he finished putting his shirt on. It seems that we both forgot that we were dressing.

"So, what do you guys think?" Ike asked, setting down the paper.

"I think it sounds like just what you're looking for. Have you checked the price range yet?"

"Yeah, I called in. Its, uh, like five twenty-five a month, I think. Yeah, seven twenty-five. Which isn't a bad price. Its in a good neighborhood too, and I'm going to see it tomorrow. They won't actually let me purchase it yet, but if I put money down, I can have it held until I move in."

"Oh, okay." I said, slipping my left Doc on.

"Alrighty, you ready Tay? Memeber, Kat's mom is picking us up today."

"Oh yeah! Yeah, I'm ready."

"Let's go wait downstairs."

"All right." I trotted through the door and downstairs behind Zac. I couldn't wait to meet Joey's friend.




We pulled up in front of the Hanson house, rarin' ready to go. I fixed my hair up a little, and Joey went and knocked on the door. I sat in the far back of our van. Yes, mom had bought a new van. She loved it. She sat in front, driving, Taylor, Joey, and the new guy, Tim, were going to sit in the seats behind them, and then there was a two seater in the back. That was where I claimed Zac and I sit. He looked really cute when he hopped into the car.

"Nice new van you got here Mrs. S!" Zac exclaimed, climbing in. I watched as Joey introduced Tim to Taylor. He smiled, but I knew Taylor, he was thinking “Gee, he looks like a nice kid, and I trust Joey, why am I worrying?” But he probably couldn't help to be jealous that his girlfriend had a guy friend. Thats life though. Zac introduced himself to Tim before coming back to see me. When he finally hopped back with me, he planted a short and sweet kiss on my lips, and I realized I didn't think I had been getting enough of those lips. I made a mental note to relay that information to Zac later.

"Hi Zacky." I hadn't called Zac that in forever, and I almost made myself cry just thinking about that. "Opps! I mean, Zac." I quickly said.

"You can call me whatever you want." he smiled. I loved Zac because he was understanding and sweet. I mean, once he knew the whole story, he'd be as understanding as possible. It made me wanna' marry him. Joey was telling me about how her and Taylor had those moments. I thought and thought the night after that, trying to think of one moment, just one time, that I had possesed that thought. I couldn't think of any. I thought almost all night, but nothing came to mind. Now, of course, I can think of at least one off the top of my head, like the way Zac acts around his family and how he interacts with them and puts them before anyone else. And I could add one now, it was a small one, not a big deal, but it, was, one. I made a mental note also to tell Joey I had had one of those moments, two on thought. When the car stopped and we all emptied into the theater, Joey, Taylor, and Tim all went to the food stands, Zac and I got our tickets and went straight in. Even though it was a "group date," Zac and myself needed to be seperated from the group. It was better for their health. I felt bad for Tim, no one to "watch the movie" with. Oh well, I did have someone and I was going to take advantage of that. We sat in the back corner, the darkest one of course.




After the movie, when we got to Taylor's house, I longed for a goodnight kiss. Tim had sat next to me the whole time, and had so me and Taylor had to actually WATCH the movie. It was BOOORING! But that's okay, I wanted Tim to know he's welcomed to hang with us. I walked up to the front walk with Taylor, Kat, and Zac, leaving poor Tim in there, alone, with Kat's mom. Now, there's nothing wrong with Kat's mom, its just the point he was alone. Kat kissed Zac a quick goodnight, so would I if my mom was waiting. But it was just long enough for them I guess. While I was watching Kat, litterally, skip away, I felt myself being pulled into Taylor's arms. He hugged me first, then he kissed me. It was like all the kisses he gave me; deep, passionate, it left us both wanting more, but knowing that that was as far as the road went. I hated leaving him standing there, but I had to, Kat's mom honked. I said a quick goodbye, kissed him slightly again, and ran to the van. I hopped in.

"Quite a kiss for such a young lady." Kat's mom commented.

"I have to grow up sometime." I replied, smiling. The comment had a little bite to it because I didn't like people telling me things like that. I knew how far I wanted to go, or what I wanted to do and I didn't like the fact she was even watching me. Kat, however, didn't notice I had even entered the van because she was talking to Tim. She was blabbing away at about how long her and Zac had been going and Tim was saying before he left where he lived, he and his girlfriend had been together for the last two years. He said it was really tough breaking up with her. I had now completely ignored Kat's mom's remark and was listing to Tim's heartfelt story of him breaking to his girlfriend he had to leave.

"'...and so I go, Sara, I'm leaving, to Oklahoma. If I ever see you again, fate is giving us another chance to go on, to live our lives together, to be as one.’ And then I kissed her, longer than you guys have probably ever kissed Taylor or Zac." He boasted.

"I object, I've had some pretty long kisses before." I said.

"I object that I can't say anything cause my mommy's in the car." Kat smiled. Her mother looked in the rearview mirror with a hurt look.

"Ka-at!" I whispered, reminding her that shes suppose to be mending the relationship with her mother.

"Well, okay, what will it hurt? I kissed Zac, in kind of a make out thing, for like fifteen minutes." she said. I figured she was lying cause she always exaggerated.

"Well, this kiss was twenty-five, count them, twenty-five minutes long." He shook his head like he was so cool.

"I've had longer." I jumped in, exaggerating as well.

"How long?"

"Thirty-seven minutes and twenty-three seconds to be exact."

"Wow, thats impressive. Is that ALL you did?" He laughed. I punched him in the arm, lightly as I do with Taylor.

"YES THAT'S ALL! GEEZ MAN!" I shouted. Kat was laughing. We laughed and shared stories the whole time home.


Later that night, I called Kat and then Tay and Ike about the surprise birthday party we were throwing Zac. We had finally decided who was coming, what time, and where it was gonna be. We talked about all the things we had in plan for Zac's first day as a teenager, we were going to make his first day the most memorable if we could pull it off.

Chapters 47 and 48
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