Installment 9

Callista

I was about ready to deck Noah when he walked in on us. I wanted to kiss Taylor so badly and I was so very close to doing it when he walked in, with that smug little grin on his face. I knew he had been planing this since the moment we left the dining room together. After Taylor and I reluctantly broke apart and resorted to just holding a hand the rest of my family joined us and filled the living room.

We all exchanged gifts and I made out pretty well. I had gotten a wool peacoat, some new clothes from Delia's, a pager, a laptop (from my computer freak uncle) and a ton of money. After the adults and a good portion of my cousin's left the room we all sat down to talk. The only people left were Beccaleigh, Noah, Mikeala, Brendan, Eve, Taylor and I. I wanted to be alone with Taylor so badly and I was about to ask him to talk when I got an idea. I stood up to go ask my parents a question and at the same time Mikeala pulled Taylor off the couch dragging him over to the stair case. I thought nothing of it and proceeded to the dining room to find my parents.

" Hey mom, can Taylor and I go up to my room to talk." I questioned.

A chorus of ooh's and ahh's arose from my nosy aunts and uncles also seated at the table conversing over coffee. My father smiled devilishly at my mother, and I looked her straight in the eye waiting impatiently for my answer.

" As long as you leave the door open and all you do is talk...yes you may." She said smiling at me. It was one of those have fun, be careful, you are growing up too quickly looks.

" Yeah, be good." My father added, I could feel my cheeks flush as he succeeded to embarrass me again. My aunts and Uncles were most definitely talking about me now.

I walked into the living again to find everyone engaged in small conversations and examining their new gifts.

" Hey where's Taylor?" I asked no one in particular.

" He went that way with Mikeala" Beccaleigh said pointing toward the staircase. I followed her direction and saw the most painful, heart breaking sight I probably will ever see. Okay, so maybe my emotions are getting in the way of my foresight but I was truly hurt by this sight. Standing on the staircase, appropriately enough below the mistletoe were Mikeala and Taylor. Engaged in an rousing liplock. I could feel the tears that threatened to spill over rim my eyes and I swallowed the lump in my throat. At that moment I caught Taylor's gaze and looked away immediately. How could I have been so foolish as to think that I meant anything to him, he obviously was just humoring me, or he was horny one of the two. Then my cynical side kicked in and I could just see that little picture of me forming over my shoulder. You know the one in which you're all dressed up as a little devil and you say mean things to yourself.

" You are so retarded, what ever made you think that he was any different than any other horny teenager. He wanted your body and he couldn't get it so he moved on, He's a player and you played right into his little trap, you joined his game. Why in the world would he want you when he can have practically any other girl that's breathing on this planet. You dolt!" my mind screamed as I pushed past the two and ran into my room.

I bolted into my room and slammed the door behind me. I threw myself onto the bed and let the tears take over. I cried like I had never cried before. All the while I was reliving the events of the past day. The wonderful moments under the tree, when he complimented me and made me feel as though he actually cared and understood, and up to the time that I pushed past he and Mikeala, they had barely budged never mind stopped kissing.

I was sitting on my bed listening to my Jewel cd, silent tears streaming down my face when I heard a faint knock on my cherry wood door.

"If it's Taylor get the hell away!!"