Chapter 3
The next morning I woke up an hour earlier than normal so I could get ready for school, or rather for Taylor to pick me up. Since the last time he saw me I was in sweaty gym clothes, I wanted to look kinda nice, but not to where it showed that I'd put in extra effort. I took my shower and used my best smelling shampoo and body wash. In other words I came out smelling like lemon and roses. I blow dried my hair and went in search for an outfit. I must have torn through my closet looking for something to wear. Everything either seemed too slutty, too obvious, or too conservative. I just wanted to look nice! I settled on my knee-length velvet skirt and a red turtleneck with my velvet go-go boots with red dragons up the side. Now it was time to do something with my hair, I pulled it into a high ponytail and put on my makeup. Then I grabbed my black rectangle framed glasses and headed downstairs. I was met by my mother and Taylor drinking coffee.
"Uh, hi Tay. How long have you been down here?", I asked feeling very not at ease. I didn't like not knowing something like this was going on. What if I had yelled down for a pad or something? Goddess, then where would I be?
"Not long. I drove up and your mom was getting the paper and she invited me in for coffee. She said you'd probably be down in a minute anyway, so I might as well stay in the kitchen.", he explained rationally. He didn't look at me at all, he stared at his coffee. Oh, great.
"Yes honey. Taylor and I were just talking. Anyway, I've got to go get ready for work, and you two have to get going to school. Have fun.", my mother said as she wafted out of the room like she does. Our home was quaint. A two story cottage on the side of a country rode with lots of land surrounding it. Very green gable-ish. I grabbed my book bag and Taylor and I went to his car. We got in and he turned on the radio, probably to avoid an awkward silence, that would have probably been okay if it weren't for the confusion.
Okay, this made me sick. I'm not used to being completely avoided without real reason. I mean, not one that I can't even justify. I angrily switched off the radio while we rode down the country roads toward North P.
"Okay Tay-darling, you really must give me at least a just cause why you're acting like I'm the wicked witch of the west here. What did I do this time?", I asked crossing my legs and turning towards him. He pulled over to the side of the road and sighed deeply.
"Why didn't you tell me you were the Syn Fuller?", he asked almost angrily.
"Oh I'm sorry! I guess, since I'm the worst person alive, I should have warned you. Man, I certainly didn't deserve your charity if you only give it to those who are so fucking pure and good as yourself."
"Now I didn't say that."
"You most certainly did! Look, you wanna know something? All the rumors they make up about me are most likely untrue. Want the lowdown on me and that asshole Nick? Well here it is. Me and Nick went out for a year, we never talked unless he told me when and where to be for some party or whatnot we just had to make an appearence at. Yes, I admit, I fucked him. Not very often though, most of the time he was cheating on me with other sluts while I was keeping my grades up. I never sucked his dick, I never played around with his best friend, I'm not a lesbian, I don't know Aerosmith, I am not a porn star, and I did not streak on Halloween of last year just so he could take pictures of me naked, I never paid him to go out with, I am not on drugs, and I am not as indistructible as everyone thinks. Now is there anything else you'd like to know, or shall we try to continue to school?", I said heatedly. God, just one more person, I swear.
"Look, I'm sorry. I didn't know, and Ike pulled me aside last night and told me your reputation. He is a senior this year. He was scared of what you might do to my reputation if I hung out with you, and I was scared that he was right, okay? I'm a shallow human being, but I didn't know what to think ya know?"
"Yes I do. But of course, that doesn't matter. You better hurry us to school or we'll a) be late and b) you just might be seen with me. Lord forbid."
"Ugh, please don't be like that. I really didn't mean it offensively. Just come 'ere.", he said moving closer to me and reaching his arms out. I shied away against the door, as far as I could get from him. You could tell it was an old car because the front seat was just one big bench with cushioning. He slid over to my side of the car and forced me into a hug. I returned it and smiled against the warmth of his neck. He inhaled against me deeply and held me tighter for a second.
"You smell good. I'm really sorry okay? I made a huge mistake.", he said pulling back from the hug just enough to where he could look me in the eye. I smiled and rested my head against his shoulder, on his smooth leather coat. "By the way, your mom told me you woke up an hour earlier to get ready. You look very nice, if it was for me thank you for the effort, if it wasn't then you just look very very beautiful." I smiled again and held him for a second.
"You know, if we expect to get to school, we should probably go now. Otherwise, I may never move.", I said jokingly. He laughed and slid back to the drivers side of the car. He restarted the engine and we were back on our way to school, I couldn't stop smiling. He was just too sweet for words.
* * * * *
The bell rang and I made my way to the locker room to get ready for cheerleading practice. I slipped on some shorts and a tank top and made my way into the gym with the rest of the girls. They noticed me, they just ignored my presence. I wasn't worth the effort to say hi to anymore. Coach Cheetum came in and told us today we were going to work on our lifts. I was always the one to be lifted so of course I was scared shitless. These girls were out for me and I already knew I was going to get hurt somehow. I made my way to my lifters and spotter Mary Jane, Goldy, and Halleira. They lifted me up and I did the responce cheer and then it was time for me to jump, I was frightened out of my mind, but I still jumped waiting to not get caught. When I was I was surprised, they put me down harshly though and "tripped" stepping onto my ankle and spraining it badly. Needless to say I got a ride in an ambulence, because they might have torn something. I got to the hospital and they pretty much wrapped it, gave me some crutches, told me I couldn't drive, couldn't do cheerleading, and would have to stay off of it a good few days and would be on crutches for a good three months. They weren't sure if I had cracked a bone or not, and wanted to make sure. There, I was officially screwed.
My mother went to school with my father and picked up my car, which had been sitting there for two days. I laid in bed miserable. I couldn't do anything, not even homework, and daytime television was so boring! I hated not getting to do anything but read and watch television, and amazingly I absolutely hated being waited on by my parents. They were nice to see every once in awhile but too much of them is definetly a bad thing. Since I had no friends no one was calling or coming over so I was almost literally in hell. When I thought I could take no more, I finally had a visitor. I heard mom yell someone was coming up to see me and you couldn't describe how sublimely happy I was.
Until Tay walked in the door, then I was off the wall. Sublime doesn't even cover how happy I was. He had a handful of books and such, and there was a cookie in his mouth that I'm sure my mom had stuck there. He tried to smile around the cookie, but only succeeded in biting off part of it and having the rest fall on the stack in his arms. He came by the bed and set the stack on the floor, grabbing the cookie and setting down in a chair beside my bed.
"Hey stranger.", I said, grinning wildly at Taylor.
"Hey, what have you been up to?", he asked taking another bite of the cookie.
"Not much. Watching TV and suffering the rath of my god cursed parents. You?"
"Drama and such. I'm sorry I hadn't been up here earlier, but my mom needed a baby sitter the last couple of days and I haven't been able to make it. I did get your assignments from your teachers, though. I'm surprised they trusted a defenseless Sophmore with them, but they did and here they are."
"Your a softie?"
"Yeah, didn't you know?"
"Well, no I didn't. I just assumed you were a junior."
"Yeah right, I wish. Does it matter?"
"No, I just wasn't aware that all. I'm glad I have someone here. Take off your coat and set awhile. I need some company other than my parents, please stay awhile!", I knew I sounded like I was begging, but damnit I was begging so its okay!
"Yeah, okay thats cool.", he said shedding his coat and gloves and kicking off his shoes, "I see you like my shirt I let you borrow.", he said pointing to the shirt. I blushed a profuse shade of red when I looked down and noticed it was his shirt I was wearing.
"Yeah, its really comfortable. Um, if you want it back I can get mom to wash it and you can come over tomorrow and get it.", I offered, hoping he wouldn't take the offer up.
"Nah, that okay, but I'll stop by tomorrow anyway.", he smiled looking at me. He got up and walked to the bedside.
"Move over.", he said, giving me a shooing motion with his hand. I scooted over in my head and he hopped on beside me. I laughed as he slung his arm around me and hugged me.
"You like hugging don't you?"
"Yeah, I heard somewhere that hugging can make you healthier."
"Well, hug away Taylor-dahling. I need all the health I can get.", I said grinning. We laughed at my stupid joke and snuggled down to watch TV. As boring as it sounds it was nice to have someone over who actually gave a shit about how I was feeling.
More coming soon!!