So I guess I have some explaining to do huh? Well I started a job in the summer. I had to be there at eight in the morning until late at night, so I didn't really have much time to write. Then I went to State Fair Choir where I had absolutely no access to a computer for 3 weeks. Then I went to an amusement park, and now I'm leaving tomorrow to visit my sick grandmother, three hours away. So I'm really sorry that I haven't updated in a while but I hope you all forgive me. Here we go again!
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Chapter 4- Do What You Feel Is Right
Eric sat on his bed with his cell phone in his hand. It was around three o'clock so he figured Taylor was finished with her nail appointment, so he decided to call her.
"Hey Taylor, what are you doing?"
"Well for the next two days, I'm stuck in my room with nothing to do." Taylor rolled over onto her back. She was lying on her bed in her room.
"What do you mean?" Eric asked her.
"I'm grounded. My sister and me got into some argument when she came to pick me up; it's no big deal. But my parents grounded us both when we were still arguing as we came in the door. They said that we need to learn to be nicer to each other."
"Maybe you guys should learn to be nicer to each other." Eric switched the phone to his other ear.
"What are you saying? You know my sister. Her whole purpose in life is to make my life a living hell. She always has to be smarter than me, prettier than me, funnier than me. Everything I do, she has to do something greater." Taylor never really got along with her sister, Brittney. She was 18, and always rubbed it in Taylor's face that she was older. But Taylor's nightmares would soon be over when her sister went to college in a few months.
"I'm just saying that maybe, you need to really learn to get along with her before your sister goes off to college. What if she goes away and you guys are still mad like this. I know you guys love each other, and I think you both need to really let the other one know that before she goes away." Eric hoped they would both bury the hatchet.
"I guess." Was all Taylor could say.
"Look, you don't have to take my advice. I just wish you would."
"Thanks. Hey I have to go, my mom's coming up the stairs and I'm not suppose to be on the phone. I'm grounded remember."
"That's fine. I'll talk to you later?"
"Yeah, bye." Taylor lowered the phone to turn it off but stopped as she heard Eric's voice.
"Wait, Taylor. I love you, okay. Don't be upset, about your sister. Everything will be fine."
Thanks Eric, I love you too. Bye." This time Taylor hung up the phone.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Lex entered the park and instantly saw Maria sitting on a swing. He walked over and sat on the one beside her.
"Hey Maria."
"Hey Lex." She looked at a piece of paper sticking out of his pocket. "Oh cool, you got your schedule too." She pulled hers out of her pocket.
"Yeah, I just grabbed it as I was walking out of the door. I didn't really get a chance to look at it." Lex opened his to see what classes he had.
"What's your homeroom?" Maria asked him.
"Um, World History with Mr. Blackwell."
"Room 223?" He nodded his head. "Me too. That means our lockers will be close to each other. Probably right next to each other, since their done alphabetically."
After ten minutes of talking about their schedules they discovered that they had World History, Lunch, and Art together.
"This year is going to be so cool, don't you think so?" Maria asked him.
"Um yeah, really cool." Lex stammered.
"Are you alright? You seem a little, not all here." She placed her hand on his shoulder, concerned.
"Um, I'm fine." He sighed. "Maria there's something I want to say."
"Hey Lex!"
Lex turned around to where the sound was coming from. It was Melissa and Jackson. They were walking towards him. He turned back towards Maria. "Never mind. It's not important."
"It's okay." Maria stood up. "I have to go anyway. Bye."
Lex watched sadly as she walked away. But then he noticed that she left her schedule on the ground. He would take it to her later.
"Hey. Where's Maria going?" Jackson asked Lex.
"Um, she had to go home. What are you guys doing here I thought you were babysitting?"
"We are. The girls wanted to go to the park. You and Maria seemed to be getting along great. We didn't interrupt anything right?" Jackson asked.
Lex sighed. "No, it wasn't anything important."
Melissa and Jackson shared a look when they noticed the tone in Lex's voice.
"Um, it looks like Danielle needs some help on the monkey bars." She nudged her head in Lex's direction, then took off for where the girls were playing.
When she was far enough Jackson took a seat in the swing Maria once occupied.
"What's going on buddy?"
"If I tell you, do you promise to keep it to yourself?" That was a silly question to ask. Lex knew Jackson wouldn't tell anyone.
"Of course, you know I will."
"Okay." Lex turned toward Jackson. "I sort of, like Maria."
"Oh, you mean; like her, like her." He turned toward Lex.
"Yeah, and I was going to tell her, but then you came."
"Oh Lex. I'm really sorry." Jackson felt really bad.
"No, I'm not mad at you guys. I'm sort of glad you came. What if I told her and she doesn't like me back?" Lex stared down at his shoes.
"What's not to like? Come on, your smart, funny, very handsome. You're totally fun to hang out with." Jackson and Lex both laughed. "Honestly I can't tell you what to do, but I think you should just follow what's in your heart."
"Thanks Jackson. I think I know what I'm going to do."
"Anytime buddy, anytime."
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Nathan was sitting on the couch watching T.V. when a pillow was flung across the room. He looked to see Maria basically tearing up the living room.
"Hey! Hey! What are you doing? I'm trying to watch this." Nathan got up to replace the cushions and pillows that were displaced in Maria outburst.
"Where is it? Where is it? I had it just a while ago and now it's gone." She continued to search under the couch.
"What's gone?" Nathan asked as he looked under the couch as well. "Wait, why am I looking? I don't even know what I'm looking for."
"My schedule for next year. I had it earlier and now it's gone." She had now moved into the kitchen.
"Didn't you go to the park today. Maybe you left it there."
"Nathan, you're a genius. I must have left it at the park." She had a plan now. She would retrace her steps back to the park. She ran to the front door and ran outside, running over Lex in the process. They both toppled over into the grass.
"Lex, oh my gosh, I'm so sorry." She quickly got up from the ground. He followed, both blushing bright red. "I'm really sorry, I was just in a hurry."
"It's okay. I was just coming over to bring you this." He held up a piece of paper.
"My schedule. Where did you find it?" She took the paper from him.
"It must have fallen out of your pocket when you left the park."
"Thank you, Lex." She reached forward and gave him a hug. When they split apart they both turned away from each other.
"So, um." Maria started. "I guess I'll just go back inside." She stepped back onto her porch.
"Wait, Maria." She turned back around. "I never got to say what I wanted to at the park."
"Yeah?" She stepped a little bit closer to him.
"Um, I was just wondering, if maybe. I mean, I really. Would you like to, maybe." Okay Lex, it's now or never. "I really like you, and I was just wondering if maybe you would like to go out sometime?"
"Like, on a date?" She was blushing. "Sure, I'd like that."
"Okay then. How about you meet me at the park tomorrow around one?" He was also trying to keep the redness in his cheeks down to a minimum.
"I'll be there." As he turned to leave she called to him. "Hey Lex?"
He turned back around. "Yeah?"
She walked forward until she was right in front of him. Slowly she leaned forward and gave him a small kiss. "I really like you too."
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So there is the next chapter. Hope you guys liked it. Aren't Lex and Maria cute? Review and tell me what you thought.
