"I'm tired of going to company parties. Why can't I just stay home?" I asked.

"This is for family and you are going," Dad replied.

"But…."

"Isaac will be there so you will have someone to talk to," Mom stated.

"I don't think so."

"Why not?"

"I just don't want to."

"Well, we are still going."

I rushed up to my room and I sat on my bed.

"Taylor, hurry up and get ready!" Mom said, standing at my bedroom door.

I got up and went to my closet to find something to wear. I was already in a bad mood and going to this party will be hell for me.

I sat in front of my dresser mirror, grudgingly running a brush through my hair. I was angry and disgusted. I am sick of this. My parents are playing matchmakers. What the hell? They just think that Isaac is perfect. But it's my fault. Why can't I tell them the truth. I don't want to hurt them but I'm just hurting myself.

"Taylor, are you ready, yet!" Dad called from downstairs.

"I'm coming!" I yelled back.

I sighed and came downstairs. Mom smiled at me and I gave her a weak smile. She knew something was bothering me but I just didn't want to tell her and she didn't ask.

"Let's go before we are late," Dad said.

I rolled my eyes and walked out the door. I got in the back seat of the car and stayed quiet. We left the house and were on our way to the Davidson's house which was only a few blocks away.

When we got there, I got out the car and followed my parents to the door. Dad had rung the door bell. Mrs. Davidson answered the door.

"Hello, come on in," she greeted.

We came in and followed her to the party. The big backyard had been transformed into a formal, yet festive venue. Tea lights, strung from the trees and the balcony of the house added to the illumination already given by the moon. The guests conversed amongst each other, pausing occasionally to sip their champagne or to taste the hors d'oeuvres offered by the caterers. Moments later, a middle aged woman approached us.

"Linda," my mother said, "you remember my daughter, Taylor, don't you?"

I smiled, politely, though my smile hid how I really felt, which wasn't good at all. "Here we go again," I thought to myself.

No sooner had I finished my thought, when Linda commented, "Oh, but of course I remember her. My goodness, you have grown into quite a nice young lady, and you are looking more and more like your mother."

"Mom, I…"

"Taylor, here comes Isaac," Mom interrupted.

Isaac came up to us with a fake ass grin.

"You have got to be kidding me," I mentally said.

"Hey, Taylor!" Isaac said.

I could see through his "nice" demeanor.

"Hi," I said flatly.

My mother eased her way over to my father, leaving me to deal with Isaac and Linda.

Linda smiled. "I know that your father is very proud of you, Isaac."

"Well I try my best!"

I rolled my eyes and walked away. I was stopped by numerous people asking questions and talking about my parents and how much I have grown. I was so tired of hearing the same thing. I couldn't wait to get back home.

It was nearly midnight and everyone was getting ready to leave.

"Can I have everyone's attention please?" Max said.

Everyone was quiet and had their focus on him.

"I would like to say that I am so glad that everyone came to support this company!" he smiled. "I am very proud of the employees, who have worked so hard to make this company what it is. We are all family. We have watched our children grow. Now it's almost time for us to pass this on to our children. To my son, Isaac. I am a proud father!"

Everyone clapped and turned looking at Isaac. I looked at him in disgust and frowned.

People were starting to say their good-byes and leave. I knew my parents weren't leaving anytime soon.

"Aren't you proud of me, Taylor," Isaac said putting his arm around me.

I jerked away and slapped him. "Don't touch me." I knew a couple of people saw what did but I didn't care. I went back inside the house to the front door, walking out and slamming it behind me.

"Taylor!" Isaac called.

I kept walking.

"Taylor, you are just going to embarrass me in front of all those people and leave?"

"You would have loved it if I let you have your way!" I answered furiously.

"You are not leaving!" he said catching up to me and stepping in front of me.

I stopped. "Move!"

He just stood there. "You think you can just get away with what you just did?"

I glared at him. "I said move!"

"You are going to go back in there with me and you are going to act right instead of being so bitchy!"

"You don't tell me what to do! I'm going home!"

"No your not!"

"You only use your last name to get what you want. You have a girl under you every day and you even got a girl pregnant!"

Isaac looked at me in anger. "That's a lie!"

"You didn't think anyone would know that, did you? You need to watch who to tell your business to or just keep it to yourself!" I glared at him. "You weren't going to tell anybody. Probably was going to pay the girl off to keep quiet."

"You and Danforth are fucking around. You wouldn't want anyone to know about that would you? Mr. Mckessie's innocent little girl is not so innocent!"

I glared at him then slapped him harder than I did before. He almost fell to the ground. "If you dare try to make a big issue out of something that didn't happen, I will be your worst nightmare! You go to hell, asshole!" I shouted.

I wanted to be alone so I decided to walk home. I actually went the other direction because I just couldn't face my parents. I was walking through the neighbor, just looking around. It was so quiet and peaceful. I was still angry but I had to let it go.

"Taylor!"

I saw Chad sitting on his porch. As always he was there when I needed him. I slowly walked up to him and sat beside him.

"The party didn't go so well did it?"

"How did you know about it?"

"Well Isaac was bragging about it in the locker room."

"He has no reason to brag now that I told off."

Chad gave me a shocking look. "In front of everybody?"

"No, I wanted to but I didn't."

He shook his head.

"What?"

"I knew you would do something like that."

"It shouldn't be surprising."

"It's not, I know how you are."

"How do you know how I am?" I asked him.

"I just know."

"But what if I'm not like how you think I am?"

Chad just shook his head and smiled, "That's not possible and even you know that."

I smiled. "You have it a lot easier than me."

"Why do you say that?" he asked.

"Because your parents give you respect and the space you need. You don't care what people say about you, the way you handle situations…people respect you," I admitted.

"It's not all that easy. But life's life and I just have to tough it out and take whatever comes."

"I just want to make my own choices. I want my parents to understand how I really feel. I don't want to be treated like a baby or for people to think of me as a bitch."

"Is that so?" he asked, moving slightly closer to me, "well I think you have already showed your parents that. They probably have a good idea of how you feel."

I gave him a smile but with confusion, "What's that supposed to mean?" I asked him.

"Even though they will always think of you as their little girl, you can and have changed that," he said to me, "and you're different than the rest of all the other girls. Nobody would think that you are a bitch. You don't have to talk about other girls just to make yourself feel better, your honest, smart, funny, dependable, have a great personality and very beautiful," he explained.

I smiled and looked down biting my lip as a sign of nervousness. I was just so surprised that he thought of my like that. I couldn't believe how much he knew about me. "You're the only one that can see that," I replied.

"Others can see that too, they are just too stuck up and trying to be better," he paused looking at me, "to me you're perfect just the way you are."

He leaned over to kiss me. The kiss was slow. I pulled back and just looked at him. I wanted more.

"You always seem nervous or something after I kiss you."

I shook my head. "No, it's nothing like that. It's just I don't know why it is so easy for you to kiss me like that. I hope that whoever you end up with doesn't take advantage of you. I hope that you don't take advantage of her and be there for her like you're there for me."

"I'll keep that in mind. It's late, I'll take you home."

"Ok."

We got up and went to his car. The drive was calm and quiet. As we pulled up to my house, my heart dropped. Chad got out the car and opened the door for me. I got out closing the door and Chad leaned against the car.

"Thanks for the talk."

"No problem."

I smiled and turned to walk to the door. But then I felt that I needed to do something.

"Chad."

"Is there something else wrong?"

"No," I said smiling.

"What is it?"

I leaned over to him and kissed him lightly.

"I really do appreciate what you said and did for me. You're a really nice guy."

"Taylor…."

"Yes?"

"….Never mind. You should get inside now."

"Ok," I said softly.

After our final good-byes, Chad got in his car. Once he drove off, I went inside. Luckily, my parents were asleep. So I didn't have to worry about hearing them ask where was I and how worried they were. At that moment, I had a reason to not worry anymore. I know that there will be more I have to deal with but, I knew I could handle it.