"Taylor!"
I spun on my heel and my face lit up. I saw that my friends were waving to me from our table. With my lunch in my hands, I walked over to my friends. Yeah, I said it, friends. I sat down next to Gabi and she stole a fry off of my tray. I glared at her, and she stuck out her tongue. I popped a French fry in my mouth. I have no idea how my own group of friends would make the popular kids hang out with different people. Personally though I think it has something to do with Gabi being a social butterfly and making friends with anyone, except for my sister. That was the one person that Gabi would not talk to.
At first it was just Gabi and I in the losers club then a new girl came along, Sharpay. She came from a different state and everyone labeled her the Ice Queen, when Gabi started talking to her the ice melted. Then next thing I know my friend count went to three. Then Sharpay's brother Ryan came along too. So then it jumped to four. Then a mousey girl named Kelsi transferred into my biology class. With Gabi, Kelsi and I having a giant group project, that we aced, we became closer. So now she sits with our little group.
Now, how Jason and Zeke came to the group is where it gets a little weird. The way that Sharpay tells it, Zeke is in love with her, and she's in love with his cookies so they automatically made a couple. And as for Jason and Kelsi, no one knows how that one happened. They're just…Together. Oh, I didn't tell you the best part, Zeke and Jason are on football team with Chad. So you know what that means, I still have to see Chad. Not on a day to day chart but when I do see him, I skirt around everyone.
Because if there's Chad around, then Analina is not too far behind. Everyone knows that I need to stay clear from her, because of what Gabi started and finished; Analina's popular count has dropped to her closest friends only. Analina isn't too happy about that. She also isn't happy about everyone knowing my name and being on a friendship level with me. Again, not relevant.
"So, you guys are all coming to the game tonight right?" Zeke asked as he polished off his pizza.
"Of course, as long as no one runs into Chad afterwards for Taylor's sake." Sharpay joked.
I didn't meet anyone's eyes. They knew why I skirted around Chad. I didn't talk about Chad, and Chad didn't talk about me it was the way that I liked it and the way it was going to stay.
"Maybe we can get Gabi and Troy hooked up though."
Gabi blushed and my stomach turned into a knot. I knew that Gabi had some sort of a crush on Troy but Troy, was a player. Gabi could do so much better than a player, but word from the boys said that Troy found Gabi to be this… Interesting person. As long as Gabi stayed interesting and nothing more, then I could live with it. I told Gabi countless times that Troy and her would never work out. Once a player, always a player.
"Shar." I warned.
Sharpay put her hands up in the air and kissed Zeke on the cheek. No other word was said about the Troy thing and we all continued to eat our lunch.
"What team?"
"Wildcats!"
"What team?"
"Wildcats!"
"Get cha head in the game!"
I couldn't believe that we won. I also couldn't believe that I had fun at a sporting event. My friends kept the promise to keep Chad away from me and I stayed away from Analina, mission accomplished. Although Gabi did go somewhere and she never came back and I was becoming worried. Then I saw Gabi's head appear at the bottom of the stairs. Her face held a frown. When Gabi finally got to where I was, her face still held the frown.
"Taylor? Can we talk for a moment?"
"Of course."
Gabi sat down next to me on the bleachers and we wait for everyone to clear out to.
"Gabi? What's wrong?"
"Taylor? You're my best friend and I think you're going to be uber pissed when I tell you this."
"I doubt that. What is it?"
Gabi bit her lower lip. "Uhh Troy asked me out on a date and I told him yes."
When I came in the house, I tried not to slam the door. I succeeded. When Gabi told me that Troy Bolton asked her out on a date I didn't get mad. At first. I told her she was her own person and if that's what her heart wanted her to do then she should do it. When I walked home though I was storming mad. Troy was going to hurt one of my friends and there was nothing I could do about it. All I could do was play the role of a good friend and dry her tears when Troy left her high and dry. Nothing could seriously get worse than tonight. Nothing.
"MOMMY!" Analina screamed.
Grace flew down the stairs and looked over at me and Analina. "What is it Analina? Are you okay? Is Taylor okay?"
Analina waved her hand in my direction. "Mom, is it okay if I have a friend's family over for dinner on Friday?"
Grace's face lit up. "Well sure sweetheart." Grace turned to me. "You can have someone over too Taylor."
"No thank you, I think I'm going to spend Friday night in my room doing homework."
Grace turned to me. "Now Taylor, you know we eat dinner as a family in this house."
I hung my head. I was having a silent tantrum in my head. I didn't want one of Analina's dry friends over for dinner, it would just annoy me.
"No, sis it would be great if you brought someone over too for Friday."
Grace and I both looked at Analina when she said this. She was being sarcastic right? Analina hugged Grace and bounded up to her room to call her friend. Gosh, maybe I should try to stay the night with Gabi and overlook the whole Troy thing.
I couldn't believe I had to get dressed for this dinner. I just also couldn't believe that Friday roared its ugly head here already. It was just one of Analina's stupid friends, Cassie was wore too tight of clothing, Lily just wore the clothes that no one should have any business looking at and Carmen, she was the only one that I didn't mind too much. I still minded her, but not to the point of stabbing myself in the eye with my fork tonight. Maybe I could stab myself in the eye with my fork, accidentally of course.
I continued to fix the places at the table when the doorbell rang.
"Taylor? Can you get that for me?" Grace called out.
I walked to the door, praying that it wasn't Analina's friend yet because dinner was nowhere near done and that would mean I'd have to play small talk. Talking would not be required for me tonight. I was going to eat as fast as possible and take my plate into the kitchen, wash it and dash upstairs. I begged Grace for that much anyway. Desert was not on my agenda. Opening the door I froze, I suddenly wished that it was Analina's guest.
"Hello kid sister."
I forced a fake smile on my face. "Aiden and Justin, you two are home from college."
Justin and Aiden and I did not mix well at all. Well it was more of they favored Analina better and I was just some adopted person that took room in their house. Justin liked me though, on the sly when no one was around he'd actually melt his exterior and he would be this awesome older brother that I would brag to anyone. If he actually acted that way when people are around.
"Where's my Nala cub?"
"DEN! TIN!" Nadine screamed.
Nadine latched herself to Aiden and Justin's legs and they peppered her in kisses. Grace and Jessie came out and hugged their older boys. Brock and Analina came out too and they had this awkward family greet thing, while I stood back. I ducked into the dining room and bee lined to the kitchen. When the older Johnson boys came home I made myself scarce, I could tell when I wasn't wanted so I took that time to do a lot more things on my own. Such as stock up food in my bedroom so I never had to leave my room for food. Taking this as an opportunity, I grabbed snack food and quickly rushed it up to my room while my family was hugging each other.
Since the boys came back tonight, I would stay in my room until Analina's friend came over. Hopefully I wouldn't have to show my face till dinner was on the table and I could sit down and just stuff face and get back to my room. Of course that wouldn't happen because Grace knocked on my door.
"Taylor?" Grace poked her head in my room.
"Yes?"
"Can you go downstairs and check on the roast for me? Nadine spilled something on her dress so I need to find something else for her to wear."
I nodded my head. "Sure."
As I walked down the stairs, it seemed that no one was down stairs but me. I guess I should have been glad Grace sent me down here because I could sneak more food up to my room. Poking my head into the hot oven, and not knowing if the roast was ready the doorbell rang again.
"Fudge." I muttered under my breath
"Taylor? Can you get that?"
Sighing, I grab a hand towel and dry my hands off and I walk towards the door. Please let it be Carmen, please be Carmen. I placed my hand on the doorknob and turned. When I put on my smile on my face it quickly slid from my face.
"Oh hey there Taylor."
"Chad? What are you doing here?"
Chad held up flowers. "Your sister invited us over for dinner."
Faking a smile as I saw Chad's parents coming up to the door I ushered everyone inside then I began to wish that I would have asked Ryan to come over to dinner after all. Today just couldn't get any worse than it already had. No wait, it already did.
