It's been FOUR WHOLE DAYS! I can't believe I lasted that long in the wilderness with my closest friends for THAT long, without indoor plumbing! Sorry to have kept you waiting!
Gabriella held a crackling sparkler in one hand, and Troy's fingers laced through the other. I watched as they made their way through my backyard to the picnic tables holding bunches of friends, but a part of me was still nagging that everything was out of place. I swung my legs over my windowsill and waved to my friends across the lawn. I wasn't ready to join the fun. My mother's 'There's a Great Chance That We're Going to Get Out of Here' party was a great hit, but one person was missing.
Mom turned on the white Christmas lights that were strung from the backyard picket fence as night began to fall. Pinks and oranges were being casted through the sky, just like that time at the creek, giving me just the tiniest bit of hope. Maybe he would forgive me. Maybe he would realize that even if I moved a thousand miles away, that we would somehow still be connected. And maybe, this entire mess would disappear, like the dwindling flashesspark on the sparkler Gabriella held. I turned my head to the right and took note of my empty bedroom, reminding myself for the millionth time, that even if my problems were to vanish, I'd still have the memories, and that was just as bad.
The music below became louder, and a sudden cheer rolled through my tiny crowd of friends. A picket fence gateway swung open, and my heart skipped two beats. I skipped the feeling of surprise, and let excited questions fill my head. But everything boiled down to one thought: Why was he here? Across the backyard, as far away from me as possible, Chad and I locked gazes with each other.
I leaned against the frame of the window, never diverting my eyes. Was this a silent apology? Chad never looked away, taking a few more steps into the backyard. Closer. I wanted to jump up and scramble to throw dirty clothes under my bed and rip embarrassing posters from the walls, but I remembered that there was nothing to hide. Chad disappeared from sight and I suddenly heard the slam of our front door closing behind him. I straightened my crisp white T-shirt on my body, hoping to calm my nerves. I glanced back to the party displayed in front of me. Everyone seemed to be tuned into something else, but I could tell that they were eagerly waiting to see what would happen next.
He sighed as he came through my open bedroom door. I never looked his way. "What happened?" he asked. I hands nervously curled over the edge of the window. My knuckles felt dead. He hadn't even said hello. "Taylor?" People glanced our way as he swung his legs over the windowsill as well and joined me. I looked up to the sky seeing the familiar colors again. Did he think about that night at the creek as much as I did? "Okay, so I screwed up." he spilled. "I shouldn't have gotten so angry at you, but Taylor, you just can't leave." Was this seriously tearing him up that much?
I nodded as if I agreed and understood. But truthfully, one more question swirled in my head. "Why is it so important that I don't leave?" I asked quietly, not wanting to draw anymore attention to us. But with Chad sitting so close, it was almost as if our surroundings and peers had melted away. I waited in anticipation for his answer, not caring of it was good or bad.
"Are you kidding me? Look around." Chad laughed lightly. And I did just that. I came to realize that he was talking about my friends. They cared about me. I saw Gabriella smiling warmly in my direction. I saw Zeke copying a recipe from my mother. It was all coming into perspective for me, that even if I didn't have that 'father figure' in my life, that I still had friends who loved me just the same. I suddenly felt warmed. "So forget about your dad, Taylor. He doesn't know what he's giving up. Forget about it and just..." his voice trailed off and he shrugged. "And just..."
"And what?" I gave a small smile. His loss of words sent the butterflies in my stomach topsy-turvy. "Just what,Chad?" I looked back across the lawn, and it was as if everyone was holding their breath at once. My mother seemed to be the only one oblivious to what was going on on my bedroom windowsill. And maybe it was for the best. Before I knew it, my face was being pulled away from the crowd. Chad had a finger crooked under my chin, and his smiling lips set me in a state of near insanity.
He said what I was hoping he was going to say. "And just..." his voice came to a whisper. "Kiss me." A hand was tangled in my black curls. Another hand braced my back as Chad put all of his weight into me.The tips of our noses touched, and I felt his breath tickle my upper lip. My arm folded into his chest as he continued to pull me closer, and everyone really did melt away. Chad's mouth covered mine, and it was almost like it was the answer to all of my problems. I found myself pressing against him harder, his tongue going past my parted lips. Then suddenly, we were spinning. It truly felt like it, and the next thing I knew, my head was pressed against somethig prickly. I snapped my eyes open to see mytwirling ceiling fan through the corner of my eye and a very satisfied Chad draped over me. "Sorry." he said sheepishly, rolling off of me.
All I could do was smile and let him help me up from my bedroom floor. I straightened my shirt once more before peering out of the window. A few snickers were popping out of the crowd, but other then that, it was as if they were willing to forget seeing me fall out of my bedroom window if I was. But it was still mortifying. I suddenly felt a hand on my waist and lips to my ear. "That was nice." Chad whispered. All I really wanted was to recapture the feeling of Chad's lips on mine.
I took his hand, looking out to the sky once more, realizing that this day most definitely topped the day at the creek. "Let's go." I smiled, leading Chad out of the room, out of the house, away from the mess that I called my life. And for once, I let it all go, had a good time, and let myself feel complete. And most definitely happy.
Didja like it? Please Read and Review!