Chapter Four
“Hey, Cory, look, there’s Isaac with a girl! What a bimbo! Look at what she’s wearing! Ew!” Anna exclaimed, looking out the window. I followed her nasty gaze and saw the girl. I crinkled up my face and shook my head.
“That’s just sad! He’s a mega-star and he has a girlfriend who wears really short skirts! What do you expect Anna?” I stated sarcastically. Anna smirked.
“Well, I expected better that’s all. I wonder if she’s his girlfriend…” I rolled my eyes at Anna’s last statement. She was starting to get on my nerves.
“Who knows? Who cares, Anna? Don’t worry about it. But don’t go spreading rumors that he has a girlfriend. Maybe it’s their cousin, I don’t know.”
“Why would Taylor and Zac leave so quickly, and why would they… be… doing… that…” Anna trailed off as she stared out the window at Isaac and this girl making out with such vigilance, I wondered how they breathed.
I shut the curtain as I said, “I’ve never seen two people go at it so rough. Well, maybe their family is incredibly close.” Anna smirked again.
“Oh, well. Their's always that new hottie at school…” Anna replied slyly.
“What?” I exclaimed. “You homeschool, or did you just figure that out?”
“Oh, no no no no no! Ee, my parents, zey like to, how you say, teach other kids,” Anna joked, in a Transylvanian accent, her best accent, among the very big library of them. Partly because she is part Transylvanian, and her mother has that kind of an accent. Anna’s parents, Nathan and Eloise Robins, were the home-schooling coordinators in the west part of Tulsa. They took on students who had just moved and taught them for awhile, in addition to their own five children, or taught children who’s parents were ill or away, much to the dispair of the kids.
“Oh lord, Anna Banana. Not that accent again…” I groaned. “So who is this one? Frederick? No, that was the last one. Could it be Ricky? Ricky Martin? Or is it just another Taylor Hanson look alike?”
“Well… at least you can’t blame me! You’re the one who was practically gettin’ it on with the real thing!” Anna laughed.
“So it is a Taylor Hanson look alike. And what’s this one called?”
“Rocky. Well, that’s his nick name, but he sure has a hot butt… oops… did I say butt?” Anna joked at my prudeness on swearing. I smacked her on the side of the head.
“Moron. Why would you want to go out with a guy named Rocky? I mean that dude before Freddie-boy, uh, Ficus, he had a weird name, but no one cared because he looked so good. But I’m not so sure about this Rocky dude. I think you’ve run out of all the decent hot guys out there, Anna. I still think that Ficus is a type of fungus though.”
“Cory,” she sighed, “you have no idea what he looks like.” Anna stuck her hand down her pocket and came up with a miniature picture in my hand. She shoved into my hand, and I brought up close to my face. A guy with penetrating deep-brown eyes and blonde hair stared up at me with a big grin. His teeth were in nice alignment and very white. His tanned skin looked so smooth, despite the shine in the picture.
“Wow, he’s gorgeous!” I breathed.
“I’m tellin’ ya’! He just moved here from California. And,” Anna started to ring her hands, “I have a date with him tomorrow night!” Anna and I squealed and jumped up and down, holding each other’s hands. Suddenly Anna let go of my hands and cleared her throat.
“What?”
“It’s hot in here… do you want to go take a walk?”
“A walk? Um, okay, where?”
“I don’t know. Just where ever.”
“Okay, but let’s invite Serena. I don’t want her to feel left out.”
“Okay, come on, let’s go!” Anna ran out of the room as I peeked out the window facing the front. Suddenly, I knew why she had “gotten hot” all of a sudden. Taylor Hanson was walking down the street, staring up at the sky.
I wonder what Isaac finds in Audrey. Maybe it’s because she has a bigger-than-average chest. I seriously doubt that. I know Isaac is better than that. Maybe she seduced him or something. Maybe there’s something I don’t know, like some string that binds them together. I seriously think that she is bad for him. I mean, what if they get married? Then I’ll have a slut for a sister-in-law. Not to mention if they have kids. Audrey is just pulling down Isaac. I mean, I just don’t see what he sees-
“Hey Taylor!” a bubbly girl ran up to my side, rudely interrupting my thoughts. I looked over at her and was about to flash her my world-famous smile, but that’s when I realized who it was. It was Corri- I mean Cory’s friend. What was her name? Annie? Adrian? Anne?
“Hi,” I smiled. “You’re Cory’s friend, right?”
“Yeah, Anna. I’m so flattered you remembered!” she giggled. I rolled my eyes when she turned around.
“Hey, Cory, are you coming or what?” she yelled. Not another person… well, it is Cory. She’s so cool. And she’s pretty, and nice. She seemed to have a good sense of humor. I know I like her. But still, how could I, when I just met her?
“Hello…” Suddenly Cory was right beside me.
“Hey,” I grinned at her.
“If you want us to leave you alone, just tell us to go away,” she smiled. It was if she had read my thoughts.
“Nah, it’s okay,” I said. I liked being around Cory, it was just the other chick that was bugging me.
“You sure? You’d looked kind of spacey there, Tay…lor,” she gulped. She tried to call me Tay! Maybe she does like me…
“Oh… I was just thinking.”
“Oh, ye-“
“About what?” Anna interrupted Corr- Cory with about the nosiest question.
“Nothing in particular,” I lied, my face turning bright red. I saw Cory nudge Anna in the corner of my eye.
“Well, we were just taking a walk around the block because my nosy little best friend here needed to air off. So I guess I’ll see you tomorrow, huh?” Cory chuckled, as Anna gave her a nasty look. I laughed and nodded.
“Yeah, see you!” Anna and Cory turned the corner once we met it, both smiling and waving to me. What a pair, I thought. What a pair.
“Anna!” I screeched, once Taylor was out of hearing.
“What?” she asked innocently. We got close to the corner and stopped, right beside the stop sign. Anna looked me straight in the eye and looked at me with her sweet look.
“Honestly!” I sighed. “You asked TAYLOR HANSON what he was thinking! Big no-no! He’d have told you if he wanted you to know!” I stumbled backwards, using my whole body to role my eyes.
“I didn’t know! I’m sorry!” Anna exclaimed, frowning at me. We started up our march again, giggling about how nice, but very reserved Taylor was.
“He was very sweet,” I smiled.
“Yeah… you are so lucky!”
“And you are too!”
“Why?”
“Because you just happen to be my best friend,” I laughed. Anna turned her head to me and shook her head.
“Don’t flatter yourself,” Anna said dryly. I laughed again.
“Oh my gosh Anna, I was so embarrassed, I almost called him Tay! I’m such an idiot! We need to stop calling him that when we’re talking about him. It becomes a habit and then WHAMMO! He’s right in front of our eyes.” Anna chuckled at my comment.
“I don’t think he minded. In fact, I think he enjoyed it.” “Nah…”
“No, he got a little smile on his face! I think he really liked it!” I rolled my eyes as we started to approach my house. But first, we had to go by the Hanson household.
“So, Corrine. How about a little paintball?” Anna said rather loudly, referring to the paintball guns Serena owned. I widened my eyes at her warningly.
“Anna, it’s almost 8:30! And almost dark,” I insisted, gesturing to the world around me.
“So?”
“So, let’s just go inside. Besides, I’m tired. Long day, you know?” We reached the front door without any Hanson encounters. Anna and I went inside to find Serena stretched out in the middle of the kitchen floor, with a light green plaster smothered all over her face and cucumber slices covering her eyes. A bowl, filled up with what looked like the remnants of the green face plaster, sat next to Serena. Anna and I screamed, jokingly.
“It’s a monster! What in the world! No, it’s, it’s, it’s a REPTILE!” Anna pretended to faint, and I laughed.
“Okay, Liz, what are you doing?” I joked. Serena reached up and plucked the cucumbers away from her eyelids, as Anna got up, and the two of us went into a karate pose. Serena opened her eyes and turned over on her stomach so she could see us.
“Facial, and I am trying to relax. I don’t want to look like crud when I see Zac!” Serena explained, turning back over onto her back. Anna and I cracked up once again.
“I think he’ll be afraid if he sees you like that!” I hollered, as Anna and I left the kitchen. I could hear Serena muttering something, but didn’t bother. We jogged up to my room, and collapsed onto the bed when we entered.
“What a day, what a day,” I sighed. Anna nodded.
“I can’t imagine what it must be like to have Taylor fall desperately in love with you at first- HEY!” I had hit Anna over the head with a pillow to make her shut up. I giggled.
“You’re a dork, you know that?”
“Am not! I’m a freak! No, I’m a chicken! Cluck, cluck, cluck!” Anna was walking around the room, her hands jabbed into her armpits arms swinging back and forth, and moving her head to the front, then the back. I cracked up, and smacked my hand on my head.
“Okay, you’re a chicken!”
“Thank you.” Anna sat back down on the bed and laughed.
“So, what college are you applying to?” I asked.
“What? That’s not till next year! Sorry to break it to ya’, but we’re still juniors,” Anna sighed.
“It’s never too early, Anna. I’m thinking of applying to Yale. It sounds really cool.” Anna started to giggle.
“What?”
“Remember when we were little and promised each other we’d go to the same college?” Anna grinned. I laughed and nodded.
“We wanted to go to O.U. Hey… we both want to get out of here,” I narrowed my eyes. “How about we both apply to the same schools? Yale, Bryn Mawr, Stanford, Harvard… Juilliard.” I said. Anna nodded.
“Yeah! Great idea! Good thing we have the same killer grades. And me with my writing skills, you with your artistic skills… we could be a team after college!”
“Um… okay.”
“What?”
“Well the stories you write aren’t kids books. They’re for young adults and adults.”
“That’s true. Oh well. It was worth a shot!” Anna grinned. “I have another idea. You’re a great singer and writer. And I can play basically any instrument. We could put together a band!” I groaned. This was going to be a long night.
I walked into my room to find Zac and Isaac sitting on opposite side of the room glaring at each other.
“Aren’t we in a bad mood tonight!” I said, looking back and forth between the two.
“No, it’s just that I won the game, and Isaac keeps saying that he did.”
“What were the scores? What game?”
“I had 15,080 bucks, and Ike had 15,079. I keep telling mom Ike needs to go back to school!”
“Whoa, whoa, hold it! Since when did you two start gambling?” Isaac rolled his eyes.
“It’s Monopoly, you moron!”
“Oh, okay, then Zac won. No hard feelings, guys, okay? And I’m not a moron,” I retorted. I looked at the two, who were staring up at me, when suddenly Zac turned and faced the window.
“Dang.”
“What?” I asked, coming over to the window and looking outside.
“They didn’t pull the curtain back up.”
“What do you expect, Zac? They don’t want guys like you snooping.”
“I am not snooping. I just like to amuse them.” I rolled my eyes.
“Uh huh. I’m sure, Zac. Real sure.” I went over and smacked Zac.
“Hey! What’d you do that for?” I shrugged. I walked over to my bed and laid down, sighing deeply.
“You’re tired already? Geez, Tay!” Isaac complained. He had now settled himself in front of the TV. I rolled my eyes.
“Ike, you’re going to be falling asleep in front of the TV. I prefer to fall asleep on my bed, thank you very much! But I was planning on reading. This Andy Warhol book never ends!” I laughed, an exasperated tone filtering my mouth. I reached under the bed and tugged onto the first thing I felt. I came up with my leather pants.
“Aha! I found you…”I said to my pants, giving them a good shake and throwing them at the hamper. Zac turned around from his seat by the window and gave me a strange look.
“What?”
"Sometimes I worry about you, Tay,” Zac replied meekly, and turned back around to face his natural entertainment. I rolled my eyes, yet again, and went back to finding my book.
“Cory, what would you do if Taylor actually does like you?”
“I don’t know Anna. And, he doesn’t, I’ve only known him for about two hours. I’m not talking about this anymore, Ann. Subject is closed.”
“You know, nobody would belie-“
“They won’t find out, because I’m telling you this in confidence. If I hear you tell anybody I will first humiliate you, and then kill you.”
“Okay, okay!”
“So, what’s going on with Shawn lately? How are those soccer games going?” I asked with a sly grin spreading slowly across my face. Anna rolled her eyes.
“He’s won every single one. Made practically every goal. Happy now?”
“No. He’s captain, right?”
“Yes he is.”
“Oh, I wish he liked me too.”
“Corrine, get over him! He’s my brother! It’s just sick! And there is no way he likes you. Shawn is already in college. There’s just no way.”
“I think he does. The last time I called when he was home, we talked for about an hour!” I grinned.
“That’s because he likes you as a friend. I don’t see any way that you two will hook up, okay?” I scowled at Anna.
“Meanie.”
“So…”
“What should I wear tomorrow night?” We asked each other in unison. Anna looked at me, and I looked at Anna, and we both cracked up laughing. We were dressed in P.J.’s now, both in pajama bottoms and a shirt. I was rolled up inside my comforter, and Anna was in a ball, covered in a blanket on the other side of my bed.
“Okay, I’ll tell you what to wear first. Your occasion is a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Mine is a mere date.”
“A mere date? The last date I had was with Jack. And that was about… seven months ago.”
“Girlfriend- you haven’t had a date in seven months? Lord! You must get lonely!” Anna laughed, smacking her hand down on her covered knee, her voice coated in a southern accent. I rolled my eyes.
“No. Actually, I’m perfectly fine.”
“Well, that makes tomorrow night even more important. Okay… think, think…” Anna tapped the side of her head.
“Do you still have that light blue tank top?” I nodded.
“And do you still have your black pants with the shine?”
“Yes.”
“And you still have your black sandals?”
“YES, Anna! I haven’t gotten rid of any of my clothes!”
“Okay, okay! Gosh! Okay. Tomorrow, I’ll help you get ready. And you can help me get ready, okay?”
“Okay. Sounds good to me. What time is it?”
“Uh…” Anna looked at the clock behind me. “9:10. My word, and we’re already in our pajama’s! Girl, we should be out partying!” I nodded in agreement.
“Yeah. But I’m still seventeen, so clubs are kind of a no-no. And Serena’s here. I always feel bad when we leave her all alone.”
“Yeah, right. Okay, should we watch a movie? We can always order one.”
“Sure.” We unwrapped ourselves from the blankets and pulled them up with us. As we started to leave, Anna hopped over to the window. She tugged on the cord and the curtain flew up. I looked at her confused.
“A little bit of teasing won’t hurt,” she said, a little smile playing on her lips.
“Teasing? What teasing? Why do you want Hanson to see us in our pajamas?”
“Oh Cory. I have so much to teach you,” she sighed. We giggled, looked out the window at the Hanson brothers, Taylor holding up a pair of pants, talking, Isaac settled in front of a TV, and Zac looking at Taylor, and ran downstairs to order a movie.