Bright Angel
Chapter 9
Melissa: It wasn’t long before I started to think everyone was pretty sick of my crazy shopping rampage. It was fairly obvious that I didn’t get to go to the mall too much and it was hard to get me out of it when I did. It seemed, however, that Taylor was the only one who put up with it pretty well and we were really starting to hit it off, which made me a very happy girl. We meet back up with the other two at two in the food court tagging Zac along behind us who spent half the time complaining about how hungry he was. “Zac, here’s a 10, go wild. Just shut up about the food thing,” Taylor handed him a fresh 10 from his wallet and with a “thank you,” the starving 15 year old tottered off with Hillary trailing right behind. “Those two make a really cute couple,” I pointed out to him. “ I know, it’s kinda funny; I didn’t think there was anyone energetic enough to handle him. I guess I was wrong. They really hit it off today.” “Yea, they did,” I smiled at him and he returned it with a grin. “So where did Clover and Isaac go for lunch again?,” he asked me. “ I think they were headed for Chickfila.” “Oh, yea, that’s right. So what are you up for?” “Um…I don’t know. Too many choices.” “Well, I think I’m going for Pizza.” “Ya know what, that sounds really good. Mind if I join ya?,” I asked him. “Not at all, as a matter of fact, I was just going to ask ya to.” I laughed as we walked over to Sabaro Pizza and got in line. “2 slices of Pepperoni please,” Taylor told the guy behind the counter when we finally wedged or way to the front. All of a sudden, I heard to shrill voices behind me. “Oh my gosh! Is that really him?” “Well, he’s really been exposed now,” I thought as I saw one of the three girls, who looked as if they were about to shit a brick in pure shock that one of the Hanson boys was at “their” mall, tap him on the shoulder. “Taylor?,” a brunette in a bright blue tube top screeched, “Can I get an autograph and a picture?” The other girls behind her squealed as he answered politely, “sure.” He reached in the pocket of his blue jeans for a pen and taking the paper she handed him, scribbled his name on it and gave it back to the owner. “Oh my gosh,” one of the other girls almost yelled. He just smiled at me and I thought I was going to laugh out load. Then came the picture; one girl held the camera as the girl in the blue tube top tried to get as close to Taylor as she could. He looked at me and I knew what he was thinking, which made it even harder now not to laugh. After the picture, the girl tried to give him her number. He sweetly replied, “I can’t take that actually; I’m seeing someone. Sorry.” I felt his soft warm hand slip into mine and then out again as the line moved forward and he was forced to dig through a pocket for the $10. “Oh, HER,” the girl said in a snobbish attitude. “As a matter of fact, yes,” he said and smiled at me. I could have melted on the spot! It was so sweet and I couldn’t believe it. Could Taylor Hanson actually like me? Did he see something in me that other guys failed to notice? Moreover, with all the girls he could choose from, why me? I felt a tap on my shoulder as the snobbish girls walked across the food court and out of sight. “You’re holding up the line.” “Oh, I’m sorry!” I moved down the line to meet Taylor at the register. “You know, you didn’t have to pay for mine,” I flashed a smile. “I wanted to,” he told me. “That’s so sweet, thanks!” “Anytime!” Picking up or trays we fought the crowds in search for the rest of or group and spotted Zac flailing his arms like a mad man and Hillary giggling as if she had just been given a ton of laughing gas. “Its about time ya’ll got here,” he informed us. “You have no idea, we got attacked by the scream squad,” Taylor told him the whole story as Hillary and I hate our lunch. “No way, man. That must have been awful and she offered you her number!!!” With that, Zac erupted in a fit of laughter. “How sad,” he said. “I know,” his brother assured him of the pathetic attempt by the girl in the tube top. “Melissa, bathroom,” Hillary eyed me across the table and excusing ourselves, we headed for the ladies room. Before entering, I noticed the two screaming girls from earlier behind us making their way in the same direction. After telling Hillary, she pulled me by the arm and we made a mad dash for the bathrooms before either of the girls saw us. “Dude, if they saw you, there’s no telling what they might do to you. I mean, you’re the girl who was with Taylor Hanson,” Hillary informed me of the danger of being seen by them. Just then, we heard voices and footsteps at the door. “Stall, quick,” Hillary shouted and I slammed the door of the 5th stall shut. “Can you believe that girl he was with,” one voice said. “I know, she was such a hussy and you know she’s only into him for his money and fame.” “She even looked fake. Did you see what she was wearing,” the voice came across disgusted. “How could Taylor go for something like that?” “ Christy is so much better than that skank, he should have taken her number and ditched the hoe.” At that point, I began to realize just how mean people could be. They didn’t even know me, but they were talking about me like I was the girl who had purposely stolen a boyfriend from them. “ Open the door right now,” I heard Hillary whisper from the next stall over. I opened the door to my stall to see two girls in crop tops and daisy dukes. The looks on their faces were priceless. I looked over at Hillary whose face was turning a crimson red and knew they had messed with the wrong person. “Excuse me, I believe you were talking trash about my best friend! Now you listen to me! This is one of the sweetest people I have ever known! I don’t know where you two hoes come off saying shit like that. You don’t even know her. As for Taylor, you’ll be more than happy to know that he was the one pursuing her & not the other way around. She’s not that shallow like you!” I looked over at her and tugged at her arm, “It’s not worth it, Hill, let’s go.” “No, I’m not done yet. As for her sense of style, I don’t know anyone else who’s got a better one than her. You should really look at yourselves before you judge that. You look like you just came off the Jerry Springer show!!!” At this point, I dragged her out by force. Before the bathroom door shut, she managed to get out, “and for the record, I’m dating Zac!!!!”
Chapter 10