I walked up the steps quietly, trying to avoid all the gazes that seemed to be drowning me. I held my breath, locking my eyes on the glass door I was trying to reach as I strained to stand up right. I finally found the place I belong, I'm applying to the local Tulsa news, I want to be the live anchor. Of course, no one wants to hire a six month pregnant, twenty year old. But, Taylor knows the boss, and they seemed to be very interested in me. I hope so. How good would it feel to have a job to support this baby. My books, sure, they are selling like crazy over in Europe, and I am making the money off of it, but if you really think about it, how long can I rely on that?
"Amanda London, is that you?" I felt a hand on my arm, and then I saw a face. A tall dark man, he looked about Twenty-Three, and he seemed to know me very well, from the shock in his deep hazel eyes.
"Hello." I said, stuttering. Who is this guy? Why does he look so unbelievably familiar? Why do those hazel eyes scream at me, the way they do? Are they holding a secret, something dark and lost? Something I should remember? Nah, couldn't be. I mean, c'mon. I just saw Matt a little while ago, maybe I'm still alittle shaky, I'm sure this guy is fine. Right?
"How are you doing?," he looked me over, his mouth almost hitting the floor when he noticed how round I was, "Pregnant?" I nodded at him, speech- less, who is he? "How far along are you?"
"Just about seven."
"Taylor, I'm assuming?" he questioned me, and I smiled in reply. "That's great news. I'm surprised the newspaper's haven't picked it up yet. How's Davey?" He knows Davey? How does he know Davey? Is he suppose to know Davey? How does he know me? God, those eyes, why do they look so familiar?
"She's fine."
"How far along is she now? Eight, nine months?" his eyes were deep with surprises, and I felt almost uncomfortable standing there with him.
"Almost eight in a few days."
"That's great, look sweet-heart, I have to be running, but I wish everyone well. Tell the guys I said hello, and Zac: I hope he and Davey are doing well." he leaned forward, kissed my cheek and turned away. I stood, gap mouthed, watching him. Who was he?
- -
Closing my eyes to soak in the world around me, I took a few deep breaths to stay calm. People were chatting wildly, their paces quickened by the daily dose of excitement. Maybe I don't belong here? Especially not with a baby, I'd have to be stupid to not recognize the signs. I sighed outloud, and tears sprung to my eyes as I turned around. I have to get out of here, I don't belong here. Blinking back tears that kept coming, I rushed back to my car.
Where can I go? Taylor's going to be home? I can't possibly go home to him smiling at me, he'll want to know everything that happened. Choking back on sobs, I started the car and headed toward December's house. I can go there!
- - - -
Isaac stared at me, could he tell how I just turned down the opportunity of a life time? Maybe he was just tired, knowing him he just woke up before I got there, and it's almost past noon now. Yawning, and wiping my now swollen red eyes, I sat down on the couch, almost sighing outloud with comfort. The cushions were big and soft, and they seemed to swallow me. I placed my hands on my belly, and softly rubbed around my belly button. Maybe my baby will kick, but please don't, I begged. Of course, the baby has kicked before, but only for Sammy and I. Taylor's never felt her kick, and if she kicks now, I'll have to kick myself in the ass for it, because I could be home with Taylor right now.
"Do you want some pizza, Amanda?" Dee called from the kitchen. I smiled, shaking my head.
"Nah, I'm all set. I had a good sized breakfast." Okay, I was lying. All I had this morning was two bowls of ice cream, and a half cup of orange juice. I hate orange juice, but it's good for the baby. I was nervous, and when I get nervous, I can't eat. I'll throw it up, and that would of been horrible. It's bad enough my morning sickness was carrying on longer then it should of been, but it's over now. Thank goodness.
"So everything's okay?" Isaac asked, arching an eyebrow at me. I nodded, almost debuting whether or not to lie to him.
"As good as it could get, I guess?"
"So...then, uh, how was your day?" Why is he blanketing me with these questions? He knows, doesn't he? He must know.. he must know that man scared the crap out of me, he must know I ditched the interview, god, why am I so afraid?
"Weird?" I replied, I wasn't exactly lying.
"Why was it weird?" December asked, walking into the room, a big bowl of ice cream in her hand. My mouth water, ahh, she knows me soo well. I thanked her as I gladly took the bowl from her hands. I spooned my mouth full before I decided to answer her question.
"I ran into a man today, I'm not exactly sure who he was, but he seemed quaintly familiar. He seemed to know everyone, he wanted me to wish Davey and Zac well. He acted like I've known him for years, and that I would instantly know who I was talking too." I said, rolling my tongue along the sides of my mouth to capture any bits of ice cream that might be hiding away.
"Did you recognize him?" December filled her own spoonful of ice cream and raised to Isaac's lips. He shook his head, but smiled a thank you anyway. I watched silently as Isaac and Dee gazed at each other for a moment, his hands resting around her waist, the other hand on her thigh. Taylor and I use to be that way, when I was only fifteen. That's alright though, December and Isaac deserve each other, they really do.
"I recognized his eyes, but that's it. It was weird."
"His eyes? Why would you recognize his eyes?" Isaac asked me, raising a questionable eyebrow at me. He's got to stop doing that, or else I'm going to have to be getting rough with him. It's bad enough my day went horrible, I don't need him looking at me like I'm a retard. Honestly.
"If I knew, would I be shaking?" I questioned, raising my hand even with my face, so we all could see how my hands were shaking. Of course, I wasn't shaking because of the man, I was shaking because my hands were numb from the bowl of ice cream I held in them.
"Well don't get all freaked out until he gives you a reason to be." December said, giving her rational advice out for free, as she always did.
"Dee! You don't even know how freaked out I was! Honestly, I was standing there absolutely dumbfounded, and I know he knew I didn't know who he was," I sighed, straining to lean forward, as I placed my ice cream bowl down. The whole bowl was still full, but as tempting as it was, I didn't want to eat it. "I mean, when he kissed me, I felt something go off. Like, an alarm in my head just started going off. I freaked out and left."
"He kissed you? You let him kiss you?" Isaac questioned, almost throwing himself off the love seat where he was perfectly comfortable. That's Ike for ya, always jumping up to protect. C'mon, I'm going to be Twenty-One next year, I just turned twenty.. I don't think I need Big-Man-Ike to protect me anymore. I have Taylor, and I have my wits. That's all I need, so he's got to stop jumping on me like this!
"Not a kiss kiss, but yeah, he kissed me."
"So he kissed you?" Ike accused, damn him. What's his problem? I closed my eyes, and the man's face flashed in my view. I almost jumped, it startled me. Those eyes, those hazel eyes, something about them made me shiver and melt at the same time. But regardless, my entire body tensed, those eyes.
"Just on the cheek, honey. Sit down." December placed her hand across Isaac's chest and applied a light force to get him to sit back down.
"Yeah, just on the cheek." I held my breath as I opened my eyes and collected all my strength to boost myself to a standing position. "I hate to be a bother, so I better be going. Taylor's expecting me home anyway. Thanks for the ice cream, I'll call you later sweetie." December got up, and grasped my elbow as she help lead me to the door. She leaned over and kissed my cheek.
"Call me around nine, Ike'll be out." She whispered in my ear as she pulled away and opened the door for me. I smiled, said good-bye for a second time, and walked out.
- - - -
Zac looked around, god, it's hot, he thought to himself. The weather had been getting more and more beautiful with every hour that passed, and the fact that he was home alone didn't exactly excite him. Taylor had just left with Davey, they were both going to the Pharmacy, so they decided to go together. Taylor was driving, of course, Zac made sure of that. It was bad enough that he had to worry about me driving, he didn't want to carry around twice the burden.
Sighing outloud, obviously restless and annoyed, he stood up and crossed the living room. He approached the window, trudging the whole way there, and let out a low groan as he tried to open the window. It was jammed, just his luck. It had to be difficult, it didn't want to just be nice and open smoothly, it had to make his day even worse, right? Groaning outloud this time, allowing the whole house to hear his aggravation, he roughly pulled the blinds all the way up and gazed out the window. Something caught his gaze. What was it? It glimmered from beneath the tree branches, but he didn't think anything off it. He rolled his eyes, and mustered up all his strength to force open the window. There, it was a light, that's what probably caught his eye a few minutes ago. Ignoring it a second time, he realized it was probably just the reflection of the sun on a car door. Huffing, and swearing loudly, he finally rammed the window all the way up, slamming it in it's frame.
Sighing in relief, heaving out his chest, proud of his accomplishment, he stuck his head out the window and sucked in a deep breath. He told himself to look down through the thick brush of the tree that stood tall beneath him. He felt eyes on him, his heart slammed in his chest. He shrunk slightly back inside the house, and looked out the window. A black car, it was a shiny Jetta. It was parked, obviously wanting to be hidden by the tree's dense foliage. The windows weren't tinted however, and Zac strained to see further into the car. He stretched out the window more, remaining quiet and low-key. A face appeared in his gaze, eyes, hazel eyes stared him down. Those eyes, he's seen them somewhere, where though? Holding his breath, Zac changed his gaze and looked down the street. Finally, when the thought the eyes were away from him, he looked back. The face of a man, a familiar man, stared him straight in the eye. He quickly gazed over the man, everything, it was so readably familiar. He held his breath when he looked the man in the eye for a second time. Those eyes! Those eyes, they belong to Duncan. Duncan Cassandra, is that who that bastard was? Gasping, Zac quickly with-drew himself back into the house and pressed himself against the wall. Panting, he wondered what was going on. What the hell was Duncan Cassandra doing there? Why would he be there? Holding his breath, Zac stepped in front of the window and stretched out it again, this time gazing down the street, to look less obvious. That's all he needed, Duncan already hated the three Hanson brother's and myself for throwing his ass in jail, Zac didn't want to do anything that would upset him.
His eyes peered at a car, it was Taylor and Davey. Crap! How did Duncan manage to arrange that so perfectly? Zac gasped, his heart and mind jumping to the thought of Davey and the baby, for their safety. But why would Duncan be after Davey and the baby? He doesn't even know about the baby, nor does he know about Davey...but if he's not after Davey, who's he after? Zac blinked, his mouth falling into a gap. Taylor. Groaning outloud, Zac quickly pulled himself back into the house, and he rushed for the closest phone. Picking it up, he dragged the phone and the base toward the window, dialing #2 quickly. Taylor's cell phone number, was number two on the speed dial, just for this reason. He held his breath as he stuck his head out the window again, this time his eyes immediately searching for Taylor's car. It as gone? Where was it? When the car appeared again, a voice came on the line. "Davey? Put Taylor on, quick."
"Zac? Are you okay?"
"Davey, put him on."
"Alright," she handed Taylor the phone, shrugging as to what Zac was so panicked about. "Hello?" Taylor questioned, openly confused.
"Taylor, slow down on the gas alright, damn," Zac felt out of breath, he could hear his heartbeat in his ears. "Look by the big oak in the front yard, do you see that Black Jetta parked by it?? Duncan's in it, Duncan's here. Taylor, turn around right now, seriously." He watched his brother's car, his eyes darting back and forth from Davey to Taylor's face. "What the hell Taylor? Just freakin' turn around, alright?"
"Zac, Zac, there's no Jetta by the tree. What are you talking about Duncan for?" Taylor was confused, and his blood was pumping in his veins, Duncan, ahh, he hated Duncan. Duncan made Taylor's body temperature rise in anxiousness to feel his hands around Duncan's neck, he hated Duncan Cassandra with a passion.
"What?," Zac looked beneath the foliage, the car, and Duncan, were gone, "Where did he go? Tay, I'm telling you, Duncan was right there. I was starring him in the face no more then three minutes ago."
"The heat's obviously gotten to your brain, man, go stick your head in the shower. Shut the window, and get inside." Taylor hung up the phone and turned into the drive way of his voice.
- -
He turned off the car, and looked at Davey, "Stay in the car until I open your door, okay?" Without waiting for an answer, he quickly got out of the car. He slammed the door, and quickly rushed down the driveway, roughly halting when he reached the end of the side walk. He looked both ways down the street, and as if he had blinked and didn't see it, Taylor saw the rear end of a Black Jetta swiftly turn the corner. Gone, the Black Jetta was gone. But, Duncan....where was Duncan? Taylor's mind and heart screamed in his ears, his mind being bombarded with questions and thoughts. He was in a daze when he approached the car and opened the door for Davey come out.
"Are you alright?" she asked him, raising her eyebrows at him. He nodded, blinking briefly to make sure he wasn't dreaming.
"I'm fine, I was just checking something out on the car."
"You were checking the car, from the sidewalk?"
"Yeah, I was. C'mon, let's get inside." Taylor placed his hand on her back and quickly guided her toward the house. Checking the car, that's all he was doing, just checking the car.
do u dare..
