Zac grumbled and rolled over. “What is it?” he asked.
“I need Tabitha’s phone number,” Isaac called back.
“Go bother Taylor for it,” Zac said.
“Taylor left for work already, now come on, I need it,” Isaac said.
Zac knew that Isaac wasn’t going to stop until he got what he wanted, so he reluctantly got out of bed.
********
Taylor looked at his reflection in the mirror of the bathroom at Rite Aid once more before heading up to the front. “Taylor you were Harry Potter last week,” Shelly said.
“Duh, Shelly this is Harry Potter Quid ditch. There’s a huge difference,” Taylor said seriously.
“Whatever, get on one,” she said as she walked away shaking her head.
Taylor stood behind the counter and took a crumpled piece of paper out of his pocket.
********
Monica walked into Rite Aid with a huge smile on her face; all she could think about was Zac. She headed down the aisle to wear the shampoo and soap was. She started filling her basket when she heard some static and then Taylor’s voice.
“Um hi. Attention customers, friends, employees, my name is Taylor and last night I did some thinking about Shelly and I just think that she’s fantastic. So I wrote this poem about her and I’d like to read it to all of you now:
Shelly that eats half my wedge, she sometimes wants to bash my head
She puts up with my ballet , and always makes it a happy day
Although my costumes drive her nuts, she laughs because she likes my little butt
Shelly is great, she is never late, she is one of a kind, and always blows my mind
If ever you’re to need me just call, I’ll be the one to catch you when you fall
Thank you, have a nice day and get wedges at KFC, my brother Isaac is the manager there, thank you,” Taylor said.
Monica slammed her items down on the counter as she watched people pouring out of Rite Aid. Taylor must be too weird for them. “Hey you use Pantene, so do I, it makes my hair so silky,” Taylor said.
“That’s because you’re a faggott, so why don’t you ring up my purchase and go get fucked in the ass,” Monica said nastily.
Taylor turned bright red. “That’s harsh,” he said as he handed her, her bag and receipt.
********
Zac opened his door and handed Isaac a piece of paper with Tabitha’s number on it.
Isaac took the paper and hurried to his room. He grabbed the cordless phone and sat on his bed.
Tabitha was getting out of the shower, when she heard the phone in her room ring. She raced to get it, almost tripping over her poor dog, who was lying in the hallway. “Hello,” she said.
“Hello, May I speak with Tabitha please?” Isaac said into the receiver.
“Speaking,” she said.
She knew it was Isaac and her heart skipped a beat. “Oh hi, it’s Isaac,” he said.
“What’s up?” she asked.
“I was just wondering if maybe you wanted to hang out today. We could grab some lunch, or do whatever. I want to make it up to you, for being such a bad friend all of these years,” he said.
“Yeah, that sounds good. What time?” she asked.
“How about say, 12:30?” he asked.
Tabitha looked at her clock that gave her exactly an hour. “Ok,” she agreed.
She hung up the phone and started rummaging through her drawers franticly.
********
Monica was almost home, when her cell rang. “Hello,” she asked.
“Hi baby doll Can you come over? I want to talk to you, about something,” Zac asked.
“Ok,” Monica said.
******** Taylor punched out for his break and knocked on the door to Shelly’s office. “Come in,” Shelly called.
“Did you like my poem? I wrote it just for you,” Taylor said.
“Yes Taylor it was very nice,” Shelly said. She just wanted him out of her hair.
********
Tabitha stared at her outfit once more. She had on a pair of short khaki colored shorts, a pink halter top, pink flip flops, and a puka shells necklace. She turned on the blow dryer and started to blow dry her hair. A few moments later she applied eyeliner, lip gloss and she hurried down the stairs to wait for Isaac.
********
Monica hurried up the walkway to the Hanson home and Isaac nearly knocked into her. It was the first time she had seen him since she dumped him. “How are you?” she asked.
“I’m ok,” Isaac said.
She wasn’t sure if he was telling the truth and she tried to read him. “You’re in quite a hurry,” Monica said.
“I’m on my way to go see Tabitha, we have plans this afternoon,” he said.
“Well have fun,” Monica said.
She was slightly hurt by the fact that Tabitha didn’t tell her that Isaac had remembered her name or even spoke to her. Monica rang the bell and found Zac waiting. “Hi,” she said.
“Come on in,” he said.
“So what’s this that you needed to talk to me about?” she said.
“Will you be my girlfriend?” he asked as he handed her a small bouquet of roses he had just cut from the garden out back, which was evident from the bleeding cuts on his hands.
“Oh. Of course I will. Now let me come and clean up your hands,” Monica said.
********
Isaac knocked on the door and Tabitha answered it immediately. “Hi,” Isaac said as he checked her out slyly.
“Hi,” Tabitha said as she stared into his gorgeous brown eyes.
“So I didn’t want to drive to your house, that’d be pretty silly considering you live next door, so I figured we’d walk over and get my car unless, you want to go somewhere nearby, then we can just walk,” he said.
Tabitha smiled. “We can walk, it’s cool,” Tabitha said as she shut the door behind her.
“You look great,” Isaac said to her.
“Thanks,” Tabitha said shyly.
She could feel her cheeks getting red. “No really you do. You look really good,” Isaac said.
She blushed. “So I was thinking about you all night,” Isaac said.
“What?” Tabitha asked.
She was in shock. “I mean you and this guy. I’ve been trying to figure out who it is,” Isaac said.
“Oh,” Tabitha said trying her hardest not to sound disappointed.
“It’s not Ned, Jeffrey, or Tacquito is it?” he asked.
“No, it isn’t. Thank you. I’d hope that if I did love one of the three of them, that I’d be able to land one of them, I mean they are like the bottom of the barrel, not that I’m all that, but I at least have my teeth,” Tabitha said.
“I didn’t mean it, like that, I just meant, I would think that you were totally out of your mind, if you did like one of them,” Isaac said.
“Well, you can put your mind at ease, because it’s definitely not one of them.”
“So do you want to grab lunch or something?”
“Yeah, how about we grab some pizza? Is that ok?” Tabitha asked.
“Yeah sure,” Isaac said as they crossed the street and headed to the pizza parlor.
Isaac rushed ahead to make sure, that he opened the doors for her. “Can I have a slice and a coke?” Tabitha asked the man behind the counter.
“Make that two,” Isaac said as he took a seat at the table across from Tabitha.
“You’re sixteen right?” Isaac asked.
“Yes I am why?”
“I’m just brushing up on my facts. I don’t know you and that really bothers me,” Isaac said.
“Well, it’s your own fault that you don’t know me. I’ve been at your house to see Taylor and Zac many times over the years,” Tabitha said.
“I know and I’m sorry. But speaking of Taylor, he drives me crazy. This morning he left wearing his Harry Potter Quid ditch costume. How do you deal with him?” Isaac asked.
“He’s sweet. He’s like the brother I never had. I just think his strangeness makes him who he is,” Tabitha said.
“So do you work?”
“No, my mother won’t let me,” Tabitha said.
“That’s what dads are for, they give their little girls whatever they want,” Isaac said.
“My dad left six years ago. Don’t you remember all of the things your parents did to help me and my mother out?”
“I’m sorry. I … “
“It’s ok. I know that you were popular in school and you had your whole social thing going, why would you remember if my dad left?”
“I certainly should have. I was kind of an ass, you know, not knowing your name. It was never intentional, just me being in love with me. Back then I had a big ego, and I look back on things now that I’m twenty-one and I’m not that cool or good-looking. It was like a reality check,” Isaac said.
“If you can’t be humble then you can’t grow emotionally,” Tabitha said.
“You’re sixteen and you’re smarter than me, just like my sister,” Isaac said.
He didn’t realize that what he said would cause severe damage to her heart. There was a bit of an awkward silence. “The food is up. I’ll get it,” Tabitha said as she hurried to the counter.
Isaac followed quickly. “That’s $7.48,” the man said.
Tabitha reached into her purse. “I got it,” Isaac said as he handed the man a $10.
“Well, here let me give this to you,” Tabitha said.
“Put your money away,” Isaac said as he carried the plates back to their table.
“No, I want to give it to you,” Tabitha said.
“No, really, let me,” he said as he put his hand on top of hers.
The feel of his skin against hers made her tingle slightly. She smiled at him. “Thank you,” she said.
“So what else is there to know about you?” he asked.
“What do you want to know?” she asked.
“What’s your favorite color?”
“Blue.”
“What’s your favorite song?”
“More Than Words.”
“Cats or Dogs?”
“Dogs.”
“Are you a virgin?”
“What?” she asked.
“Are you a virgin?” he repeated.
“That’s a very personal question and considering that you’ve only decided to talk to me now, after sixteen years of living next door to you, I’m not going to answer that,” Tabitha said.
“I’m sorry. I was just…”
“You were just what? Wondering if you could score on your innocent, little neighbor, I have to go,” Tabitha said as she finished off her coke.
“No please don’t. I have a bad habit of putting my foot in my mouth,” Isaac said.
“I’m sorry. I have to go,” she said as she walked away.
“Call me,” he shouted after her.
********
Taylor came into the living room wearing his pink bathrobe, over his pajamas, and pink bunny slippers, with his hair up in a butterfly clip. He had a bowl of popcorn. He was planning on calling Tabitha, like he always does when “Pimp My Ride” comes on, so they can watch it together. He picked up the phone and someone was on the line. He was about to hang up, but then the conversation got interesting. “I’m touching myself right now, imagining your lips around clit,” Monica said.
“You like my lips baby?” Zac asked.
“I love them,” Monica said.
“What about your lips? What are you going to do with them?” Zac asked.
“Suck your cock,” Monica said.
Taylor sat with his legs crossed and munched on his popcorn. This is better than MTV, he thought as he tried to keep from laughing. Taylor now had enough to embarrass Monica the way she did to him at Rite Aid. He clicked the phone off gently and turned on “Pimp My Ride”. Walker came into the living room and stared at his son with fright. “Son we need to talk,” Walker said.
“Ok Daddio,” Taylor said.
“Is there anything you want to tell me?” he asked.
“No,” Taylor said.
“Goddammit boy. Are you gay?” Walker asked.
“WHAT? Me no way,” Taylor said.
“Well, that’s what everyone is saying around town,” Walker said.
“I’m in love with Valerie,” Taylor said.
“Valerie, across the street?”
“Yes,” Taylor said.
“Do you think she’s going to love you when you dress up in these fairy costumes and act like a faggot?” Walker scolded.
“Yes,” Taylor said.
He honestly believed she chose him. “Well, I don’t like it. Don’t let me see you wear pink, or bunnies or anything else girly in this house. Do you understand me?” Walker scolded.
“Yes,” Taylor said as he shook his head.
No one could see what a free spirit he was and it hurt him. “I’m going to take my bubble bath,” Taylor said.
“Taylor I’m warning you,” Walker called after him.
Taylor shrugged his shoulders and ignored his dad. He knew everyone who picked on him was only jealous.