"Hold on, baby, you're losing it, The water's high, you're jumping into it, And letting go... and no one knows, That you cry, but you don't tell anyone, That you might not be the golden one, And you're tied together with a smile, But you're coming undone..." -- Taylor Swift 'Tied Together With A Smile'
21
She threw her head back in laughter as they watched 'Just Friends' in Teddy's living room. It was her favorite movie, and when in the mood, she could quote it word for word. Teddy had been laughing at her the entire time, "You're crazy."
"I am not," she poked his side playfully.
"I can't believe you know every word to this movie."
"Its the funniest movie ever," she laughed. "Well, after Vacation, but still... Its one of my favorites."
He gave her a kiss on the cheek before getting up and heading towards the kitchen. "You need something to drink?"
"Sure," she smiled as she followed him in. The first thing she noticed was a picture of Calli and Teddy, smiling in front of a fancy little car that looked like it belonged to Calli. "Thats a cute picture." She was just trying to be nice, of course, because had she been alone with the picture, she just might have torn it to pieces.
"Yeah. We had just been to the beach," he told her. "Hence the sunburn."
"Oh yeah, I barely noticed," she commented. "The color red must like you."
He rolled his eyes as he turned around and handed her a can of Sprite. "I know you hate Sprite, but its the only thing left. Literally, I don't even have food."
"So let's go shopping," she told him and shrugged.
"Really? Are you serious? You actually want to go grocery shopping?" He laughed.
She smiled and nodded. "I know its silly, but I love to go grocery shopping, especially at Wal-Mart, because there's just more than groceries and you can look around and basically get lost."
"Sure," he laughed as she rambled.
"OK, you've convinced me." He smiled at her. "Let's go."
- - - -
"Oh I love that shirt," she laughed as she walked through the clothing section.
"You shop at Wal-Mart?" He laughed. "I've never seen a girl who actually wants to get their clothes from here."
"Don't laugh at me," she hit him playfully. "It saves money and plus most of them look just as good as something from the mall." She grabbed a black three-quarter henley-style shirt and a pair of dark blue jeans in her size.
"So are you excited for Hawaii?" He asked when they were finally able to leave the clothes.
"Not really. I mean, I am, but I know that I'll end up not having any fun, so..." She shrugged as she pushed the buggy alongside Teddy.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, every time I go somewhere with them, I get hurt or sick and I end up having no fun at all," she laughed. "I've broken my arm, got food poisoning, and been stung by a jellyfish and a stingray at the same time."
"Well, hopefully you won't fall into a volcano or anything," he laughed.
"Thanks for jinxing me now," she joked and he laughed.
"I'm sorry, I'll personally make sure that you don't fall into a volcano." He said as he put his arm over her shoulders as they continued to walk down the cookie isle. "Oh, Oreos."
She rolled her eyes at him as she grabbed the cookies and threw them into the shopping cart then continued their trek through the store.
- - - -
"So how's Calli doing?" She asked.
"She's... Good." The pause he put into his statement made her wonder.
"Yeah? Thats good. Is she going to Hawaii?"
When he didn't answer for a minute, she almost thought he was going to say he hadn't mentioned it to her. "Yes she is."
"Thats cool. Maybe we'll all get more time to get to know her better. I mean, I know that Lauren didn't care for her, but thats just Lauren." She continued to talk. "But she is sort of quiet, which makes me think that she totally despises all of us."
"She doesn't despise you guys. She just... She doesn't warm up to people quickly. Especially other... Females."
"Females?" She snorted. "You makes us sound like a pack of lions or something."
"Well, girls are... Rough with each other. Just take LC and Heidi on The Hills." He laughed. "Thats rough."
"You just compared us to The Hills?" She laughed as he pulled in the driveway. "You actually watch that show?"
"Calli makes me watch it with her. Plus its really addictive," he said defensively as they unloaded his groceries. "Its like crack."
"OK." She laughed. "Hurry up, I need to get home so I can get ready for The Shop."
"Yes ma'am." He joked as she playfully punched his shoulder.
- - - -
She actually felt good. Even the rain wasn't affecting her, and in fact, it was actually making her happy. She loved the rain and the way it smelled, and when she was in a bad mood, she never stopped to actually watch it and listen and smell it.
She had even put on make-up and curled her hair loosely that night, which surprised everyone.
"You look so cute!" Lauren squealed as she got up from their usual table and gave her a friendly hug.
"Thanks," she laughed. "I got this entire outfit today."
"You actually went shopping?" Lauren's mouth was hanging open.
"At Wal-Mart," she laughed as she and Teddy giggled at each other as Lauren rolled her eyes and threw her hair in the air in defeat. "Where's Ty?"
"Oh, he's waiting to go on stage," Hailey told her. "He totally shocked us all."
She pretended to be just as surprised as they were, when she actually knew all about it. She watched as he played the same Dustin Kensrue song he had played for her at the baseball field, and when he finished, she was the first one to jump up and clap for him.
"I'll be back," she said as she grabbed her own guitar and took the stage.
"She's in a really good mood," she heard Marshall say as she walked away, along with everyone's agreement. She liked her mood, and she wasn't sure what had made her feel the way she did. It may have had something to do with Teddy, it may have just been an unconscious even that just clicked in her mind, or it may have been because of her new lab partner. Or maybe she had just found a really good way to fake it.
"So this song doesn't have words," she laughed into the microphone as she began to play slowly and then built up to the medium pace of the song.
She watched as her friends listened along and swayed as they gave every sign of enjoyment. Not until now did she notice that her song sounded like a country song. Being from the south she had grown up around the genre and she had always liked it, but she never actually saw herself playing it... Until now.
As she finished, she noticed the familiar person sitting in the back of the room smiling at her as he watched her jump off the stage and join her group of friends.
"That was so good." Marshall gave her a hug. "You most definitely can write a good country song."
"Shut up, I'm not looking for fame." She laughed.
"I know," he gave her a hug and released her so she could sit down.
"Oh, um, I'll be right back, I saw someone I want to say hi to," she said cheerfully as she walked to the small table towards the back of the room.
"Well, aren't you full of surprises," he smiled at her.
"I didn't know you lived around here."
"I do," he laughed. "I come here a lot. I've seen you play before."
She blushed as she looked down at her feet for a brief moment. "So I just wanted to say hi."
He nodded and continued to smile that addictive smile, "Hi." His voice was so deep that it was almost soft and quiet, which she found a little sexy.
"So I'll see you at school Jason," she laughed.
"See you at school, Tessa," he waved as she re-joined her friends who she knew had been watching the whole time.
"Who was that?" Hailey was the first to ask.
"A friend from school."
"A friend you're not going to introduce us to?" Cooper opened his loud mouth.
"A friend who is leaving," she said as she looked to the door and waved at him as he left.
"You're acting weird," Brady spoke up. "I think we need an intervention."
"What are you guys talking about?" She laughed.
"He's right Tess," Teddy added. "Ever since we hung out earlier you've been all cheery."
"What? I can't be cheery?"
"Its just not how you've been lately," Marshall chimed in. She noticed that Ty hadn't said a word since seeing her talking to Jason.
"Well, maybe I just subconsciously realized how stupid I've been acting, and now its time to get over it and move on," she said. "But now I think I'm going to go home. I have homework to do."
"You have to go?" Marshall asked.
"What? Now I can't do my homework with out looking like a crazy person either?" She laughed. "Anyone else want to leave?"
Ty stood up silently, and without saying a word to anyone, he followed her out of the building. "So what's going on with you?" She asked curiously as they got into her car and she began to take the long way home.
He shrugged quietly. "I just... I don't know."
"Whats wrong?"
"Nothing, I'm fine now," he told her as she passed his street without realizing it. "You just passed my street."
"You want to come over?" She asked curiously as she chuckled a little.
"I guess I have no choice now," he laughed as he played with the zipper on his red jacket. When they finally reached her house, she parked the car in her driveway and then made their way up to her room.
