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Post by Kourtni on Apr 8, 2009 16:35:45 GMT -5
Aw. That was cuteeee!
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Post by smile♥ on Apr 12, 2009 22:34:01 GMT -5
"You won't be seventeen forever..." -- Metro Station 'Seventeen Forever' 7
I'm not sure how a simple dinner with my parents had ended with me and three other people lying on the high school football field after a two-on-two game of impromptu football. But it was fun. One of the most fun nights I've had since the time Emma and I helped the rally girls t.p. the football players' houses.
We weren't supposed to be here, which was the fun part. The football field is holy to these people, and anyone caught on it - no matter what they're doing - is in deep trouble with Buddy and the football boosters.
I started laughing as we all laid there, staring up at the sky. You could actually see the stars from the field tonight because the big lights weren't on anymore. The timer had turned them off at eleven.
"What are you laughing at?" Tucker asked. I was just as surprised as anyone when he called me a few days ago to apologize for what I had heard. He said it had been bugging him for a few days.
I guess I had a soft spot for loyal football players. But that didn't mean his friend Teddy was off the hook.
I shook my head and sat up. My dad and Justin were working on finishing off the twelve pack they had picked up on the way.
"My friends will never believe me when I tell them that I snuck in to the Dillon freakin' High football field and risked paying the major consequences."
"Why not?" He asked as he opened a beer for himself, which was only his first, and probably his last. He offered me a sip, and I was surprised when I actually took it. I hadn't done that in years.
I shook my head. "Because I am predictable. You could set your watch by me."
"You don't seem predictable to me," he laughed. "I remember the night I caught you and Emma Harris and the rally girls rolling my front yard. I didn't say anything, of course, because what's Dillon without a little fun, right? But I'm sure the coach's daughter and third in her class didn't tell her parents she was out with Dillon's easiest rolling yards until one o'clock in the morning, right?"
I smiled and nodded, "Ok. So I wasn't predictable then... But now I am."
"Hey Mads!" Justin called. "Ready to go? My knee is killing me!"
Justin had blew out his knee in the last game of his senior year, which required major surgery that he was still trying to pay off and cost him any chance of going to a big college. It still bothers him, and he could have more surgery, but in a small town like this, not many people could afford it... Unless you're Buddy.
"Yeah!" I called and turned to Tucker, but he was already standing and holding out his hand to help me up.
"You play a mean game of football, Clarke... For a girl!" he laughed as we made our way home.
- - - -
"Oh it was so fun!" I told Not Saying. It had been two and a half weeks since I had last talked to him. But it was ok, because he's busy.
"It sounds like it." He laughed.
"What about you?"
"Oh, I got a lot done actually. I've got a lot of time off now, so I'm going to see a friend." He told me. "Oh! And I rode the ferris wheel in Chicago. It made me feel seventeen again."
I smiled and laughed as I looked at the photo album that was still occupying a spot on my dresser.
"Yeah. Seventeen is the perfect age." I was feeling nostalgic tonight. "I loved it."
"It was good for me too. I wasn't nearly as busy then as I am now... But I didn't have to worry about bills and all that nonsense..." He chuckled, a little bitterly.
We were both quiet for a while, and it was nice. Just listening to each other breathe. It was like we were there with each other, just enjoying a little comfortable silence.
"What's your name?" he asked softly. I was surprised that it hadn't come up again until now.
"Lyla," I partly lied. It was my middle name. "Its my middle name."
"But you don't go by that?"
I shook my head, even though he couldn't see me, "No."
"Well, I guess its better than Not Tucker." He sighed. "Its cute though. Perfect for a southern girl like you."
"Are you calling me a redneck, Not Saying?" I laughed, even though I knew he wasn't.
He laughed, "No, I actually think its cute. It reminds me of this girlfriend I used to have... She was from Texas, actually. It wasn't very serious, but it was one of those summer romance things."
I knew exactly what he was talking about. "I never pictured you as the summer fling type of guy. Not Saying, are you going to break my heart?" I joked, and he laughed.
"I'd never break your heart, Lyla." He said it so soft, and it was sweet, even though it was just two friends in a just friends kind of relationship. We were just kidding, but he sounded so serious.
I held the phone between my shoulder and my ear as I pulled my curly blond hair back to make it look slightly less... unruly.
"Hey Mads!" Justin called from the kitchen. "What do you want on your toast?!"
I laughed. "I guess you heard that?"
"Yeah. Isn't it a little late for toast?" Did he not hear Justin call me 'Mads'? Or was he just ignoring it?
"I haven't been to the grocery store in a while. Its all I have, really, so Justin and I are making it work until tomorrow."
"Have fun trying not to starve." He joked and I rolled my eyes.
"I'll try," I laughed. "Next time?"
"Next time," he laughed. "Not Tucker?"
"Mmmhmm?"
"I think I might possibly have a crush on you," he said shyly.
I couldn't form words. I mean, I had been feeling the same way, but I was afraid to speak it because of the circumstances. I mean, they're not exactly the most accepted terms of meeting...
And just as I was finding my words again, he hung up.
- - - -
I wasn't sure how long I stared at the phone that night. It was dark in my room except for the glow of the television, and all I could really pay attention to was the phone. How could one moment on a friendly phone call leave me feeling so confused and giddy at the same time?
Its ringing again, and I don't have caller ID, so I wouldn't know if it was him again or not. What do I do? What if its not him? Who else would call at ten minutes 'til midnight on a Thursday?
"Hello?"
"Madison?" It was Tucker.
"Tucker? How did you get this number?"
"I asked your mom," he told me.
"Oh."
"I - I'm sorry its so late. I was going to wait, but..." He stumbled through his words. "I just... I was wondering if maybe you'd like to go out sometime... With me?"
"Oh."
"I mean, if not, thats cool.. I just thought..." He sighed.
"Yes."
"Yes?"
"Yes," I laughed, and he let out a sigh.
"Ok, um... So tomorrow will tomorrow night be ok?" I had asked off tomorrow night because it was the big East Dillon High - Dillon High football game and I had promised my dad I would go to that game, for him.
"I was going to the game, actually. I kind of promised the coach..."
"We could go together? And then we could go somewhere after, maybe?"
"Yeah, sure. That would be cool." I said. I wasn't acting like myself tonight. But I liked it. I had been trapping my old self inside for a long time.
And when I think about it, Tucker is cute. Blue eyes, messy blond hair and dimples when he smiles.
"Ok. Um, I'll see you tomorrow then." He was excited now, and I couldn't help but grin.
"Yeah, see you tomorrow," I laughed and hung up the phone, then crawled under the covers to fall asleep.
I could feel myself returning to the old me. The old me used to be outgoing and silly and fun. And I missed that. But the old me is coming back... Slowly.
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Post by Kourtni on Apr 13, 2009 11:28:29 GMT -5
I wonder how this date with Tucker is going to go. It'll be interesting, that's for sure! Can't wait for more.
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Post by smile♥ on Apr 16, 2009 13:56:23 GMT -5
Yes it will be interesting... ...Remember how Justin still has thing for her? ...And remember how 'Not Saying' said he was going to get a break for awhile?? Those will most likely come into play. :0)
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Post by Kourtni on Apr 17, 2009 6:36:47 GMT -5
Yep, yep. I'm anxious to see how all of that pans out. Haha.
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Post by smile♥ on Apr 18, 2009 17:29:10 GMT -5
Where is everybody?? I guess its a good thing I have a bit of writer's block since no one is coming to read this right now...
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Post by xtedheadx on Apr 18, 2009 18:14:21 GMT -5
Scratch that idea I'm here! No worries though I realize writer's block sucks. Take your time. Yes it will be interesting... ...Remember how Justin still has thing for her? ...And remember how 'Not Saying' said he was going to get a break for awhile?? Those will most likely come into play. :0) ^fact: You sure do have me pretty excited to find out.
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Post by live.love.laugh on Apr 22, 2009 11:52:17 GMT -5
i'm waiting! haha
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Post by smile♥ on Apr 23, 2009 0:13:48 GMT -5
"You've got me right where you want me." -- Jesse McCartney 'Right Where You Want Me' 8
"Why are you even going out with this guy? Didn't he make you cry or something?" Justin asked as he watched me search through my closet for something to wear. It really shouldn't be this hard to find something. Its just the football game and dinner after. Why am I making this harder than it has to be? Why am I holding a dress that doesn't even belong to me?
"You're not wearing that are you?"
"Its not even mine," I laughed as I hung it back up and began searching through my clothes once again. Finally I came up with a pair of comfy jeans and a maroon, black and grey plaid shirt that only buttoned halfway down the shirt. It still had the tags attached and I wondered why I had never worn this before.
"Thats more you," Justin laughed.
I changed clothes right there in front of him, which made him nervous. It was easy to see because he began tracing the door frame and his face even turned a light shade of pink. I thought nothing embarassed him, but apparently, he wasn't as big of a womanizer as everyone had once made him out to be.
"I'm gonna go, uh, get a quick shower," he mumbled as he made his way out of the room just as the phone began to ring.
I walked to my nightstand, but it wasn't there. I checked my pillow, but it wasn't there either. I dug through the tangled mess of sheets, and finally I found it.
"Hello?" I asked, out of breath. Apparently fighting with the sheets over a telephone takes a lot of work.
"Wow... That sounded kind of hot," he admitted and I felt my cheeks growing red in embarassment.
"I was in the closet and the phone rang and I had to search for it." I laughed. "It was tangled up in the sheets."
"It was tangled in the sheets? Or you were tangled in the sheets?" He teased and my cheeks grew even redder.
"Anyway... What are you up to tonight? Don't you have some time off?" I asked, remembering a previous conversation.
"Yeah. I came to see a friend but he's running around like a chicken with his head cut off because he's got a date with this girl."
"Oh really?"
"Yep, and he's acting like a total goofball. Don't wear that. Wear the dam.n polo you had on five seconds ago!" He yelled at his friend and I couldn't help but laugh.
"So you're a style guru?" I laughed and I could hear him laugh a little too.
"On the side," he joked. "But I only work for free apparently."
"So I assume its his first date with said girl?"
"Yes." He started laughing and I could hear his friend stumbling around, and cursing to himself.
"Just tell him I said to relax."
"Hey! Lyla says relax!" He yelled and I chuckled quietly as I heard a 'Who's Lyla?' in the background. "She's a friend of mine and she knows what she's talking about because she's got a date tonight too. Only she's not acting like she just drank a gallon of coffee."
I let out another laugh. "Soo..."
"Yeah, he's a total basket case," he laughed. "So how did you meet this guy?"
"Well, I've known him for a while. He played football for my dad. But he lives across the street from my parents now in this little rental."
"Oh, well thats nice." I couldn't tell if he was being sarcastic or not.
"Yeah."
"No, sorry." He laughed. "I was talking to my friend here. He just spilled orange soda all over his white polo."
"Oh." I heard him give directions to his friend to put on the light blue polo before exclaiming that he was going outside and was not to be disturbed.
"Sorry about that."
"Oh no, its totally ok." I told him. "I know how first dates can be stressful for some people. Its good that he has you to help him out a little."
"Yeah, I know." He said. "Its just that I was trying to talk to you and he was acting all nuts... Its just crazy."
"I bet."
"Hey, you ready to go?" Justin poked his head in my room.
"Man, you blocked me in! I gotta meet Madison in five minutes!" I heard on Not Saying's end, and I could have sworn that my heart was going to beat itself out of my chest.
"Hey, um, I need to go. I'm meeting my date, so..."
"Oh yeah, sure. I'll talk to you later, Lyla Not Tucker."
"I'll talk to you later as well, Style Guru Not Saying." I laughed as I hung up the phone and tossed it back onto the bed behind me before grabbing my bag and slinging it across my chest.
"Shouldn't he be picking you up?" Justin asked when we reached my Jeep. "He did ask you on this date. I may have been wild, but I always picked you up..." I gave him a look. "When my truck actually worked."
He gave me that smirk, and I couldn't help but smile back at him. He was just too attractive for his own good. He hopped into the vehicle, "You know, if this is going bad, you can just text me and I can call you... I can make something up. Like your cat is sick or something."
"I don't have a cat, Justin." I laughed as I backed out of the parking lot and made my way across town to the football field.
- - - -
Tucker was already there, standing against the chain-link fence waiting on me. Light blue was certainly a good color on him; It made his deep end of the ocean blue eyes seem even bluer. He waved nervously as Justin and I approached him. He had insisted several times that it was fine for Justin to sit with us at the game, and I apologized several times for even asking in the first place. It was supposed to be our date.
Between the minor altercation between Buddy and Justin, and the elbow to the ribs I kept getting every time Justin got excited about a play and how well the guys were actually executing it, Tucker and I actually had a decent time together at the game. I hoped that it went as well later when it was just the two of us.
"Great game coach," I smiled as I hugged my dad on the field before I left.
"You two have a good time tonight," he winked and I rolled my eyes. It didn't surprise me that he knew. This town was way too small.
- - - -
"So I hope you like Mexican," he said as he squinted to keep the glare of the setting sun out of his eyes.
"I hate it," I joked, but then I felt bad when he actually took me seriously. "No, I'm totally joking. I love it, really. I could live off of it."
"Oh. Ok," he smiled nervously.
"So how was school today?" I asked curiously. He had waited a while before going to college, but he was almost finished with his occupational therapy degree.
"Not too bad." He told me. "I had a couple of tests, but they went pretty good."
I nodded. "I'm glad I'm done with that."
"Oh yeah, you're a nurse. I don't know how you do that." He laughed. "I couldn't do it."
"Its not so bad."
He pulled his little truck into the parking lot of a Mexican restaraunt that was almost on the outskirts of town, but not quite. It was a decent sized place, and judging by the amount of cars outside, it looked like there would be a fairly decent sized crowd inside as well.
We spent the night telling each other about ourselves. We actually had a lot in common. He liked books and good movies and hated parties. He may have been one of the most popular guys in school, but he only had a couple close friends he hung out with on a regular basis. And he had a thing for Ray LaMontagne.
"Favorite song has to be 'Hold You In My Arms'," I told him as we walked across the parking lot.
"'Lesson Learned' and 'Trouble' are so much better. Thats such a chick song," he laughed as he unlocked my door and opened it for me.
"I swear, if Teddy doesn't stop calling me I'm going to hurt him," Tucker laughed when he climbed in.
"Answer it," I told him.
"Hey Ted... Yeah, we're on our way back now. Ok. Yeah." Tucker laughed as he hung up the phone. "He totally locked himself out."
I let out a laugh. "Seriously?"
Tucker nodded. "He said he was going out to his car for some clothes and the door locked behind him. You don't mind going by there, do you?"
"No, its fine."
- - - -
There he was, sitting on the front porch with his arms folded on top of his knees and his head resting on top of them. When the headlights shone on him, he looked up, squinting.
"Its about time," he called and we both got out of the car.
I rolled my eyes as I followed Tucker. Tucker put his arm around my waist as we walked up the two small steps that led to his front stoop. He held the house key in his hand, but he gave Teddy a look, and wouldn't unlock the door.
"Hey Madison," Teddy said. "Look, I know you heard what we said the other day, and I'm sorry. I wasn't having that great of a day, and I didn't mean anything I said. You're actually very pretty."
I nodded, "Thanks."
Tucker stuck the key in the door and pushed it open. "So do you want to go to the bar or just hang out here for a while? Teddy is here, but he'll probably go to bed soon." He was looking over my shoulder at Teddy, giving him orders.
"Here is fine. I'm not exactly in the mood for a bar crowd."
"Cool," he smiled.
We spent the next few hours watching whatever we could find on tv. It was mostly junk, but somehow we had managed to come across a marathon of old Laguna Beach shows. We made fun of the drama and how they said 'like' every two seconds.
"So I was, like, going to get my dress for, like, prom, and, like, I stepped out, and like, Kristin was, like, right there in, like, the same dress as me!" Tucker was good at it because he was actually from California. He and his family had moved there when he was fourteen.
"If I was on a show like this, I'd have to be like that quiet dude who has nothing to do with the show now." I said. "He's just cool, ya know?"
It was then that Teddy walked into the room and took a seat in a chair across from us.
"Hey Teddy," I surprised myself with my friendliness and how easily I had just forgiven him.
He yawned and waved. His eyelids looked a little heavy as well and I wondered if we had woke him up.
"Did we wake you up, man?" He shook his head.
"I had to go to the bathroom and I wanted to come see what you guys were doing. It sounded pretty fun," he said slowly and calmly. He's cute when he's tired. "You know its three in the morning, right?"
"Thats ok, I need to stay up so I can sleep all day." He gave me a weird look. "I'm a nurse and I work third shift."
"Ohh," was it just me or did he look a little weirded out by what I had just said. I didn't know why. "Sounds like a good time."
What did he just say? Not Saying always says that.
"What?"
"Sounds like a good time... You... Working third shift at a hospital."
"In the E.R." I added freely, surprising myself once again, and I could see that look on his face.
"Double good time."
It was then that I realized it. This Teddy was the Teddy I had once rode the ferris wheel with in Chicago. He was my first kiss. Didn't Tucker say he was a celebrity now? He had grown up quite well, in my opinion. He was taller, and he had even put a little weight on him. I had always thought he was just a little too skinny.
We all went back to watching the show, but I couldn't help but feel Teddy's eyes on me. I would sneak glances, when I thought Tucker wasn't looking, and Teddy would snap his head back in the direction of the television.
Pretty soon, we were all passed out on the couch, but a text message from Justin woke me up just as the sun was starting to come in through the windows.
'All nighter? Geez... he must've been good. When are you coming home? Don't you need to sleep before work? Do I need to come get you?'
I rolled my eyes and replied 'No' before waking Tucker up so he could take me home. As we were walking to his car, I looked over my shoulder and saw Teddy standing in the front door, watching us. He gave me a wave goodbye as we pulled away from the house.
"I'll call you later, ok?" Tucker said as I began to get out of his little truck.
I nodded, "Ok, cool."
He gave me a little wave as he watched me walk inside the building. We had a good time last night, I thought as the elevator took me to the top floor. He's a lot of fun. And he's really cute.
I like him, a lot.
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Post by Kourtni on Apr 23, 2009 11:13:44 GMT -5
I knew she was going to realize sooner or later who 'Teddy' actually was. Great update! It made me smile.
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Post by smile♥ on Apr 23, 2009 13:23:49 GMT -5
But she doesn't exactly know that Teddy is Not Saying She just knows that Teddy is the guy from the ferris wheel
**Ok, so wow, I totally just noticed that I had Teddy's name in the phone conversation part instead of Not Saying. **She doesn't know that Not Saying is Teddy, but she does know that Teddy is the same Teddy that she met when she was seventeen in Chicago. Sorry if there was any confusion, because I know I was when I re-read it. And Lyla, is her middle name, in case anyone is confused on that as well. She told him her middle name so he calls her Lyla now. Sorry for this ridiculously long post that is probably completely unnecessary.
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Post by Kourtni on Apr 23, 2009 15:32:07 GMT -5
Oh, well, maybe she'll find out that Teddy is 'Not Saying' very soon. Maybe. Idk. Whatever you write will be amazing, I'm sure.
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Post by live.love.laugh on Apr 23, 2009 20:17:52 GMT -5
oh snap!! soo good!
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Post by smile♥ on Apr 26, 2009 23:01:52 GMT -5
"You'll always be my thunder, So bring on the rain And bring on the thunder." -- Boys Like Girls 'Thunder' 9
I couldn't believe I was being kicked out of my own apartment. This was ridiculous. I would go to the cops, but Buddy is best friends with the Sheriff. This just can't be legal. Sure he could come in here and claim that I haven't paid rent for the past three months, but he'd be lying and I have the proof in my checkbook. And sure he could go up on rent, but as long as he didn't get too crazy, I could still afford it. But kicking me out so his daughter - who already spends everything he makes - can have her very own apartment, is just wrong.
"Don't worry about it," Justin said, "I can move back in with Danny and Holly."
"No. This is your home. This is my home. He can't just kick us out." I said as I sat on the old hand-me-down, seventies style couch in my living room. It may have been old, but it was free and still in very good condition thanks to my Great-grandmother's obsession with putting plastic over everything to keep it clean.
Suddenly, an idea hit me. "You're his son. Whether he likes it or not, you're his son. He can't just throw you out."
"Mads..." he groaned and rubbed his face tiredly. I hadn't even realized it was two in the morning.
"No, I'm serious. If he doesn't want anything to do with you, the least he could do is let us stay." I told him, and he knew I was right. And I happened to be able to carry on one hell of an argument. "First thing in the morning. I'm going down to that stupid used car lot and giving him a piece of my mind."
"Mads, do you really think its a good idea? I mean, surely you'd love to buy yourself a little house. I know you can afford it and with me living there I can be your handyman and I can help out with payments," he began, "And you said yourself, Buddy is a horrible landlord. He won't let you have a cat."
I couldn't believe he remembered that. I hadn't repeated it since. Sure, I wouldn't mind having a cat or a dog, or even both. But why did he remember something so small like that?
"A house... A house would be nice. But he's giving us a week to move. Thats not enough time to find a place," I told him. I had had my fair share of moving around Texas in my childhood because of my dad's job. A high school football coach in Texas isn't exactly the most stable job on the market. "Trust me, I know."
"Ok, so what if we go in tomorrow, argue that he can at least give us an extension. Two months. So we can find a place..."
"You just want to be out from under Buddy's thumb." I laughed and he nodded. "But that sounds good. I wouldn't mind having a small house."
He nodded and smiled at me for seeing this as an actual positive thing. I wasn't sure how he did it.
- - - -
"Hey," I greeted Not Saying later that night.
"You sound kind of upset."
"Well I'm getting kicked out of my apartment for no reason. Its got to be illegal to do this," sure, I was ok with getting my own place. But the terms of me moving out aren't how I had envisioned. I explained to Not Saying everything that had gone down earlier that afternoon, not stopping to catch my breath until I was completely finished.
"Wow. Um, isn't Buddy Justin's real father? Does Buddy even care about his son? And what about the fact that he's moving his daughter in? Who is Justin's half sister," Not Saying added. I was surprised that he remembered any of this. I had spent two whole conversations telling him all about my small town and occasionally, when the gossip was really good and I actually listened to it, I would fill him in.
"So its the same thing as Justin living here already. Except he actually gets rent from Justin and I," I said tiredly. "But, Justin brought up a good point. I could try to get at least two months out of him so I can find somewhere else to live."
"That's true."
"And I wouldn't mind separating myself from Buddy." I admitted. "He's the most annoying land lord during football season. He thinks that he can get details about the team out of me so he can go back to J.D. McCoy's daddy like the little kiss-a.ss he is."
"Lyla?" Not Saying laughed, and I blushed. I had been ranting again.
"Sorry. Small town life just really gets to me sometimes," I laughed.
"I can see that." He laughed. "My friend lives in a small town. I'm actually staying there right now. I kind of like it. No one really knows me here, so I can be totally anonymous. Except for this one girl, I think she has me figured out. I just feel like I've met her before, ya know?"
"I hate that feeling," I laughed. "Knowing that you've met someone before but you can't think of their name or where you met them."
He let out a little laugh.
"Hey man, can I borrow that for a sec?" I heard in the background.
"Use your cell man, this is a very important call." I could help but let out a little laugh.
"It died last night and it won't turn on until its fully charged," his friend whined. "Please?"
"Fine," he groaned. "I guess you heard that, Lyla?"
I nodded to no one in particular, "I did."
"Until next time?"
"Until next time," I said and hung up the phone, only to have it ring as soon as I laid it back on its cradle.
"Hello?" I asked, slightly confused.
"Hey, its Tucker."
"Oh hey, what's up?"
"I was just wondering if you wanted to go out tonight. In, like, an hour." He asked.
"Oh, yeah sure. I was planning on going to watch Jake's band at the bar. Do you think we could go to that?" I asked curiously.
"Yeah, sure. Thats fine with me." He agreed and I heard someone in the background.
"You're going out again? Dude! I'm totally bored here by myself." That voice...
"Is it ok if Ted comes too? He's totally bored. Hey! You could bring your friend Emma and make it a double date." Tucker suggested.
"Ok, uhh, I'll call her and get back to you. I'm sure she'll be fine with that."
"Ok, bye."
I hung up the phone and then grabbed my cell and went out onto the balcony to call Emma. I was going to miss this view. While it was nothing compared to the view of the sunsets out at the cliff, it was nice to look out and see all of Dillon and the events unfolding. This was the tallest building here, so if I made a trip to the roof, I could get a complete panoramic view. I'd only done it once - on my very first night - but it was spectacular.
"Hello? Madison? Hello?" She had answered the phone, but I was lost in my thoughts and didn't hear it.
"Hey! Sorry, I wasn't paying attention," I apologized and then immediately dove in to inviting her out tonight. And just like I knew she would, she accepted.
"See you then," she clicked off the phone and I made my way back inside to pick out an outfit.
- - - -
Justin came home from work at exactly the same time as he did every day and found me in my closet once again, looking for something to wear. He knocked on the door frame, and I jumped at the sound. I hadn't even heard him come in.
"Sorry," he apologized then sat down in the floor next to me. "What's up?"
I shook my head. "I don't know what to wear."
"Well... Where are you going?"
"Tucker, Teddy, and Emma and I are going to watch Jake's band at the bar," I told him. I could tell he was disappointed and hoped that we would go together, because thats what we did ever Tuesday. I hadn't even remembered today was Tuesday.
"I would say wear that sundress hanging up over there, but you're going to a bar."
"So? Who says I can't wear a sundress to a bar?"
He shrugged. "I just don't think it look right. A dress in a bar."
"Ok, thats why almost every girl in there is dressed in one," I rolled my eyes and made my way to the light blue dress I had hung up as one of my possible options.
"So what's up with you? Was the second half of your day better than your lunch break?" I asked curiously as I began to undress and re-dress.
"Yeah, actually. Buddy came in with Allie's car today." he said. "And so I bargained with him. I gave him a nice little discount for two months."
"How nice?"
"Free," he winced when he said it, because despite the booming business the garage had been getting, they still needed the money.
"Ouch. So did it work?" he grinned and nodded and I couldn't help but tackle him with a giant hug. It knocked him back on the ground, so that we were lying there, face to face, in one of the movie moments where it looked as if the two people were about to kiss, but the situation suddenly becomes awkward and they both back away from each other. "That's great. Thank you so much."
"Anything for you," he said and I couldn't help but blush at his words. It was a good thing my back was to him.
"So this Tucker guy... How serious are you two?"
I shrugged. "Not that serious. Why?"
"I was just wondering," he tried to seem less obvious. "He just doesn't seem like your type. He's more like Emma's type."
"And what is my type?" I asked as I moved to the bathroom and began to work on my hair, making sure my blonde curls didn't look as wild as they had this morning when I woke up.
"Not him. Someone who knows that you hate cold cereal, and that you could outrun any member of the football team. And that when you smile you have this one little dimple on the side of our mouth. Or that you like for guys to chase you, not for them to just give in and follow you around like this guy does, Mads."
I knew what he was doing. I knew he wanted to try us being together again. I wouldn't mind it either, but I couldn't. I didn't want what happened once before to happen again and tear us apart forever. I needed him in my life, and I didn't want to risk him not being there.
"I just met him, so in time he'll grow to learn those things." I told him. "You didn't know them when we first met, did you?"
He blushed a little and looked down at his feet, and at the time I thought it was because he knew I was right. Of course, I didn't really know if I was right, I was just trying to get him off my back. He had disapproved of this relationship since the very first date and I was tired of his silly remarks. Like how he called him cali - for California - or how he always called him dude, like a surfer because that's how Tucker talked. Like the surfer from California that he was.
"I'll see you when I get back ok?" I stood on my toes and kissed his cheek before grabbing my keys and heading out the door.
Why did I feel like I was not only ripping his heart out and stomping on it, but ripping mine out too?
- - - -
This night totally sucked. The music was great, and Jake had been excited that we had made it out to see him play. But while I would have preferred to be out there dancing with Tucker or Emma, I was stuck at the table with everyone because Tucker didn't dance. Justin didn't dance either, but he'd do it for me.
Emma and Tucker were hitting it off great. Never mind the fact that she was supposed to be Teddy's date. I kept mouthing 'sorry' to him across the table, and he just shrugged it off. He was probably just glad to be out of the house.
"I need another drink," Teddy finally called out over the loud music that had begun playing while Jake and his band took a break.
"Me too! I'll come with you," I said and jumped out of my seat to join him. I didn't care that I was still upset with him about what he had said. "I'm sorry about tonight. I thought it would be better than this."
He shrugged. "Its ok. I'm just glad that I'm not stuck in the house. To tell you the truth, I wasn't too big on the idea of a "double date" but he said we were going to watch a band, so I said why not? Should be a good time..."
I nodded and smiled. "Yeah."
"He's really good," he pointed to the stage where Jake was messing around with his guitar.
"He's a friend of mine. He works with me at the hospital, Emma too." I told him and he nodded. "He's funny too."
"Do you want to dance?" He asked curiously and I gave him a look. "I noticed you asked Tucker earlier..."
"Oh, yeah. Sure," I said, finishing off the only alcoholic drink I would have tonight and then following him to the floor.
We had a great time. He was actually quite funny. Just as funny as I remembered him. As we danced, I couldn't help but wonder if he remembered me too. If he knew that he was my first kiss. And that every day that I was in Chicago I couldn't wait to see him and hear his voice. That he made my summer exciting, one I would never forget as long as I lived.
"So I'm gonna do a little cover here for you," Jake said over the mic and began to play 'Thunder'. I looked up at him and he winked down at me. He knew how much I loved this song.
Your voice was the soundtrack of my summer Do you know you're unlike any other?
I wondered if Jake knew what this song meant to me as he sang it.
"You're not too bad of a dancer," I said as we slow danced to the song.
"I try," he laughed and I couldn't help but laugh with him.
Your eyes are the brightest of all the colors...
He did have the brightest blue eyes I had ever seen. I never forgot how blue they were, not even after seven years. Blue always reminded me of him. His hair may have been different and he may have been taller, but he was still the Teddy I knew that summer.
I looked over his shoulder and saw Tucker and Emma. They were sitting side-by-side now, leaning close and talking like they were the only two people in the room. I watched him lean in and kiss her, and just after they had shared a fairly deep kiss, she pulled back. I was mad, but I knew this would happen some how. It was like it made sense for the two of them to be together.
"Thanks for the dance," I said when it ended. "I think I'm going to go home now, though."
He nodded. "Do you think you could give me a ride? I don't exactly want to hang around with those two," he pointed over his shoulder and made a face and I laughed. I was surprised that I was laughing.
We told Emma and Tucker we were leaving and quickly left. He hopped into my Jeep and I floored it out of the parking lot as fast as I could.
"Are you ok?" He asked. He knew what I had seen.
I laughed. "Yeah. I'm great."
"Is that supposed to be sarcastic?"
"I mean, we weren't serious. We've only been seeing each other for a few days... But if he liked her, he could have at least told me, ya know? What's funny is that I didn't even really like him all that much. Not that way anyway. Justin was right... He's not my type."
Teddy was quiet as we rode, but he placed his hand on top of mine on the gear shift. It was a friendly gesture, but it took me back to being sixteen, when holding hands meant everything. It was exciting and new and it meant that eventually you would get to that phase when kissing was just as exciting.
"Thanks for the dance," I said again.
"I should be thanking you," he said. "Dancing with you is the best time I've had in a while."
I didn't really know what to say, so I smiled and he smiled back.
"I'll see you later." He slid out of the vehicle and made his way up the sidewalk to the door. He waved over his shoulder after unlocking the door and I backed out of the driveway and I made my way home.
To the home that was soon to be not my home.
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Post by live.love.laugh on Apr 27, 2009 0:45:48 GMT -5
ahhh love it!!!
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