Chaos

X: my perceived reputation

        "No problem." Scott's smile stretched across his face as he realized I wasn't mad at him.

        "Sure. No problem."

        "Thanks. Bye."

        "Taylor, uhm, I don't know if I'm supposed to tell you this, but your dad was at my house a few days ago. He was asking about you and I was just wondering if everything is okay at home."

        "Well then nosy," I began, a smirk on my face, "No. It's all fine." I said, rushing away from him and toward the escalator and toward the exit.

        I groggily wiped my eyes, why were my eyes sweating. I quickly walked through the vast parking lot until loud fast footsteps approached behind me.

        "Taylor." Matt's voice breathed heavily behind me, "I ran through this whole parking lot. Give me a minute." He rested his palms on his knees as he blew of a breath and began facing me, "did you really plan on leaving me to ride home with blabber mouth Riley? I mean she is kind of cute but she just won't stop talking." he laughed. I shrugged and walked toward my car.

        "You were really going to leave me here weren't you?" He says softly. "God Taylor, what is. . ." he began but I cut him off.

        "Scott told me my dad visited his family."

        "Are your parents divorced or something?" Matt bluntly asks.

        "Something like that." I whispered.

        "Taylor," I froze in my spot as Matt approached, "If you want to talk about anything, I'm here for you." So is everyone else. But I really don't want to talk about it.

¤¤¤

        I began walking up the stairs.

        "Can't wait for the dance." He laughed behind me. I turned around to catch him winking, "hoping to get a kiss by the end of the night." He wiggled his eyebrows again.

        "Are you flirting with me?" I laughed as he winked.

        "You know it babe." He laughed as we reached the top of the stairs and took our separate ways to our apartments.

        "Bye Matt." I smiled.

        "Bye Tay." He waved with two fingers and walked into his apartment.

        "Hey sweetheart." Mom said as I walked in, "Was that Matt?"

        "Yeah," I sat on the couch, crossing my legs.

        "You've been hanging out with him a lot." Mom raised her eyebrows as my mouth fell agape.

        "We're just friends mom."

        "Well why don't you hang out with Stephanie or any of those other girls on the cheer team."

        "I'm kind of not on the cheer team anymore."

        "So that doesn't mean you guys can't hang out."

        "They were only friends with me because of Jake. Even Riley, you know Riley from a long time ago right, I told her about my breakup with Jake and how he freaking kissed some other girl right in front of me and now she says she is going to Winter Formal with him."

        "What a bitch." Mom said, looking right at me and placing her hand comfortingly on my knee.

       "Mom! Language." I laughed as she stood up. I lie down on the couch and rest my head for a while.

¤¤¤

        "No. I don't want to go bowling with you David." I said as we walked from our classes. He had been pestering me about this for months and rejection hasn't stopped him yet. I had been avoiding Scott for the past week, especially since I've grown sick of hearing about a man that's never coming home who is going to other peoples homes and asking about my well being.

        "Come on Taylor."

        "What is it with you and bowling?" I raised an eyebrow as he placed his arm around my shoulder. He leaned into my ear.

        "It was the place we first kissed." He whispered, his husky voice sending shivers down my spine as he backed away slightly, "I'm pretty sure that place is lucky as fu. . ."

        "Fudge." I finished for him as he chucked slightly. "Will Scott be there?"

        "Do you want Scott to be there?"

        "No."

        "Then it'll just be you and me, come on. Please, I didn't even study for the test we have next and I don't want to fail it."

        "Okay Einstein, lets go."

        "For real, Franklin?"

         "Hurry up before I change my mind, Galileo." I laughed as his face brightened up a million more times and his hand wrapped itself around mine.

        "Finally, lets get out of here. Newton." He laughed pulling us toward the school exit with the widest grin on his face.