"GOOD MORNING Taylor Lance Blakely!" Matt stepped outside of his apartment wearing a striped ombre blue shirt and fitted jeans. His hair was soaked and all over the place. As he approached, the fresh smell of a delicious shampoo enraptured me. I hadn't realized how tall Matt truly was until I realized he was towering over me with his six foot something glory. He looked freshly showered and squeaky clean. The sudden urge to hug him empowered me, but I held it back.
"Matt." I muttered. He didn't know that I knew about him. The secrets Tank had told me revealed so much, yet a small part of me kept assuring myself that they were all lies.
"Well good morning to you too Debbie downer." He smiled an effortlessly handsome smile that would have made Vanessa or even the ex-boyfriend stealer, Riley, faint at sight. He looked head over heels stunning. How had I not seen it before. Perhaps he was hotter now and less childish based on the telling of Tank whatever-his-last-name-is.
"Let's go." I said, ignoring his attempt at conversation. I drove silently to the school and he sat beside me without a single word. Probably the most peaceful ride I would ever encounter with Matt.
I parked in my usual spot at school and reached to unlock the door before Matt's fingers snaked around my wrist. I furrowed my brows with a confused look.
"I assume you know?" He raised a handsome eyebrow. Ever since Tank told me what was happening, Matt strangely seemed a million times hotter. It was frustrating.
"Know what?" I feigned. He looked at me once more before releasing my wrist and stepping out of the car.
"My driving test is today." He grinned. Another lie. I wonder how many lies he'd fed me these last few months. He probably already had a drivers license. Or maybe I am paranoid and shouldn't have listened to Tank at all. Matt hasn't lied to me since I've met him, I doubt he would start now.
I stepped out of my car and locked it.
Mom 7:42 a.m.
We sold the house and the gallardo. A few more things left to sell. I think you can afford UCLA now. :)
I smiled at the text my mom had sent. She was so innocent. I couldn't figure that she ever played a role in dad's business.
"Taylor. Taylor. Are you there?"
"I think she spaced out. She should be fine."
"Earth to Taylor." I blinked before realizing that my feet had dragged me into the school and in front of the menacing eyes of David Brason.
Oh crap. When did I get here? Where did Matt go? Did I even say good bye? I had zoned to the point of drunk ness, where I couldn't even recall what happened in those past few minutes.
He looked handsome as hell today too. Even better than Matt ever could... Maybe I was just having some messed up hormones today because literally all my guy-friends (except Scott) seemed extra attractive today.
"Taylor!" He yelled, my heart croaked in my throat and stuttered meaninglessly. Butterflies engulfed my stomach and I felt completely helpless, dizzy, and a breath away from fainting. When my name left his lips, he captured me with all he had and I couldn't do anything but stand there, frozen, staring at him.
"David." My voice shook uncontrollably.
Can one experience completely change a person? I contemplated and once again spaced out to the point where I hadn't even felt David hoist me over his shoulder until the moment he set me down on a desk in an empty classroom. Everything was just moving along in cycles while I felt like I was planted in one place. I was confused, when did the hallway empty? Why did he carry me? Did he ask me or say something after saying my name. I was extremely zoned out.
"What's going on?" I felt tired. Tirelessly tired and in desperate need of a nap. I now realized I slept at 2 a.m. because that's when mom usually gets home now. Even with her many degrees- she couldn't get a job right on the spot. She needed to get a temporary job before she started working the hard stuff.
"Are you okay?" Concern filled his beautiful eyes. I nodded and proceeded to get off the table and toward the hallway. "Taylor, why are you crying?"
Was I crying? All emotions felt the same now. No emotions, I am delusional. I didn't realize I had tears running down my face until I held a finger up to it and felt the wetness in my fingers.
Dating Scott. Earlier this week, my dad informed me that the only way he can stay safe and protect our family from the so-called bad guys finding out is if I dated Scott. Seemed like black-mailing to me, which it was, but there was no way out of it. I was trapped in an arranged relationship and wanted to badly to return to the good old days: the days before my dad ruined my life.
I continued to walk, feeling like a zombie. I took a deep breath and turned to face the open arms of David Brason. This classroom could fit twenty people yet the two of us seemed to occupy it quite well. The door was closed, with a gap in it in case of escape. I stood a few desks away from the one David had seated me on as he approached me and wrapped her arms around my back, my hair was in his face and my back was to his chest as he held me tight.
"I figured it out," He murmured into my messy hair. It didn't come as a surprise. David was a pretty smart guy. He might actually be the only person I can trust as of right now. He was trying to brag, but it came across so sweetly that nobody would ever be able to tell that he was being bigoted. Having seen my mother at the restaurant the other day might have been the missing piece to his puzzle. We all have mysteries we want to solve.
"Shhh, its okay Taylor. You'll be fine. He hugged me closer to his homey scent. A natural scent I truly admired since the day I met him. I smiled into his arm as he turned me around and placed his hands on my waist. I wanted to hug him- he could be so sweet sometimes. I rested my head against his chest as my arms also wrapped around his torso. We stood there in a synchronized silence that was so peaceful and beautiful that it could pass as old times.
"Get your filthy hands off my girl." A repulsive Scott walked into the classroom. He was blazing angry with smoke practically coming out of his ears. It might've looked bad to him considering he thinks were supposed to be dating. We were wrapped up in each other until David pulled his arms away from me to try to understand what was going on. Scott stood his ground, you could feel the anger flowing off of him and aimed at the only person I could trust.
David scanned my face for an answer, anything at all. I couldn't look at him. I wanted to rebel against Scott's animalistic behavior. Controlling and narcissistic. It was hard to figure out which side to trust. I leaned into David, who was confused as ever, and whispered into his ear. "Meet me at Ferry Park at exactly 5 a.m. tomorrow. I will explain everything. Meet by the old swings." I whispered before slowly pressing my lips to his cheek. I heard his breathing shallow as I did so, our hearts beating rapidly.
He gave me a puzzled look before turned to glare at Scott. I turned around slowly and began heading toward Scott. Having found a new hope in all this darkness.
David may be my only way out and I would take every chance I got.
¤¤¤
"I'm sorry Ms. Blakely. That answer is wrong." Mr. Von said with an unrecognizable glint in his eye.
Vanessa glanced at me with a pitying look. I wanted to slap it right off her freckled face, but didn't bother. Did she also know? Had David told anyone?
I raised my hand and held it up silently for a couple moments until Mr. Von called on me. I headed straight to the bathroom, claiming to be sick and didn't go back to class until two minutes before the bell rang. I was strangely uncomfortable in my own skin today and I didn't want to be here. Therefore, after class ended, I rushed to the office with a newfound passion to go home and sleep.
It was odd now that I had no extracurricular that I was willing to stay after school for, no job, and nothing else, the will to remain at this high school quickly diminished. For the first couple of months since my broken arm, I left school as soon as the bell rang- then I started leaving a few minutes before. Later, I started ditching a few days because I felt tired. And now I was just leaving in the middle of the day, even before lunch.
"Checking out so soon Ms. Blakely, its barely second block." The lady in the office proclaimed, "if you stay for another period it won't count as an abcense."
I shook my head.
"Well you need to be eighteen to sign yourself out. Should I call your father?" A strong tinge of pain stabbed me in the heart.
I shook my head again.
"I am eighteen, today is my birthday." I said, she seemed in disbelief and proceeded to look up my name.
"Seems correct. Happy Birthday, and just for you, I won't mark it as an absence, enjoy your special day Taylor." She smiled a sickeningly sweet smile, one that looked fake to the untrained eye, but she genuinely was happy for me and that made me smile just a little bit.
"Thanks." I muttered, nodding as my long blonde hair slid in front of my eyes. I stepped into the fresh morning breeze of a day that seemed like it was about to rain. Like it was never going to end.
It hadn't rained in a really long time. I inhaled the dark calming mood and headed to my car.
Finally home at last. I shut the car and rushed upstairs into the apartment and straight to my bed.
¤¤¤
A loud knock startled me out of bed. Maybe Matt was home, probably mad at me for not driving us home or leaving too early. I wasn't in the mindset to jokingly explain to him. I didn't feel like doing anything today. I had driven him home almost every day since we met- it was nice because we only ever went to the same places, but I grew tired of conversation.
I groggily stood up in my pajamas, it was probably raining outside, I could hear the thunder roaring. My bare feet brushed the carpet as my silk pajamas brushed against my body. I was still so damn tired.
"Hey Taylor. Happy Birthday. " He said as soon as I opened the door. My eyes widened when they met his stunning eyes and the cake in his hand.
How did he know where I lived?!