A Million Little Stars
December.
December meant that the Winter Formal was a week away. Only couples could attend this event, leaving Taylor out of the picture. Thomas had agreed to go with Sierra only after Taylor had urged him to, knowing it would be suspicious if he didn’t.
Sierra tried to have one of her guy friends go with her friend but Taylor stopped her saying she was busy anyway. Taylor helped Sierra get ready. She put her brown hair in perfect ringlets and made sure her makeup was just smoky enough. She looked beautiful in a dark purple chiffon dress with sequins along the bodice. Taylor took a lovely snapshot with her before Thomas came. She made a lame excuse about how she had to leave but she really just didn’t want to see Thomas all dressed up with Sierra. The idea was sad enough.
Taylor went back to her house and tried to make the best out of her night. She went out and bought herself a pizza and some ice cream. She got into her house and put away the groceries. She grabbed herself a slice of pizza before going up to her room and falling asleep to some chick flick that was on the TV.
A tapping at the window awoke her. She looked over to the clock. It was one o’clock in the morning. Taylor went over to the door to the roof. She rubbed her eyes and opened it. No one was there. She looked out onto the backyard and heard the faint sound of music. She decided to go explore it. She climbed the stairs to the roof. She gave a little gasp.
There was Thomas in his tuxedo. A old school boom box on the floor played “The First Day of My Life” By Bright Eyes.
“Thomas,” Taylor whispered.
He came closer to her. “May I have this dance?”
Taylor smiled in the moonlight, “Yes, you may.”
He put his hands on her waist. She put her hands on his neck. “Did you have fun tonight?” she asked.
“If by tonight you mean right now, then yes. I had a blast,” Thomas held her tighter.
“Sierra did look nice though,” Taylor said optimistically.
Thomas shrugged, “I’d rather have you in your pajamas any day.”
Taylor smiled. “Two more weeks and any day will be every day.”
“I’ll never be Untouchable again. And you can be my shining star,” Thomas said before leaning towards her and kissing her. She kissed him back and they stayed like this for a long time. He pulled away. “Come sleep over at my place tonight,” he whispered in her ear. “And I do mean sleep.”
“My parents wouldn’t let me do that,” Taylor laughed.
“Tell them you’re going to Sierra’s. Say she just got her heartbroken by a guy and you need to put together the pieces,” Thomas shrugged.
“That would be a lie,” Taylor raised her eyebrows, knowing that doing that would be wrong, as much as she wanted to.
“So what? What can one more lie do?” Thomas laughed at her.
Taylor looked up at him. How could she refuse him? “Fine,” she said. “I’ll ask.” She went down stairs into the living room where her mom was still awake. “Hey mom?” she asked, trying to seem as innocent as possible.
“Yes, dear?” her mom replied, putting down her book for a second.
“Could I sleep over at Sierra’s tonight? She had a really horrible time at the dance and she’s kind of sobbing her eyes out right now,” Taylor made it seem nonchalant.
“Awe, poor girl. Yeah, sure. Tell her I said to cheer up,” her mom picked up the book again.
Taylor was surprised how easy that was. She went back up the stairs and onto the roof. “She said yes,” Taylor said from the staircase. “Meet me in the driveway in five minutes. I’ll grab a few things first.”
Thomas nodded and grabbed his boom box. He climbed down the building using the edge of the staircase.
Taylor grabbed some extra clothes, her phone, and a toothbrush and put it all in a bag. She went downstairs, passing by the living room again. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning, Mom. G’night,” Taylor waved to her mom.
“Night. Be safe,” her mom said before Taylor shut the door.
Taylor met Thomas in the driveway and they drove Taylor’s car over to his house. (Thomas had walked to Taylor’s. It was only a couple blocks.) It was literally right next to Sierra’s house. Taylor felt weird not pulling into her best friend’s driveway. She went passed it and pulled into Thomas’s circular driveway.
“What about your parents?” Taylor asked.
“They are away in Tahiti. Second honeymoon. They’re weird,” Thomas shook his head and helped Taylor out of the car.
They went inside. Thomas’s house was a modern space with clear glass walls and white surfaces. Taylor remembered that the last to live here where a pair of psychologists.
They went up the stairs and turned into Thomas’s room. It was in the back corner of the house. The two corner walls were made completely out of glass, giving them a view of the backyard. He had shelves and shelves of classic books and an array of instruments that hung on the opposite walls. Guitar, violin, trumpet, and several others. “Do you play all of these?” Taylor asked.
“Yeah. In my spare time,” Thomas answered modestly. He unfolded his bowtie and unbuttoned his vest and shirt. He changed into fleece pants and an AC/DC shirt. He went and sat on the edge of the bed. “Come here.”
Taylor went over to where he was, falling into his arms. He wrapped one arm around her waist and used the other to lift up the covers so they could slide under them.
When they were under, Thomas held her close and kissed her lovingly.
Taylor held his cheek and deepened the kiss. She could off stayed here forever. She wanted to.
“I love you,” Thomas said randomly in-between a kiss. “I want it to be Christmas already.”
“I love you too,” Taylor kissed him wanting to let him know how much she cared.
They stayed like this for what seemed to be hours. Thomas finally spoke, “We should probably get to bed.”
Taylor didn’t want to sleep. “What if we didn’t go to bed?”
Thomas looked confused, “what do you mean?”
“What,” Taylor started, “if we did something else?”
Thomas bit his lip, “Come on, Taylor. I’m a teenage boy. You can’t just wave that around in front of me.”
“Then take it,” Taylor smiled. “Are you okay with that? Do you have something?”
Thomas looked at her seriously, “Yeah, but Taylor, are you serious? Are you sure?”
Taylor laughed, “Thomas, I wouldn’t have said anything if I wasn’t sure. Yes or no?”
Thomas looked at her very seriously for a second, “You know, Swifty, everyday with you is sure to have a surprise. Oddly enough, I’m starting to love it.”
_________________________
Taylor woke the next morning in Thomas’s arms. She couldn’t have been happier. She wanted to scream her love for him on the highest mountain and let it resonate to the lowest peak. She looked over at the clock. It was one o’clock in the afternoon.
“Thomas,” she shook him awake.
“Hmm,” said a tired noise under the covers.
“It’s one o’clock. I have to go,” Taylor whispered.
Thomas sprang up looking at the clock. “Aww,” he groaned, “can’t you just stay forever?”
Taylor smiled, “I would love to but I can’t. I got to go work. Christmas trees don’t sell themselves.”
Thomas laughed. “Well at least let me walk you out.”
Taylor pulled on her pajama pants and her sweatshirt. They walked downstairs. He stopped at the door. “I’ll see you later.”
“You too,” Taylor smiled giving him a small kiss goodbye.
_________________________
The sun was setting. Taylor’s dad said she was done for the day. She left the stand and went back home. She reached her room and pulled off her heavy winter jacket and hat. She heard her phone beep. She had new messages.
Thomas: We got a problem. She knows.
Sierra: HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?
Sierra: I THOUGHT WE WERE BEST FRIENDS?
Sierra: WHATEVER. WE ARE THROUGH!
Taylor felt her jaw hit the ground. How did she find out?
She shook her head. She had to make this right. Sierra deserved an explanation.
Taylor got in her car and pedaled it to Sierra’s house. She rang the doorbell.
Her best friend came to the door with red, wet eyes. “What do you want? Haven’t you ruined me enough?”
“Sierra, I’m sorry. I didn’t want it to be like this. How did you find out?” Taylor asked.
“Um… It’s kinda of easy to see who my boyfriend is making out with when he has glass walls in his bedroom. And the fact that your car was still outside this morning? I couldn’t really ignore it!” Sierra started cry all over again. “You guys must think I’m stupid or something cause both of you asked me. It’s like HELLO what else am I supposed to think?”
Taylor stopped, “Wait you already talked to him?”
Sierra nodded, “Yeah he just left. Right before you came. Asshole.”
“What did he say?” Taylor asked.
“He said, “I’m sorry this is how you had to find out blahblahblah. I always loved Taylor. I only wanted this cause of my dad’s promotion,” Sierra kept crying, while she mimicked Thomas in a high voice.
“He told you about that?” Taylor was shocked that he mentioned why.
“Yeah, but he said it wasn’t worth it anymore. He said we were through. He was going to get you, to tell you that,” Sierra wiped her eyes on her t-shirt.
Taylor wasn’t sure what was going on. All she knew is that Thomas broke up with Sierra. He was going to her house to ask her out. She had to get there. She had to meet him.
She left Sierra on the front porch without another word. She went to her car. She backed out quickly out of the driveway and tried to speed home. The traffic seemed to slow, which was unusual since she wasn’t traveling on any main roads. She turned onto her street and saw flashing police lights. She got closer and saw a grey Jetta.
She hit the brakes and got out of the car. She ran towards the scene. A police stopped her from getting too close.
“What’s going on!?” she heard herself yell.
The words dripped out of the policeman’s mouth. Taylor only caught the main phrases.
“Young boy”
“Service truck”
“Didn’t look good.”
“Ambulances”
“Complications.”
“Passed away.”
Taylor felt her knees buckle and the policeman’s cold arms around her. He dragged her body over to the sidewalk. That sidewalk was the place she died inside.
Sierra tried to have one of her guy friends go with her friend but Taylor stopped her saying she was busy anyway. Taylor helped Sierra get ready. She put her brown hair in perfect ringlets and made sure her makeup was just smoky enough. She looked beautiful in a dark purple chiffon dress with sequins along the bodice. Taylor took a lovely snapshot with her before Thomas came. She made a lame excuse about how she had to leave but she really just didn’t want to see Thomas all dressed up with Sierra. The idea was sad enough.
Taylor went back to her house and tried to make the best out of her night. She went out and bought herself a pizza and some ice cream. She got into her house and put away the groceries. She grabbed herself a slice of pizza before going up to her room and falling asleep to some chick flick that was on the TV.
A tapping at the window awoke her. She looked over to the clock. It was one o’clock in the morning. Taylor went over to the door to the roof. She rubbed her eyes and opened it. No one was there. She looked out onto the backyard and heard the faint sound of music. She decided to go explore it. She climbed the stairs to the roof. She gave a little gasp.
There was Thomas in his tuxedo. A old school boom box on the floor played “The First Day of My Life” By Bright Eyes.
“Thomas,” Taylor whispered.
He came closer to her. “May I have this dance?”
Taylor smiled in the moonlight, “Yes, you may.”
He put his hands on her waist. She put her hands on his neck. “Did you have fun tonight?” she asked.
“If by tonight you mean right now, then yes. I had a blast,” Thomas held her tighter.
“Sierra did look nice though,” Taylor said optimistically.
Thomas shrugged, “I’d rather have you in your pajamas any day.”
Taylor smiled. “Two more weeks and any day will be every day.”
“I’ll never be Untouchable again. And you can be my shining star,” Thomas said before leaning towards her and kissing her. She kissed him back and they stayed like this for a long time. He pulled away. “Come sleep over at my place tonight,” he whispered in her ear. “And I do mean sleep.”
“My parents wouldn’t let me do that,” Taylor laughed.
“Tell them you’re going to Sierra’s. Say she just got her heartbroken by a guy and you need to put together the pieces,” Thomas shrugged.
“That would be a lie,” Taylor raised her eyebrows, knowing that doing that would be wrong, as much as she wanted to.
“So what? What can one more lie do?” Thomas laughed at her.
Taylor looked up at him. How could she refuse him? “Fine,” she said. “I’ll ask.” She went down stairs into the living room where her mom was still awake. “Hey mom?” she asked, trying to seem as innocent as possible.
“Yes, dear?” her mom replied, putting down her book for a second.
“Could I sleep over at Sierra’s tonight? She had a really horrible time at the dance and she’s kind of sobbing her eyes out right now,” Taylor made it seem nonchalant.
“Awe, poor girl. Yeah, sure. Tell her I said to cheer up,” her mom picked up the book again.
Taylor was surprised how easy that was. She went back up the stairs and onto the roof. “She said yes,” Taylor said from the staircase. “Meet me in the driveway in five minutes. I’ll grab a few things first.”
Thomas nodded and grabbed his boom box. He climbed down the building using the edge of the staircase.
Taylor grabbed some extra clothes, her phone, and a toothbrush and put it all in a bag. She went downstairs, passing by the living room again. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning, Mom. G’night,” Taylor waved to her mom.
“Night. Be safe,” her mom said before Taylor shut the door.
Taylor met Thomas in the driveway and they drove Taylor’s car over to his house. (Thomas had walked to Taylor’s. It was only a couple blocks.) It was literally right next to Sierra’s house. Taylor felt weird not pulling into her best friend’s driveway. She went passed it and pulled into Thomas’s circular driveway.
“What about your parents?” Taylor asked.
“They are away in Tahiti. Second honeymoon. They’re weird,” Thomas shook his head and helped Taylor out of the car.
They went inside. Thomas’s house was a modern space with clear glass walls and white surfaces. Taylor remembered that the last to live here where a pair of psychologists.
They went up the stairs and turned into Thomas’s room. It was in the back corner of the house. The two corner walls were made completely out of glass, giving them a view of the backyard. He had shelves and shelves of classic books and an array of instruments that hung on the opposite walls. Guitar, violin, trumpet, and several others. “Do you play all of these?” Taylor asked.
“Yeah. In my spare time,” Thomas answered modestly. He unfolded his bowtie and unbuttoned his vest and shirt. He changed into fleece pants and an AC/DC shirt. He went and sat on the edge of the bed. “Come here.”
Taylor went over to where he was, falling into his arms. He wrapped one arm around her waist and used the other to lift up the covers so they could slide under them.
When they were under, Thomas held her close and kissed her lovingly.
Taylor held his cheek and deepened the kiss. She could off stayed here forever. She wanted to.
“I love you,” Thomas said randomly in-between a kiss. “I want it to be Christmas already.”
“I love you too,” Taylor kissed him wanting to let him know how much she cared.
They stayed like this for what seemed to be hours. Thomas finally spoke, “We should probably get to bed.”
Taylor didn’t want to sleep. “What if we didn’t go to bed?”
Thomas looked confused, “what do you mean?”
“What,” Taylor started, “if we did something else?”
Thomas bit his lip, “Come on, Taylor. I’m a teenage boy. You can’t just wave that around in front of me.”
“Then take it,” Taylor smiled. “Are you okay with that? Do you have something?”
Thomas looked at her seriously, “Yeah, but Taylor, are you serious? Are you sure?”
Taylor laughed, “Thomas, I wouldn’t have said anything if I wasn’t sure. Yes or no?”
Thomas looked at her very seriously for a second, “You know, Swifty, everyday with you is sure to have a surprise. Oddly enough, I’m starting to love it.”
_________________________
Taylor woke the next morning in Thomas’s arms. She couldn’t have been happier. She wanted to scream her love for him on the highest mountain and let it resonate to the lowest peak. She looked over at the clock. It was one o’clock in the afternoon.
“Thomas,” she shook him awake.
“Hmm,” said a tired noise under the covers.
“It’s one o’clock. I have to go,” Taylor whispered.
Thomas sprang up looking at the clock. “Aww,” he groaned, “can’t you just stay forever?”
Taylor smiled, “I would love to but I can’t. I got to go work. Christmas trees don’t sell themselves.”
Thomas laughed. “Well at least let me walk you out.”
Taylor pulled on her pajama pants and her sweatshirt. They walked downstairs. He stopped at the door. “I’ll see you later.”
“You too,” Taylor smiled giving him a small kiss goodbye.
_________________________
The sun was setting. Taylor’s dad said she was done for the day. She left the stand and went back home. She reached her room and pulled off her heavy winter jacket and hat. She heard her phone beep. She had new messages.
Thomas: We got a problem. She knows.
Sierra: HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?
Sierra: I THOUGHT WE WERE BEST FRIENDS?
Sierra: WHATEVER. WE ARE THROUGH!
Taylor felt her jaw hit the ground. How did she find out?
She shook her head. She had to make this right. Sierra deserved an explanation.
Taylor got in her car and pedaled it to Sierra’s house. She rang the doorbell.
Her best friend came to the door with red, wet eyes. “What do you want? Haven’t you ruined me enough?”
“Sierra, I’m sorry. I didn’t want it to be like this. How did you find out?” Taylor asked.
“Um… It’s kinda of easy to see who my boyfriend is making out with when he has glass walls in his bedroom. And the fact that your car was still outside this morning? I couldn’t really ignore it!” Sierra started cry all over again. “You guys must think I’m stupid or something cause both of you asked me. It’s like HELLO what else am I supposed to think?”
Taylor stopped, “Wait you already talked to him?”
Sierra nodded, “Yeah he just left. Right before you came. Asshole.”
“What did he say?” Taylor asked.
“He said, “I’m sorry this is how you had to find out blahblahblah. I always loved Taylor. I only wanted this cause of my dad’s promotion,” Sierra kept crying, while she mimicked Thomas in a high voice.
“He told you about that?” Taylor was shocked that he mentioned why.
“Yeah, but he said it wasn’t worth it anymore. He said we were through. He was going to get you, to tell you that,” Sierra wiped her eyes on her t-shirt.
Taylor wasn’t sure what was going on. All she knew is that Thomas broke up with Sierra. He was going to her house to ask her out. She had to get there. She had to meet him.
She left Sierra on the front porch without another word. She went to her car. She backed out quickly out of the driveway and tried to speed home. The traffic seemed to slow, which was unusual since she wasn’t traveling on any main roads. She turned onto her street and saw flashing police lights. She got closer and saw a grey Jetta.
She hit the brakes and got out of the car. She ran towards the scene. A police stopped her from getting too close.
“What’s going on!?” she heard herself yell.
The words dripped out of the policeman’s mouth. Taylor only caught the main phrases.
“Young boy”
“Service truck”
“Didn’t look good.”
“Ambulances”
“Complications.”
“Passed away.”
Taylor felt her knees buckle and the policeman’s cold arms around her. He dragged her body over to the sidewalk. That sidewalk was the place she died inside.