Remember the Old Days?

Taylor’s phone suddenly went off, starling her. Taylor shot straight up, struggling to find it. She mentally cursed herself for leaving it in her mess of a bed.

“Hello?” she answered when she finally found her phone.

“Taylor,” the voice said on the other line. Taylor furrowed her brows trying to figure out who it could be. The one name hit her like a ton of bricks.

“Charlie?” she asked. She was shocked that he would call her.

“We broke up,” was all he said. Charlie’s voice sounded heartbroken, pleading for Taylor. She mentally sighed. Why was he calling her about this?

“I’ll be right over.” Taylor waited to hear a soft thanks from him before shutting her phone and heading to his house.

Part of Taylor was screaming for joy over this. The other part of Taylor’s heart was breaking for how sad Charlie sounded over this. Sure, she wanted to be Charlie’s again but she never wanted him to get hurt for it to happen. She walked right into his room without knocking. This place was like Taylor’s second home. She took in his room. It was still painted the dark blue he had to have. His room didn’t look any different. Taylor found Charlie’s body lying on his bed. She could tell his eyes were glued to the ceiling.

“Good to know this room never changed,” Taylor said. Charlie stand up, looking at the red head girl leaning in his doorway with a smirk playing carefully on her lips.

“Hey,” he said. He sat on the edge of his bed, making room for Taylor.

“Hey,” she returned with a smile that put butterflies in Charlie’s stomach. Taylor sat cross legged beside him.

Charlie got a full view of her tattoos. Taylor always talked about getting them in high school. He never thought she would go through with it. Now seeing them he wondered why she got them.

“Do they all have meanings?” Charlie asked, looking down at them. “The tattoos I mean?”

“Um, yeah,” Taylor responded, scratching the back of her head. “Do you want to hear them?”

“Yes.” Charlie gave her a weak smile.

"Well this one that says dream," she said as she pointed to the large front tattooed on her right forearm. "It reminds to always keep me head in the clouds." Charlie laughed, remembering how much of a dreamer Taylor really was. "And this one that says laeta means happy in Latin to remind to be happy." She pointed to the one that was below her left elbow pit. "Then this one is Buzz Lightyear. Remember how much I loved him." She pointed to the cartoon taking up most of her left forearm. "Then these lyrics are from "March On" by Good Charlotte. I wanted something to remind myself that no matter how bad things get you always need to get going." Taylor showed Charlie the one going down the side of her left arm.

“I remember you loving Good Charlotte. I also remember you begging me to take you to their concert in 9th grade.” Charlie couldn’t help but laugh at the memories they made together.

“But you took me. And don’t deny you had a good time.” Taylor gave him another one of her famous smiles.

“I’m going to go get some movies. They always calm me down,” Charlie said getting up from his seat on the bed to get one from downstairs.

Taylor nodded in understanding, she knew him better than anyone, maybe even better than she knew herself. She watched him walk out the door. She figured she would look around his room, knowing there wouldn’t be anything she didn’t already know was there. Taylor walked around, looking at the CDs, some she let him have, the posters on his wall, and lastly what was on Charlie’s dresser. She picked up the black velvet box, fumbling it around with her finger. She knew what was in the box; a big decision. That’s why Charlie was so heartbroken about the breakup with Carly. He was going to propose. Taylor’s head snapped up when she heard Charlie come in with an armful of movies.

“So I got all the classics,” he said with his back toward Taylor, putting in the first movie.

“Charlie, when were you going to propose to Carly?” Taylor said, holding up the black velvet box.

Charlie was quiet for a moment, looking at the box and then back up at Taylor. “That wasn’t for her.” Charlie shook his head.

“Who was it for then?” Taylor was completely confused.

“You,” Charlie whispered, looking down.

“Me?”

“Yes, I was going to propose the night you left. I even had your dad’s blessing. I was going to do it at the pond.” Charlie looked at Taylor to see her response to it all, rubbing the back of his neck.

“When did you ask him?” Taylor was trying to piece everything together.

“Two months before graduation.” Charlie couldn’t bring himself to say the day she left.

“Oh,” was all Taylor could say. She told her parents that she was going to New York two weeks before graduation. And when Taylor puts her mind to something, it’s impossible to get her to change her mind. That explains why her dad wanted her to talk to Charlie before she left.

Taylor tried to steady her breathing as she thought back to the day she left.

"Are you sure you don't want to call him or something?" Taylor's dad asked as he watched his youngest get ready to leave.

Taylor turned to look at her father. She was wondering why he cared about Charlie so much. He never really cared before then. Sure, he was nice but he kind of thought Charlie wasn't going to take care of his daughter. He wanted Taylor to live her dreams.

"I'm sure, daddy. Saying goodbye to him would be too hard. It's better this way. It saves the heartbreak," Taylor answered her father, shaking her head.

"I think it would break his heart and maybe even yours without saying goodbye. What if he has something to say about all of this?"

"What would he have to say, Dad?" Taylor threw her things in the back of her car. "He would love for me to go. He would love that I’m going after my dreams. But the pain in his eyes would be too much to bear." Taylor sighed as she put the last of her things in her car.

She looked at her mom, crying. She shook her head and gave her one last hug. She turned to her father giving him a huge hug.

"Trust me, I’ll be fine," she whispered in his ear. "Maybe even Charlie, too."

Taylor drove off, only looking back at her parents. She never gave a second thought about what she was leaving behind, more importantly who she was leaving behind.

“Well I hope you keep it for some lucky girl who sweeps you off your feet,” Taylor said, coming back to reality. She handed the box to Charlie.

“It’s your ring. I’m not going to give to any other lucky girl. You’re the lucky girl it was meant for,” Charlie said, shaking his head. “I would feel wrong giving it to someone else.”

“You have to. I’m not the one anymore, Charlie. Some girl could use this more than I can,” Taylor pleaded to him.

“I don’t think you’re understanding me, Taylor.” Charlie stepped closer to Taylor.

“What-” Taylor was cut off by Charlie kissing her. It was full of passion.

“I don’t want to give it anyone else,” Charlie said as he pulled away from Taylor’s lips.

“This is wrong, Charlie. I hurt you in the worst way possible. I shouldn’t even be on your mind,” Taylor said, looking him in the eyes. Charlie could see remorse and love in them.

“You’ll always be on my mind, Tay. I will always love you.”

“I will always love you, too. But you need to find someone else. Someone who won’t hurt you; someone better than me.”

“Taylor, there won’t be anyone better than you.” Charlie kissed once more, helping her onto his bed.

≈

Taylor woke up to find a sleeping Charlie beside her. She mentally slapped herself. She was leaving in two weeks. She was going to leave him. Sighing, she couldn’t help but watch him sleep. He seemed so peaceful. Taylor carefully stroked his hair, hoping not to wake him. Charlie’s eyes fluttered open, smiling as he saw Taylor beside him. She smiled back at him.

“Good morning, beautiful,” Charlie said, leaning to kiss her.

“Good morning,” Taylor said, kissing him. Even though she was going to leave, she couldn’t resist being with him.

“What should we do today?” Charlie wrapped his arms around Taylor, glad to be holding her.

“I don’t know.” Taylor shrugged, trying to keep a smile on her face. She knew that this was all going to end in a couple of weeks and they were both going to be heartbroken. Charlie could see Taylor’s fake smile. He knew something was wrong.

“What’s wrong?” Charlie looked Taylor in the eyes.

“I’m leaving in two weeks, Charlie. I’m going to be leaving you.” Taylor tried to keep the tears in, but failed.

Charlie had forgotten about that. He was so wrapped up in Taylor being near him he forgot about her leaving. He saw Taylor crying and wiped away the tears staining her cheeks. “Hey, babe, it’s ok. Let’s just forget about right now.”

Taylor nodded, quieting her sobs. “So what are we now?” It was the one question going through both of their minds.

“What do you want to be?” Charlie asked quietly.

“Together. I want to be to be with you.” Taylor laced her fingers with Charlie’s, smiling.

“Then we will be together.” Charlie kissed her once again, loving the fact that Taylor was his again.