Remember the Old Days?

Taylor and Charlie walked around the mall. It’s been a week since they got back together. They had come here with the rest but snuck away to have a few minutes alone. Taylor was laughing at something Charlie had said. He was beaming that Taylor was so happy with him. In the back of their minds, they both knew what was coming up in a week. She would be leaving and that hole in each of their hearts would return. Charlie and Taylor said they would never speak about it but it was becoming like an elephant in the room. They both wanted it out but were too scared to talk about it. Taylor just smiled, thinking about all the wonderful times she’ll have with Charlie in the next week. Charlie pushed everything aside beside Taylor, wanting to remember everything about her.

“Taylor,” a voice screamed from across the mall.

Taylor looked over to where the voice confused at who was calling her. It didn’t sound like anyone of the girls so she didn’t know who else it would be. Charlie followed her glaze as confused as she was. Taylor stopped cold when she saw the familiar face heading her way. Charlie saw it, too, not believing it.

“Well, if it isn’t my lovely sister, Taylor,” a young woman said, reaching both of them.

The young woman held out her arms, signaling Taylor to give her a hug. Taylor just narrowed her eyes at her sister. Taylor couldn’t help but let her eyes take in the girl who left three years ago. She was wearing a yellow summer dress and the blond hair she got from their mother was in perfect waves around her face. Taylor hated the fact that she looked perfectly fine for someone who ran away with no money.

“What are you doing here, Jess?” Taylor asked harshly, crossing her arms.

“I wanted to see my family. I missed y’all. Is that a crime?” Jess retorted.

“It is when you get in a fight with your parents, tell you wish they would die and ran away.” Taylor frowned. She didn’t want to be near her sister.

Jess seemed taken back by Taylor’s comment. But she quickly recovered herself, putting on a smiling face for everyone. That’s the one thing Jess and Taylor had in common; they could put up a happy front in the matter of seconds.

“Oh come on, Tay. That was such a long time ago.” Jess played it off like everyone was over what she had done. In reality, their mother was still heartbroken and their father wondered where he went wrong with Jess.

“It doesn’t make a difference, Jess. What you did broken Mom and Daddy. Your words still replay in their heads everyday.” Taylor tried to keep her voice down.

“How would you know? I heard you left for New York two years and this is your first time back.” Jess had her hands on her hips. She was now playing the same game as Taylor.

Taylor stood there, looking at her sister in disbelief. She couldn’t believe she just said that, let alone knew that. Charlie’s mouth went agape. No matter had bad their fights got, Charlie never remembered Jess getting this mean to Taylor. It took a lot for them to fight. They were close sisters. Now Taylor never wanted to speak to Jess again and Charlie was pretty sure Jess wasn’t helping that fact.

“Don’t you ever say something like that to me ever again,” Taylor said a in a stern voice. She stepped closer to Jess, who looked unfazed by her sister’s anger. “I was there to pick up the pieces that you left behind. I was there making sure Mom and Dad were going to get through this. I was the one that took care of them. I care about them more than you ever will.”

Jess glared at her younger sister. She couldn’t admit that what Taylor said was wrong. She never thought about what would happen to her family if she left. She finally rolled her eyes, letting Taylor know she didn’t care about what she said.

“I bet you left Charlie, too. Did you give him a goodbye or just let without saying a thing?” Jess asked, smirking. Her smirk was nothing like Taylor’s. Taylor said nothing. She just glared back at her sister. “Gosh, you’re as bad as me.”

“Just leave, Jess,” was all Taylor said. Her voice sound sad, almost like she was giving up. The mention of that day set Taylor into this mood.

“I guess I’ll see you at home, sis,” Jess said, smirking again.

She walked away, leaving Taylor wanting to ran after her and scream at her, telling her she would never be able to go back home. Jess ruined their family. She had no care in the world either. Jess made it out to be like she was home from college, not running away. Taylor only wished she knew the real reason her sister was back in town. She was probably running away from another problem. Same old Jess.

Taylor realized that she was crying only when Charlie engulfed her in a hug. She could fell her tears making his shirt wet. She wrapped her arms around Charlie’s torso, burying her face deeper into his chest. Charlie was always there when she needed him most. She would be lost without him. He was even there when Jess left and Taylor’s whole world fell apart.

“She just left,” Taylor sobbed. “She didn’t even saw goodbye or leave a note or anything.”

Taylor was sitting on her bed with her knees pulled up to her chin. She was crying, her arms wrapped themselves around her legs. Charlie watched her cry, trying to soothe her. He knew she needed him. He had come over in the morning to find Taylor staring at her sister’s empty room. Her mother had locked herself in her parent’s room and her father was trying to get her to calm down through the door.

“I just can’t believe it. She has gotten in fights with them before. None had ever been that bad. But still, just leaving like that.” Taylor was shaking her head. Her sobs had become uncontrollable now.

Charlie unwrapped her arms from her legs and pulled her onto his lap. She curled up into his chest, crying. He rubbed her back, telling her it was going to be alright even though he didn’t think it was. Taylor was mad at her sister. Jess had said awful things last night to her parents. She was mad about that but she was madder that she just left. Jess left her. Taylor knew her sister always ran from problems but didn’t think she would actually run away from her own family. She wondered where she would go. Taylor knew Jess would have no money.

“Taylor, it’s ok. She’s going to come back. Jess can’t live out there for long,” Charlie said, still rubbing Taylor’s back. “Don’t worry. She’ll come back and apologize.”

Taylor’s sobs had quieted. A few tears were still falling down her stained cheeks. Charlie’s shirt was soaked though he didn’t care.

“I don’t think she will. I really don’t think she will, Charlie.” Taylor looked up at her boyfriend, shaking her head.

“You never know. Jess may come to her senses.”

Taylor just curled back up in Charlie’s chest. She closed her eyes tired from the day’s events even though it was early afternoon. She heard her father come in and tell Charlie that the police was here before she fell asleep. Taylor fell asleep wondering what she would be without Charlie.

“What’s wrong?” Taylor could hear Tricia’s concern voice say.

“Jess is back,” was all Charlie had to say to explain the state Taylor was in.

Taylor was still latched on to Charlie’s waist; her face still buried in his chest. Charlie rubbed her back, making her think back to the day Jess left. Taylor cried the last tears but still not turning around to face her friends.

“When?” Tricia’s voice got harsh. “Why is she here?’

“We saw her a few minutes ago. I don’t know why she’s back.” Charlie shrugged.

“If I see her,” Jackie didn’t finish her sentence when Taylor turned to look at her friends.
They all had concerned, apologetic faces. Tricia stepped forward and gave Taylor a hug.

“I never like your sister anyway,” she whispered in Taylor’s ear, causing her to laugh.

“Well who wants to go finish shopping,” Taylor said, putting up that happy front again.