Remember the Old Days?

Charlie couldn’t help but laugh at the five girls. They were trying to decide what to get to eat and where to get it. They soon figure it all out and got what they usually get, that meaning Taylor and Charlie sharing a meal. They all sat at the table talking about things they have done in this mall. Charlie was pulled out of the conversation when his phone went off, telling him he had a text.

“Who are you texting, Charlie?” Anna said, holding out the e. “A secret girlfriend we don’t know about.”

Taylor’s face fell when she heard girlfriend. She knew that he wasn’t going to mope about her and never have another girl friend. She knew if she did come back, there was a possibility that Charlie would have a girlfriend but hearing that he might was harder than she thought.

“Yeah, Charlie do you?” Taylor said, regaining her usual smiling face.

Charlie looked at her, shocked that she would say something like that. He thought the idea of him having a girlfriend would break her heart. But then again, Taylor was always good at hiding her pain. Charlie then glared at Anna. Before he could say anything about what Anna just said, a voice was shouting his name across the food court. He turned to look who it was.

Taylor followed Charlie’s glace to a girl shouting his name, walking toward him. She wrapped his arms around Charlie’s neck, kissing him. Taylor’s heart dropped and broke into a million pieces. They broke away from the kiss and Taylor got a better look at the girl. She was extremely blonde, more blonde than Amber. She was wearing the preppy designer clothes that Taylor just wanted to throw up on. Her fake smile never left her face when she looked at Taylor. Taylor could tell in her eyes she was disgusted by her.

“Taylor, this Carly, my girlfriend,” Charlie said quietly, hoping Taylor wouldn’t hear him.
But she did. She didn’t think her heart could break anymore but right then it did. She was surprised that he was this type of girl. Taylor was the only girlfriend he had.

“Oh, you’re Taylor. The ex who left without saying goodbye,” Carly said. Taylor wanted to slap that fake smile off her face. She winced when Carly said ex. She calmed down when Tricia put her hand on Taylor’s shoulder.

“I guess I am,” Taylor replied with the same fake smile.

“Well, hello girls,” Carly said, not noticing Taylor anymore. “It’s been along time since I’ve seen you.” Carly sat down beside Charlie.

“I know,” Jackie said, unaware of Taylor’s unhappiness. “You must come shopping with us.”

“Oh of course.” Carly gave a fake laugh.

“You guys knew,” Taylor said, standing up from the tables.

The girls just looked at Taylor with a shocked expression. Carly had a smirk on her face.

“Taylor don’t make a scene,” Charlie said, trying to calm her down, which was never going to work.

“Don’t tell me what to do,” Taylor growled. “You guys knew, and you didn’t tell me. A warning would have been awesome.” With that Taylor stomped off to God knows where.

“I’ll go get her,” Charlie said, starting to get up.

“No, it will be better if I do,” Tricia said, getting up heading in the direction that Taylor went. “Taylor.” Tricia put her hand on Taylor’s shoulder. Taylor shrugged it off. “Taylor Kathleen, turn around to look at me.” Tricia only used Taylor’s middle name when she meant something.

Taylor slowly turned around, looking at her best friend. She looked like she was about to cry. She never cried.

“You weren’t going to tell me, were you?” Taylor asked slight anger in her voice.

“I didn’t think it was my place to tell. Plus, I didn’t think I was going to see you ever again,” Tricia said, snapping at the last part.

Taylor’s face look defeated. “What about when I showed up at the BBQ? You didn’t think to tell me then? I thought best friends were supposed to tell each other when this kind of things happen.”

“I don’t think we would be counted as best friends right now.” Tricia knew this was going to hurt Taylor. It was insult to injury. “I haven’t seen you in what two, going on three years? You expect me to welcome you with open arms and act like everything was ok. You except Charlie to fall for you all over again. Come on, Taylor, you didn’t even say goodbye. You just left. It hurt all of us. Charlie the most. He was a mess. You should have known that was going to happen when you left. He’s moved on. Frankly, I’m glad he did. I couldn’t stand to see him like he was when you left for one more day.”

Taylor looked at her friend, speechless. Tricia never said something like that to anyone, ever. But Taylor guessed she deserved it. Taylor broke down and sat on one of benches that were around the mall. She cried. For the first time in a long time, Taylor cried a good long cry. Tricia sat next to her putting her arm around the old friend.

“I messed it all up,” Taylor said between sobs. “I messed Charlie up. I messed you up. I messed everyone up.” She put her head in her hands, not knowing what to do with herself.
Tricia quietly told her friend it was going to be alright. She rubbed Taylor’s back, trying to make her forget the things she said.

“It’s not alright,” Taylor said, looking at Tricia. “I left without a goodbye. I had no plans on coming back. I’m such an awful person.” Taylor let out another strangled sob. “I don’t know how I became this monster. I had perfect friends and a perfect guy and I just let that go. I just left.”

“You’re not an awful person,” Tricia said in her soft mother like voice. “You just made a decision that hurt a lot of people. You can fix it.”

“You know you’re right? I knew what this would do to Charlie but I didn’t care. I didn’t even give him a second thought.” Another sob came out of Taylor. Tricia never saw her friend cry this much. Actually she never saw her friend cry at all.

“You’ve been through a lot here. I understand that you had to get away. I bet Charlie does, too.” Taylor looked up at her friend with pleading eyes. Those eyes were telling her to help her fix it all. “Come on, let’s find a bathroom and clean you up. Then you can go back to that table and act like nothing’s wrong. Show Charlie you don’t need him. Carly’s just a rebound. You’ll always be Charlie’s love,” Tricia said as she pulled Taylor off the bench.

“Tricia, you are truly amazing,” Taylor said, hugging her friend. “I do doubt I’m Charlie’s love with the way I left him.” Tricia gave her a glared that told Taylor not to doubt herself. “Does this mean we’re best friends like we were before?”

“Of course,” Tricia exclaimed. “You never took of your promise ring and I never took off mine. So we have to be best friends.” Taylor laughed at Tricia as she led them off to find a bathroom.

“You ok,” Charlie asked, with a worry expression as Taylor and Tricia sat back down at the table.

“Of course,” Taylor said, smiling like nothing had happened.

“That was quite a scene you threw there,” Carly said, that fake smile still on her face. “I would never do anything like that. It’s very unlady like.” Carly batted her eyes at Charlie. Taylor made a gag noise. Tricia hit her as Charlie glared at her.

“Who says we finish our shopping?” Anna said, getting up and getting away from all of this.

“Why not,” Taylor said, smiling as she linked arms with Tricia.

Charlie was confused. First, Taylor blows up about the girls knowing about Carly and maybe even because of Carly but now she’s just her normal self. Every time, Taylor smiles Charlie gets butterflies. Whenever that does, Carly always make sure he’s look at her.