Remember the Old Days?

“I went to the pond, no big deal,” Taylor said, laughing at Tricia.

“Did you see Charlie there?” Tricia asked, her mood getting better.

“Yeah.” Taylor sat on her bed. “It was weird being there without being together with Charlie. Its like the pond is a whole other world. A world I’m no longer a part of.”

“It will get better, I promise,” Tricia said as she sat down next Taylor on the bed.

“I hope so,” Taylor whispered.

≈

Taylor was lying on her couch, watching TV. It was almost midnight and she had nothing else to do. Her parents had gone to sleep long ago, leaving Taylor to entertain herself. Taylor was about to call it a night even though she knew she wouldn’t get any sleep, when her phone went off. Seeing it was Amber, Taylor sighed.

“Hey, Amber,” Taylor answered her phone.

“Hey, who did you know it was me?” Amber’s voice said from the other line.

“Caller idea, dumbo,” Taylor replied with a laugh.

“That’s not very nice.” Taylor could hear Amber acting all mad over the phone. She could just picture her with her hands on her hips. “Anywho, we’re going to have a night at the pond so bring beer!” she screamed before hanging up.

Taylor laughed as she stood up. Stretching her muscles, Taylor made her way over to grab her drinks of the night. She walked over to the pond with a smile on her face and 24 pack of beer in her hand. As soon as she stepped on the grass, Taylor could see that the rest were already there.

“Taylor,” Amber screamed, running up to her. Amber threw her arms around Taylor, almost knocking both of them down.

“Amber,” Taylor screamed back, trying to keep them from falling down.

“I haven’t seen you in like forever,” Amber said in a dramatic voice.

“You saw me a couple of days ago,” Taylor said, laughing.

“That’s a long time for me.” Amber pulled apart, looking down at Taylor’s hand. “Oh, beer!” She took the beer from Taylor and ran to Jackie and Anna.

Taylor just stood there, laughing at her friend. She still couldn’t see the good times, like this, but only the bad ones. She could still see the flames. It was like that whole night was be replayed over and over right in front of her. Sighing, Taylor looked over to Charlie. He was just staring at her. Well, more like her shirt. Curious, Taylor looked down to see what he was staring at. Her jaw dropped when she figured it out. She was wearing Charlie’s old high school baseball shirt. Taylor looked back at him.

“I’m sorry. I forgot that I had it or that I was wearing it,” Taylor said, pleading.

“It’s ok. It looks better on you than it ever did on me,” Charlie said, cracking a smile towards the end.

“I can give it back to you. I just need to wash it first.” Great, she’ll being washing her scent off of it, Charlie thought.

“Nah, its ok. I gave it to you so it’s your now.” Charlie couldn’t believe she was wearing it. He remembered giving her that. Taylor was so happy. She wore it for a month straight.

“What if Carly wants it?”

“She won’t.” Charlie shook his head.

“I feel wrong if I keep it. It’s yours.”

“But I gave it to you. It’s yours now. “Taylor was about to say something but Charlie cut her off. “Let’s go get something to drink.”

Taylor nodded and followed him to where their friends and the drinks were. She couldn’t look around. That night was still replaying in front of her. She drank the beer that Amber handed her in record time. She reached for another, not stopping until she was drunk. It was the only way she could stand to be here.

Too many beers and laughs later, Taylor was completely wasted. Charlie hated seeing her like this. He knew why she drank that much tonight. She couldn’t stand being here. He watched Taylor try to dance with the equally drunk Amber. Jackie, Anna and Tricia were laughing at them, but Charlie found none of this funny.

“I love you, Charlie,” Taylor said, falling into his lap.

“You’re drunk, Taylor,” he said, shaking his head at her.

“I mean it. I should have never left you.” Taylor threw her hands around his neck.

“Taylor, you’re beyond wasted. You don’t know what you’re saying.”

“But I do. And I’m saying that I love you.” She buried her face into his neck.

“Ok, Taylor. I hear you.” He sighing, not really wanting to deal with a drunken Taylor.

“Don’t you love me too, Char Char?” Taylor removed herself from his neck and looked him in the eyes. Tears rimmed her eyes but Charlie knew they were drunken tears.

“Yes I do.” He sighed as she once again threw her arms around him.

“Did you hear that? He loves me,” Taylor screamed, causing Charlie to wince. “I’m tired.”
Taylor yawned and curled up in Charlie’s lap. “I’m going to sleep now.”

“Taylor, no,” Charlie said, trying to tell her to not to fall asleep just yet but looked down to see Taylor passed out. “I guess I’ll take her back to her house.”

All the girls said that they were going to stay for a while longer. They said their goodbyes and went back to drinking. Charlie got up carrying Taylor to his car. He always drove when they hung out at the pond all night. One of them was bound to get drunk and it was better to have a car to take the passed out friend home. He set Taylor in the backseat of his car and started to get in the car himself. On his way home, he couldn’t help but think back to the times he took Taylor home. All those times she was sober. Charlie knew Taylor hated getting drunk but sometimes that was the only way for her to deal with things. Taylor mumbled something in her sleep as Charlie took her up to her room. He put her in her bed; tucking her in. she looked so peaceful as she slept. He kissed her forehead. Before leaving, Charlie looked around the room. This room held everything he loved about Taylor.

≈

Taylor woke up with a huge headache. She had the worst hangover. Sitting up, Taylor tried to remember last night. She recalled dancing with a drunken Amber but that’s it for right now. She slowly stood up stretching her limbs. That’s when it hit her. She told Charlie that she loved him and that she wished she never left him. She felt like an idiot. Everyone knows that what a person says while they’re drunk is what they are too afraid to say while they are sober.