The Rarely Rested Lives of the Dallas Sweet Talkers

I had never walked with such a stomp in my steps. My cheeks burned with anger, and my eyes watered with dissapointment. The metal of the steps beneath my feet emitted a lound "ping" each time one of my feet hit it. There were a couple people in the store. I felt many eyes on me but I kept my face to the ground. When I walked past the checkout I could hear Jude "What's wrong Baylee? Whereya going?" I'm sure he was freaked out for his voice shook a bit. I could hear the concern in it. "Anywhere." I said barely without my voice cracking. "Anywhere but here." and as I finished those last words I pushed the front doors open and made my way out onto the street. Dallas was a city of lights. It was pretty late at night and I had nowhere to go. People bustled on the sidewalk and I got knocked down a couple times. My vision was blurry from tears and my legs where uncoordinated from the sheer surprise I had just encountered. "I had nowhere to go, nowhere." the thought kept running through my head. Reluctantly I turned back, entering the doors Jude ran up to me. "Baylee what's wrong?" I didn't want to say, but I had to.
"Kaht, Jude. Kaht! She's just, there's alot of shit going on." I said bursting out in tears. Jude was like a older brother to Kaht, but he was like a father to me.
Wrapping me in his arms I sobbed. "Can't you see we're closed!" he screamed at the people in the store and they piled out onto the bustling streets.
"It'll be ok Baylee, I promise." He said as he craddling me in his arms.
It amazed me how caring and fatherly he could be when I wasn't even his real daughter. We stood their for a while and I couldn't stop the tears. I cry so easily. Finally seperating I spoke.
"I can't face Kaht, I just can't"
"You can crash on my couch tonight, eh? I think I still have some boxes of some of your clothes back their, is that cool?" He said it just like I was some buddy that arrived at his doorstep because he was evicted.
"Yeah, thats cool." I said with a slight giggle.
"Now, go get some rest the boxes are right by the T.V."
"Okay, thanks Jude." I said.
"Anytime kiddo." I liked how he called me kiddo, I hated feeling like a teenager. I didn't feel innocent at all anymore.
Entering his apartment I couldn't tell much for my vision was still blurry.
I found the couch, layed down, and darkness enveloped me like a blanket.
***
Waking up at the crack of dawn I began to get ready.
Once I wake up I can't sleep again.
I suspected Jude had passed out at the checkout counter as he had done so many times before.
Going to the boxes in the corner I pulled out a simple T-shirt and jeans I didn't feel like dressing cheeful today. Not at all. I went the washroom and freshened up a bit. I pulled my long hair back in a pony tail and pulled my clothes on. Looking at the clock it was around 6. It couldn't hurt to read a bit. Pulling a book off of Jude's bookshelf I read for a hour. The book was called "Girlfriend Material"
When it was finally 7 I made my way to school, What I had suspected was right. I creeped by slowly so I wouldn't wake Jude. Going through the backdoor of the store so that annoying little bell wouldn't ring and wake him. Not much was happening on the streets just a couple people. Alot of Taxi's were up and running and the smell of coffee was in the air. I was still quite confused about everything that had happened last night. I started to walk very slowly. School didn't start for another hour anyways. I was deeply greatful that I didn't have Frank for a class today. I still had a few bucks in my pocket so I decided to stop by "The Bean" the local coffeeshop, or at least thats what people reffered to it as. Entering I saw the familiar face of Felix, the owner.
He was a older man with quite alot of character.
"Hey Baylee, the usual? A Vanilla frapucinno and a cinnamon roll?" Along with coffee The Bean had the best cinnamon rules on God's green earth. "Yeah, the usual." I said sitting down on the barstool. I was the only person in the coffeeshop and it felt peaceful. For the first time I actually felt like no one else existed except me. All of that was interrupted by a familiar voice. "Hiya Felix!" it called. And I turned my head to see, Steven. "Oh hi, uhm--" he stuttered. "It's Baylee." I said with a giggle. He was dressed in a blue plaid shirt with skinny's and black converses. I heard a thwack as my plate hit the bar. I instantly jumped in my seat and Steven giggle. I grew red with embaressment. Turning my head to the cinnamon role and frappucino I heard him walk over. "So is this seat taken?" he asked sarcasticially. I shook my head no while taking a sip of my coffee. The Bean was a very modern cafe, with modern art and modern furniture. The barstools where padded with leather and it felt soft. When Steven sat beside my I couldn't speak, I could barely keep my eyes open. I looked over at him for a brief second. and he looked back. I couldn't move, his eyes were too intoxicating. Finally I broke the silence "You have gorgeous eyes." I said in a whisper. I didn't even realize I had said it but I slammed my hands ot my mouth, "Oh uh, Im sorry, I didnt, well I did, uhm sorry." I said blushing. All Steven did was laugh "I'd like to think their as beautiful as yours, Baylee." he said my name, was it unusual to feel you stomach turn in knots when a guy said your name? Or was it completely normal.
Either way, it felt so right. "Are you two love birds gonna eat or not?" Felix interrupted. I nodded my head up and down. "Hey Baylee, its 7:30 shouldn't we start to school?" I heard Steven ask. Was this a invitation to walk me to school? I'd like to think so. "Oh uhm, yeah I guess let me pay my bill." I said. "It's on the house." Felix announced. "You seem to love stricken I don't think you could count your change." He said with a hearty laugh. "Uhm...Im not gonna answer that." I said blushing. Walking out of the The Bean Steven held the door open for me. I felt so special. We walked on the sidewalk in silence until my phone ringed. I picked it up. "Hey, good going kiddo." I heard Jude's voice. "What do ya mean?" I asked in confusion. "He looks like he's nice, I approve of him so far." I could hear the seriousness yet laughter in his voice. Turning my head to Silver Snail I saw him in the window waving. I slammed my phone shut out of embaressment. I waved back and Jude smiled and closed the blinds. Continuing to walk me and Steven touched shoulder to shoulder. Neither of us said a word the whole time to school. I just nibbled on my cinnamon roll until it was gone. We both stepped unto the campus and Steven looked over at me. "Beautiful day, huh?" he said. All I did was give him a thumbs up to indicate that I agreed. We walked into the hallways and everyone stared. It was like being in the spotlight. Steven walked me to my locker, which was no big deal because his was right by mine. Grabbing our stuff we went our seperate ways. "Thanks for walking me." I said quietly. "No thank you, I got to spend time with a amazingly cute girl." he said with a slight smile. Before I could say anything he turned around and made his way. He even walked gracefully.
***
The school bell rang, finally school was over. Maybe I'd see Steven outside. It turns out I didn't. I made my way home and eventually arrived. I climbed up to the crappy apartment me and Kaht called home. Entering I prayed Kaht wasn't home yet. Thank God she wasn't.
I plopped in front of the T.V. and turned it to the Ion channel and watched Criminal Minds.
It seemed like forever before Kaht came home but eventually she entered the door.
I glanced at her, I was still so disappointed but glad to see she was ok.
She broke my gaze and made way to her room.
Any minute she'd be coming out and probably to announced she was going to Frank's just to piss me off.
And I was right.
"You should think about what you're doing, you know." I said dead serious. Because she should. She was going off to fuck Frank again, and that utterly disgusted me. "I can love whoever I want Baylee Ray." she said. She was right she could love whoever she wanted, but it wasn't love it was lust. I closed my eyes in just, disappointment. I heard the door close behind me and I breathed out a sigh. "Why Kaht? Why?" I asked myself. I tried to think like Kaht, like a rebel. But I still couldn't come up with the faintest idea. I leaned over and flipped the T.V. off. Crawling off to my room I layed on my pallet. I stared at the drawings in my room. I must of fallen asleep because I woke up to the door being slammed. It must be Kaht returning home. My stomach ached with hunger and I just had to get up and exit my room. Walking out of my room I stepped right in front of Kaht. "Hey." she uttered. "Hey, have a nice time with your fuck buddy?" I retorted. Because it was true, at least in my eyes it was. Stepping back a bit she didn't say anything. All she did was glare. But she still stood there. Her hand went up by her neck and rubbed something. To my amazement, it was a hickey. "Oh so he gave you a hickey did he?" I said with a chuckle. I'd seen hickeys, but not one this dark. "Ya'll must have had a fun time." I said with a touch of disgust. "Yeah, and so what if he did?" she said as her face turned to a scowl.
"Oh nothing, just thought if you were going out to cheat on your boyfriend and fuck a teacher you might want to cover it up." I said, I knew I was being a bitch but I couldn't help it. She was fucking my English teacher for fucks sakes.
"Baylee! Just shut the fuck up about it! It's not any of your business! I can fuck who I wanna fuck! And you can't do jack shit about it!" She said raising her voice. And she was right I couldn't do jack shit about it. "You're right Kaht! Your completely right! You can fuck who you want to and I can't do shit about it! But I don't need to do shit about it! Because, Kaht I know you eventually your going to sit down and think about it all! And your gonna realize how much you fucked up! And your gonna regret it! And when you get a STD or fucking lose me as a friend because you can't be responsible, don't expect me to pity you in the least!" I said, I was sure the neighbors could hear and I was sure Kaht was astonished because her eyes got as wide as the fucking full moon itself. I shoved her aside and entered my room and slammed the door. And what really pissed me off, is I screamed and I threw things against the wall. And she never even asked if I was Ok. I knew I was maybe overreacting but after everything I've lost, I didn't want to lose Kaht too.

To my fucking English teacher.