Garage Heroes
Chapter Nine
Taylor’s Point Of View
I can’t fucking believe it. I actually invited Gerard and his friends over to my house. Not yet, of course. I was so nervous. But, I needed to unpack. I needed to get my room looking decent for the time being. I pulled my cell phone out of my back pocket and glanced at the time. It was about noon and I needed to unpack. Now. I dragged my boxes out of my bathroom and into my room. I began to pull out blankets and pillows to place on my bed, which was now, conveniently, in my room. My dad had a friend help him put my bed in my room last night. Apparently, he had some friends over kinda as a look-I-bought-a-thing party that I hadn’t known about considering I was with Gerard.
Gerard. I had been trying to avoid thinking of him since I walked out of his house this morning. I didn’t want to. I wanted so badly to stay and lay with him and talk to him and listen to him talk. I loved his voice; the way he would get quieter as if he was embarrassed. The way he would mindlessly play with his thumbs. The way he smelled. He was perfect.
I knew it was stupid, the fact that I was thinking about him like this when we had only just met a few days before. I didn’t even think he liked me back. If he did, he wasn’t good at showing it. He didn’t express his emotions as most people did, but I kind of liked the idea of not being able to read him so easily. I would have to be able to figure him out. I liked a challenge.
I heard a knock at my door, which awoke me from my thoughts of Gerard. I bid them to come in. It was my dad, of course.
“Taylor, you need to hurry up and unpack. We have to get ready,” Dad said quickly, and shut the door. I nodded, even though I knew he wasn’t there to see it. I suppose the nod was for my own benefit. I began to lay my blankets and pillows on my bed neatly and set things like my alarm clock and lamp on the end table next to my bed. I put my straightener and curling iron on my desk, which I would eventually turn into a makeup and hair supply table. Today, of course, was not going to be that day. I needed to hurry so we could get ready to go out to eat with my dad’s friends. He wanted me to go because he thought I would be bored at home, when I could just go across the street and visit Gerard. But, I was glad he invited me. I needed to stop thinking about Gerard. I didn’t want to become obsessive, but it seemed like that’s where this was headed. I needed to go with my dad to avoid going to Gerard’s house, because I knew that’s exactly what I’d do.
I was told that we were going to a nice restaurant, but I wasn’t told where, and I wasn’t told to wear nice clothes. My dad told me just not to look disgusting. I knew he was joking, but I made sure to take a shower and wash off all of the makeup I had on, so I could redo it when I got out. I took a quick shower, probably the fastest I had ever taken. I finished my shower and stayed in the bathroom long enough to wrap my towel around me. I ran into my room to blow dry my hair and straighten it. My makeup was the only thing I spent a lot of time on. I wanted to look decent, considering we were going to a fancy restaurant. I put mascara on quickly, and took time applying my eyeliner. I could never get it even, but this time I took my time until both sides were perfect. I put my brown eyeshadow on. Now it was time for my clothes. I already knew what I was going to wear. My black skinny jeans, which were actually nice, not trashy, and my white Sex Pistols shirt. I hurriedly got dressed and put on my black high tops. I looked at myself one last time in my full length mirror hanging from the door.
I looked weird. My body was proportioned weird. I hated it. I always thought I was too tall, but I knew I wasn’t, because most of the people I knew that were my age were taller than me. My legs were long, longer than I thought they should be. The only thing I actually liked about myself was my eyes. They were bright blue, and they contradicted the fact that many people believed. I had been told many times that people with brown hair were supposed to have brown eyes. It was stupid, I would admit, but I liked the fact that I was a little different. My hair was dark brown, almost black, naturally. I had somewhat of chubby cheeks, which only bothered me when people thought it was necessary to squeeze my cheeks when they took a picture with me. One of my friends from eighth grade did that all the fucking time. I had freckles, but they seemed to disappear in the winter time and then reappear during summer. They were very prominent now. I didn’t mind them much.
I knew my dad would want to leave soon, so I walked out into the living room to wait on him. I could hear that he was still in the shower. That’s just him. He will rush me to get ready when he’s not even close. But, I didn’t mind. I turned on the T.V. looking for some entertainment while I waited. The Brady Bunch was on. I honestly loved the show. As I waited, I began to doze off. A small nap before a big night wouldn’t hurt.
I can’t fucking believe it. I actually invited Gerard and his friends over to my house. Not yet, of course. I was so nervous. But, I needed to unpack. I needed to get my room looking decent for the time being. I pulled my cell phone out of my back pocket and glanced at the time. It was about noon and I needed to unpack. Now. I dragged my boxes out of my bathroom and into my room. I began to pull out blankets and pillows to place on my bed, which was now, conveniently, in my room. My dad had a friend help him put my bed in my room last night. Apparently, he had some friends over kinda as a look-I-bought-a-thing party that I hadn’t known about considering I was with Gerard.
Gerard. I had been trying to avoid thinking of him since I walked out of his house this morning. I didn’t want to. I wanted so badly to stay and lay with him and talk to him and listen to him talk. I loved his voice; the way he would get quieter as if he was embarrassed. The way he would mindlessly play with his thumbs. The way he smelled. He was perfect.
I knew it was stupid, the fact that I was thinking about him like this when we had only just met a few days before. I didn’t even think he liked me back. If he did, he wasn’t good at showing it. He didn’t express his emotions as most people did, but I kind of liked the idea of not being able to read him so easily. I would have to be able to figure him out. I liked a challenge.
I heard a knock at my door, which awoke me from my thoughts of Gerard. I bid them to come in. It was my dad, of course.
“Taylor, you need to hurry up and unpack. We have to get ready,” Dad said quickly, and shut the door. I nodded, even though I knew he wasn’t there to see it. I suppose the nod was for my own benefit. I began to lay my blankets and pillows on my bed neatly and set things like my alarm clock and lamp on the end table next to my bed. I put my straightener and curling iron on my desk, which I would eventually turn into a makeup and hair supply table. Today, of course, was not going to be that day. I needed to hurry so we could get ready to go out to eat with my dad’s friends. He wanted me to go because he thought I would be bored at home, when I could just go across the street and visit Gerard. But, I was glad he invited me. I needed to stop thinking about Gerard. I didn’t want to become obsessive, but it seemed like that’s where this was headed. I needed to go with my dad to avoid going to Gerard’s house, because I knew that’s exactly what I’d do.
I was told that we were going to a nice restaurant, but I wasn’t told where, and I wasn’t told to wear nice clothes. My dad told me just not to look disgusting. I knew he was joking, but I made sure to take a shower and wash off all of the makeup I had on, so I could redo it when I got out. I took a quick shower, probably the fastest I had ever taken. I finished my shower and stayed in the bathroom long enough to wrap my towel around me. I ran into my room to blow dry my hair and straighten it. My makeup was the only thing I spent a lot of time on. I wanted to look decent, considering we were going to a fancy restaurant. I put mascara on quickly, and took time applying my eyeliner. I could never get it even, but this time I took my time until both sides were perfect. I put my brown eyeshadow on. Now it was time for my clothes. I already knew what I was going to wear. My black skinny jeans, which were actually nice, not trashy, and my white Sex Pistols shirt. I hurriedly got dressed and put on my black high tops. I looked at myself one last time in my full length mirror hanging from the door.
I looked weird. My body was proportioned weird. I hated it. I always thought I was too tall, but I knew I wasn’t, because most of the people I knew that were my age were taller than me. My legs were long, longer than I thought they should be. The only thing I actually liked about myself was my eyes. They were bright blue, and they contradicted the fact that many people believed. I had been told many times that people with brown hair were supposed to have brown eyes. It was stupid, I would admit, but I liked the fact that I was a little different. My hair was dark brown, almost black, naturally. I had somewhat of chubby cheeks, which only bothered me when people thought it was necessary to squeeze my cheeks when they took a picture with me. One of my friends from eighth grade did that all the fucking time. I had freckles, but they seemed to disappear in the winter time and then reappear during summer. They were very prominent now. I didn’t mind them much.
I knew my dad would want to leave soon, so I walked out into the living room to wait on him. I could hear that he was still in the shower. That’s just him. He will rush me to get ready when he’s not even close. But, I didn’t mind. I turned on the T.V. looking for some entertainment while I waited. The Brady Bunch was on. I honestly loved the show. As I waited, I began to doze off. A small nap before a big night wouldn’t hurt.