CHAPTER 8

                    "Oh come on Lee,don't say you have culled yourself from the little kingdom of queen Emily Hill." Dylan teased.

                     "As a matter of fact I have,together with Taylor," Carly continued after seeing their surprised looks,"Well,most of it was Taylor's doing but still,we are both out of her claws."

                      "Wow.How did she take it?" Carl asked

                         "Shocked,surprised and speechless.I bet she was mostly shocked by Taylor.I was as shocked myself.I never could have imagined Taylor standing up to Emily."

                       "Maybe she is more courageous than you think.You probably don't know her that well."Carl said biting into his burger.

   Carly was surprised by her brother's statement.She turned and looked at him.By looking at how nervous he seemed sipping from his straw,she knew there had to be more to those words.Her brother was keeping a secret that involved Taylor. 'My brother and Taylor?I never would have imagined.' She decided to keep the thought to herself for later when they were alone.She then turned to Dylan who had remained silent throughout .She wondered what was in her thoughts.She must have felt Carly's eyes on her because she looked up quickly.Their eyes met and held for a minute. Carly looked away slowly,beginning to feel nervous. 'Damn it!' she cursed silently.

                        "Dylan,maybe you should join us if you are not busy," Carl suggested which made Carly turn glaring at him.Dylan must have seen the glare because she turned him down.

                       "Maybe another time Carl.I wouldn't want my boss to cut off half my salary and I need every coin if I'm going to get into college so,I'll see you both around," she said looking at Carly before heading off.Carly knew that she was lying about her boss cutting her salary but was thankful that she had.She didn't want things to get awkward after the intense moment they had shared.No matter how short it had been.Bringing up what she had always felt around her.She decided to try and see if her brother would crack about Taylor.

                 "So,Carl."She started,"Taylor told me to say hi earlier."

                     "She did?"

                      "Oh yeah,she did," Carly observed her brother's reaction to see if she could gather something in between.Yeah,definitely something.She gathered from the blush that covered her brother's face,and for some reason he was keeping it a secret.Was  it the same as the one  Taylor was taking about?She wondered hoping that it was,their relationship, instead of what she thought Taylor meant.Only one way to find out.

                       "Well,someone is in love,"she commented

                         "It's not what you think,"Carl tried to defend himself but there was no way Carly was going to let him off the hook she had so easily captured him with.

                            "Is it not?" 

                              "We are just friends.Nothing more."

                               "Then maybe you should act like it and stop blushing," She said bravely hoping that she was not misreading her brother's reaction,which if she was meant that Taylor meant exactly what she was afraid of and most likely her brother knew.She felt like they both shared something deeper than her brother dared to admit.

                    "I'm not blushing;who are you seeing anyway?I'm so curious to know the unlucky guy."

                        "They don't have to be necessarily unlucky."

                          "With you,I wouldn't imagine any other outcome."

                              "Shut up Carl," she said as she got up."We should probably get going.It's seven thirty already and dad will be home.He probably is already."

                             "He doesn't get home until after midnight.We should be safe."

                              "That happens when mom is home so we are not.Let's just go."

                                                    ******

Carly walked upstairs towards her bedroom.Despite her father's request to have dinner together,she refused.It's not like she was hungry and she knew she had a lot of thinking to do.The day had started out well but got a little confusing towards the end.After the encounter with Dylan she realized that she had been lying to herself.She thought that she had already gotten over Dylan but she realized that only worked because they never got together.She had made sure of that by keeping out of Dylan's way.Well,maybe she had controlled her mental part,but after today,she knew that the physical part wouldn't corporate.She was no longer immune and that scared her.She slowly turned on the shower and stood under the lukewarm spray.She leaned her head backwards and closed her eyes letting the water run over her head and down her body.It felt nice.She let herself go,her thoughts flowing smoothly now.It had been so long,so long since she felt such a tug,such an attraction for someone.She didn't need to be reminded who that was because it was so similar,so familiar. 'God how did this happen?Why did I ever end it if only to come back to this?' Yes,she had ended it and it had been a trust thing.Something she never would have thought Dylan would do after everything they had together.Even though she still thought it was Dylan's fault,there are things she that she shouldn't have and now,she deeply regretted.Some things she had said and had deeply hurt Dylan.At the time she had thought she deserved it but now that wasn't the case.

    She had spent so much time in the bathroom,the water still running and now possibly her dad would kill her."Great,you are doing great Carly,"she said as she dried herself,then dressed ready for bed.Tomorrow would be another day,and each new day comes with it's demons...or angels. We will see.She thought as she drifted to sleep.

                                                       ******

Dylan walked out of the diner towards the parking lot where her mother was waiting.Just like every other day,only that today was not like every other day for her.After she had dismissed herself after Carl's invitation,she had rushed to the back of the diner to the bathrooms.She had stood there for ten minutes looking at herself in the mirror.Carly.She had seen them coming into the diner.She had panicked when they had settled in a booth she was in charge of and there was no way she could have avoided them.She had braced herself and decided it was time to slay demons.It had been so easy serving them,so easy teasing Carly.Only to end with that stare.That intense moment they had shared. 'Why now after all this time?' She had asked herself.She knew that she had tried her best to avoid Carly,even changing classes.Even getting this job,she knew they would never collide here.Carly never came to those sides and Dylan felt like it was safe.She was so sure of that,well until today.Until their eyes met and the protective skin she had been wearing started to peel off.And declining Carl's offer was more to her advantage not Carly's.She was the one who had been heartbroken,not Carly.Why was she thinking about it so much?

                     "Dylan?"

                    "Huh?" Dylan said, startled.

                   "I asked how your day was."

                      "Oh...same old.School then work.Nothing new."

                           "Who are you thinking about?"

                              "What?No one."

                                  "Oh honey,you keep forgetting that I know you more than you know yourself.And I can recognize that face from somewhere.So,who is the girl?" Dylan's mother asked.

                                   "I saw her today."

                                   "And?" Wendy asked,her eyebrows raised.

                                    "It doesn't matter mom.We ended it a long time ago."

                                    "Oh,she is the one who broke your heart."

                                     "How do you even know that?"

                                      "I told you.And keen mothers know everything.And also,you don't do a very good job at hiding your feelings.That much I can tell."

                                      "It was not supposed to happen.We were not supposed to collide.Hell,I even got this job this far to try and be as far away as I could from her.I didn't think she would ever come here."

                                     "Everything happens with a reason,and that is no exception."

                                     "God,does it get any easier?" Dylan asked

                                      "Only if you let it."

                                       "How do I do that?"

                                        "You still love her,don't you?"

                                         "She broke my heart and yet she is like this piece of magnet and I am like the opposite side of it.I can't repel her.I'm not immune.And that scares me."

                                          "Just give it time love.You will know what to do when the time comes and I know it will be the best decision.I believe in you Dylan."

                                          "Thanks mom," Dylan said reaching out to hug her mother.Her father had died when she was two years old.She never had a chance to know him and so no memories to remember him by except the ones her mother always told her.Her mother was her rock and pillar.She always had been for as long as she could remember.Coming out to her came easy as her mother seemed to have always known.She remembered  that day too well,after Carly had ended things.She was standing in the kitchen holding a knife when her mother walked in.That was some months before that day.

                                       "Careful with the knife or you are gonna end up getting stitches." 

                                        "That wouldn't be the worst  thing to happen to me,"Dylan answered absently 

                                        "What's going on with you?"

                                          "Nothing mom,I'm sorry.I'm just thinking."

                                          "About what,did something happen at school?"

                                           "Yeah something happened but I can't tell you.I don't want you to think that I have failed you."

                                            "Why Dylan,try me."

                                             "I'm in love,with...a girl.And  now I can't be with her because she ended things with me,for I don't know what reason and I don't know what to do."

 Dylan remembered how her mother had looked at her,how she had broken down,tears streaming down her face and what she had thought..."And now you hate me." It had been so hard standing there watching her mother cry and she had wished she never said it loud.She had been wrong because her mother finally spoke.

                                            "Oh,Dylan.I could never hate you.You are the greatest gift your father left for me,how  can I afford to hate you?I'm just overwhelmed by joy that you finally had the courage to tell me."

                                           "What?You knew all along?" Dylan remembered how she had been surprised by her mother's confession and had ran into her mother's arms sobbing.

                                           "I'm your mother,I know you.I've known you since you started kicking inside my belly.I started speculating how you would be like when you finally came.I watched you grow baby,and let me just say that I would be disappointed if my speculations were wrong."

                                        "Why didn't you ever say anything?" Dylan had continued emotions taking over.

                                         "I wanted you to discover it on your own and come to terms with it.I'm so proud of you baby and I love you for who you are."

      That had been the greatest emotional moment that Dylan had shared with her mother.She had been so relieved to let the burden out and have the support of her mother.Wendy had helped her get through the breakup and she would  forever be grateful for her mother's ever present support.Now,in the present,she smiled at the memory.

                                       "What are you smiling about?" Wendy asked.

                                        "How lucky I am to have you," Dylan answered snapping out of her thoughts.

                                         "I guess we are both lucky to have each other," Wendy added,"So,what do you want to do for your birthday?"

                                          "I haven't thought about it yet but nothing much.Just you and me like always."

                                          "It's the last one you will have in high school.Don't you think you should do something new for a change."

                                           "Something like what?"

                                            "Inviting your classmates over for a pool party?I mean,with no time you will all go your separate ways.There's no reason for all of you not to have fun together,this time at your house," Wendy explained,"I doubt anyone knows where you live."

                                         "Well,some of the guys know and Taylor has been over several times but I don't know.That wouldn't be a good idea." Dylan added,"Inviting everyone would mean that I have to face 'her' and I don't know if I'm ready to do that again."

                                            "You need closure Dylan,and its not gonna happen when you keep avoiding her.That doesn't help anything.You need to know why she ended things the way she did."

                                             "Alright,I'll try."