% CHAPTER 18 %

I make it back to the lunch table only to be surprised by seeing the girls there. Why are they sitting at the boy table? Did I miss something? I walk up to the table with a confused expression on my face.

"Hey guys. What's going on?"

"Well, Taylor had a brilliant idea to combine our tables together. Now the girls are going to be sitting with us," Jake says, glancing at one girl in particular.

Vic doesn't notice Jake's occasional stares because her head is down. So is Gwen's. They seem to be embarrassed about something. I bring my attention to Taylor. She has a very smug grin on her face. Did Taylor make them do something embarrassing? I pull up a chair.

"So what's your name?" I ask one girl. She was over at the house yesterday, but I never caught her name. The only reason I knew Gwen was because I had her in two of my classes. I don't have this girl in any of my classes. I catch Taylor's stern expression and sigh. "What? I never caught her name yesterday."

The girl rolls her eyes at me. "My name's Connie."

I smile. "Cool. I'm-"

"Everyone knows who you are so save yourself some air and shut it," she says swiftly.

"Okay..."

I catch Connie and Taylor giving each other this knowing look before I turn my attention to the boys. "Well I'm not busy tonight guys so-"

Taylor clears her throat. "Bret is very busy tonight, but he'll call you once he's not."

I give her a weird look before remembering that Rachel is picking us up as soon as we get home from school today. Then I nod. "Oh yeah, that's right. Taylor and I need to go shopping for her parents. We want to get them something nice for their 25 year anniversary."

Damn. I told you that I was bad at improv. Taylor's parents had to be super old if they were already experiencing their 25th. Okay, well no, not necessarily, but still. Being married for 25 years is a lot, especially if Taylor is only 16. I really hope to god that no one at the table notices.

Everyone looks at us wide eyed. Damn. Taylor flinches. "He's kidding guys. It's only a 9 year anniversary."

"Although they did meet 25 years ago," I argue a useless case.

"Not the same day," Taylor reminds me.

"But it's still 25-"

"Bret! These are my parents! I know who they are!"

"You sure?" I mutter.

She starts fuming and puffs out her cheeks.

Victoria looks at us. "You know if you two weren't cousins, you'd be a perfect couple."

I stifle a laugh. "Very funny," I say. There's no way Taylor and I could ever end up being a real couple. They have to be joking.

Aaron smiles. "She actually has a point."

Isaac nods. "Okay well if you miss the game tonight, I'll be sure to tell you who won."

"Who's playing tonight?" I ask.

"Bulls vs. Knicks."

I nod and look at the girls. They're whispering to one another. I hear something about basketball before they nod their heads in confirmation and pop back into the conversation. Of course the girls didn't know those were basketball teams.

"Yeah let's think of some ideas," Taylor says.

"For what?" I ask, already forgetting. I'm not really that good with improvisation.

She puffs out her cheeks. "My parent's anniversary you prick!"

"I knew that. I was just testing you." I roll my eyes at her. Nice save. "See, now if you would have forgotten, that would have been sad."

Taylor gives me that trademark smirk. "So you're admitting you forgot then?"

I sigh to blow off some steam. "Maybe."

She grins triumphantly. "That's a yes then!"

"No, that's a maybe."

Connie snickers. "You guys should be un-related so you can get together." Everyone at the table laughs but the two of us. We just glare daggers at everyone's faces.

"Seriously guys! We need to figure out what gift we could get them!" Taylor yells within the group.

Isaac is the next to speak. "You know cousins can still get married right? And have kids." He wiggles his eyebrows.

"If you do not spit out any gift ideas for my parent's anniversary right now, you guys will be in so much deep shit later, god damn it!" Taylor screams as her fury takes over.

People from other tables start looking over at us. I haven't seen her eyes turn fiery like that in a little over 17 hours. She's getting better. She's really learning how to control her temper.

"Oh you better listen to her now; trust me on this one," I whisper to our group. One more veer off topic and the whole state will know who Taylor Bradwick is.

"You could buy roses and chocolates?" Gwen suggests, bringing everyone back to the right subject.

"I'm looking for something less traditional," Taylor comments.

"How about a balloon? They're on a business trip, right? Maybe you could set up a video chat on Skype."

"Or a Power Point. You can make a slide show of their lives together by using pictures and attach it to an e-mail. Then send it off."

I nod my head at Vic's idea. "That's actually pretty good."

"Well I want to buy something too," Taylor starts. "I don't want them thinking love comes cheap."

I roll my eyes. "Love is priceless Taylor. Besides, it's the thought that counts."

She slowly smiles at me and I return the favor. It's not a fake smile though, like in a scene of the movie. Our smiles are genuine and definitely not caught on camera, but by the friends around us...which might end up being even worse.

A chorus of "Awwww"s come up, but Taylor quickly silences them with her demeaning glares.

"So Bret can we come over on-"

"He's still busy!" Taylor interrupts Jake. "We have to make the Power Point and we don't have much time!"

"She just wants him all to herself," Jake grumbles.

He should not have said that. By the time Taylor is finished with her outburst, Jake is begging for forgiveness at her feet. Lucky for him, the bell rings and lunch is now over.

I glance over at where Taylor was, but she's already missing. Whatever.

After picking up a redhead, I head to a good make out spot. I've heard enough of Taylor's wailing anyways.

$_$_$_$

I look at the brunette in front of me. Is she worth it? Well any girl is certainly worth it when I'm sitting through Mr. Omen's boring lectures. I could just drop dead from a few doses of his monotone voice.

I drop my pencil near her desk. She turns to face me.

"Oh gee I'm so sorry! I'm such a klutz." I give her a halfhearted smile and hold her gaze for a moment too long. "Let me just get that," I say finally.

She waves me off. "No its okay. I've got it."

She leans forward and...yup. I almost give out a contented sigh. She grips the pencil in her hand and puts it on my desk. Her hand lingers a second too long. I've got her in tow.

"So what are you doing after class?" I ask.

The bell rings just then.

"I make my own schedule." She winks at me and I smirk. There's something I like about this girl.