What I Should Have Said

5

"Here you go." Taylor smiled and handed Elizabeth a metal rod. Elizabeth smiled and took the rod. They sat around the fire pit in Taylor's backyard. It was dark out and they were making s'mores together. "Are you warm enough?" Taylor asked. She noticed Elizabeth rubbing her arm from the cold air. Elizabeth shook her head, "I'll warm up with the fire, don't worry."

"Here, we can share." Taylor scoot closer and wrapped half of her blanket around Elizabeth's shoulders. Elizabeth smiled and watched the fire in silence. "You aren't going to make a s'more?" Taylor asked, putting a marshmallow onto the rod. Elizabeth kept thinking about what her mother had told her, it had all stuck with her. She still didn't understand why it was all so wrong. Being here with Taylor and thinking back on what her classmates had said made her worry. She didn't want to believe rumors, especially rumors about her best friend. It all confused her.

"Here." Taylor handed Elizabeth a s'more she had just finished assembling. "But that's yours." Elizabeth said staring down at the s'more in Taylor's hand. Taylor shrugged," It's okay, I can make more." Elizabeth faintly smiled and took the s'more. She waited for Taylor to make another so they could enjoy it together. "Cheers."Taylor held her s'more up. Elizabeth giggled, "Cheers." They ate their s'more in silence and watched the fire. "Did you pass your math test?" Elizabeth asked. "I hate math...but yes." Taylor replied. Elizabeth laughed, "Well at least you passed."

"True." Taylor shrugged. Elizabeth looked over and saw a slight mess of chocolate smeared on the corner of Taylor's mouth. "Hold up." Elizabeth said as Taylor looked over at her confused. Elizabeth wiped the corner of her mouth clean, "There." Taylor slightly blushed, "Oh, thank you."

"We should get in the tent soon before something comes out." Elizabeth laughed. "Good point." Taylor laughed. They cleaned up their mess and made their way to the tent. "My side, calling it!"Elizabeth said as she quickly crawled in and landed on the sleeping bag. "That's not fair." Taylor pouted and zipped up the tent. "You were too slow." Elizabeth laughed.

"Whatever." Taylor playfully rolled her eyes and grabbed the flashlight and flicked it on, "Story time?" she asked.

"About?" Elizabeth asked.

"I don't know." Taylor shrugged.

"Then how are we supposed to do a story time?" Elizabeth laughed.

"What else can we do?" Taylor asked and thought for a moment.

Elizabeth stared at her friend. She admired the way the light shined on her mess of curls. The way the light reflected and caused a twinkle in her stunning blue eyes. "Any ideas?" Taylor asked. Elizabeth stared at her in silence. "What?" Taylor asked, growing worried. Elizabeth slowly leaned in. Taylor felt her heart racing as her friend grew closer. The warmth of Elizabeth's lips on hers made the butterflies she felt the first time all come back again. Elizabeth pulled away and stared into Taylor's eyes. The two stared. at each other in silence. Panic began to set on Elizabeth's face, "I need to go." She quickly got up and gathered her things.

"Betty wait!" Taylor tried to reach for her friend as she rushed out of the tent.

"I have to go!" Elizabeth shouted.

"Betty!" Taylor shouted as she watched her run off.

---

Taylor was worried all night. She was worried about Elizabeth. She was concerned about what all of this was and what it meant. She made her way up to Elizabeth's front door and knocked. She nervously fidgeted with her hands and waited for someone to answer. The door opened and there stood Elizabeth's mother.

"Hi Mrs. Hayes, can I see Betty?" Taylor asked.

Mrs. Hayes was hesitant and gave her a polite smile, "I'm sorry hun, she's not feeling too good."

"Is something wrong?" Taylor asked.

"She's just feeling a bit under the weather, but I'll let her know you stopped by." She reassured.

"Okay...Thank you." Taylor faintly smiled, trying to hide her disappointment. She made her way back across the street to her house. She glanced back toward's Elizabeth's one last time and entered her home.

"Hey baby, is everything okay?" Andrea asked as Taylor entered the kitchen. "Her mom said she isn't feeling good." Taylor sighed.

"Aww, well that's not good. I'm sure she'll get better and you two will be able to play again." Andrea reassured.

"Yeah..." Taylor sighed and walked off to her room. She was worried maybe it wouldn't all be okay. Maybe she was getting all in her head and it was nothing. But the idea of losing Betty made her sick.

----

Taylor didn't see much of Elizabeth over the weekend and was hoping to see her at school. She entered the building and saw fliers for the school dance put up around the halls. She looked around the hallway for Elizabeth, she checked all the possible locations she could've been in and couldn't find her. Maybe she was really sick?

Taylor made her way to her class and froze. She stared down the hall and saw Elizabeth holding hands with Mike. An obnoxious boy part of the clique of popular kids at their school. Elizabeth always talked about how annoying she found him. So to see her holding his hand as they walk to class together killed her a little inside. She didn't understand. One day she kisses her and another she's holding hands with the boy she told Taylor she couldn't stand.