Call It What You Want To

Chapter 5: Taya

In the 24 hours that followed my business agreement with Kyler, there wasn't a waking moment where the thought of the essay wasn't on my mind. I can't remember having any dreams, but my dad said we dream every night whether we remember it or not, so I wouldn't doubt that I was dreaming about this essay too.

When Dylynn found out I paid Kyler, she almost flipped out. "Shut the fuck up!" she whispered as her hand flew over her mouth at our lockers that morning. "No way you did it!"

"Stop!" I pleaded with her. "I'm already freaking out about it, like what if she writes differently than me and Mrs. Reynolds can tell?!"

Dylynn rolled her eyes at me before we had headed off to our classes. "You're fine dude. Ky's like a pro at this. You think TJ's teacher would believe that he could write a perfect paper? Somehow Kyler wrote that paper so that she would believe that TJ is actually capable of perfection. She can write like you. No one's gonna be able to tell."

The whole day I hoped that Dylynn was right, but it didn't stop me from texting Taya at lunch to check in on the progress. When I heard she was almost halfway done, I started to breathe a little easier. By the time I got home, I was almost at a point where I could forget about the essay...almost.

When my family sat down for dinner that night, Pizza Friday, my dad asked if I had any projects coming up that I needed help on.

"Uh, no. Not really," was my very quick, and almost sketchy, answer.

"Okay, just lemme know if you want any writing help," he said in between bites of cheese and pepperoni.

I nodded and went back to my slice of ham and pineapple pizza, catching a view of Mila trying to lick the sauce off of a pulverized piece of pizza that my dad cut up for her. Oh, to be a baby and not have a care in the world.

"How'd the Physics test go?" my mom asked, watching Mila's little mouth like a hawk. She was terrified that she'd choke because of how her body develops, but Mila was a fighter and she wanted that damn pizza.

"Eh, fine." My responses were short tonight, and talking about school just made me think about the essay. The new thought on my mind was that even if my teacher wouldn't find out if the essay wasn't mine, what if my parents found out? My dad knew my writing like the back of his hand and he always wanted to read my essays. If he checked my grades and saw an essay he didn't read, he'd immediately ask for it and I'd be screwed.

I had to find a way to make sure Kyler had enough of "my writing style" in there so I wouldn't get caught.

"Can I invite someone over Sunday?" I asked, biting my mouth shut after realizing I interrupted my mom and dad's conversation. My mom hated interruptions, and I saw her visibly sigh before turning to me.

"What friend?" my dad asked, cocking his head to the side.

"Friend from school, for a project."

"I thought you just said you didn't have any projects coming up?" my mom asked, raising her eyebrow suspiciously.

Shit.

"It's her project, I'm just helping her," I blurted out. Good God, Taya, when are the lies gonna end?! "I know that I'm supposed to watch Mi-" I started before getting cut off by my dad.

"Slow down, Tay. Our plans changed and we're just gonna get everything taken care of tomorrow while we're out, but yeah, that's fine. If you want snacks or anything let me know, I'll get 'em at the store tomorrow," my dad said with a smile.

Forcing a grin back at him, I tried to realize what I had just said and started. Knowing that I wouldn't have to watch Mila on Sunday would've been lovely information to know, and I never would've had to get into this whole mess!