Dark Horse

Taylor Swift vs. Imagine Dragons

"Dad, can you drive me to New Maple tonight?"
My dad looks up from his class plan for the second graders. Looks like they're playing dodgeball tomorrow.
"The mall?"
"Is there another New Maple by here?"
"You have to babysit tonight," he says, ignoring my attitude.
Damn it. Eileen's house.
"Can't I do it some other time?"
"You promised your aunt," he reminds me.
Because I had to...
"So am I just supposed to tell Mason I can't go?"
"Pretty much."
"Thanks Dad for the great advice."
"It's what I'm here for."

"Mason?"
"Oh, hi. I was actually just about to call you."
"Oh, okay. You go first."
"Well apparently I have to pick my sister up from a play date-excuse me-a hangout and that directly wrecks our movie plan."
"Okay, good. Well, not good actually, but actually I have to baby-sit-excuse me- I mean 'watch over' my ten and one year-old cousins and that directly responds with our movie plan."
"Well the problem is solved, then. I pick Meg up from her 'hang out' and she can hang out with your cousin and we can still spend time together."
"Mason, I don't think-"
"See you there," he says.
The line goes dead.

"Oh, hello dear. It's been so long since I've seen you. Are you growing taller?" Eileen says, putting her hand on top of my head. Then she leans in and squeezes my shoulder affectionately. Her eyes grow sadder.
"How are you?" she says, but I know she asking if I'm feeling a little under the weather today or if my day went okay. She's asking if I'm still cutting myself. If I still want to live, if I still want to be here.
"I'm good, Eileen. I really am."

"How did you know my aunt's address?" I ask Mason as I change Emilia's diaper. Jason and Meg apparently already knew each other. They raced upstairs and by the sounds of it, Meg is crushing Jason in Call of Duty.
"Phone book."
"Seriously, do you know how easy it is to murder someone just from looking at the phone book."
"Well you would know."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Your dad told me you liked murder and crime."
"When did you talk to my dad?"
"At dinner."
"Oh, okay. What else did he tell you."
"You're obsessed with Taylor Swift."
"Best singer of the twenty-first century," I interrupt.
"I'd have to argue with that statement. Ever heard of Dan Reynolds?"
"Who?"
"Okay, ever heard of Imagine Dragons?"
"Who hasn't?"
"Yeah, and I'd have to say they're the best."
"Highly arguable. 190 million of her albums have been sold since March of last year. Beat. That."
Mason threw his hands up in defeat.
"I have been beaten. No one can defeat Taylor Swift."
"Exactly."

There are some moments in life that feel so perfect. You're just sitting there and you realize how simple everything is in that moment. That's how I feel at 8:00 after Emilia's gone to bed and Jason and Meg have moved on from Call of Duty to Halo. Which in Meg is still crushing Jason. I am curled up next to Mason watching one of my all-time favorite movies, the one and only Titanic.
"Jack, just get on the door! Don't die!" Mason yells passionately at the TV. It's a wonder Emilia hasn't woken up yet. Apparently, it's Mason's first time seeing it.
"No, Jack, no! Don't die. Goddamnit Jack! I knew it! I knew he was going to die!" Mason says, tears running down his face.
"Oh, there he goes," I say casually.
"No!" Mason cries a sound of utter sadness. "They were true love!"
"Yeah, they were," I agree, "but true love never works out. People should know that by now."