Empty Sheets

(3) Taylor Evans

Taylor Evans was a hockey player who...well...I'm not going to lie...was very easy on the eyes. He was a year older than me, and-contrary to popular belief-was not a popular name around the ladies because he didn't make himself one. Most girls saw him and asked about him, but that was all. They either assumed he already had a girlfriend or were too shy to say anything. I met him in drama class, which I had also shared with Geoff during our sophomore year.  

I had already known Geoff because we attended the same middle school. We had hardly ever spoken to each other though. In middle school, boys usually just stuck with boys and the same went for the girls. It was no different for Geoff and me. Although we barely spoke, the fact that we knew of each other sufficed. This fact alone caused us to partner up a couple times by default in drama class. 

That changed during our fourth drama project when Taylor asked to work with me.  

"You just seem to have this natural passion for plays," Taylor said as we were exiting class one day. "You want to be an actress?" 

I couldn't withhold my smile. "Either that or design clothes. I don't know yet." 

"Well, maybe we could come up with great monologues for each other." He actually smiled back. "I'm Taylor." 

I grabbed my books and brushed my hair back with my other hand. "Corinna." 

The drama project took almost a month. During that time, I had spent a lot of time with Taylor. I discovered that we shared the same lunch, so we used that time to walk around the school garden or study for drama. We even took notes on each other's monologues that we had to write for one another. The monologue was supposed to reflect what we learned about the other person, so in order to be successful with the assignment, the teacher suggested that we interview each other. Taylor and I never did a formal interview. We just spent so much time together that we based our monologues off from what we talked about.  

"I only joined hockey because my dad wanted me to," Taylor said during one of our lunch strolls. "He wanted me to choose a physical activity, so I chose hockey. It's not so bad I guess." 

"Really?" I asked, clutching the books to my chest. "What do you really want to do then?" 

"Travel. I just want to travel the world, you know. I want to meet new people, do something new every day." 

I smiled at him. I smiled more when the sun made his golden locks stand out like the pictures of those gods in the drama textbooks. Sun-kissed hair. There really is little like it.  

"What about you, Corinna? Maybe you could take your acting or clothing design around the world." He returned my smile  

He might as well have been the spokesperson for a toothpaste commercial. 

It hadn't only been his looks though. That was just bonus. He was so carefree and we had intelligent conversations...and he was only a high school junior. Taylor had a much older mind, and it actually took him to Japan just months after he graduated.  

I remember holding a blush after he mentioned what I could do with my career. My high school girlish mind took it as an invitation to come along with him. I prepared a response, but a third person had joined us.  

"Hey," Geoff's voice said. His eyes found mine and he gave me a nod of acknowledgement. "Hey Corinna." He adjusted the glasses on his face.  

I remember that gesture because he did it a lot through high school. He didn't even need those glasses. He just wore them as an accessory. I had always found them to look cute on him, but never admitted it until about a year or so later.  

I gave him a low 'hello' while he faced Taylor and said, "You still up for meeting after school? I need to know for sure so that I can let my brother know to leave without me." 

Geoff and Taylor knew each other? I had never even seen them exchange a word until that moment. The fact somewhat baffled me at the time.  

"Oh, we're still meeting for sure," Taylor told him. "I don't have many free afternoons, so I'll take advantage. Thanks a lot in advance." 

Geoff gave another nod. "No problem. I'll see you then." He looked at me again and turned to leave. "I'll see you guys around." 

The look he gave me-it wasn't a look I had known at the time. But I know it now. Thinking back on it, it was the look he always did when he wanted to say something else, but just didn't. It was the expression that stated that something else was on his mind-something that involved one of the people he spoke to.  

Geoff must have given me that look plenty of times after that moment with him because days later, I received the first flower from him.