Where We Begin

Chapter 17 - We Might As Well Clear Things Up

July 6th, 2002 - Busta

I sat on the old couch in my room, strumming my guitar, continually glancing out the window toward the driveway. Buddy was laying on my bed, playing video games. Taylor would be here in a couple minutes and we would officially be going on our first date. I was keeping it cool, even though I was as giddy as a school girl inside.

I was wearing my nicest pair of jeans (meaning no holes in them), a short sleeved plaid shirt and my Chuck Taylors, of course. When I was getting dressed, I realized I had no idea where we were going tonight, so I hoped this was good enough.

"I can't believe the girl is picking you up," Buddy said from across the room.

"I don't have a car, what am I supposed to do? Give her a piggy back on my bike?" I replied. "At least I drive." 

"I'm 13." Buddy rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, exactly. You won't be getting any rides if you don't show your older brother some respect," I said, playing the first couple catchy chords of a Dashboard song from their last EP. 

"I will. When you get a car."

A horn honked outside. Taylor was here.

"Well, I may not have a car yet, but there's a hot girl waiting for me in one outside. Remember to turn that off when you're done. Later, dude."

Buddy waved, his eyes still glued to the screen and I headed downstairs. Before I went out the front door, I stopped to look in the mirror in the half bath. I fixed my hair and frowned because the red streaks were already starting to fade a little, probably because of all the time I had been spending in pools and freak rain storms. 

I went outside and Taylor was standing next to her car. She looked effortlessly gorgeous in a black floral print sundress and her hair in a braided up-do. She kind of jogged over to me, the best she could in her wedge sandals, to give me a hug. 

"Am I completely lame if I admit I have been looking forward to this all day long?"

I smiled. "I've been looking forward to it since you dropped me off last night." 

We both leaned in to kiss each other, like we read each other's minds. If this is all we did on this date, I would not complain.

"So she IS your girlfriend!" I looked up, to see Buddy hanging out of one of my bedroom windows, grinning down at us. Taylor blushed.

"The only thing you have to worry about is that when I get back, I'm going to drive you out to the desert and leave you there, you little shit!" I called back to him.

"Yeah, if mom let's you borrow the car!" he laughed and disappeared inside.

"Sorry about that," I said sheepishly. "He thinks he's funny."

"I think it's funny too. Don't worry, I have a little sister. I know what it's like," Taylor replied. "So I was thinking, would you want to drive my car tonight?"

"Ummmm YES." I was fine with her driving, but hell yeah I was down to get behind the wheel her bomb Lexus. We got in and I was about to back out of the driveway when I realized I still didn't know the plan. "Hey, I have no idea where we are going."

"Well, there's this place in the center of town, Murphy's. It's pretty popular with kids from school. It's kind of got a pub vibe, casual with some pool tables and stuff like that," Taylor mentioned. "Are you hungry?"

I grinned. "You bet. Which way am I headed?" 

She gave me directions and we were on our way.

"You and your brother seem really close," Taylor remarked as we drove.

"Yeah, he's a good kid. Sorry about his, uh, joke earlier. Up until a couple months ago, we were sharing a room. We haven't really been spending as much time together since the move. I think he kind of misses knowing everything that's going on with me and vice versa." 

"Oh. I didn't really take it as a joke."

I paused. "What?"

"I mean I was hoping maybe it would come up at dinner, but we might as well clear things up now. Am I your girlfriend?" Taylor asked.

I swear I almost drove her new car off the road. I honestly hadn't thought about it. I had never met a girl this kind of confidence. It was startling, but still sexy as hell. 

"OK, that might have been a little forward. I know you don't really know anyone around here, you haven't even been to school yet, and we didn't start off on the right foot. But I had lunch with my friends today, and I realized I couldn't stop thinking about yesterday. I couldn't wait to see you again."

"Yes, it's crazy because we hardly know each other yet, but at the same time, I feel like we do. I know everyone around here and I don't want to be with anyone the way I want to be with you. So however long it takes, if you want to wait and meet more people and figure it out, I'm fine with that. Just know that if you ask, I'll say yes."

I pulled into the parking lot of Murphy's as she finished saying her piece and turned towards her. She kept a stoic face on, but I could see in her eyes she was a little nervous waiting for me to respond. 

"You're right. We just met. It would be insane to jump into something like this so quickly," I stated. "But I'm fucking insane. I don't need to meet anyone else around here to know you're perfect. Will you be my girlfriend?"

"YES!" Taylor screamed, reaching over the center console to kiss me again. Then she playfully punched my arm. "Thanks for the heart attack by the way."

"Just getting you back for last night, when you said you didn't want to hang out anymore," I shrugged.

"Oh, right, I forgot about that," she laughed. "C'mon, I'm starving, let's go in." 

We got out of the car and Taylor took my hand. She looked so happy. I felt so happy. I wanted to pinch myself as I walked into the restaurant with my beautiful girlfriend by my side.