summer boy ~ tal fishman ✓

~9~

The school year has almost ended and I'm so grateful for Tal introducing me to his friends. First of all, Meredith and I basically have become BFFs. Well, not basically. I met her parents within a week of knowing her and I go to her house at least once a week. Usually even more than that.

I redeveloped my crush on Tal -how could I not crush on such an amazing human- but Adi told me he had a girlfriend. After that I was sort of heartbroken and his best friend Michael asked me out, so I dated him for a few months. Michael was really cute and sweet to me. 

But then this random girl said he was cheating on me. At first, I didn't believe her. I mean, this was Michael we were talking about. But then she said she had proof and showed me a picture of him kissing some other girl. I broke up with him immediately and I was really hurt. 

He was too, since I slapped him pretty hard that day. I must admit I kind of regretted it. I ruined our friendship for good and it's so awkward when I'm close to him now. 

I didn't want to go to school and stayed home after school. Thankfully, Meredith and Tal helped me get over him. While Tal was probably just trying to help and be a good friend, I fell even harder for him. I couldn't help it, he is just too cute. So I might have gotten over Michael, but my feelings for Tal have only become stronger, which didn't really help me out of trouble at all.

'Okay, my parents are gone this weekend, so Friday at my house, who's down?' Meredith asks. 'I'm coming, dûh', is my reaction. 'Me too', Tal says pretty quickly after me. 'Sorry I have to take care of my nephew, I can't come', Michael says. 

I'm so glad he won't come I nearly smile. But I don't, I pretend I don't care and just nod. You could say we aren't really on good terms since I slapped him in the face after he even tried to deny the fact that he had been cheating. I mean, there was literal proof! How can he just keep saying that? 

I'm mad at him for playing with my feelings. I really liked him, but now I kind of despise the guy. Who does that? I thought cheating would happen to someone else but not me. I still don't feel good thinking about that... person. Let's just call him a person instead of some other bad words I can think of.

 A few other people say they'll come, including Adi. He joined our friend group as well. Some of Adi's friends also said they would join. 'I'll see you guys at 8?' she sort of asks. Our friends mumble something like fine. So clear.

That Friday, I help Meredith prepare her house for the people who will be coming over. I basically live at her house now, so I grab some glasses and put them on the table. I first clean the table with a cleaning wipe, since she left her breakfast on there and a few plates needed to be cleaned.

I head back to the table and place some bowls on the table. She grabs the chips and throws them at me. I miraculously catch them. Then I open the bag and put them in a bowl on the table as well. I head to the kitchen and throw away the now empty bags of chips.

Suddenly she stands still like she remembers something. 'What's up with you and Tal by the way?' she asks out of nowhere. 'I don't know, you tell me.' Act casual, act casual.

'You still like him?' she asks. She always is so straightforward. I could have expected it. I turn a bit red. 'Well yeah, he's hella cute', I say and I smile. She laughs. She's probably laughing because of my reaction.

'And what is up with you and Adi?' I ask her. The best defense is offense, right? 'Well yeah, he's hella cute', she says, copying me. She's not as weird and blushing as I was. 'Each one of us gets one of the Fishman brothers', I joke. 

'We should go on double dates, OMG! Like the movie theatre or a restaurant. But like an Italian restaurant, you know, because um pizza! And pasta, everyone always forgets about pasta. Pasta is really good as well. Especially if you make it from scratch. But, so after the restaurant, we'll like go to the movies and-' she rambles before I interrupt her. She's getting a bit too excited for such an unrealistic situation.

'Shouldn't we put the vases somewhere else before someone accidentally breaks them?' I suggest. 'Yeah, okay, I'm sorry. But good idea, I'll put them upstairs', Meredith answers. 

She picks up the vases carefully and walks up the stairs to her room to place them there. Literally, in the few seconds she's gone, the doorbell rings. 

'I got it!' I yell at Meredith. I open the door and Tal stands there with Adi next to him. I look into Tal's pretty eyes and almost forget to invite them in. I somehow manage to say something like that they should come in, but I don't know how since my brain isn't functioning that well right now. I don't know what I'm saying. I'm just very thankful for me doing something and not just staring at him for a few minutes while he is standing outside. There was a pretty big chance I would do that. I'm awkward enough.

Then Meredith comes back downstairs. 'Heyyy, welcome! You want something to drink?' she asks enthusiastically. They both just want some water so we tell them to sit down on the couch while Meredith and I get some water and a bowl of chips from the kitchen. 

'He looks so hot, can't I just have him?' Meredith whispers. 'Nope, you could have Adi though. Supercute!' I whisper back. Meredith is the one of the youngest of our friend group and Adi is still 2 years younger than her. She raises one eyebrow, whispers 'maybe' and we both laugh before we walk back. 

I am carrying the bowl of chips and she brings along the two glasses of water for the guys. She hands them their glasses of water and then she sits down on the couch next to Adi, looking at me while sitting down. She's so awfully sneaky. Now there is no room on the couch but the place next to Tal. I know she knew that. If she's going to act like this, I'm going to do the exact same thing back. Subtly-but-not-so-subtly setting her up. I've got a goal for this night.