Taylor

Ch. 6

That one "hi" signified that Gabby was talking to Taylor again.

Not a whole lot, but enough to be friendly - enough to say that Taylor was now...tolerated.

This went on for another few months.

During that time, Lily noticed a few small changes in Taylor: 1. She started wearing contacts instead of glasses (the ones Taylor thought made her look like a dork). 2. She started straightening her hair everyday, the same way Courtni, Adrianna, Ally, and Gabby did. 3. She started seeing Lily outside of school less and less.

Although these changes didn't seem like anything if importance, Lily couldn't help feeling wary of why they were happening, and why they were happening then.

One day, Gabby came up to Lily and Taylor's (and Lily's other friends') usual table one day at lunch, interrupting their conversation.

"Hey Taylor," she said, ignoring Lily. "We..." Gabby glanced over at her table, where Courtni, Adrianna, and Ally sat. "...were wondering if you wanted to sit with us today."

Taylor was about to say "Absolutely 100% YES!!" when she remembered Lily.

She gave her a pleading glance.

"It's fine - go ahead," Lily told her quietly.

"Then, sure!" Taylor said to Gabby, picking up her food and following her over to the other side of the lunchroom.

Lily sat there in silence, surrounded by her other friends' chatter, and watched as Taylor sat down among Gabby and her friends. Taylor immediately became absorbed in whatever conversation they were having.

She didn't look back at Lily, saying with her eyes: "Thanks Lily, this means a lot to me; this is just a one-day thing I promise; I'll tell you all about it later; you're my real friend, don't worry."

She didn't look back at all.

Lily studied the group of popular girls: they had matching glossy hair, they all wore skinny jeans that accentuated their thin legs paired with $100 furry boots, and they all had trendy, fashionable clothes.

She studied Taylor: she had glossy hair, she wore skinny jeans, she wore $100 furry boots, she had cute clothes.

Lily looked down at her ragged jeans (not skinny ones, because they never fit her right), high-top sneakers (her mom would never let her get boots that cost one-hundred dollars), and worn t-shirt bearing the logo of some long-forgotten musical. She knew what her hair looked like: pulled back in a ponytail, like always, and as frizzy and full of fly-always as ever (definitely not glossy and smooth).

Taylor seemed like she would would fit right in with her new group, maybe even fit in better with them then with Lily and her friends.

The group seemed to be everything Lily was not, as far as appearance, popularity, and overall "coolness" went.

Taylor seemed destined to fit in with them.

Lily tried not to keep looking back over her shoulder - to not keep trying, and failing, to make eye contact with Taylor.

Finally she stood up, threw away the remains of her sandwich, and walked out of the room.

Meanwhile, Taylor sat at Gabby's table. She wasn't talking much, unlike how she usually acted. Taylor wanted to impress her new "friends". She didn't want to say anything that would make her look weird or stupid. So she spent the rest of the time listening to the other girls, laughing and nodding at all the right times.

When the lunch period ended, Taylor finally remembered Lily. She looked over towards Lily's table, but didn't see her. She felt something - guilt? remorse? - but quickly shook it off, and joined Gabby, Adrianna, Courtni, and Ally again.

Lily's fine. I'll bet she's fine. There's nothing to worry about. she reassured herself.

She's fine.