Part 3

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Their friendship survives into high school, which Ed decides isn’t as bad as middle school but still feels like he doesn’t belong. Taylor fits in anywhere she goes. She’s not coordinated enough to be a star athlete, but she always has the highest grade on a test and is the head of more school organizations than Ed can even recall. He doesn’t know how she manages it all; organizing school dances, fundraisers, studying, volunteer work, writing songs, and hanging out with him in her free time.  She always finds time for him, includes him whenever she can. For a while he thinks maybe, just maybe it’s because she likes him too. Everything changes once puberty finally sets in.

While Ed is still growing out of his chubby baby cheeks, Taylor shoots up to be a tall, lanky knockout. She straightens her hair now, flat ironing her typically wild curls. Guys start noticing her and Ed starts to understand heartbreak and every sad love song about pining away for someone. She starts dating Drew, star quarterback of the football team, and of course Ed thinks he’s a dick. When he tries to tell Taylor this she becomes defensive and doesn’t speak to him for 3 weeks. The silent treatment is broken one night with a tear-filled phone call. He sees her name flash on his screen and almost ignores it, but its Taylor…he’ll always answer for her.

“Ed, I need you to come get me” She pleads.

“Why just so you don’t have to get in trouble with your parents for going to that party in the first place. Get your boyfriend to drive you home.” He spits and it’s the first time he’s ever spoken to her that way, with distain. Then he hears it, that choking sound, sobs catching in her throat over the hazy cell connection with bass from the party thumping in the background.

“You don’t understand. Drew…Drew tried something and, and now I don’t know what to do I just want to leave. Please, Ed. I don’t deserve you, but I need you.” She cries and all his walls come crumbling down.

Then he’s seeing red. He’s going to kick that guy’s ass next time he sees him. He rushes out the house, car keys in hand, without an explanation for his parents. Ed finds her hiding out upstairs at the party. Her clothes are rumpled and her eyes are puffy from crying. The second her blue eyes meet his she’s flinging herself into his arms.

“Did he hurt you?” He asks not masking the rage in his tone.

“He tried…he held my wrists down and I thought…I though he was going to. Then he just stormed out” She tells him, the words shaking from her lips. Ed grits his teeth, but focuses on getting Taylor home safe. Downstairs, almost out the door, he sees Drew with his hand on a new girl’s hip. Despite the fact the dude is half a foot taller than him Ed gives him a clean blow to the nose, drawing blood.

Figuring they are both already in trouble, they delay going back home to angry parents. Ed drives the to the ice cream parlor where they’ve shared multiple milkshakes over the years. He tells her to order whatever she wants and then takes her to the park downtown. It’s like old times, when they were seven and eight. Except this time Taylor hasn’t been crying because she scraped her knee. She’s crying because her first real boyfriend tried to force her to have sex and dumped her when she said no. Ed wants to kiss her, like he would kiss her injuries when they were little, promising to make them all better. He wants to be her one and only.

Instead his heart gets broken repeatedly, watching Taylor get hers broken by guys who would never quite understand her. They wouldn’t understand why she spaces out completely entranced by an idea and has to write it down. She’s done it since they were kids, sometimes it’s a poem or a lyric. They don’t get her dry, witty sense of humor that makes Ed hunch over with laughter most days. He’s always there for her, but he’s a sideline guy. He knows all the plays, but never gets into the game. She’s there for him too, like when his parents divorced during their junior year. Taylor is the only one he lets see him cry and she holds his hand the whole time. She throws him birthday parties every year, making elaborate deserts and they stay up all night watching his favorite movies. She’s an amazing friend. Ed thinks he’s horrible, selfish, because no matter how much Taylor gives him, he always wants more.

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