Why like this? (Matthew Espinosa)

Birthday

Today was it. The day I turned 17. I mean don't get me wrong I loved being 16 but being 17 means I had one more year till I could finally move out of my parents house and get my own place.

Gracie picked me up around 10. I was wearing a pink tank top and white high wasted shorts. I put my hair hair in two side braids and wore my white vans.

We headed to publix and ordered my cake and then went to the mall.

"So Taylor. Happy fricken birthday to my best friend in the whole widest world I have no idea what I would do with out you I love you so much." Gracie said to me walking through the middle of the mall giving me a hug.

"Aww Gracie thank you soo much bruh. Your MY best friend in the whole widest worldest place. I love you too!!" I said smiling hugging her back.

We walked around the all for awhile. It was about 2 in the afternoon we were about to leave when we saw some familiar faces.

When we were walking out the doors we saw all the boys. We kinda turned around and walked away fast but it didn't work.

"Great. Well my birthday is now ruined." I said mumbling to Gracie.

She kinda just slapped me as if she was saying 'shut up there not the bad plus there right there'

I knew what she meant by it. I kinda laughed.

"Taylor. Please let me talk to you." Matt said running up to me.

"No." I said looking him straight in the eyes.

I pushed passed him and left. By the time I got to Gracie's car I had tears streaming down my face.

"Taylor. Come here." I heard Gracie yell.

"Can we just leave. I don't want to be here anymore." I asked her not turning around.

"Fine. Come on get in the car." I could hear the disappointment in her voice.

I kinda didn't talk the rest of the car ride. Matt kept texting me over and over again telling me to talk to him or just call him. I didn't respond.

Once we got to the store we got the cake.

"Hey Taylor I'm sorry about Matt I had no idea that they were gonna be there I hope you know that." She said looking over at me.

"I know. I just don't want to see him until tomorrow after school that's when I'll talk to him. So I'm turning my phone off for the time being because he's blowing me up and that's that." I told her softly smiling.

"Maybe you should tell him and or text him that you are going to talk to him tomorrow." Gracie said unlocking her car.

"I'm not sure. I don't want him to think I'm ignoring him because I'm not I just am keeping my distance from him until tomorrow." I told her.

"Ok I guess it's up to you." she said.

When we got back to my house we opened the door and went inside. My dad still wasn't home. Not surprised. My mom had to go in today she didn't want to but she had to.

I was kinda distant from Gracie. But I mean I still had fun. We went in and found a movie. It was a funny movie "pretty ugly people" (I love that movie oh my god.)

By the time it got over it was already 1am.

We had school tomorrow so we decided to just go to bed. We went up to my room and changed. I mean were bestfriends so we just changed in front of each other.

I turned my phone back on once I went to bed so I could charge it. I had over 50 messages from Matt.

I woke up and got in the shower really fast. I let Gracie get in while I was getting dressed. I kinda didn't feel like dressing up so I just put on jeans a t-shirt and vans. I put my hair in a loose pony tail and headed downstairs.

"Hey girl. Are you ready to go?" Gracie said smiling at me.

"Yeah I mean. I don't want to talk to Matt so I think I'll just keep my distance." I said to her smiling.

"I feel you but I think you should and I'll drive you to school so you don't have to plus I worry about you pulling out of the drive way and then pulling back in and going inside and eating ice cream and watching pretty little lairs (hehe love that show to😂☺️) so I'm just gonna take you so come on." Gracie said pulling my arm.

"Fine. I mean I'm caught up on pretty little lairs so hah." I said laughing.

"Oh well come on or were gonna be late." she said getting into the car.

By the time we got to school we had plenty of time, Gracie just wanted to see Carter.

We got to school and Gracie ran into Carter's arms. I kinda just brushed past them and went to my locker. I put in my combination. I heard someone call my name. It was Cameron.

"Hey Taylor we need to work on our project." Cam said smiling.

"Yeah well today I have dance but we can do it after that so I'll text you later." I said closing my locker and walking away from him.

"Hey where our you going?" he asked me looking confused.

"Oh I'm going to my science class to sit in there until class because I got ditched by Gracie for her boyfriend and I have nowhere else to go so yeah." I said looking at the ground. I was kinda depressed when I said it but he didn't notice.

"Then I'm coming with you. I mean I would ask you to come over there with us but I mean Matt and yeah." he said pointing at them.

I could see them all staring at Cameron and I waiting for me to give in and go over there. But it wasn't happening.

"No I don't want to ruin your morning so bye." I told him smiling and walking away.

I pushed through the doors and just sat outside in back of the school. It was my happy place. I heard the first bell ring so I had to go to class.

I got to 4th period with Gracie and sat down next to her and smiled.

"Where did you go this morning I missed you." she said frowning.

"I went and sat outside I mean nobody really cares. I'll probably skip lunch today and just go sit outside again." I told her looking at the table.

"Well can I come with you. The boys asked if I wanted to sit there but I would rather be with you." she said smiling.

"I would rather you be happy then spend a boring lunch period outside. So you can sit inside with them it's fine." I said smiling back at her.

"No all they do is talk about football and sports stuff so after this you shall walk me to your special hide out place. Okay?" she said looking at me with curiosity.

"Fine. I am just saying that yo-" I was cut off by the bell.

"Well that was the shortest period of the day." I said talking again.

"Come show me." she said shoving me

"Fine come on." I said smiling at her.

We got outside in back of the school and just sat there for about 10 minutes before I broke the silence.

"So you can go back inside now I mean it's not the funnest place in the world. I mean come on go back inside and sit with your new boyfriend. I understand." I told her

"I don't want to go back inside it's nice out here." she said looking at me.

"What ever you say." I said looking up at the sky.

There was about 10 minutes left of lunch before 5th period with Cameron.