Don't Get Angry

9- Otis: Crushes

I sat in my car, driving into the school parking lot. Taylor was getting out of her car. She waved at me. I felt something in my stomach. "Oh no." Butterflies. "Not good, man. Not good." She skipped over to the car and stood by my window. "Cool car."

"Thanks." I turned it off. My hand trembled as I sat back. "W-what's up?"

"We're going swimming this Sunday, wanna come?" She smiled.

I gulped. "I...uh...I-"

"If you're wondering if it's because I wanna see you in a bathing suit...then you're completely right," Taylor giggled.

I shrugged unable to talk.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," I finally got my words to come out.

"As in," she sang and squinted, "fine with coming or not coming?"

"I can come..." my eyes landed on Dalta getting out of Penny's car, "if I can bring Dalta with me."

Taylor looked at her. Her smile faded. She looked at me. "Are you guys..."

"No," I shook my head. "Never...Dalta's crazy weird. But we're cool."

"Okay," her smile resurfaced. "So, you better ask her then."

"Yeah."

Taylor walked away.

I let out my breath and rested my head on the steering wheel. "Idiot! Dalta's not your babysitter! YOU will have to babysit her if she comes." Someone suddenly got into my car.

"Hey."

I turned to the person. "I have a crush on someone."

Penny froze. "Oh..."

I sighed. "I thought you were Dalta. Sorry to spring that on you..."

"No," she giggled. "It's actually fine. I'm not fully over you, but now that I know a lot of guys think I'm cool, it's totally okay." She looked down holding an awkward pause, then looked at me again. "Is it Taylor?"

"Yeah," I sighed again, feeling my cheeks burn from shame. "I don't like having crushes. I feel really weird and...I get this weird feeling in my stomach. And my head spins and I can't get my words out-"

"Dude," Penny laughed. "I've liked you for years. Nothing new to me."

I chuckled and sat back in my seat. "Taylor's so different. You know? She makes me...I don't know...feel appreciated, I guess. But NOT in the way you did... Sorry."

"It's fine," she giggled again, then held another awkward pause. She looked down, then looked at me. "What about Dalta?"

I gulped and shrugged. "What about her?"

"Don't you like her?"

I looked away. "Taylor's different."

"She isn't as crazy, right?"

"Yeah. Like, conspiracy theories? Really?"

Penny snickered. "I know. That makes Dalta Dalta. She's curious about everything and she just wants everyone to be happy. She told me once if she could die to save the world she would."

I snorted and lifted a brow. "Like Jesus?"

"Basically..." Penny bowed her head. "She's...pretty messed up."

I furrowed my brow.

"I mean, aren't we all?" She looked at me and giggled.

I forced a chuckle, but continued to stare at her. "What does she mean messed up?"