Talia Hearts Who?!

Chapter 4

The ride home was awful. The thickest, awkwardest silence you can possibly imagine had descended on us from the instant Keira, followed by John, bounced up to Drew and I, when we... Erm. 

“Well, what was it were doing exactly?”  I wondered, as I lay back on my bed, staring at the ceiling aimlessly. After finally arriving home, I’d grabbed several bite-sized chocolate bars and ran up the stairs, barricading myself in my room to avoid the questioning gazes of my Mum and sister, Eliza. 

Eliza was great, as far as older sisters come. I mean, she was annoying and obnoxious and spent way too much time with boys at parties (she was as popular as I was not), but she did look out for me, and usually had some pretty good advice. She was the pretty one, taking after Mum where I took after Dad. We looked pretty alike, but there were pretty noticeable differences. For example, although we both had brown hair and brown eyes, Eliza’s was flowing and wavy, and her eyes were deep and kind. My hair was odly wrinkled, when it wasn’t dead straight and serious, and my eyes were just plain, like they were the basic model that does their job without any extra features. It was terrible. 

There was a rapid knocking at my door. Groaning, I rolled off my bed and slouched my way over to it, opening it a crack so that I could see who it was that dared disturb my pensieve (bad) mood. “Whaddaya want?” I grumbled at my mother. 

“I’m just checking to see that you’re alright, sweetheart. Eliza said that you looked pretty upset when you came in, plus you took the last of the family chocolate. I hope you haven’t eaten it all,” Mum said sternly, but knowing full well that that chocolate was as good as gone as soon as it disappeared out of her sight. 

“I’m fine Mum, you can go away now.” I replied shortly, shutting the door forcefully, then walking back over to my lovely bed. 

“Fine then. I’ll just get Eliza to find out what’s wrong with y0u,” Mum said cheerfully, making me scowl. She wouldn’t dare! 

*** 

Apparently she would. 

“Listen hun, you just gotta let this boy know he can’t jerk you around like that! He shouldn’t be allowed to get away with what he did to you!” Eliza was sitting on the end of my bed, rubbing my back in comforting circles as I sobbed into my pillow. 

I don’t know why I was crying - it wasn’t like he’d completely shattered my heart or anything. And I’m not even being sarcastic! He genuinely had done nothing wrong. Well, except for try and kiss me, but then again, I hadn’t exactly said no, had I? I think it was really just the whole emotion of the day, from the weirdness of Toby asking me out, to the almost kiss, to that traumatic ride home... 

“I love you Sis, but he hasn’t done anything to me. I’m just mad at myself for being sucked in, and I’m also really tired and I’ve had a long day.” I explained, finally stopping the tears that had been falling uncontrollably for about the past 10 minutes. 

Eliza frowned. “I think I should be the judge of whether or not he’s in the wrong, hun. An outsider’s opinion always helps. So just tell me what it is he did to you!” 

I rolled my eyes, but nonetheless, the whole sordid affair came rushing out. 

“And then I got home and I desperately needed chocolate and thinking time, but I was upset too, because he’s such a player, you know? And there I was, thinking I was sooo intelligent, and he could fool me! Yet, as soon as he leans forward, as soon as there’s a chance I’ll be getting some lip-lockin’ action, my whole body just goes into hormone overdrive!” I concluded, making Eliza laugh. 

“Oh hun, what am I going to do with you? There’s absolutely nothing that you’ve said that you should be ashamed of! When a hot boy like Drew starts to kiss you, of course your body wants to kiss back! It’s only natural. And hey, it’s not like you actually did kiss him, right? Instead of beating yourself up, be grateful that Keira interrupted the way she did.” 

With that, my sister patted my shoulder one last time and stood up. As she was going through my doorway, she turned and grinned at me. 

“But I would still kill to see him trip you up, that woulda been priceless!” 

I scowled at her, before diving under my pillow. I could still hear her laughing at least five minutes later.