Beautiful Eyes (Hanson)

Chapter 10

Melanie sat on her bed crying. I thought Taylor cared about me,she thought. Why didn't he show up yesterday?

It wasn't fair. He had acted sort of like the guy she used to know, that night at the restaurant. But she did have to agree with Ike and Zac. Natalie HAD changed him. For the worse.

She heard the phone ring, but didn't bother to answer it.

A few seconds later she heard her mother calling her,"Melanie! Isaac is on the phone! Pick up!"

She tried to pull herself together, then picked up the phone. "Hello?" she said shakily.

"Hey Melanie," Ike said.

"Hey Ike. How are you?"

"Oh good. I have some news to tell you," he said excitedly.

"What?" her voice still a little shaky.

"Natalie went to visit her family and friends and won't be back for awhile. Maybe now Tay will join us again. And things can be like before."

"Things will never be like before," she whispered.

Isaac sighed,"I know. But I wish it could be."

"Me too."

"...Are.....Are you ok?" he asked concerned.

'Yeah. Fine."

"You don't sound it. All this time we've been talking, it sounds like you're trying not to cry. Like you were crying before." "I...I'm fine."

"Don't lie Melanie. I still know when you're trying to hide something."

Her turn to sigh,"...I WAS crying before you called. Be...because of Tay. I miss him."

"I know. We miss him too. (pause) We miss the old Tay."

"So do I."

"Listen, I'll call him and see if he'll join us this time. I'll get back to you, ok?"

"K."

"Talk to you later."

"Yeah, bye."

"Bye."

******

As soon as Ike hung up with Melanie he dialed Tay's number.

After a couple rings, Tay picked up. "Hello?" he said, sort of wearily.

"Yo Tay. It's Ike."

"Hey. What's up?"

"I was wondering if you'd like to get together with us. Me, Zac, Melanie. Since you didn't come last time."

"No."

"Why not? What's wrong with you Tay?"

"Nothing. I just don't want to."

Silence.....

"You know Tay. You really shouldn't shut people out. Especially Melanie. She cares about you so much. I was talking to her before I called you. And you know what she was doing?"

"What?"

"Crying. Because of you. She's hurting because she thinks you don't care about her. Do you really want to be the cause of her tears?"

".....No."

"Then come."

"No way. Forget it."

Ike sighed,"Fine Tay." Then he hung up.

******

Tay sat there with the receiver pressed against his ear. Listening to the dial tone that followed the click when Ike hung up.

Then he replaced it in the cradle and sat leaning against the back of the couch.

I just can't, he thought. I want to remember the things the way they were before.

"But is it really worth losing your best friend over?"something asked him.

Something from deep inside the depths of his heart.