Taga Long

Taga

I'd just given Andrew his breakfast when Caleb walked through the front door. His hair was semi-wet and kind of sticking up in random places. For some strange reason, I got this weird little feeling in my stomach when I saw him.

"Hi Cabe! Hi Cabe!" Andrew bounced up and down in his highchair, trying to do everything in his power to get to him.

Caleb came over and ruffled his hair, brushing past me in the process. "What's up little man!"

The look in Andrew's eyes was of pure admiration. Even a three year old could see how perfect he was.

I sighed and rested my chin in my palm. Why couldn't I be like that? I mean, I didn't want to be some prosthetic Barbie or something, but, I sometimes wanted to be noticed like other girls were. Never had I cared what others thought, but I did sometimes wonder what my life may have been like had I been...less weird.

"Hey Tab, Rachel is gonna take Andrew and I out for the day. You and Caleb can come if you'd like."

"Thanks dad, but I think I'll pass on the play-date."

He shrugged. "You and Caleb did it all the time."

"Yeah, when we were like...three." Caleb interjected. The smile on his face made me tingly in the inside.

My father's eyes crinkled as he shook his head. "You kids are too funny. Whatever you guys decide to do today, try to spare the neighborhood at least a little."

Caleb smirked. "Sorry, but we can't make any promises daddy-o."

With a roll of his eyes, dad left out of the front door with Andrew in his arms.

"So, what do you want to do today?" He rested his chin in his palm as he watched me from across the island.

"Nothing really." A fun day to me was staying inside under a warm blanket on the couch, and few good books and sappy romance movies.

He cut his eyes. "You are the biggest bore that ever was." He caught me by my wrist and dragged me in the direction of the hallway.

"Hey! What...let me go! What are you doing?!"

"You, are going to get dressed, and then, I'm taking you out."

"Taking me out? We're not like...a couple or...something." My voice trailed off as my cheeks grew warm.

"No, but we are best friends. And, it's been a while since you were last here. Wouldn't you like to see how things changed?"

You mean besides us? "No, not really." I hugged my arms around my waist. The last thing I wanted was to be reminded of what this place use to be like. Besides Caleb, I was too fond of the memories I had here.

"Aw, come on, why the long face?" He draped an arm around my shoulder. I could smell that same scent that I had woken up to. "Just let me show you, you can have fun in the outside world too." His smirk told me he was taunting me.

"Fine. Whatever." I sighed, it was just way to easy to give in to him. "Now can you get out so I can get dressed?"

"My pleasure." He side bumped me on his way out.

I felt so strange around him, almost like I wasn't myself. He made me feel...weird and on the edge. I couldn't begin to tell you what it was that I felt when I was around him. It was completely foreign to me.

I took my time getting dressed, actually worrying about what to wear, which was so unlike me. Giving up, I settled for a pair of jeans and an over-sized college sweatshirt.

How weird was this? Me, actually worrying about what to do with my hair. I sighed as I looked in the mirrior at the big mess of waves. They went everywhere, not a single one agreeing with the other.