"Taylor, I'll be back this evening." "Where are you going?"

"I told you . . . remember . . . I'm hanging out with Mike today?"

"Oh, yeah. Hey, can I meet you somewhere? I kind of want to take you out one last time tonight. I mean, we're leaving in a couple of days."

"Oh, um, sure." I straightened out the shirt I was wearing, and ran a hand under my hair, to get it out of the collar. "Mike said he'd surprise me with wherever we were going, so I don't know. All right, here you go, want to meet around, say, sevenish?" I've always loved adding the ish to words. Makes me sound like I know what I'm talking about.

"Sure, how about Cherry Street?" Cherry Street is a historical street in Black Mountain. It's dotted with overpriced ice cream, souvenirs, and coffee shops, set up to look like they're out of the nineteen twenties. It's something tourists have always ate with a spoon, but I've always thought the little street was cute. Quaint, as the brochure says. Taylor knew which shop I wanted to meet in front of. "The Cola Stop" served Coke floats and ice cream. The walls were decked with old Coke slogans and memorabilia. When I was younger, I hung out with all my friends there. I loved it.

"Sure, that's fine. I'll be there." He kissed me on the cheek, as I was opening the door. Mike's car horn signaled my departure.

"Bye Haley."

"Bye Sweetie." I enjoyed using terms of endearment in place of his name. Our relationship seemed official. I could even take his baby's every once in a while.

"See you soon." I ran out to the car, and hopped in. Mike smiled, and waited for me to buckle up. Mike's never been much of a driver to follow rules. Useless things like speed signs and traffic lights aren't much to get in his way. But he was fun, edgy, he was Mike.

"Where are we going?" I sighed, and sat back in the bucket seat.

"Surprise. I've got a present for you."

"Ooh, really? Where?"

"In the back. I'll get it when we stop."

"For food?"

"Yeah."

"What are we going to do until then. I just ate."

"Cruise," he smiled. "Since when do you eat in front of me anyway?" I suppressed laughter. With Mike, I could never eat in front of him. Chewing always got me. I held in burps and farts. Anything to seem entirely quiet. He did the talking. He made decisions. Naive little country girl in a big, big city. I'd been a little immature, I suppose, afraid to do anything. With Taylor, that was different. I suppose it was because we'd spent most of a year together. I'd seen him burp, fart, taken residence a few feet away, when he'd forgotten to bathe. The fact that I found him mediocrely attractive was amazing, but it was much more than mediocre. As long as Taylor didn't vomit in front of me, I would probably love him forever. Vomit was where I drew the line, I smiled to myself.

"You haven't seen me eat."

"You eat?"

"God, Mike, the only reason I didn't eat in front of you, was because you ate whatever I had. Chicken nuggets, burgers, french fries, ice cream. If I had food, it didn't stay there for long. 'You gonna' eat that?'" I mimicked his voice.

"I'm a growing boy, Haley."

"You just turned twenty, the growth spurts are over."

"I see your tongue hasn't gotten any shorter."

"Shut up, Mike."

"Don't even know how to behave on a date," he smiled.

"A date? Yeah right! This is not a date!"

"I asked you out. You said yes. Where I come from, that's a date."

"May I remind you, that I have a boyfriend?"

"Taylor . . ." he softly added.

"That's right, Taylor."

"We're here," Mike announced. I looked around.

"The mall?"

"Yes, I need to do some shopping."

"Let's go. I have some stuff to pick up, too."

"I hope you brought your money."

"Actually, no. I planned on using your credit card." Our conversation was always just a bunch of one liners, packed together, bouncing off of one another.

"Never leave home without it," he quipped, and I got out of his car.

"Sears awaits."

"Buddy Burger!" I shouted, when we drove up to his restaurant of choice.

"Where else do you think I'd go?"

"Who knows with you, Mike? I thought you were going to buy a Beef summer sausage at Hickory Farms, so we could dish in your backseat."

"Hickory Farms? Ooh, cheese logs," he cackled.

"Gouda." If followed him inside.

"What do you want?"

"Chicken nuggets and Dr. Pepper."

"Twenty nuggets and two Dr. Peppers," he ordered. Our food came, and we took a seat in one of the booths. I tore off the top of the straw paper, and pushed it down. When Mike wasn't looking, I blew the cover right at him.

"Direct hit," I bragged when the paper bounced off his nose.

"Why, I oughtta,'" he mumbled before ripping off his, and blowing through the straw. "Damnit." His paper had a hole at the bottom, and wouldn't shoot.

"Haha!" I took a gulp of soda. "Where's my gift?"

"You're rude."

"You've got a present for me, and I want it." He reached into his backpack, and pulled out a tissue-paper-covered, rectangular object. Handing it over, I snatched it from him, while he dove for more nuggets.

"My plaque!" I squealed, once the paper was gone. "Haley Morgan, Burger Bud of the Month, April and May, 2002." I read off the letters, running my fingers over the engraving.

"You left it at the restaurant. When I left, I asked the manager if I could take it down to give to you."

"Aww. That's probably the sweetest thing you've ever done for me, Mike," I cooed with a smile.

"Well, it's your biggest accomplishment," he teased.

"How's the job going?"

"Great . . . made front page last week."

"Oh wow! That's great!"

"Yeah, presidential scandals make for good stories."

"Ah, so you're happy?"

"Definitely. Asheville Citizen Times treats me well."

"Are you about done?"

"Why the hurry?"

"It's almost seven. I need to meet Taylor at the Cola Stop."

"Taylor, huh?" he lingered on the name.

"Yeah, he's amazing." Mike gave an exasperated sigh.

"Taylor this. Taylor that. Can't you talk about us for once?"

"Us?" I asked in disbelief. "There is no us."

"You know what I mean."

"If it's friendship, then I do. Otherwise, I don't."

"Fine . . . friendship. All right, I'm done. Let's go." I gathered the wrappers on a tray, and he took them to the trash can. We walked out to the parking lot, and he silently unlocked the doors to get in.

"Why aren't you speaking?" I asked, a few miles down the road.

"You know why."

"Damnit, Mike, don't be so touchy. You knew it would never work out between us."

"No, I didn't. I thought differently. Sue me."

"Oh Mike," I breathed. "I thought you were my friend. Why can't you get it through your head?"

"Because! What did you expect? You let me sleep with you! I didn't realize you were such a whore!" I gasped, wide eyed, and slammed my heel over his brake pedal. The car screeched forward, and a car behind us blew the horn. "God, are you trying to get us killed?"

"Where do you get off calling me that? You know I'm anything but! Let me out!"

"Don't be stupid, Haley. Cherry Street's a block away." He drove on, ignoring me. I didn't argue, just breathed deeply in anger. The car skidded up to The Cola Stop, Hastily, I unbuckled, and tore out of the car. Taylor was nowhere in sight. My shoes clicked across the sidewalk, and I crossed my arms around my chest. Much to my dismay, Mike parked the car and walked up.

"You're little boyfriend didn't show up, eh?" I glanced at my watch.

"We're a little early, Mike. He'll be here." The icy glare I was tossing must've frightened him, because I sure didn't expect his next sentence.

"Listen, I'm sorry that I called you that. I didn't mean it; I'm just angry. Here, you forgot you plaque." He handed it over.

"I don't want it," I stubbornly pouted.

"It's your award, Haley, not mine."

"Fine," I relented, and accepted the little piece of polished wood.

"We're really ending on the wrong note. I'm sorry."

"Mike, it's okay. But I'm in love with Taylor. Not you."

"Yeah, and I can't accept that." His quick change of tone clued me in that he was going to do something. Instincts proved right, as he stepped forward, and wrapped his arms around me. Smoldering, thick heat invaded every perspective. I almost felt light-headed, and I was absolutely clueless about what was happening.

Lips pressed against mine. They were hard, forced. My brain began working, and I realized this would be as far as he'd go. He couldn't in plain view. Just let him kiss you, Haley. He'll break away. If you try to hurt him, he'll just hurt you.

"Oh my God." A new voice. A very familiar voice cut the air. Taylor. I pushed Mike away, and he caught his breath, flushed and disillusioned.

"Taylor," I cried. He'd save me. He'd hurt Mike. He'd take me away.

"Don't speak to me," his icy glare pierced me in two. And he threw down flowers. He'd brought me flowers. His feet picked up, and he began to run.

I looked at the flowers a few feet away, tossed lonely on the ground. The Earth gave way, and I fell onto my knees. The tears came easily. A balling mess clinging to a bouquet of once nice flowers on the sidewalk. Taylor had seen me kiss Mike. He didn't know the truth. He'd seen my lips on someone else's, and he didn't understand. Why I didn't go after him, I don't know. For the first time in my life, I wasn't strong enough to move.

Picking up the flowers, Mike held out his hand to me. "Go home. Go away. I don't want you! I hate you!" Mike dropped the flowers, and took off for his car. He was gone, before I had the courage to stand alone. Walking into The Cola Stop, I sat down in one of the chairs, putting my head on the table.

"Excuse me, Miss. Do you want anything?" A terrified young waiter, trembled at the sight of me. With every sob I let out, he winced.

"A new life. I want a new life."

He sat down at the chair beside me, while I continued sobbing. "We don't have those in stock, Miss. How 'bout a hot fudge sundae? My treat." I attempted to smile, but failed miserably.

"Okay," I whimpered. He wasn't gone for very long, before returning with the ice cream. I twirled my spoon in it, before eating the cherry.

"Whatever it is, Miss, whatever's wrong, it'll be okay." His words surprised me; I thought he'd left.

"Thanks, Ryan," I read his nametag. "Thanks, but I don't really know this time."