One day, Tay woke up with this deplorable feeling in her stomach; she knew right away that her day wouldn’t be a good one. She opened up her bay window and looked out, her eyes skimming over the trees in the nearby park, the lake, the people and stopping at a small wooden cabin. She noticed a guy walking up the cabin door; he was tall, slim and sweaty from soccer practice. She watched him drop his soccer ball out of his hand and rummage through his pockets until he found his keys and opened the front door. Tay smiled to herself and picked up the phone to call her friend to let him know she was going to come over. As soon as he picked up the phone and said hi, she knew it was a bad idea. Cam seemed anxious, and when Cam was anxious, Cam talked. A lot…
Tay put on her slippers and brushed her hair, not caring she was in her pajamas still. She was too depressed to even care. She opened her front door and stepped out, letting the cold morning air hit her. She didn’t mind it at first, but halfway through the park she was cursing herself for not putting a jacket on. She rubbed her arms up and down, trying to keep herself as warm as possible until she made it into the comfort and warmthof Cam's house.
“Why? Seriously Tay, this is driving me crazy. You have no idea…” Cam said, pacing back and forth in his bedroom, “It’s like she doesn’t get it...” he continued.
Tay sat there, quietly, watching her best friend, pace in front of her. “Why don’t you go and talk to your older brother if it’s bothering you so much?” she suggested.
“Troy?” Cam almost screamed, “You think I should talk to Troy! Do you really think I want my older brother knowing I haven’t been on a date yet and I’m in the 8th grade?”
“True...” Tay said. Cam’s older brother, Troy, was a junior at the school. He was a jock and a total lady’s man; he was actually dating Tay’s older sister. “Then I don’t know what to tell you,” Tay said, “In my opinion, Lizzie is a terrible person. What do you see in her? Remember in 3rd grade she threw cheese on me? And then in 4th grade she poured water on me and told everyone I had an accident?” Then when --?”
“I get it Tay!” Cam said cutting her off, “But I don’t know why, I just do. She’s nice once you get to know her. I really want to ask her to the homecoming dance next weekend!”
“Then ask her already!” Tay said standing up to leave. Cam didn’t know this, but Tay had had a crush on him since the day they had first met. It was 5 years ago, and they were at the Riverdale Community Pool. Tay was with her sister and Cam was with Troy. Tay had slipped in the pool without her floaties, and Cam jumped in to save her. The thought of him asking any girl to the homecoming dance, let alone Lizzie, made Tay sick, “Listen Cam, I have to go!”
“Tay, it’s like 11 o’clock! You just got here!” He said picking up her bag so she wouldn’t be able to get it.
“Fine…” Tay grumbled, sitting back down, “I’ll stay another half hour!”
Cam smiled, “Thank you. So, who do you want to ask you to the dance?” Tay thought for a moment, “There is someone I want to go with…”
Cam’s eyes light up, “Who?!Is it Lyle? Kevin?”
Tay laughed, “No, definitely not Kevin, but I can’t tell you…”
Cam sat down next to her on the bed and looked at her with his big brown eyes, “Come on Tay, I thought we told each other everything?”
Tay started laughing at his attempt to make a puppy-dog face, “I can’t.”
“Why not?” Cam asked, “It’s only fair!”
“Okay fine, I'll let you guess… He’s funny, and has the best eyes…” Tay said looking straight at Cam.
He paused, “Lyle!” Tay shook her head, “No, it’s someone way better than Lyle!” “Adam?” “No!” “Of course he wouldn’t get it,"Tay thought, “he’s a boy, and boys are clueless when it comes to hints.”
Cam guessed 5 more times before Tay couldn’t take it anymore, “Cam!” she shouted, standing up, “It's you! You. You. You! You’re who I want to ask me to the dance!”
Cam’s face went blank, and he was speechless. Tay waited for another 10 seconds, looking at him, hoping he would say something, but he didn’t. He just sat there, as still as stone. Cam didn’t have the guts to tell her that he didn’t feel that way about her. That he loved her, but only as his best friend. She left, embarrassed, devastated. Tay ran through the park as fast as she could, trying to hold back her tears until she was in the safety of her own room, but as soon as her feet hit the grass the tears came. And they came fast. Tay couldn’t even run any more; she felt as if all her energy was gone, so she sat for a moment under an oak tree.
Cam saw her, and walked over slowly, “Tay,” he said, “You’re my best friend! And anyone would be lucky to go out with you! But I wouldn’t even want to risk our friendship.”
Tay nodded, standing up, “I understand. It’s whatever. I gotta go…”
And she left. Cam watched her go, sadness in his eyes. He knew things would never be the same, Tay knew things wouldn’t be the same. And that was the day Tay’s world turned upside down…