Nothing Happened

"It seems like forever since I've been here with you. I'm so glad you asked me," I said to Sarah across our usual table at the diner. It was nice to see the place looked exactly the same even after a few weeks had passed.

"Yeah.. Look Maggie, I wanted to talk to you about something, not eat." She discarded the menu I offered to her.

"Plain turkey with carrot sticks and a water?" I teased her.

"No thanks," she sighed.

"What? It's hard for me to believe you're not hungry," I glanced at my watch: 12.15pm.

"Perfect time for lunch." She didn't reply. I saw her normally soft rosy skin sagging slighty over her cheekbones and her eyes, surrounded by dark circles, were sunken in a little. Examining her closer, I noticed her collar bone clearly defined in her shoulder. Instantly, my eyes flooded with concern.

".. Sarah? Are you ok?" She'd obviously lost weight, the opposite of what's healthy for her now.

When did this happen? I guiltly admitted.

"Fine." She said quietly, keeping her eyes on the tablecloth.

"I can't afford it. Happy?" She rested her hands on the table, fingering the salt and pepper shakers. She refused to lift her head to look into my eyes.

"It's on me," I replied, resting my hand on her wrist to comfort her before guessing, "Mark still isn't working, is he?"

"Two and a half months!" She broke down, finally lifting her eyes to mine so I could see all her built up anxiety. My heart tore as they slowly filled with tears.

"I'm.. I'm really sorry," was all I could say. I reached over with my other hand to wrap it over hers. I felt her fingers trembling underneath my palms.

"It's not your fault.. It's just I can't pay for everything." She finally admitted.

"I know this doesn't help much, but is there anyway you could stay with your parents for awhile?" I asked.

"I can't do that," she whispered furiously.

"I can't." Two lone tears spilled over and trailed down her pale cheeks.

I can't tell them I need help, she really meant. Sarah's strong sense of pride was hurting her.

"Hon, you're too proud for your own good," I attempted to get a smile out of her, squeezing her hands lightly.

"Thanks," she slipped her hands out from underneath mine to wipe her cheeks. "You're some help."

"Hey, at least you're smiling." I pointed out, smiling back at her. "But seriously.. if you ever need a place to stay, call me."

"Ok, thanks Maggie. I just better just telling you about it," she sniffed.

"If you say so.. I'm still worried about you, Sarah Leigh. And I still swear your parents were uncontrollable cookie addicts before you were born," I teased her with an age-old joke.

"Hey!" Her face brightened as she laughed. "I can't believe you still make fun of me about that." She pretended to pout, puffing out her lower lip out in a puppy face.

"That's what I'm here for."

"At least you're good for something." I was glad to hear her laughter increase a knotch.

"Oh, ouch! Nice comeback, Almighty Hormonal One." I joined her in laughing, my shoulders shaking uncontrollably.

What a wonderful feeling. It'd seemed like ages when Sarah and I could just sit down and laugh about something together.

"I'd rather be hormonal than a compulsive wimp."

"I'd rather be a wimp than be.. Umm.. hormonal," I retorted. By this time she had tears of happiness streaming down her cheeks.

"At least I'm not in love with a Hanson anymore," I immediatedly stopped laughing and stared at her.

"Taylor, no!" Mia cried, laughing hysterically. She clung to his shirt roughly as he tried pushing her away. "I told you I'm not very good at this."

"Just messing with you," as they slowed down he took her hand in his. It was an absolutely beautiful day: the sun was brightly drowning the usual dismay gray that sat in the sky, a cool breeze reminded them it wasn't completely spring yet, but getting extremely close. As he looked down at the happiness that shined from Mia's eyes and felt the warmness from her hand, he felt an emptiness inside himself.

All this should be perfect.. so why isn't it?

"Clumsiness in rollerblading aside, I'm really glad you asked me to do something today. This was a perfect day for a picnic too," Mia added, wrapping her arms around him. The tightening of her arms around his waist shook Taylor's thoughts to the back of his mind.

"Me too," he replied, kissing the top of her head softly. It felt warm on his lips from her dark hair absorbing much of the mid-afternoon sun. The two felt into a silence as they continued skating through the park.

"Can we take a little break now?" she asked a few minutes later, after stumbling over a crack in the sidewalk. She pointed to a nearby picnic bench.

"Sure," Taylor slowed them down and hopped onto the grass, walking clumsily on his skates over to the bench. (But then again, who can possibly walk normally on grass while wearing those damn things?) She clomped after him.

"This day's been so perfect," Mia sighed, leaning against Taylor's side after she sat down next to him, taking in the smell of his cologne as he lifted his arm around her shoulders.

"Sweetie?" She asked, turning her face towards his with a grin on her face.

"Yeah?" he asked, returning a smile.

"What's that you're wearing? The cologne, I mean."

"CkBe," he laughed. "I stole it from Ike last time he came home.. why?"

"Well, I'm sure at some point in time it smelled great, but it's almost like it started decomposing or something," she giggled, wrinkling her nose in disgust.

"Decomposing?" Taylor laughed, reaching his arms around her waist to tickle her. Mia's response was pure hysteria, her body nearly bounced off the bench as his fingers brushed against her sides.

"Ahh! Tay- no! Stop it," she gasped between giggles. She placed her hands on her chest and started to push him away. He grabbed her shoulders instead and leaned forward to kiss her softly. As their kiss intensified, he slid one of his hands up her neck to run his fingers through her hair. She responded by pulling him closer and opened her mouth, surrenduring to the feeling of his tongue sliding against hers.

"Ok, you win," she said softly after they broke apart a few seconds later. As he threw back his head laughing, Mia caught sight of the sunlight shining his blonde hair and making his blue eyes sparkle happily. She sighed happily as their lips met in another kiss, which eventually became deeper.

"I have a surprise for you," Taylor said after they broke apart again.

"What is it?" Mia's dark eyes watched curiously as he stuck his hand in his pocket.

"Here," he opened a small velvet box, revealing a small silver heart necklace inside.

"Oh, Taylor.." she murmured quietly, noticing how it sparkled in the sunlight. "It's beautiful."

"I want you to be my girlfriend, Mia." Any doubts she'd shared with me were completely dissolved, she realized, as he leaned over and kissed her again.

"Hello?" Issac answered after leaning over and picking up the phone. He folded his microeconomics book across his stomach to hold the page he'd been reading last.

"Ike?"

"Yup. Sarah?"

"Yeah.."

"Hey," he said softly.

"Hi." She laughed nervously. "I was thinking about what you said.."

"Before you answer, I want to say something."

"Isaac, it's ok."

"No, really. I need to tell you something first," he paused, waiting for her to respond.

".."

"Sarah?"

"Well, aren't you going to tell me?" he sighed at her last comment.

Four years wiser and I still can't read her.

"I just wanted you to know I'm sorry for giving you an ultimatum."

"You are?"

"Yeah.."

"Well, that's sweet of you." If only he could've seen her smile.

"Umm.. thanks."

"So I guess I don't have to say it." She teased.

"Say what?"

"Well, you never heard my answer to your 'ultimatum.' "

"True.."

".."

"Sarah!"

"What?"

"Are you enjoying this?" he sighed exasperated.

"Very much so." She laughed softly.

"Fine.. what's your answer?"

"See, now I don't know if I want to tell you."

For God's sake, is this what hormones do to her? I don't remember Mom being anything but cranky. This is worse, he thought.

"Sarah," he tried not to sound agitated. "Please tell me."

"Yes."

"Yes?" He was genuinely surprised. His book fell off his lap onto the floor as he sat up quickly.

"Mmm-hmm. Sure, I'll see you again." she replied.

"As friends." she quickly added.

"Sure, friends, no problem." Wahoo!