10 Years Ago
Halloween
"
"Are you ready, Emmy?" Taylor, my boy-best-friend-next-door, called from downstairs.
"No, Taylor!" I shouted back from my room.
It was Halloween—our favorite tradition. Every year, we went trick-or-treating together, racing to see who could collect the most candy. The loser? They had to hand over their entire bag of treats.
But this year felt... different.
We had just turned twelve, and my body had decided to start changing. Ugh. Over the summer, all my friends had gone through their "transformations," so I shouldn't have been surprised when I tried on a cat costume and my mom hit me with a hard "Nope."
When I finally stepped out of my room, now dressed as Wonder Woman, I found Rose waiting in the hallway.
Rose. My girl best friend. The person I adored. She had striking blue eyes that practically glowed against her creamy brown skin. We'd been inseparable ever since she moved from New York three years ago. We bonded over a book we had both read and never looked back.
Taylor was already by the door, bouncing with excitement. He had almond-shaped eyes, smooth dark cream skin, and was annoyingly tall for his age. Honestly, he was the most popular boy in school—but I didn't really get the hype. Sure, he played both basketball and football, but he was just Taylor to me. We'd known each other since we were one, growing up next door.
"So, are you finally ready to go?" Rose asked, dressed as Raven from Teen Titans.
"Yeah, I'm ready," I said.
"Good!" Taylor grinned and reached for the doorknob.
"Wait—Taylor, what are you even dressed as?" I asked as the door shut behind us.
He spun around dramatically. "Uhh, isn't it obvious?"
I raised an eyebrow. "No, dummy. If it were obvious, I wouldn't be asking."
He rolled his eyes. "I'm a professional basketball player, duh."
I laughed. "Of course you are. Makes sense, considering all you ever talk about is joining the NBA or the NFL."
"Exactly," he said, giving me a high five.
"So, what house should we hit first this year?" Rose asked.
"How about Ms. Parker's house?" I suggested.
"Let's go!" Rose yelled, already sprinting down the street. "I'm determined to beat both of you this year!"
Taylor and I exchanged a quick glance before chasing after her.
---
One Hour Later
"Well," I said with a dramatic sigh, "it looks like someone finally beat us this year."
"Yep," Taylor grumbled.
"And that someone is Rose! Congrats, champ." I handed her the winning title—and my candy bag.
Rose grinned victoriously. Taylor, usually the reigning champion, took the loss worse than I did, but to my surprise, he smiled.
"There's always next year. I swear I'm gonna beat both of you next time," he said, shaking his head but clearly enjoying the night.
"Sure you will," I teased as I flopped onto the couch.
"Here you guys go!" Rose dropped the now mom-approved candy bags in front of us. "The candy has been cleared—we're good to dig in!"
I grinned. "Okay, Rose. You know the rules: winner picks the movie."
Rose shot me a devilish look as she snatched the remote. Oh no. I knew that smirk.
She picked The Exorcist.
Not even five minutes in, I had already screamed three times and was hiding in Taylor's shoulder. Rose was on my other side, laughing so hard she almost fell off the couch.
Taylor—calm and cool—held my hand. I tried so hard not to scream again, but failed miserably. Thank God our parents were out on their date night. If they were home, they'd be laughing at me too.
---
After the movie, Taylor headed home, and Rose stayed for our sleepover. That's when the sugar really kicked in. She was bouncing off the walls—either from the candy or from the scene she had witnessed during the movie.
"Oh. My. GOD!" Rose squealed. "Did you see the way Taylor held your hand when you got scared? You guys are so cute. I just can't."
I groaned. "First of all—ugh. Second of all—no. That is never going to happen."
Rose raised an eyebrow. "Okay, Miss Drama Queen. You can't tell me you don't think Taylor's gotten... cute. Especially now."
I sighed. "Okay, fine. I will admit he's started to look... good."
"Aha! So you do notice!"
"R, I'm not blind," I said, rolling my eyes.
"So... he's just not your type?" she asked, smirking.
"No, he's not."
"What is your type, then?"
"I don't know!"
"Then how do you know he isn't?" she asked, way too smug now.
I opened my mouth to argue, but... nothing came out. She had a point. And she knew it.
"Okay, Rose," I admitted, throwing my hands up. "You win. I've noticed he's changed since I got back from vacation. And… I have felt my heart beat faster when I'm around him. I thought if I denied it, it'd go away—but it hasn't. At all."
Rose checked her imaginary watch. "Took me twenty minutes to get you to admit you have a crush on Taylor Jackson."
I groaned again. "Are you seriously telling me I have a crush on Taylor?"
She laughed. "Yes, Em. You have a crush on Taylor Jackson."
I buried my face in my pillow. "Can we please talk about this tomorrow? I need sleep. And possibly therapy."
"Fine, fine. Goodnight, Em," Rose giggled as she pulled the blanket over her head.
"Goodnight," I muttered.
I stared up at the ceiling. Do I really have a crush on Taylor? Maybe my fairy tale isn't some distant dream. Maybe... It's been right next door all along. I just hope he feels the same.