by Billy Taylor
“Hey, Natalie. It’s Will. Zac is in the shower at the moment.”
“Oh, hey, Will. I was checking that she was getting ready. Are you still ok to pick me up later?”
“Yeah she’s getting ready. And yes, once Zac is dressed we will drive over and pick you up.”
“Ok. Thank you. See you later.”
“See you later.”
I hung up, and I was about to place her phone back on the bedside draw before her phone returned to its home screen. And the photo she had set as her wallpaper was a photo of me on my sofa. I was just sat there, smiling, I can only assume at the television. I didn’t even know she had taken this photo, but to have it as her wallpaper is kind of a big deal, isn’t it? To me it is anyway. I smiled and then placed the phone back on the bedside draw.
Zac emerged from the bathroom ten minutes later with a towel around her body and one on her head. I still don’t know how girls tie that towel around their heads. It will always be a mystery to me.
“Am I your phone screensaver?”
“No,” she quickly replied. “Matthew McConaughey is.”
“That’s strange, because I just saw it, and it’s a photo of me on my sofa.”
Her eyes bulged and she rushed over to her phone and snatched it up. “It’s Matthew McConaughey,” she said again. “Why were you on my phone?”
“Natalie called, so I answered it and told her you were in the shower. And then when I went to put the phone down I saw the photo of me.”
“It’s not you,” she said. “It’s Matthew McConaughey.”
“Why didn’t you tell me he changed his appearance to look like me and then came to sit on my sofa for you to take a photo of him?”
She looked away. “Am I the screensaver on your phone?” she then asked.
“Of course you are,” I replied.
“What?” she said, seeming surprised. I rolled over and grabbed my phone. I opened it and checked the photo. It was a picture of Zac and me. We were lying on my sofa and she had fallen asleep. She was wearing her beanie. She looked so beautiful and calm in the photo. I put my phone into her hand.
She looked at the photo and then asked, “When did you take this?”
“I’m not sure, last week or the week before?”
“Change it, I look horrible.”
“No! I knew you were going to say that. I like it.”
“Whatever feeds your panda,” she said grumpily and threw the phone back to me.
“I want to know why I’m your screensaver, please.”
“I don’t know,” she said. I could see that she felt uncomfortable, so instead of teasing her about it I decided “I don’t know” was good enough.
“Ok,” I said. “You need to get ready, otherwise we’re going to be late to pick up Natalie.”
Zac looked beautiful when she was dressed. She was wearing her typical outfit. But she still looked beautiful. She always does. I didn’t want her to leave. I drove her over to her apartment, and we picked up Natalie and then I drove them to their friend’s house where the party was being held. Zac and Natalie were going to get a taxi back to their apartment and then Autumn and her mum were going to pick Zac up from there ahead of their shopping trip tomorrow. I returned to the apartment and watched some TV with Ted and Autumn. And then I went to bed early because they were kissing, so I thought I would give them some space.
April 4th
My phone binged and woke me during the early hours of the morning. My phone read 1:32am. I squinted and read the screen to see I had a text from Zac. I assumed she was just letting me know she was home safe.
NEW MESSAGE FROM ZACHARY WILLIAMS III
Are you awake?
NEW MESSAGE FROM WILL EVANS
Yes, why?
NEW MESSAGE FROM ZACHARY WILLIAMS III
Could you come pick me up?
NEW MESSAGE FROM WILL EVANS
Of course, is everything ok?
NEW MESSAGE FROM ZACHARY WILLIAMS III
Yes. I just don’t like it here and would like to come
home.
NEW MESSAGE FROM WILL EVANS
Ok, I’ll come and get you now. I’ll be 20 minutes x
NEW MESSAGE FROM ZACHARY WILLIAMS III
Ok. Thank you.
Zac was sat outside on the step of her friend’s house. It was freezing and she was only wearing her Timberland boots, ripped jeans, small T-shirt and her beanie.
“What are you doing outside?” I said, rushing up to her and putting my coat around her. I started shivering almost the second after I took off my coat. “You’re going to make yourself ill,” I said, rubbing her arms. I couldn’t believe how cold it was, and I couldn’t believe even more that she was outside in it. She was shivering like crazy. “How drunk are you? How long have you been out here?” I asked.
“Ten minutes and I’m sober. I only had one drink,” she said. “I’m just tired.”
“Right, let’s get you to the car.” I helped her stand up and then put my coat on her properly and zipped it up.
Once we were in the car I turned the heating up to its highest possible setting. “Why were you outside?” I asked. I put my hand on her thigh and it was so cold.
“I didn’t want to stay inside.”
“Where is Natalie?”
“She was kissing some guy, I’m not sure.”
“Is everything ok? You seem a little upset.” She crossed her arms and stuck her hands under her armpits and shook her head. “Are you sure?”
She nodded and then said, “Can we go home, please?”
“Of course. Are you feeling a bit warmer now?” I asked as I began to drive back to the apartment.
“Yes. Thank you,” she replied.
Zac was quiet for the first five minutes of the drive home. I kept looking over to check if she was ok, but she was staring out of the window.
“It’s nice that you think of my apartment as home,” I said, making conversation.
“I guess so,” she replied.
“Are you sure everything’s ok?” I asked.
“Yes!” she snapped.
“Ok,” I said, deciding that I should just drive home. I know she didn’t mean to snap at me. She just needed some sleep.
She then shuffled around to face me, and she looked like she was going to say something. She’d opened her mouth as if she was going to say something, but she remained silent and stared down at the gear stick. I kept looking out of the corner of my eye as we drove along, and then she eventually said, “I-I-I…kissed someone.”
We came up to a set of lights, which provided a moment for me to talk to her. “What do you mean you kissed someone?” I asked.
“There was a guy at the party…and I kissed him.”
To be honest my stomach felt that bad, I thought I was going to throw up. I could feel a huge lump in my throat, and my hands wanting to tremble. The car was so hot I had started sweating so I couldn’t pass it for shivering. My heart had now started beating two or three times its normal rate. But I knew I couldn’t say anything. I couldn’t be mad at her. Because I was stupid enough to agree to her rules.
I said the only thing I thought I could say. “I’m not your boyfriend. So I don’t know why you felt like you needed to tell me.”
“Will…”
“What?”
“Don’t be like that.”
“Don’t be like what? I’m stating a fact: I am not your boyfriend.”
“I know, but we’ve spent a lot of time together and I wanted you to know—”
“That it was nothing serious…like you and me,” I finished for her.
“It didn’t mean anything, it was a stupid mistake and I wish it never happened.”
“Ok.” I was so angry and frustrated and upset. I didn’t know how react to this situation. I knew I was being a dick. But I just wanted to get home and go to sleep. If there was anything to talk about, we could talk about it in the morning.
When we got home and got into bed, Zac
wouldn’t leave it until tomorrow. She nudged me a few times, but I dismissed it and ignored her. Then I could sense her sitting there cross-legged, watching me. Then she started kissing my neck and nibbling my ear. “Will, will you please talk to me?”
“We’ll talk tomorrow. Go to sleep, Zac.” We said this backward and forward four or five times. And then she said those two little words that made me bite my lip to prevent myself from jumping on her.
She put her hand on my shoulder, leant over me, and whispered into my ear, “Make me.” So we had sex, and then she left me alone, and fell asleep.
When I woke up, Zac was already dressed and about to leave with Autumn to go shopping with Autumn’s mum. She didn’t say hello, good morning, I’m leaving now, or good-bye. She just left. I guess she was probably avoiding the confrontation about her kissing some other guy last night.
I got up and made my smoothie, and Ted had one, too. And then we got dressed and drove to the jewellery shop in town. I didn’t bother telling Ted about Zac kissing another guy because I didn’t want to dampen his day. Searching for an engagement ring for the girl of his dreams didn’t need to be spoilt by me whining about Zac kissing some other guy.
A gentleman asked us if we needed any assistance as we entered, and Ted said no thank you. And then the gentleman told him if he needed any assistance that he need only ask.
“So do you have any idea what you’re looking for?” I asked. The store wasn’t huge. But there was plenty on display. Watches, necklaces, earrings. Everything.
“When I spoke to my mum about searching for one, she told me when she and Dad went to buy one for her. She said there was such a large collection, but suddenly, one caught her attention, and she just knew it was the one. So I’m hoping that is going to happen to me.”
“Ok. So are you going to actually buy one today or are we scouting?”
“I guess if we find the right one, I’ll get it today.”
“That is a bold move, sir. But I am here to support you, so you do whatever you need to do.”
“Thank you.”
We found a huge glass cabinet displaying at least one hundred engagement rings, starting from ridiculous prices to utterly ridiculous prices.
“You’re going to need to sell a kidney to afford this, Ted.”
“You’re obviously forgetting who my great-grandfather was then. I got left quite a lot by him.”
“I didn’t know.”
“Yeah. I’ve always kept it to myself. I’ve never touched it. I was waiting until I really needed it. Buy a house or whatever.”
“You’re not going to spend it all, are you?”
“No. Of course not. Autumn would kill me if I did that. She’d rather have the house.” We both laughed.
“That’s true,” I said.
We continued to scan through all the rings. Nothing caught my attention. There was just such a huge selection. Nothing stood out to me with some variety.
“What are you thinking, man?” I asked.
“I have my eye on two,” he replied.
“Which ones?” I asked.
He put his hand on the side of my neck and pulled my head next to his. He pointed. “That one there to the left about three back. And then that one over there near the back right. About five in.”
“I see them,” I said. “Why don’t you take a look at them?”
“Do you think I should?” he asked.
“Of course. They will look differently in your hand. We have most of the day to look, and you don’t have to get one today or from here. This is a very big deal so you should select carefully.”
“I really like those two,” he said.
“Right, well, let’s get that guy to take them out for us.” I walked over to the counter and asked him if we could take a look at them. He told us to sit down at this table that had a small mirror on it. I wondered what it was for, but then I realised it was so you could see a larger reflection of the jewellery on your hand.
Ted was on his phone as the rings were placed in front of us. “Put your phone down!” I said.
“I’m just checking to see if Autumn has texted me,” he replied. “Ok,” he said, returning his phone to inside jacket pocket. He picked up both rings and held them. “If you were Autumn, and I was proposing to you, which ring would you want to see appear as I opened the box?”
I leant forward and examined the rings. Ring descriptions are not my best subject so I will have to describe them as I see them. The first one had a silver ring, and then on top of the ring was a diamond in a bracket holding it in place. It was a lot more beautiful than I just described. It was breathtaking. Ring descriptions aren’t my specialty.
And then the next ring was huge. This one had a silver ring, too, and then on top of that was a huge wide diamond. It didn’t have height like the last ring, but it was very wide. And then surrounding that diamond was probably eight smaller ones, almost creating like a diamond flower.
“Which one do you like most?” I asked.
“I like the big one,” he said.
“See, I don’t think that reflects Autumn. She doesn’t want big and bold. That’s not who she is. Obviously she wants you to make her feel like the only girl in the world. But buying her the biggest ring isn’t what she’d want. She’d want you to buy her a ring that made you think of her when you saw it. She’d rather it be smaller and cheaper or whatever, and it be meaningful, than it be bigger and more expensive and not meaningful. Plus Autumn wouldn’t be able to work with that on the end of her finger. She’d have to drag it around with her and it would get in the way.”
Ted placed the bigger ring down and now examined the smaller one. “I understand what you’re saying,” Ted said. “She just wants a ring that shows that I love her.”
“Exactly. That’s why people get married.”
He smirked and twiddled the ring in his hands. “I’m going to get this one,” he said.
“Really?” I asked.
“Yep. This is the one.”
Ted already knew Autumn’s ring size somehow. And he asked the gentleman what the price would be, and how long it would take to come in. The gentleman nodded his head and took away the rings, and then went to complete Ted’s requests. When he came back, he informed Ted that the ring could be here in ten days’ time. And then he told him the price. And I won’t tell you the exact figure, but you could have gotten yourself a fairly nice car for that price.
Ted didn’t seem bothered by its price. “How much was the other one? Just out of curiosity,” Ted asked. And then the gentleman told him that it was three times the one of his choice. Which could have gotten you a very nice car.
Ted was on his phone as he was paying for the ring. I was stood there thinking what is more important than buying an engagement ring. Ted ordered and paid for the ring and then he walked over to me afterwards.
“Why were you on the phone?” I asked.
“I missed a call from Autumn and she left me a voicemail.”
“Is everything ok?” I asked.
“Yeah. She just said that she hopes we’re having a good time, and that she loves me.” He gave me a hug after he placed his phone into his pocket. “I’m gonna get married,” he said. “Me. Ted Maguire. I’m getting married.”
“She hasn’t said yes yet.”
He laughed and then he said, “I have something to show you. Let’s go back to the car.”
Ted drove us out of town and out into the countryside. I had no idea where he was taking me. I thought he might murder me and bury my body out here.
“Where are we going?” I asked.
“You’ll see soon,” he said. Two minutes later he switched on the indicator, even though there wasn’t another car in sight. And then he pulled into the drive of this huge stone house. A gate prevented us from access, but there was a numeric keypad outside the window. Ted rolled down the window and entered a code, and then the gate opened.
I frowned because I had no idea where we were and why w
e were there. And then as I focused on the gate, I saw a small golden plaque on it that read Ron & Annie’s. I turned to Ted. “Is this your great-grandfather’s house?”
“It certainly is,” he replied.
We drove into a courtyard and parked the car. I got out and rotated three hundred and sixty degrees and admired the house in amazement. There were actually three stone houses. They were all joined together. And if you looked at them from the road and higher up, they should form a giant straight C. The biggest one was at the front where we came in through the gate. And the smallest one was in between that one and the medium one at the back.
I didn’t even know this place existed. In all my years of knowing Ted, I’d never been here. I’m not sure how often he has been here. He’s never mentioned it.
“Why are we here?” I asked.
“Because, Will, when I ask Autumn to marry me, if she says yes, I would want us to live together, and I was thinking we could live here.”
“That’s a great idea,” I replied.
“They’re not actually separate, these houses. There is a door from each house into the next. They just added three front entrances onto them because it’s so big.
“Oh, I thought they were.”
“Nope. So Autumn and I would have the big one at the front.” He turned and pointed to it, and then he pointed to the one at the back. “And you would have that one.”
For a second I thought he was joking and I smirked and turned to look at it.
“What do you think?” he asked.
I turned back to him. “Are you being serious? I can’t tell if you’re joking.”
He laughed. “I’m serious!”
“Ted, I don’t know what to say.”
“Say yes,” he said, putting his hands on my shoulders, and then jokingly dropping to his knee.
“All right, get up,” I said, helping him up.
“Shall we take a look around?” he asked.
“Yeah!” I said. He pulled a set of keys out of his pocket and then we walked to the biggest section at the front and opened the door. Ted showed me around for at least an hour and told me about all the history of it. I can’t describe everything I saw. All I can say is that it’s great. It’s so wonderful and fantastic and amazing. The old-fashioned stone on the outside misleads you, because you expect to enter the house and for it to be old-fashioned, too. But everything was so modern. The kitchens and bathrooms were immaculate. Ted told me that his dad had refurbished it a couple of years ago and had been renting it out. But now that the renters had moved out, he wanted Ted to have it if the proposal to Autumn went to plan. And I couldn’t believe he would want me to stay with him. I know we’ve been friends for a long time, but at some point I thought we would have to go our separate ways and live alone. Almost like when you move out of your parents’ house.
