Joey felt surprised after hearing Taylor's question. Though he had guessed that she would find out about it soon, the way she asked him about it in the most straight-forward manner really hit him.
"Yeah," Joey finally says in a low tone. Somehow he kind of felt guilty of the fact that Taylor found out.
Taylor felt like her heart just got shot with a bullet. She wasn't prepare to hear the truth from him, but went on to ask him anyway. At the end, she only felt disappointed with the truth. Tears slowly starts to fill her eyes, yet she silently wipe them away, while trying her best to hold them back.
"Ok," she says, her voice in a low tone.
"But I thought we had an agreement."
Joey sighs, "I'm sorry, Tay."
"Do you like my sister, Joe?" Taylor asks, her voice still sounded low.
Joey became silent for a moment, before letting out another sigh.
"She told me she liked me, Tay," Joey says.
Taylor felt shock again. She didn't expect Eleanor to suddenly confess to Joey about how she felt, when she never even blunty tell her about it.
"Do you like her, Joe?"
Again, Joey sighs. Deep inside he's feeling uncomfortable with the situation he is in.
"I don't know, Tay," Joey says.
"If you don't even know if you liked her, why did you kiss her?" Taylor asks, her voice sounded assertive.
"Everything is just complicated," Joey says, his voice sounded depressed.
"We had an agreement regarding the three of us and you can't even explain why you kissed my sister?" Taylor asks, fury starting to fill her voice.
"You kissed her, but you also kissed me," Taylor says, her voice sounded upset. "What did it even mean, Joe?"
Joey sighs. He felt that he's the one who carried the guilt, and that he's the one who needed to explain things. He got into an agreement and broke it because he couldn't understand his own feelings. He let his impulsively confuse nature went with the flow of mistakes, hence leading to him disappointing his best friend.
"I mess things up," Joey says.
Taylor sighs. His words didn't make her feel any better. She still felt upset.
"Well, your words doesn't seem to make things better," Taylor says. "Just answer my question. Who do you actually like?"
Joey went silent. He didn't know how to react, but most likely didn't want to react to it. He never thought that Taylor would actually come up to him one day and ask him this question, which seems like the hardest question for both of them. Honestly, out of the two sisters, he didn't even know who he actually has more attraction, since he had always cared for the both of them.
But he couldn't lie, that as they get older, he realized that the girls he had cared since younger had grew into two different inviduals. Taylor had always been more calm, collected, and mature. He sees her as the friend he can talk to about life, and sometimes he sees her as a big sister. As for Eleanor, she's ambious, sassy, and bold. He sees her as his partner-in-crime, and also as a little sister. The two feelings are too different.
"It's complicated, Tay. I care for the two of you," Joey says.
"That's not the question, Joey Carlson," Taylor says, feeling upset with his answer which she thought had nothing to do with her question.
"I am asking you, who do you like?"
Joey went silent. He really felt pushed by Taylor's question, but couldn't blame her since he knew she deserves a proper explanation of his confusing feeling. The girl doesn't deserve to be left in confusion after he kissed both her and her sister. He starts to think about Taylor's question, asking himself about who he actually like between them.
"I care for the two of you, Tay. I really can't choose. I always see myself as a brother to you and El," Joey says.
Tears starts to run down Taylor's face. Joey's statement had left a scar in her heart, when he said he only see himself as a brother. Her heart feels both furious and hurt at the same time. She thought of him as a foolish coward.
"A brother doesn't kiss his sister," Taylor says. "You're a coward, Joey. You can't even be clear of your own actions."
"Taylor, I.."
"There's no need for another explanation. You said what was needed to be said," Taylor says as she silently let the tears in her eyes continue running.
"Goodnight." With that final word, Taylor hungs up the phone and throws it on her bed. She then lies down on her bed while covering her face with a pillow, as she continues to cry her eyes out. She couldn't believe Joey could be such a coward, after he kissed both her and Eleanor, he couldn't even be clear with her of his actions, and who he actually like. Not only did he broke their agreement, but he also broke her heart by creating a misunderstanding that was caused by his actions.
Fool. You broke our agreement. You're a coward. I hate you, Joey Carlson.
Taylor thought as she continues to let herself cry.
The next day...
6:40 AM...
Taylor stood in front of the mirror in her bedroom as she ties her hair into a high ponytail. She didn't get any sleep last night after getting mad at Joey on the phone, resulting in her looking exhausted today. Her eyes still looks puffy from crying. She didn't bother to tell anyone about it though, not even Eleanor who shares the same room with her. Lucky that she actually fell asleep way before Eleanor went to bed last night.
"Tay! Hurry up, we're gonna be late," Eleanor says as she opens the door and enters their bedroom.
"I'm done," Taylor says, finally finished with her ponytail. She turns around and looks at Eleanor.
"Umm...what's up with your eyes?" Eleanor asks her sister. She noticed how her eyes look different today.
To be continue...