An Alpha's Inheritance

Soft Pretzels Solve Everything

I walk out of the dress shop and feel a pang of anxiety when I don’t immediately see Taylor. I decide to start walking back towards the car. The mall feels bigger and emptier now that I’m alone than it did when I walked through here with Taylor.

What on earth just happened back there? I barely know these people. Who even was I for that conversation? I run through everything I know about the situation. It’s not much. Alisha was dating Alex. Then she left him for James. I feel an irrational flare of anger at this and quickly suppress it. Maybe I’m just picking up on Taylor’s anger about it? Shouldn’t I want them to be broken up if I’m going to have any opinions about it anyways? But why would Taylor be this angry? Taylor can’t just be that angry on Alex’s behalf, could she? Alisha said she didn’t cheat on him. I have no reason to believe that’s not what happened. Teenagers break up and get together with other people all the time. How is this any different? And why was I so mean to Alisha?

When I pass the food court, I spot Taylor sitting at a table in the corner. I watch her from a distance for a second. Her position mirrors how I left Alisha at the dress shop. She has her elbows up on the table and her head in her hands. She looks like she might be crying. Tears like this call for soft pretzels. I jog over to the Auntie Annie's and I have just enough cash for an extra liquid cheese.

When I get to Taylor’s table, I put the pretzel under her arms, and hear her sniffle. I put my arms around her and rub her shoulder reassuringly. “Oh, Taylor, I’m so sorry.”

She takes a napkin out from under the pretzel and wipes her eyes. “This is so stupid,” she says. “I should be mad on Alex’s behalf, not crying on mine.”

“I mean, you can be mad for Alex and upset for yourself at the same time.” As I say this, I hope she’ll tell me more about what Alisha did to Alex. Or even just tell me something else about Alex. I sit down in the chair beside Taylor, keeping an arm around her shoulders.

“Like, I know she had to break up with Alex. Like James is just right for her. He’s perfect for her! But she won’t even introduce us to James and she never comes around anymore. I just thought we were friends. Not that we were just hanging out because our boyfriends were friends.”

I’m disappointed she didn’t tell me more about Alex, but I don’t dare turn the conversation back to him again. “I mean, if James is a new relationship, maybe she just wants to be sure before she introduces him to any friends?” I feel disingenuous saying it, but I hate seeing Taylor upset like this. She’s the only person I’ve met in town and I actually really like her.

“No, they’re perfect for each other, I’m sure they’re endgame. I mean, we all are he was made for her.” Taylor says, ripping off a piece of pretzel. “This helps.” She says, finally looking up at me.

I wonder how she can be so sure about James and Alisha if she’s never met him, but decide not to ask. “Soft pretzels are known to improve any situation.” I joke, tearing off a piece of my own.

Taylor takes a deep breath and wipes her face again. “Gosh, I’m so sorry.” she says, her voice returning to normal. “This was supposed to just be a fun girl’s day out so I could show you around the area, and instead, I’m here sobbing at the mall over my stupid problems.”

“I don’t think your problems are stupid.” I tell her, and I’m surprised to find I mean it, even if I am being weird about Alisha. “Besides, I’d rather you talk to me than pretend it wasn’t happening. What are friends for?”

Taylor smiles, even though her eyes are still red and puffy. “You’re right, thanks Layla.” She takes my hand and squeezes it for a second. Her face lights up, then she says, “You know…I have an idea that might turn this day around. We can still go have some fun.”

“Whatever it is, I’m down!” I tell her.

“Good, let’s go.”

She stands up, and I shove the last bite of pretzel in my mouth before rushing to follow Taylor towards the parking lot. Her excitement is infectious, and I’m filled with a nervous energy. I can’t wait to see what fun idea she has. I catch up to her when she ducks into a cafe.

“Okay, I know I said soft pretzels make everything better, but honestly, coffee literally solves most problems.” As she says this, the barista puts two coffees on the counter in front of Taylor, and she hands one of them to me.

I take it eagerly, but quickly remember I’m out of cash. “Oh, uh. I used the last of my money on the pretzel, can I pay you back when I get home?” I start to put the coffee back on the counter.

“Don’t be silly!” Taylor reassures me. “It’s on me.”

“Well if you insist!” I don't take much convincing. I do love coffee.

With our icy cups in hand, we make our way back to Taylor’s car.

I’m fastening my seatbelt when I finally break down and ask, “So are you going to tell me where we’re going next?”

Taylor grins. “How do you feel about surprises?”

“Um….” Most of my life with mom is one big surprise, but I don’t want to admit that. “I can appreciate them from time to time.”

"Good." Taylor says. "I think you're going to love this!"

The coffee seems to have infused Taylor with a new energy. Her eyes are still a little red, but her face is brighter even than when she picked me up this morning. She's driving faster too. I grip the door handle, my knuckles going white, but try to at least appear relaxed.

Before I know it, Taylor is pulling into a parking lot, and slurping the last of her coffee. I'm confused by where we are. It's a small parking lot, and it's mostly empty. There aren't any buildings around, and we're just at the edge of the woods, barely off the highway.

"Okay, so full disclosure." Taylor starts, talking extremely fast. "I've never actually done this because Sammy is too afraid of heights and refuses to try it. Plus my cheerleading friends like refuse to go in the woods, which is so stupid, because what else are we supposed to do here? There's only so much time you can spend at the mall."

"Heights?" I manage to squeak out.

"Yeah, it's like no big deal, but it's still too high for Sammy and Alex apparently, and Alisha never wanted to go without Alex, so I haven't been able to come, but I read about this online and it's supposed to be totally safe to do--"

"There's a possibility that it's not totally safe?" I croak. I can feel my face twisting into a mask of nervous horror.

Taylor finally notices my expression. "Just promise me you'll look at it before you make any decisions? Please, Layla. If it's too much, I promise we'll turn back."

I don't want to disappoint my new friend. "Okay. We can go."

We get out of the car and start walking towards the woods. I notice a trail head, and assume we might be hiking. Then Taylor side steps it entirely and pushes directly into the forest. A few feet in, she runs into a chain link fence, and starts to climb.

"Taylor?" I ask, but she's too busy climbing to respond. 

I look at the other side of the fence, and see a faded red sign that says "DANGER, KEEP OUT"

"Taylor, are you sure about this?"

She's at the top of the fence now. It's not that high, but she's still a few feet above my head. "I promise, it's only a little illegal."

"A little?" My voice cracks when I say it.

Taylor's face falls. "It's okay if you don't want to. I should have told you more details before just driving up." She looks disappointed, but drops her legs back on this side of the fence.

"No! Let's go!" I yell up to her, grabbing a hold of a link in the fence before I can talk myself out of it.