It's All About Us

Chapter 20: "Whatever it is, no."

Anna

"So you are not gonna be here for my first day to school?"

Travis looked down to where I sat beside his open suitcase. He was busy with packing for his trip to Penn state and then LA, while I kept him company.

We were hanging around his big walk-in closet that has too many suits to keep a count of. Why would anyone even need 3 colors of the same checkered suit jacket? I don't understand grownups.

Anyway, Travis informed everyone yesterday that he needed to go to LA for an award function after doing a road trip up to Pennsylvania. I didn't thought of it much at first, but then it clicked that he would not get here for my first day of school. 

It wasn't like I wanted him to drop me off to school or anything but I would've still very much like him to be present and give me a few words of encouragement when I'll leave. That's why I felt sad he wasn't going to be there. 

So now when Travis heard my unhappy voice asking him to confirm, he sighed, then proceeded to grab the couple of shirts and trousers he had taken out from the drawers before sitting down beside me on the floor. I was already holding three pair of socks and ties for him, and he started neatly arranging everything in the cabin bag he was carrying. 

"I know you are not happy with the timings of this trips and I understand too, but I need to do this for the hotel business." Travis started saying, taking my hand between his'. "You never know how beneficial attending functions like this can be to us." 

"No, I understand it's important, Travie, and I'm not gonna stop you from going." I replied honestly, then averted my eyes to look down at my lap. "It's just... I don't know. I'm worried about school, I guess."

"What do you have to worry about?" 

"Whenever school year would start, I never thought much of who would I sit next to, or who would eat lunch with me. As an introvert, I preferred my own company over anyone else but the other kids would think that I'm being rude. At my old school, people would usually ignore me apart from when I would take part in track team races and I never had a problem. Now, I need to start over here and people are going to talk to me and what if I actually answered rudely or something. Not to forget, Lucas and Oliver must be having so many friends. What if everyone just expects me to be friendly like them, come talk to me and find out how different and weird I am? If that does..."

"You ramble when you're nervous, love." Travis suddenly stated with an amused face. "You are forgetting that Logan also exists, and he very much doesn't like people so you don't have to be worried about being the weird one or something. Don't think about how Oli and Lucas are, it's their personality and yours is way different. A friendship is something that will happen in it's own course, so just be yourself because as much as I have gotten to know you are very much a lovable person."

"Why do you always call me 'love'?" I suddenly asked. "I mean, I'm not telling you to stop but I have heard British people usually say that to people. And you are very much American as far as I know."

Travis sighed again while averting his eyes, then looked back at me with a sad smile. "My Mom was British. She was born and brought-up in old London so she had a habit of calling me endearments like this and 'love' was pretty common. I was 9 when she died and I remember her calling me 'love' till her last day and it would always make me feel warm and loved."

He paused for a moment, lost in his thoughts, before continuing. "I guess that's why I started calling you 'love.' It reminds me of my mom and the love she had for me. And now, I want to extend that love to you as well."

I felt a lump forming in my throat at his words, understanding the importance behind the endearment he uses for me. I quickly wrapped my arms around his torso, burying my head in his shoulder and he lightly laughed but still pulled me such as I could be in his lap sideways and my arms wrapped around his neck now.