i can't want you (i'm taking you anyway)

part 9

Taylor's POV

"So, officially, I think week one of college actually went okay." I told Abgail, dumping my bag onto my bed and flopping down after it.

"Yeah?" She closed her book. "And week one of no boyfriend?"

"Kind of sucks." I made a face. "But he's just been working a lot so we haven't talked much. He did say he'd call me this morning though, and I haven't heard anything from him." It was four in the afternoon already, and I knew he had today off work. He'd gone out with some friends last night for drinks though, so maybe he was just really hungover. "Oh!" I remembered. "I saw a poster up in the bathroom on my way back from class; there's a party tonight. You want to go? It's animal themed?"

"Where are we going to find a costume for that in the next few hours?" Abigail asked. I picked up my car keys, dangling them in the air. She grinned, and then we both jumped to our feet.

We drove the five minutes into the mall in town, chatting happily as we worked our way through the aisles of a shitty costume shop. Eventually, Abigail settled on this truly horrendous mouse costume, and I found a cat one. We paid for them, went back to our dorm, and assembled our outfits. The theme was meant to take the piss out of ourselves, and we truly achieved it. We looked ridiculous, and it was hilarious. Under our respective whiskers, ears, and noses, Abigail and I wore matching black dresses that were too short and too low cut. Perfect for a college party. 

"My mother would have a heart attack." I giggled, grabbing for my phone. Aiming it at my reflection in the mirror, I took a picture and texted it to Travis before typing out a caption to pair it with.

Me: first college party after the first week! you like the dress?

I tossed my phone down onto my bed, deciding not to take it with me. I didn't have any pockets, and didn't feel like carrying it around all evening. Abigail and I left, making our way down the hallway and out onto the campus. We weren't the only ones shittily dressed up as animals, and we waved at people in the distance who were in some form of costume as well as we walked. We'd both quickly made friends with a ton of people - college was a really close knit place - and we saw a lot of them as we arrived at the frat house that was hosting the party. It was just getting started since it was only five-thirty, but it was heaving with people. I expected the party would spill out onto the grass and surrounding areas soon enough. 

"Hey Taylor, Abigail!" Someone called our names, and we glanced over to see a group of girls all dressed up as white cats waving us over.

"Hey!" I called over the music as Lily hugged me, giving a little wave to Sami and Bella.

"You guys want a drink?"

"Sure." 

Abigail found some people from her psychology class and went off to hang out with them for a while as Lily handed me a drink. Her, Sami, and Bella were all in my literature class and we'd kind of gravitated together on the first day, and stuck together after that. They'd really helped me out - all of them were from Cincinatti originally so knew the campus already - and saved me from being super late to one of my classes when I'd gotten lost. I'd really loved meeting all of the new people college had to offer, but I just knew these three would be my day ones. We had made such fast friends already. 

"So I talked to Jared earlier, and he's totally into you." Lily giggled, nudging Sami, who flushed a deep red. Jared was a guy in her business management class who she had a 'hallway crush' on, and we'd been egging her on about it all week. "I seriously think you should ask him out."

"No!" Sami gasped, and we all dissolved into giggles. 

We spent a while debating whether she should go for it, and then all four of us were swept up in the music and went to dance. The night whirled past me in a daze of alcohol, new people, people I knew, and dancing. I had so much fun. It was so easy to slip into the college lifestyle, and I knew I'd be okay here.

Abigail and I got back to our room at midnight, turning in earlier than most of the partygoers since we were tired from the week. We tore our costumes off as soon as we got in, tucking them away in drawers, probably never to be seen again. Abigail flopped down on her bed with a groan and I laughed at her, reaching for my phone to see a missed call text waiting for me. Smiling, I clicked on it, expecting it to be from Travis, but when I unlocked my phone, I saw Patrick's name at the top of the screen.

Patrick: Call me back when you can

Patrick: It's about Travis

"Shit." I mumbled, fumbling with my phone.

"What?" Abigail lifted her head as I tapped the call icon.

"I don't know, I missed a call from Patrick and all he said was it's about Travis." I told her as I held the phone to my ear. God, I hoped he was okay? Had he been in an accident? I waited in tense silence as the phone rang and rang, chewing on my bottom lip. Patrick and I had never really contacted each other - we never had the need to - but we'd exchanged numbers just in case, so if he was reaching out, something was badly wrong. What if Travis was in the hospital.

"Hey Taylor." Patrick eventually answered. "Have you heard from Travis at all?"

"No, not for a while." I started chewing on my nails. "Why? Is he okay?"

"He's not hurt." Patrick reassured me. "Yet."

"Yet?" My heart picked up pace. "Patrick, what's going on?" A sigh came from the other end and I exchanged a look with Abigail, shrugging my shoulders. I was so confused, but I knew whatever it was, I wasn't going to like it. I had an awful, awful feeling about this.

"God, Taylor, I'm really sorry." Patrick said, and my heart sunk. 

He talked slowly, obviously carefully picking out each sentence. As he spoke, my eyes slid closed, my body stilling until I could have been a statue. I turned to ice, to stone. 

No.