What About Now

Chapter 14 - Mixed Emotions

Taylor's P.O.V.
"A little to the right, Thomas," I groaned as I pulled the chest of drawers up the staircase. My back ached, and my knees trembled. We'd been moving furniture for the best part of two hours now, and we'd managed to move most of the big stuff. All that was left, was this, the sofas and several boxes. Oh god, the sofas. That wasn't going to be easy.

"Okay," Thomas muttered, moving the chest of drawers in his hands, "That better?"

"Yeah," Was all I managed. We lifted it up the last few steps and put it down just outside my front door.

"Phew," I sighed, pressing my back against the wall and resting my head back, "This is not fun."

"Oh don't be like that," Thomas smirked, "Now, all we've got left is a load of boxes, and those sofas." I lifted my head up from the wall, and glared at him.

"You are not helping," I growled, and Thomas let out a laugh, "Right, let's do this!"

Two more hours later...

"Tell me again why you have two sofas?" Thomas moaned, as we started lifting the second sofa up the stairs. We'd managed the first one with no problems, but this one was bigger, and weighed more. Therefore, we were bound to reach some problems along the way.

"Okay, right after three we lift. One, two, three," With a loud groan, the pair of us hoisted the sofa up the first step, and started making our way up the staircase. Now, we made it up the first staircase fine. But then we came to the first landing.

"Thomas, I'm going to turn the sofa towards the stairs, and you're going to have to turn it with me."

"Yeah, okay go for it," He huffed from the opposite end of the sofa. Taking a deep breath, I lifted the sofa a little more and began to turn it.

One minute later...

"Thomas it's stuck!" No matter how much I tried shifting it, the sofa would not fit across the landing. We pushed it, and pulled it, but it was stuck.

"Right, um, no problems," Thomas stuttered, looking over the situation, "You'll just have to watch T.V. down here."

"Very funny!" I laughed, "So, how are we going to do this?"

"Well, we could try lifting up so it's standing on one end, and then lift it across the landing like that?" Thomas suggested, shifting the weight of the sofa in his hands.

"It's not like we have any other ideas," I sighed, "Let's do it." After numerous attempts, we finally managed to get the bloody thing up the stairs. My back killed, my head throbbed and my palms were raw. But we'd done it. We'd moved all my furniture into my flat.

"Right, who wants a cup of tea?" I sighed, as I pulled the kettle out from a cardboard box.

"Sounds good!" Thomas smiled, dragging a large box from the hallway into the living room, "What do you want me to do with this?"

"Urm, just put it in a corner somewhere," I said absentmindedly, searching the cupboards for the tea. Once I'd found the tea, and had started making the drinks, I felt Thomas standing next to me.

"Who's this, Taylor?"

"Mm?" I asked, turning to look at the photo he had in his hands. It was of Ben and I.

"Oh, that's Ben. My boyfriend," I smiled, continuing with the drinks.

"You met him in New York?" Thomas asked, looking down at the photograph.

"Yeah. I originally met him a few weeks after I'd moved there, but about a year later we officially became boyfriend and girlfriend."

"Oh right," He muttered, taking his cup of tea from me, "So you're happy together?"

"Couldn't be happier!" I smiled, taking a seat at the dining table. Thomas followed me.

"So how come he's not here with you?" He questioned, taking a sip of his tea. Sighing, I told Thomas the story of how Ben had got his new job, and then how I'd got my new job. He listened carefully as I explained to him my plan to surprise him tomorrow after my first day back at work. Just as I was telling him my plan, Thomas cleared his throat and interrupted me.

"Taylor, from what you've said, hasn't it ever occurred to you that Ben has been spending a lot of time at work, and that he's always used the excuse that he's working late?" He asked quietly, running a finger around the rim of his cup. I looked at him with a confused expression, and tilted my head to the side.

"Well that's because he has to work late," I stated, "And what do you mean, hasn't it ever occurred to me that he spends a lot of time at work?"

"Taylor, it sounds to me like Ben's cheating on you." Those words cut like a dagger into my heart. How could Thomas even think that? Ben's the best thing that has ever happened to me, and now Thomas has the nerve to suggest that he's cheating on me? And Thomas of all people, who already cheated on me with his ex.

"What do you mean by that?" I said dangerously, "Ben isn't cheating on me! Why would you say that?"

"Taylor, I'm just looking out for you, that's all!" Thomas said in a quiet tone, "I don't want you to get hurt."

"Oh well a little late for that!" I cried, "You're one to talk anyway, seeing as you were the one who cheated on me! What the hell, Thomas? Are you jealous or something that something good has actually happened in my life, and that you're not a part of it?"

"Of course I'm not!" Thomas let out a laugh, "I'm just trying to look out for you!"

"Look out for me?" I laughed sarcastically, "Oh you've done that alright! Yeah, you totally looked out for me that night when you left me on my own. You totally looked out for me to spare my feelings that morning Molly turned up! That morning when I found out she was expecting your child! And where is she now, and this child she promised you? What, are you cheating on Bella with her or something?" I was breathless, and my throat was sore. I was full on shouting at Thomas now.

Without a word, Thomas got up from his chair and glared at me. Despite the fact that my entire body was shaking like a leaf, I could still see tears building up in his eyes.

"I've always looked out for you Taylor, and I've always been there for you. All I'm doing now, is looking out for you, because I don't want you to get hurt. I'm sorry I hurt you. I never wanted to. But you're too blinded by the fact that you think you love this guy, to see that he's never there for you." I glared at him, with tears filling my own eyes. How could he say this? And literally just after I'd agreed to be friends with him again.

"Thomas get out," I growled, standing from my chair, "Just get out." Silently, Thomas headed for the door and opened it. He didn't look back as he shut the door, to see me collapse into my chair and bury my head in my hands.