Right Into Place

Thirty

Despite my constant reminder of her work for tomorrow, Taylor continuously insisted that I don't leave yet. The playful time had ran itself out by midnight and I was still there. Instead of being on her bed like we were earlier, we were just a foot away from her television set, on the floor.

Much as I told her not to be that sweet all over me and my other constant reminder that I was never much of a romantic lover who is into cliché things, I ended up seated on the floor, one leg outstretched and the other folded while her head is on my thigh. Whilst lying on the carpet-covered part of the floor, she played with her doll like a child but it was a relief that she isn't talking to it anymore.

"Tell me a secret," I told her, remembering the words she had once spoken to me during our midnight calls.

"I have a lot of secrets, be specific," Taylor whispered looking up at me innocently. One hand of mine is brushing through her curls, inevitably getting tangled in there every once in a while but it's understandable. I know how it feels to have curls anyways.

I thought of it, which secret or part of Taylor she hasn't mentioned but I was curious about. Then it simply popped into my head.

"Your ex," I said, staring into the TV that had been muted for some time now. Taylor told me to leave it on because then, she'll have something to avert her eyes to other than me. I wasn't sure whether it was a good thing or not.

One of my ex girlfriends surely wouldn't approve of leaving the telly on just like that.

Then I realised, my mind is flying and I've got to pay my attention back to Taylor.

"Scott." Her voice was softer than it was earlier, and her eyes seemingly have gone to another world. "Scott Reeves." She licked her lips after. "First love, first kiss. . ."

Silence took over right after but I have a feeling that she isn't quite done yet so I waited very patiently.

"He was the best," she started. "And I was nothing but crazy in love with him. For a time, I really believed he felt the same. . . w-well, I knew he felt the same."

I noticed, she let go of her doll already, and her hands had been fidgeting with each other. And still, she continued, "He would always take me out, bother me in the worst moments, make me smile in the saddest. . . His smile was weird, but it was nice to see. Blue eyes. . . we have the same height and his hands."

Taylor took my right hand and intertwined her fingers in mine, "Never ever fits, not like this." She stopped for a moment and I understood why, because ours were close in size. . . ours fit perfectly fine.

I knew she wouldn't be able to get out of her world, so I asked, "How did you two meet?"

"Highschool," she answered. "Don't bother asking, it was a cliché turn of events. Popular hunk, nerd girl silently crushing on him, it's just highschool."

"Nerd?" I raised an eyebrow, almost chuckling when Taylor laughed quietly.

"You could have figured it out by now but no, I don't have glasses like you do." Taylor pushed my glasses higher with two fingers from her other hand as it was almost sliding down without my notice. "Just, you know, silent book-reader lost in her own world? That's it. In the end of the year, I ignored that I liked him because it seemed like a waste of time."

I only hummed as a response to let her know I want her to continue the story.

"But then college came around and I took a university two cities away. Really strange that we sort of bumped into each other and he just kind of called my name." She laughed, staring into nothing but I can tell it was a pleasant yet painful memory for her as her eyes are still in their dreamier state. "It was really weird as I didn't know he knew me and so we had this conversation that lasted for hours, him telling me about things I've done in the classroom like, 'hey, you were the one that,' and 'of course I remember!' and all sorts. And then one thing led to another but we couldn't really--- have a relationship back then."