Right Into Place

Thirty-Two

Taylor's eyes widened once she saw the bouquet of roses that I went a little effort to go through.

"Oh my gosh! Really?!" She jumped on her spot in excitement. "They're for me?"

Sarcasm would be the best reply at the moment but upon instinct, I only replied with a nod. Of course it's for her, who else?!

"Thanks!" She partly squealed in excitement. She took it from my arms and took her own moment to appreciate the red roses in the bundle.

It is four p.m. in the afternoon, nothing is odd about the snow and me showing up with a bouquet of red roses for her. . . it's a bit easy to point out that what's odd is her look though then again, I should have expected it.

Her hair was the usual curly mess I saw everyday only this time, a lot more of a mess than the average, you honestly have no idea whether her curls go this way or that. Her sweater was a knitted, striped black and white, showing off her thin composure and above all, she is wearing pyjamas printed with Tom and Jerry. Add points that she is holding one of her dolls but it was as if it is hanging in the air because her other arm was left hanging at the side.

"Wow."

"Shut up," she mumbled, hiding the fact that she is embarrassed. She shouldn't be, she looked beautiful regardless.

Taylor told me to go inside and then she started explaining why I've caught in her in the most embarrassing moment. She was seated on her bed, –which had a fair number of papers and notebooks with pens all over– looking at me as I was still standing at her doorway. Her telly had a movie playing, which she paused earlier and it's got Angelina Jolie in it. I've got no idea where she put the doll and the bouquet I gave her. I couldn't recall.

"I didn't know you would come!" Of course, she didn't. If she'd have expected me, it would have been a bit more organised. Though I like getting her off-guard, everything just seemed natural. "I was writing this — this article and I fell asleep. And I hated the fact that I did but then I woke up and tried continuing it. And then you came not seven seconds after I settled down."

"What?" I asked. "I said I would come."

"Yeah, m-maybe but I was sleepy that time you told me and I don't have photographic memory, Harold."

"Eidetic," I corrected immediately, I also wanted to mention that she is also always sleepy but too late.

"What?" She asked, obviously not getting my point. I forgot what I said right after so I told her not to mind it anymore. "Look, I'm sorry, this is so. . ." She took a deep breath, "Thanks for the flowers."

I nodded. "Hope you liked them."

"I do," she said. "But you honestly caught me off-guard, you could have texted."

I darted my eyes to her pyjamas and then back to her. "What so I wouldn't see Tom and Jerry?" I asked jokingly.

"Shut up," she partly whined.

I laughed quietly. "You look nice, Taylor. There's no need to be embarrassed." She gave me a shy smile, letting me know how Taylor gets nervous when I start talking like that so I cleared my throat and then said, "You were writing?"

"No, I was bungee-jumping, what do you think?" Sarcasm. "I just woke up! I look like a mess! There is no such thing as nice over here. Assuming I did wake up and I'm not dreaming right now."

Now she thinks she's dreaming?

She swept her bangs sideways, maybe to fix it but it didn't do much of a help because as soon as her fingers were away, they went back the way they were and I almost found it funny.  She huffed once she realised it was exactly the way it used to be.