Taylor's POV
I hadn't gone for lectures in a week. I didn't think I could bear seeing Cody anytime soon.
"Knock knock." Tiana approached me like I was a wounded chipmunk.
"Hi." I gave a small wave and smiled weakly.
"Are you okay?" She said, sitting next to me.
"Yeah, I guess."
"Listen Tay, I know it hurts but you can't let a breakup ruin your life. You have got to leave this room." She took my hand and yanked me off the bed. I held on to the sheets.
"No, please. I'm not ready." I begged to no avail. She continued to try to pry my fingers away from the sheets. "Okay, okay. I know I have to get over him, but I need a little more time. Then everything will go back to normal. I promise." She let me go.
"The kids don't even know you're here. Breakfast is in five." She left and I lay back down.
.
.
.
"Aunt Taylor!" I picked Debby up and threw her over my shoulder while I held Daniel upside down. Derek watched the three of us collapse on the couch.
"Well someone feels better." He said squeezing my shoulder.
"Mom, when did Aunt Taylor get here?" Debby yelled.
"Well why don't you ask her that?"
"Okay! Aunt Taylor when did you get here?" I tucked her hair behind her ear.
"Yesterday." I lied. She didn't need to know I had been sulking for the past week.
"Can you take us to the park?" She asked excitedly.
"Sure. If your mom agrees." She jumped off the couch and ran to the kitchen.
"Mom!"
"Can Cody and Max come?" Daniel asked.
It was an honest question. But it made my heartbeat spiral out of control.
"No, buddy." His face fell.
"Why?"
"Cody's... busy." Banging fûckiñg Amber Fallon. "Why do you want him to come?" His face lit up instantly.
"Cody's the bestest guy in the whole entire world! He can do magic tricks and he promised he'd teach me how to make Max roll over."
"I can teach you how to make Max roll over." He shook his head.
"No, it's not the same." I smiled tightly.
"Of course it's not." I mumbled.
Tiana rescued me by carrying Daniel and handing him over to Derek.
"Time to go to school kids!" Derek yelled and kissed Tiana on the cheek. I gagged.
"Bye-bye mommy." Daniel waved.
"See you later mom!" Debby yelled.
"Bye kids." She shut the door and turned to me.
"To think he knocked you up in college."
"Shut up!" My sister threw a throw pillow at me.
"Ow!" She plopped down next to me.
"You're a wuss." She said punching my arm.
"Hey! In my defense, those were very sharp... pillows." We burst into a fit of giggles. When we settled, she put her head in my lap and looked up at me.
"So, you ready to tell me what happened, or nah?" I took a deep breath.
"Nah."
"Shut up. Now tell me."
"On Friday two weeks ago, we had this huge fight. It was something totally not important, and stupid then Cody tells me that he's tired of always fighting with me. Then I get pissed off and I'm asking him whether he thinks all of this is my fault, and he practically says yes. Everything just went downhill from there." I put my head in my hands.
"Hey. Don't stop." Tiana poked my cheek.
"So I tell him how I read somewhere how couples sometimes need space to think, and I told him I figured that's what we needed. I told him I was going to stay at Katy's place because I was really ticked off. But just before I left, he asked me if I was still going to some frat party his friends were organizing, cause we like, had plans but I told him I wouldn't go. Just to make him mad, I guess.
I talked to Katy about it, and she really made me see that I was being a bitch, so I went to the party to surprise him. Then his pal Dylan tells me he left earlier cause he was really drunk and I..." My voice wobbled. "I went to see him at home cause I was like, seriously worried. And when I opened the door, I see clothes on the floor and there's a bra on the kitchen island. And I know I shouldn't have, but I opened the bedroom door anyway." I burst into tears. Tiana sat up and hugged me.
"It's okay, darling."
"I- I still love him!" I wailed.
I was pathetic.
