TABOO

02

"Maybe if you were a bit nicer to him, he would've had your car fixed already." Jason mumbles beside me.

"You're so irritating, I did not say anything rude to him so cut out that bullshit about me needing to be nicer. If you weren't my brother I would kick you out of this car and run you over." I say, not turning my head away from the car window to face him.

"I'm the one giving you a ride so I would appreciate a little kindness." I roll my eyes at his comment before he murmured "asswipe." Under his breath.

"I heard that." I mumble.

"You were meant to."

We sit in silence for a good minute or two before he breaks it, along with my happiness when I heard what he said next.

"Got a girlfriend yet?"

"This question again? God almighty, no! I don't want one, I like how things are right now. Adding a girlfriend into the mix would complicate things even more." I sigh.

"How are things complicated right now? What is going on in your life that could possibly be complicated? We're they all out of steak seasoning at the store or something?" I don't laugh at his joke, if it even was one.

Things are complicated. They always have been. Everything is so hectic all the time. I wake up, go to work, come home, go to bed, and repeat... okay so my life may not sound complicated, and maybe it isn't but somehow it always seems that way.

I watch the buildings pass and fade to a light green as a swing set comes into view.

I immediately think of the previous night, that girl all alone in the park.

What was she doing out so late anyway? It's a beautiful park, maybe she enjoyed the atmosphere?

Was Jason right about me being rude? I wasn't that friendly the other day when I saw her, I wonder if she heard what I said.

I'm getting a stress headache, maybe a walk will calm me down, that girl looked pretty calm last night. I mean she looked like a hot mess with her hair all disheveled and what looked like her work clothes wrinkled, but she was calm.

I decide to make an impulse decision, which is so rare for me I don't even remember the last time I did.

"Park here, I'll walk the rest of the way." I say, not turning to face my brother.

He scoffs and looked at me, "You made me come all the way to your house to pick you up to get your stupid, overpriced, small dick energy ass car, just to drop you off a mile from the place?"

I shake my head at his dramatics, "You know you secretly wish you had my car. Maybe if you asked me nicely, I'd buy you one of your own."

"Oh absolutely, maybe I can pick up hot chicks in it too!" He replies over-enthusiastically. He's obviously being sarcastic as usual considering he doesn't even like women.

I consider myself generous with the money I make considering I have lots of it and nothing to spend it on. Jason knows if he asked for something I'd give it to him but he's very independent, he likes to work for what he has.

He parks the car in the parking lot and turns to me, "Alright now you be careful, there are some dangerous, sick perverts out there. Do you have your pepper spray on you?" He said in a mom voice.

I smack his head before getting out of the car and hear a "You're welcome for the ride!" before he drove away. He's such an idiot but he's my brother and I love him I guess.

I look around at my surroundings before starting my walk. I think a scenic route can be nice once in awhile, my car isn't that far from here and then I'll drive the rest of the way back.

I don't exactly know what to do considering last night was the first time I walked around a park in years, and that was against my will.

The sky was clear today and the dewy grass crunches beneath me as I walk. As I got further, the sounds of screaming children start to fade away which calms my headache.

The hectic atmosphere from before completely dissolved, along with my stress and worries. Although I enjoy my calm and stable life, it can get to be too much sometimes, but I know that's a common feeling for everyone. I like the normalcy of a routine though, I always know what will happen next.

As I kept walking I feel a light breeze on my skin and along with it came a faint aroma of vanilla and lavender. The scent is enchanting and I shift my gaze to find the source.

A beautiful woman was laying on her stomach with her legs crossed behind her, her elbows are propping her front up as she flips a page in her book. She's wearing a graceful dress that makes the scene in front of me that much more magical.

Her long brown hair has a bow in it and is being carried by the wind. Her eyes are incredibly focused on the literature in front of her, even as she takes a strawberry from her bowl to eat.

My eyes widen as she bites into it slowly and licks her bottom lip to clear the bit of fruit that dripped from the strawberry.

I watch in awe at the beauty before me and wonder if she knows how captivating she is at this moment.

She tucks a loose strand of her hair behind her ear, giving me view of the side of her face. I recognize her from last night.

She looks so different from before. How could what I saw last night suddenly become what I'm seeing before me.

She looked so... worn down I suppose? Stressed? Grim? But now, now she looks so serene. The serenity that I want to be, the serenity that I long for.

She has that tranquility I crave, how did she get that so fast, in one night she obtained what I had always wanted.

I think about what I should do. Should I go and talk to her? What if she hates me because of last night?

I'm at a loss, I want to learn how she changed so quickly, how she could be so relaxed.

She intrigues me and I'm not quite sure I want to let that go simply because nothing had ever intrigued me before. It's a new feeling, one I am quite fond of.

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Sorry for the short chapters they'll get longer though don't worry! I'll try to update but I'm in the process of moving to a different country. Anyways, hope you liked the chapter!