Reflections - Tay Jardine & Jenna McDougall (Wattys2015)

22 - Prisoner

Tay POV

I have no idea what time it is when I wake up.  I fall out of my bunk and drag myself to the back lounge. I turn the TV on and flip to a random channel where Friends reruns are playing.

"Tay?" Mike says, sitting next to me on the couch. "What're you doing up so early?"

"I couldn't sleep. I'm just really stressing out."

"About what?"

"Jenna and I have been dating for almost three months and we haven't popped the 'L' word yet. And I'm nervous to say it."

"Do you love her?"

I look into his brown eyes and purse my lips. "Yeah, I do."

"When why are you nervous?"

"What if she doesn't love me back? Besides this band, she's the best thing that's ever happened to me. I mean, I wrote her a song, and I've never done that for any other girl--or guy for that matter. I don't want to lose her."

"Tay, I highly doubt that telling her you love her will freak her out and she'll run. I see the way you are together, and she loves you too. You don't have anything to worry about."

I inhale deeply. "How did you tell Mandi that you love her?"

"I just looked at her and said it. Then she said it right back. And right there I said to myself, 'Mike, that's the girl you're gonna marry. Don't mess it up.' Can I tell you a secret?"

I nod. 

He looks at the ground and says, "when tour is over, I'm going to start looking at rings. Mandi is the girl I want to spend my life with. I haven't fucked it up yet. You wont either."

"Can I tell you a secret?" He nods. "When tour is over, I'm going to Australia with Jenna. I don't know when I'll be back, but eventually we're going to come back to New York."

"Really?"

I nod. "Yeah. This is the girl I want to be with. We've both fucked up, but that happens in relationships. It's a compromise. I love Jenna. I really, really love her."

"Then what's holding you back from telling her?"

I look at the clock. "The fact that's it three in the morning."

He laughs and gets up. "Get some sleep. You've got a big day ahead of you."

"Thanks, Mike. I really needed this."

"Anytime, Tay."

I turn off the TV and sit in the darkness for a few minutes.

Today is the day I tell Jenna McDougall I love her.

So I finished my freshman year. It didn't suck as bad as I thought it would. Anyway, enjoy a new chapter.

XoXo

~XhannahX