"Trav!!!"
Taylor ran full speed across the school yard and threw herself into the arms of the tall, brunette that stood by the edge of the basketball court waiting for her
"I could get used to that kind of greeting" he said, an uncontrollable grin pulling at his lips
"Get used to it, because I'm not going anywhere and if you try and dump me, I'm going deaf" she pushed herself up on to her tiptoes and pressed a kiss delicately on to Travis' lips
"I thought I could walk you home today if that's OK?"
"Okay??!! Travis, you are just making all my teenage dreams come true right now"
Remembering how she had convinced herself to back off a little now she had him and not seem so full on, she stepped away from his body slightly and fought the urge to reach for his hand.
If he wanted her the way she wanted him he would make some moves. So digging her hands deep into her jeans pockets she began to move across the basketball court in the direction of her house
"So what's going on, I thought we were meeting at 6?"
Reaching forward, Travis pulled her hand from her pocket and intertwined their fingers causing a heat to pulsate up her arm and through her chest, settling finally, hot, and just below her belly button
"I wanted to check that my asshole brother had managed to keep his hands off my girl today" he pressed a kiss to her temple and Taylor thought she might black out at the sound of those words crossing Travis' lips, directed at her 'my girl' "And also to find out if we are OK, you know, after the 'revelations' of yesterday"
Taylors pause and the shadow that crossed her face wasn't lost on Travis but almost immediately she was smiling and squeezing his hand so he decided to let it slide, to wait and see what she had to say before questioning it further
"OK so you first and then I'll talk about Jason"
"So do you have any questions about what I told you, it hasn't changed anything has it?"
"Only for the better, the fact you shared that with not just me but my mom too just makes me feel so proud, not just of the fact you trust us enough to let us in like that but of you, for being brave enough to say out loud, what must have been hurting you for all these years"
Travis wrapped her up in a hug so quickly and so tightly that so almost lost her breath. The quiet 'thank you' he whispered into her hair was heavy with emotion
"I just don't know how she has convinced herself it's your fault, it makes no sense to me" Taylor pulled out of the hug as they started walking again
"I guess it's easier to blame me than to blame herself, she was the adult, she knew he had been drinking and she didn't stop him. It was an accident Taylor, my dad wasn't to blame, my mom wasn't to blame.."
"You weren't to blame, you know that dont you, I mean, deep down where it matters, you know it wasn't your fault?"
He nodded slightly and then sighed so deeply it sounded like his soul crying out
"Sometimes I wish it had been me that died that night"
"Travis!"
"I just sometimes feel like if it had been then my mom and dad would have still been together and happy and in love like they used to be and Jason would have grown up with a family instead of... This mess that we are, all this hatred, all this anger"
Lifting his hand to her lips, Taylor kissed the swallow tattoo and whispered against his skin
"You don't mean that" but he didn't reply he just smiled down at her
"My dad would have loved you"
"Tell me about him" she asked excitedly
"He looked at me like you do... Like I mean something good"
"You are something good"
"He was a ball of warm energy you know? All hugs and laughs, he was all about family, friends and football"
"He sounds wonderful, you must miss him terribly" She looked in to his eyes and saw the loss dwelling in them
"I'm so sorry this happened to you Travis" He nodded and then swallowed down a gulp before squeezing her hand and releasing a deep breath
"So tell me about Jason, did he leave you alone today or do I need to rough him up again?" he grinned in good humor but when Taylor didn't return it he knew something had happened and his voice came out low and deadly calm "Tell me what he did Taylor "
"He didn't touch me" Travis nodded his understanding, but him face remained tense. "He left a rose in my locker this morning, it's what he used to do when we were dating, it was probably nothing, he probably meant it as an apology or something"
"But?"
"But then this afternoon I found this in my locker" She reached in to her pocket and brought out a piece of paper and handed it to Travis"I think it's a poem or something"
Taking it from her hands Travis read it carefully before scrunching it into a ball
"That little bag of shit, that's my song!" Travis' face crumpled in confusion. "The note he gave you, the poem, it's lyrics from a song I wrote a while ago. He's been in my room, he's been in my journal. I'm going to fuckin kill him"
"Travis it's beautiful, who did you write it for?" she saw him grow immediately uncomfortable and regretted asking, it wasnt about her so it wasn't any of her business but she couldn't help but to be curious
"Just a girl...no one, not anymore" She nodded as they continued walking in an uncomfortable silence, Taylor aware there was more to the story than he was saying and Travis feeling guilty for not being more open.
The song...
The girl...
Taylor didn't need to know any of it.
"So, are we going back to mine?" Taylor asked in an attempt to relieve the tension
"Why, what's on at your place?"
"Lingerie reveal, did you like the picture I sent you this morning?"
Stopping in his tracks, Travis pulled her tightly against him, wrapping both arms around the bottom of her back so their hips were flush against each other.
"I loved the picture you sent me this morning, promise me one thing"
"If it means I get to see you naked again I will promise you anything"
"Promise that no matter how long we are together, 6 months, 6 days, 60 years, you will never stop sending me photos like that"
"OK if you promise me one thing, if we are together 60 years you won't puke when you see me in lingerie, all loose and saggy"
Travis grimaced "Way to kill my romantic gesture Tay"
Laughing loudly she wrapped an arm around his neck and pulled him to her before whispering against his lips,
"Let's go home and get naked, my parents are out which means we can make as much noise as well like" without ever breathing, their lips met and their bodies meshed, their hands hungrily looking for bare skin
"Come on then, before I get arrested again, this time for nudity in a public place"
