The man next door

The letter

(tk)

Me and Taylor have been getting into a routine over the last 3 weeks, we both get ready for work and then I go and knock on her door. We walk down to the parking garage together and drive to school, separately. I drop her off at her classroom and then go to her room for lunch. Sometimes she walks down to my office and spends time with me during 6th period because that's her prep period. Then we walk out to the cars together and drive home. We walk up to our doors and spend about 20 minutes talking before our animals start to get loud. Then we repeat the same thing the next day.

I really like her. She's funny, kind, so so sweet and smart, and to top it off, she's gorgeous. She is the most beautiful human I've ever seen. The way she does her hair and always puts on the best smelling strawberry perfume. The way she dresses and always matches her shoes to her outfit. The way she lights up a room whenever she walks in. The sound of her voice when she's talking, her laugh that makes my heart ache. I just want her. But I don't know if she feels the same way.

I just said goodbye and was walking down the gym hall to my office. I have a little mail box on my door for people to put things in.

I open my door and set my stuff down and go check the box. I grab the two things in there and bring them to my desk.

I look over the first paper which is a list of things I need to go over with some of my classes. The other is an envelope that says Travis in a familiar handwriting.

I immediately recognized it as Taylors. I wonder why she wrote me a letter instead of just talking to me?

I rip the envelope open and take out the folded paper out. I unfold the paper and begin reading.

Dear Travis,

   I know you're probably wondering why I wrote you a letter instead of just talking to you. But I've been trying to tell you these words for the past month I've known you but I just can't. I really like you. And not just in a friend type of way. Every time I see you it's like my heart grows wings. Talking to you is the highlight of my day, I enjoy waking up each morning knowing I get to walk with you to our cars and then to my classroom. I look forward to eating lunch with you and just talking with you all the time. I love the way you talk and your smile. I love your personality and the way you are with the kids. I love your green eyes and perfect beard. I want to be more than just your friend but I don't know if you feel the same way so I'm writing this down and giving it to you once I build the confidence to. If you don't feel the same way we can just act like i never wrote this and continue with our lives. But if even the smallest chance that you like me too, please come see me Travis. Please.

                             Love
                                    - Ms Swift.

By the end of the letter my hands are a little shaky and tears are fighting through my eyes. I take a deep breath and check the time.

Only about an hour and a half till I can see her, I had no idea that she felt this way, but I'm so glad that she does.

I grab the empty picture frame in the drawer of my desk and open the back of it. I slide the paper in and it fits perfectly, leaving a white boarder around the letter. I close the back and hang it on the loose nail behind my door. No one will see it unless they're sitting in my spot. And whenever the door is shut it's the first thing I look at.

I try to indulge myself in work to keep my mind off of Taylor and it somewhat works. Everytime someone knocks on my door to ask a question I see the letter and smile.

The bell finally rings and I immediately stand up. I make myself wait a few minutes for the hallways to clear out.

I finally open my door and walk very fast through the gym and through the sophomore hallway and into the junior hall. I stop in front of Taylor's door and take a deep breath before opening it. I see Taylor at her desk grading a paper.

"Hey Travis, you're a little earlier than usual. Breaking records today." She looks up at me and flashes her beautiful smile at me. I start walking to her and stand by her desk for a moment before squatting down in front of her and placing both of my hands on her knees.

"Taylor." I say and she drops her pen on the table and looks at me. Gosh her blue eyes cast a spell over me.

"I read your letter." I say and wait for a response.

"Travis I didn't want to pressure you into doing anything, if you don't feel the same I understand I just—" I stand up in the middle of her sentence and grab her hands, pulling her up. I cut her off when I place a hand on her lower back and the other on her cheek and kiss her. I kiss her hard and passionately. Saying things I can't even make words of.

After a moment she wraps her hands around my neck and kisses me back, telling me everything I needed to know.

We get interrupted by a knock at the door. I release my hold on her and rest my nose against hers.

"Hold on for just a moment. Don't go anywhere." She tells me as I run my thumb along her cheek.

"Okay." I tell her with a smile.

She walks away from me and opens the door. I hear her talking for a few minutes before she steps out and closes the door.

I take a seat in her chair and look around her desk. She's got pictures of her friends and family scattered everywhere. She's got things that her students gave her along the bottom of her computer screen. My eyes drift to her computer screen and it's a screen saver of her and what I'm assuming is her cats cuddled around her as she's asleep. I smile and take a look around her whole classroom. She put up fairy lights and lamps everywhere so she never has to have the big lights on. Her whole classroom feels like a warm cookie on a snowy winter night.

I turn around when I hear the door opens back up. "Well look at you Mr. Kelce." She laughs as she walks back over to me. And I stand up and wrap her in a hug. A hug to let her know that I'm not going anywhere. Not now. Not anytime soon.

I rest my chin on the top of her head as she rings her arms around my waist. I sway us side to side for a minute. "Tay, Can we try? Like try a relationship. I really, really like you too." I say and i feel her arms tighten around my waist.

"You really want to?" She pulls back just enough so we can look at eachother. "Yeah." I run my hand across her jawline.

She places both of her hands on my chest and cocks her head to the side. "Well it sounds like you'll have to take me out." She giggles.

"Friday night, we can go to the kids football game and then go out to dinner?" I ask her, still holding her as close as possible.

She nods along to my words and tucks her face into my neck. I can feel her big smile against my skin.

Our beautiful moment gets ruined by the bell ringing. "Taylor I gotta go, we don't want the students seeing us." I hold my hands on the side of her waist as she pulls away from me.

"I'm gonna see you after 5th?" She asks.

"Of course you will. I'll see you later." I kiss her cheek and quickly exit her classroom before students start flooding the hallways.

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