The man next door

Tulip

                                            (ts)

This whole week has gone by so freaking slow. I just want it to be Friday already. No specific reason of course.

The last bell of the day rings and Travis is immediately at my door waiting for me as I walk behind my students. I turn off the lights and shut my door. Travis reminds me to lock it and I laugh at his memory. "We're gonna get home, change and then head to the stadium. Does that sound okay?" He asks me as we're walking. I nod my head and once we get out of student view, I rest my head on his shoulder and wrap my arm around his bicep for the rest of the walk out to his car.

We get inside the apartment complex and this time we both go into our separate homes to get ready. I realize that I have nothing school related to wear so I go to put on my robe considering I have no top on but I can't find it. I have a bra at least so that should be good enough, unless someone's in the hall way it shouldn't be a problem. I look out the peephole of my door and then open it when the coast is clear.

I slip into Travis's apartment and see him in the living room feeding his dog. "Hey Trav." I let him know I'm here since I don't think he noticed the sound of the door. "Oh hey. You look super cute but I don't think they will allow you in like that." He laughs as he walks over to me. "Oh shut it, I was wondering if you have a school spirit anything I can borrow. I don't have anything but I still want to be supportive." He ramble on to him. "Yeah one second." He goes into what I assume is his bedroom and comes out with a black and green school football hoodie. He comes over to me and slides it over my me. I pull the hood off my head and he smooths my hair down and kisses my lips. "There we go, now you're repping the team." He says. "Thank you. I'll see you in a few, come in if you're ready before me." I tell him as I walk out.

I change into some blue jeans and matching green nike dunks. My outfit is pretty fire if I do say so myself. I think my students with roast me alive if I said something like that to them. I go into the bathroom and curl my hair and put it in a half up half down style. "Tay! I'm here." I hear Travis shout from the doorway. "I'm in the bathroom!" I yell back so he knows where to find me.

"Well look at you pretty girl." He says as he's walking into the room. I mouth thank you to him through the mirror and he leans his back against the counter and turns his head to face me as I finish up my makeup.

I rub my lips together with a pop. "Okay I'm all ready." I say and face him, I do a little twirl and ask him, "how do I look?" He runs his fingers through my hair and kisses my forehead. "Beautiful as always."

We make it to the school stadium just as the sun has set so the sky is painted with jaw dropping purples and pinks. I find a spot in the bleachers with some other teachers as Travis makes his way down to the field with his team.

The game reaches half time and I can say that we are absolutely smoking them. The boys have gotten up 27 points on the other team. I see Travis talking to the players and coaches before he comes around to the stairs and takes the empty seat next to me. "What are you doing? Don't you need to be down there." I ask him while looking around. "I've got about 5 more minutes till we start up again, I wanted to make sure you're good. Do you need anything? Like water or a blanket? It's pretty cold Tay." He says. I think it's cute he's worried about me. "My not boyfriend's hoodie is keeping me warm and I brought my water bottle. I promise I'm golden. Now get down there and focus on winning!" I push his shoulder playfully. "Okay, okay. I'm going. I'll see you soon." He says while getting up and going back down.

The rest of the game Travis keeps turning around and looking at me, if I'm being so honest I'm not even paying attention to what's happening on the field. I clap, boo, and cheer when everyone else does but I'm only looking at the cute guy on the sidelines.

The game ends with a win on our behalf and while everyone's distracted trying to get to their loved ones on the field I secretly go down and come up behind Travis. This is when I finally realize that he's wearing the same exact hoodie that I am. No wonder students kept pointing at me and giggling. I wrap my arms around his waist, hugging him from behind. "Tay, someone's gonna see." He warns me before turning around and enveloping me in a hug.

He lifts me off the ground and spins us around before setting me back down. I pull I'm him close to me and give him a kiss. I hear a group of kiddos go crazy in the bleachers behind me. Travis pulls back and looks at them. I turn my head around and see a bunch of mine and Travis's students clapping for us. I look back at him and laugh before he kisses me again. We pull back from each others embrace and we keeps an arm around my shoulders and I keep one fastened around his hips as we walk out of the stadium. I look to the side of us and see the school photographer taking a picture and winking at me. I rest my head on his shoulder and hear a few more clicks.

We walk out to our car and begin driving home. My mind wanders to what Travis said earlier. 'You'll find out later' when is "later"?

My thoughts come to a pause when I hear my phone ringing. I answer it and it's the car company that has had my car for the past couple days. I end the call with a thank you and turn to face Travis. "My car is finally fixed and they said that they dropped it off it the parking garage." I say excitedly. "Aww man, does that mean I don't get to drive us to work anymore?" He says with a sad face. I laugh at his cuteness and lean over to kiss his cheek. "Oh you can definitely still be my chauffeur if you really want to." I say with a big smile. "Sounds like we've got a deal girly." He says while holding his hand out. I lock our hands together and lean back with a big shit eating grin plastered on my face.

We get into the building and right as I'm about to open the door to my apartment I feel Travis's hands on my hips. "Close your eyes, baby girl." I smile at the nickname and close my eyes. "Okay.." I hear him open the door and guide me inside. "Open." He whispers in my ear after a few seconds. I open my eyes and I'm met with beautiful flowers in a vase on my kitchen island and flower petals and candles lit everywhere.

I turn around with my mouth open in shock, "Now I can officially ask you.. Taylor will you do me the biggest honor and let me be your boyfriend?" He asks me while holding a single tulip in his hand. I grab the flower from him and wrap my arms around his shoulders. "Yes. Yes, of course I will, Trav, oh my gosh, when did you get the time to do this." I ask him in between kisses. "I had Patrick do it while we were gone, I wanted it to be special." He says. As he walks us backwards to the couch. Oh and Patrick is the other Physical Ed teacher, also one of Travis's close friends.

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