13 Chances

-Twenty seven-

I turn around in the mirror and smooth out my shirt jean skirt. I decided to go with a skirt, simple top, paired with a leather jacket, and boots.

I walk into the bathroom, opening a drawer and pulling out a small elastic hair band.

I section the front two pieces of my hair off and pull them to the back of my hair, tying them into place. I make sure it looks good from the back then pull out my brush and comb the ends of my hair out.

I place my hairbrush back down in the drawer and bump it shut with my hip before walking out of the bathroom.

I go into the closet and pick out some simple gold jewelry.

"You're just seeing an old friend. Nothing to feel guilty about." I say looking at myself in the mirror while putting the dainty gold cuff on my wrist.

I huff out a breath and walk away from the mirror, not giving myself enough time to judge and overthink everything.

I grab my purse off the bed and walk out into the living room.

I drive the short distance to the adorable little cafe hidden in the outskirts of town. My parents know the owners so I like to go there all the time.

I pull my car between the painted lines of the gravel parking lot. I hop out and walk to the door of the cafe.

I pull it open and step inside, taking off my sunglasses and placing them on top of my hair.

I glance around the small place before my eyes land on a familiar figure. I smile to myself and walk over to him, taking the seat across from him.

"You're early." Travis's smile beams up at me as I get myself situated.

"You're earlier." I say shrugging the bag off my shoulder and putting it down next to me.

"You beat me to it. I was gonna get here first." I say as Travis slides me a cup.

I take a sip and the warm comfort of a lovely vanilla latte soothes my soul. I can't believe he still remembers my coffee order.

"What kind of man would I be if I let the lady get here before me?" Travis says, taking a sip of his own drink.

"So you know what I've been up to the last few years but I haven't heard about you yet." Travis says, leaning back against the wall.

"Well um I've been volunteering at the local library in town to sing to kids on Thursdays, it's really nice getting to see all the different ages that come watch me though, and I get a free library pass so it's a win for me either way. I graduated with an education degree but I'm not sure if I want to teach elementary or middle school yet. And uh.. you've met Joe. So what else have you been doing other than football?" I say getting a bit hesitant around the Joe subject.

I look up and see Travis looking at me how he just used to all those years ago. I bite down a smile as he begins excitedly talking about his hobby's. It warms my heart seeing him so happy. It actually just warms my heart seeing him. I kind of lose track of my focus thinking about the last time I really saw him, it was highschool graduation when I somehow grew the balls to go up to him for one final goodbye. I went home that night sobbing, hoping that wasn't the actual last goodbye but then I met Joe and he filled the hole in my heart that Travis had left.

"Tay?" I hear Travis's deep voice say.

"Hm? Oh sorry, I was just thinking." I say, fiddling with my rings.

"Thinking about what?" Travis says curiously.

"I— I never really let you explain, the night we um, you know and I was just thinking about how shitty that was. I'm sorry." I say nervously laughing and looking down, swinging my legs under the table.

"It wasn't shitty Taylor, you don't need to be sorry. Can I explain it now? Only if you want me too." He says.

I nod my head, still avoiding eye contact with him. All the feeling I originally had when I was younger flooding my veins.

"Patrick was right. It was a bet, to sleep with you by the end of senior year and me being the dumb asshole I was, I took the bet, figured money is money you know? Then I uh started talking to you and realized how sweet and funny and generous and pretty you are, and somewhere along the way, pretty early on in fact, I caught feelings that I just tried to ignore but then I took you out on our first date and we kissed, that's when I just said fuck it. This girls amazing, I had completely forgotten about the bet till Patrick had asked me about it a few weeks later and I just ignored the questions. Because all I needed was you. You were my other half, you filled my soul full of joy and happiness. And we fell in love which only made the guilt of knowing so much harder. Then when you found out and I came to your house and you started throwing things," Travis says and I giggle through the tears I didn't know were happening "and instead of going home that night I went straight to Patrick's house and beat his ass, blaming him for ruining my life but now I know it was all me for fucking it up. But uhm yeah, that's the story. And Taylor I'm so sorry, I never meant to hurt you." Travis ends. And I look up to see invisible tears falling down his face.

I let out a sad laugh and wipe the tear drops off my face before reaching across to clear his too.

"Oh sorry." I say, yanking my hand back. That wasn't my place anymore. That isn't my place anymore. That isn't your place anymore Taylor.

Travis doesn't say anything and just looks at me with the same lustful look he had when we were teenagers.

We move on from the heavy subject and talk about more playful things for hours before we had to go. We walk out to the parking lot together, still talking, not wanting this to end.

"I'll see you later?" I ask Travis, more of a question than a statement.

"I'll see you later." Travis smiles and walks away with his hands in his pockets.

I force myself to get into my car and just sit there, waiting for him to pull out first so I can let it all out. I watch in the mirror as his jet black truck drives off into the distance.

Finally I let myself cry it out. Not holding it anymore. "FUCK!" I scream hitting the steering wheel. I can't believe I had been so stupid and stuck up to not even let him explain the situation. If I had then we probably would have stayed together and I would have been a hell of a lot happier then I am right now. That's the first time I realized it out loud. Mine and Joes relationship was falling apart.

"I don't love Joe anymore." I quietly say through sobs. I clap a hand over my mouth, not being able to believe the words I just admitted for the first time.

I eventually cry out all the tears my body will let me and begin my drive home.