Taylor and Victor

Chapter 8

Victor

In the following week, she was nowhere to be found in Sam's house. Neither was in the basement, she wasn't in her corner. Playing games isn't so interesting anymore. Instead, Victor picks up the book she has been reading lately. He can't understand what's so compelling inside there that she's so invested in.

When there's nothing left, games or jokes, Sam seemed bored and stuck to his phone. Sometimes, when he thinks about anything, Victor asked random questions at Sam.

"Is Taylor your cousin?"

"No," Sam replied, his eyes still glued to his phone.

"Does she have any siblings?"

"None."

"What's on your Discord?"

"Cat videos. You gotta see this."

Sam tries to show him his phone's screen by leaning closer, but Victor pushes him away without wanting anyone to distract. He isn't quite sure what he'll get from doing this, neither why did he ever read Atonement.

Victor brutally closed the book, he stands up to put it back in the shelf.

There's one more person he could ask. Mia and Taylor were closer than before. Not close, but closer. Taylor went back to her table when she's feeling like, and the feeling of her lingering around isn't bothered him anymore.

"Have you ever been to Taylor's house?"

"You mean Tie?" Mia said. "Never, why would I. But I've seen it before."

She wouldn't let him in, anyway. Victor feels like a hindrance from whatever might be while being beside her. He looks over Sam's table, where her appearance comes to his sight. She was, of course, more comfortable than when she's around him.

He stares at her for a long moment, wondering vague things about her life.

She feels nothing like her sister.

Taylor

She couldn't find him today on the bus.

Taylor soon remembered his name. But she never thought she'd be needing it.

But one thing for certain, Taylor's unwelcoming his sudden appearance. She has been seeing him standing outside her classroom's door when Sam comes to her for lunch. She quit going over Sam's house because of him. And in the back of her mind, she's always feeling his gaze in the canteen.

He's a jerk, really, a very annoying jerk who'd be anywhere she is. Taylor wasn't so fine at all, Victor always knew when to interrupt. She started to suspect him being a stalker, his image creeped her everywhere.

Like last time they met, at lunchtime , when she's so peacefully sitting by herself. When people mostly finished their lunch, Victor suddenly sat down beside without her consent. Taylor doesn't want to be rude by walking away, but she's not comfortable enough to keep sitting there. She invisibly shifted further from him.

Victor doesn't say anything right away. He started his lunch as usual, relaxed in his seat unlike her.

"Do you like butterflies?" asked Victor. She checks around to look for someone else, but soon assumes he's talking to her.

"No."

"Insect?"

Taylor looks at him like he's some stranger. She doesn't get why he would come over in the first place. Victor's being weird, really. It's not like they're stuck together.

He turns to look, and she knows to reconsider her words.

"Why are you asking?"

"I saw you staring at them, for eternal. Or did you zoned out again?"

"So what?"

"I'm curious. Like you could ever like anything."

She sighs. "I like insects, all of them, every living thing really. And butterflies, yes, I love them the most. And I don't know what you'd do with that information but here you go. Can I eat in peace now?"

"Sorry."

Taylor didn't say anything else, neither did him. She quickly finished her tray and stood up walking away. Her lunch's over, and so does her time spent here.

But when she looks back, Taylor feels guilty about leaving him behind.

Victor

Taylor's mad. Not like mad mad, but she speaks in a quicker voice than usual. Victor spends the rest of his afternoon trying to figure out what she's pissing about.

When school's over, he sneaked away from his friend. He didn't want anyone to follow, and neither did he have extra time to explain himself. Before he went over to her house, he checked up on her the last time, outside from the bus.

Mia mentioned Taylor's house before. So did Sam. But he only got to see it when being on the school bus, faded away in the background. And he couldn't think about any other appropriate time to go over to her house.

It was a decent family house with light paint. One looked as cozy as the others. But their yard was more empty than he thought, only a rectangular pot of flowers hanging beside their main door. No trees, nor bushes. Their grassland was trimmed neatly. But because of that, her house's surrounded by an empty, solitude field.

He wondered what her parent's occupation was, one that made them too busy to ever care. He couldn't picture how they ever raise both of their children.

He thinks of her, not knowing what might be waiting. He knows what she's like, at least while at school. Perhaps things started inside their house, he could never be sure.

Victor stayed for a few more minutes, then drove away before she came back.