Taylor and Victor

Chapter 38

Victor

Taylor's mood seemed to be off, more than when he last saw her with red knuckles. She seemed like she was back in New Year.

Sometimes he tried to hyper her up.

"You look stunning today, would be nice to try a smile."

Or to confront her.

"What's wrong with that face?"

To which she just shrugged. Victor couldn't try to do anything further, so he followed her around as much as he could.

Taylor did become better, and grew interested with all the stuff she made to keep herself busy but not tired. Sometimes when she felt like, she used Madam Laurier's old fishing net, standing still in their backyard for hours.

When Taylor successed catching her butterflies, she put them in a jar and left them there to die, with them having to cooped up in a closed space. Victor couldn't question her, because if he did and she answered, he still couldn't understand.

"Why don't you free them?"

"They lost their fidelity."

He didn't inquire about anything else. But he was still sitting, watched everything she did. Sometimes, Sam came out and joined him with drinks, back against the wall with Taylor standing with her nest. They'd either do their homework or minding their own business, until she's exhausted from all that standing.

Victor tried to pick up on her interest, thought nothing different.

"How's your diary going?"

"Fine."

He turned on some music with the hope of making her feel better. Pressed his headphones to her ears and watched her as she listened. Her face cracked a smile, but not a smile he hoped he would see. It was not a smile carved out of happiness.

Until one day, on the weekend, he wasn't sure if her parents allowed, but Taylor went over his house knocking on the door. At first, he thought his parents had guests over, so he stayed in his room waiting for them to go.

His father came out and opened the door with her standing in the doorway. Victor only came down after Domini called both him and his brother. There he saw a more polite Taylor, looking anxious with her smile present in front of his family. Her hand carried a tiny bag with a secured envelope. He dragged her outside, away from his family's sight before letting her say anything. He tried to hid her away.

"You should at least inform me before getting here," he said.

Taylor gave her a sorry look. "I know. But are you free today? I need to send something."

"What to send?"

She held up her letter. "To my family overseas."

Victor tells her to wait for him before getting inside to change. His parents were curious about her, to which he replied is a friend of his. Sara and Domini then talk quietly, about something he could still hear. But what he couldn't endure is how Alan looked at Taylor. The eyes are not hatred but making everyone feel uncomfortable.

Victor brushes off his feelings, before he informs his parents and drives away.

They went out when the sun rose up high, when leaves turned back green and birds woke up. The mix of a warm spring together with the freezing weather was so lovely.

Sometimes he looked over at her, Taylor was looking outside with her eyes unreadable. She looked contemplative and sad, her back leaning tired to her seat. But she was smiling.