So It Goes

October

Taylor walked into her house and closed the door. She had done it...said good bye to him. It hurt. Taylor turned her back to the door and slid slowly down in sadness, until she sat on the floor.

Why couldn't it just be me...just once? Taylor lamented. Her feelings welled inside and crashed over as her tears fell from her eyes, her arms crossed over her knees, grieving over that once again she wasn't the one.

Travis stood there and watched Taylor walk into her house, closing the door behind her. He didn't know what to do. He looked towards where the pub was, then back at Taylor's house. One route went back to what he knew, the other route went somewhere new.... unknown.

What was he doing? Travis thought as he put his hands on his head, kicking a rock in frustration. His girlfriend of 2 years was hot, every guy wanted her. Sure she played her little games, but she had put up with his shit too. Doesn't he owe her something? 

But Taylor, she was something else...something special. He knew it the first day they had met.

Flashback - 4 months prior – October

Travis walked into the library, some place he rarely went, in search of Mercole. He needed to run some plays by him for tomorrow's game. Mercole texted him he was finishing up his French Lit paper in the library, so he should come find him there.

Travis had a certain swagger to his walk. When he entered the room, it wasn't just his size that was intimidating, it was his attitude as well. It commanded respect, something he had earned back whole heartedly after being busted off the team for drugs. Losing his scholarship had crushed his parents... so he had to work his ass off to be better.

Travis spotted Mercole at the back of the library. Mercole waved at him in acknowledgement. As Travis moved forward to greet his teammate when he noticed her...all soft blonde curls and bright blue eyes.... with red lips that were just made for kissing. She looked at him with a soft genuine smile full of good girl vibes and grace. It was jarring for Travis, because usually he didn't notice other girls much...Kayla was more than enough for him.

Mercole rose and grabbed Travis outstretched hand in a weird kind of sports handshake, which was loud and gregarious. Taylor cringed back in surprise at the speed and force the two men greeted each other with, not wanting to get smashed between them.

"What's up man?" Mercole greets Travis quietly.

"Aw, not much...just wanted to run some plays by ya." Travis smiled, then looked down at the top of Taylor's head. The top buttons on her dress was open just enough he could see the valley of her breasts. She played with her pencil as they spoke, quietly waiting.

"Oh, Trav...this is Taylor." Mercole introduced Taylor who stood up and extended her hand to Travis, a nervous smile on her face. "Taylor...this is Travis, he's our quarter...."

".... quarterback. Mercole has told me about your exploits." Taylor responds. Travis grips Taylors hand gently, with a smirk.

"Exploits? Now that's a word for it." Travis joked, dropping Taylor's hand.

He's huge, is all Taylor can think. His hand was like twice the size of mine, and I'm no little person. Taylor had always been self-conscious about her height, it was a blessing and a curse...mostly a curse since she could never find pants that fit her long legs, so she was resigned to wearing skirts and dresses most of the time. He has nice eyes.... the crinkle on the edges when he smiles, Taylor noted as she sat back down.

"Taylor's been tutoring me in French Lit. I got my grade up to a B, so now coach can get off my ass about my GPA." Mercole groused to Travis. Travis struggled to keep his grades up, but he did the bare minimum to keep off the coach's shit list. Travis pulled up a chair at the table across from Mercole. Taylor just continued to review the book on Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert.