Broken Records | Tayley

Chapter 10: The Midnight Visit

Hayley's POV

Sleep was elusive, slipping away each time I came close to grasping it. I tossed and turned in bed, the sheets twisted around my legs like a trap. My mind wouldn't quiet, replaying the events of the past few days over and over, the sound of the storm outside echoing the turmoil inside me. I couldn't stop thinking about Taylor, about the Instagram posts, about everything left unsaid between us.

The longer I lay there, the stronger the urge grew—an inexplicable pull toward him that I couldn't shake. My heart pounded as I stared up at the ceiling, the decision forming almost without my consent. Before I knew it, I was out of bed, pulling on a hoodie and grabbing my keys. Alf watched me from his spot on the floor, his big eyes following my every move.

"I won't be long, buddy, I promise." I whispered, crouching down to give him a quick pat. He wagged his tail lazily, as if to say, Sure, Mom, whatever you say.

The drive to Taylor's house was a blur. The roads were slick with rain, the occasional flash of lightning illuminating the dark sky. My hands gripped the steering wheel, knuckles white as I tried to calm the nerves buzzing beneath my skin. What was I even going to say to him? What if he was asleep? What if this was a mistake?

But the pull was too strong, the need to see him, to talk to him, overwhelming every rational thought. When I finally pulled up to his house, I hesitated for a moment, staring at the soft glow of the lights in his windows. I took a deep breath, summoning the courage to do what I'd impulsively decided to do, and then I was out of the car, walking up to his front door before I could talk myself out of it.

I knocked softly, then more insistently when there was no immediate answer. My heart raced as I waited, the sound of my own breathing loud in the stillness of the night. Just when I started to worry that I might have woken him up, the door creaked open.

Taylor stood there, his hair tousled and his eyes heavy with sleep. He blinked at me, the surprise evident on his face.

"Hey, stranger." I greeted him, trying to inject some lightness into my voice to mask my nerves.

"Hayley..." His voice was thick with sleep, but there was a warmth in it that made my heart flutter. He stepped aside, opening the door wider to let me in. "What are you doing here?"

"I couldn't sleep," I admitted, stepping inside and feeling instantly comforted by the familiar surroundings. "I just... I needed to see you."

He closed the door behind me, locking out the cold night air. For a moment, we just stood there in the dim light of his hallway, the silence between us thick with unspoken words. He studied me, his gaze soft but searching, as if trying to understand what had brought me to his doorstep in the middle of the night.

"You want to talk?" he finally asked, his voice gentle.

"Yeah," I nodded, but my heart wasn't just asking for a conversation. There was a tension between us that had been building for days, a magnetic pull that I was tired of resisting. "Can we sit?"

We made our way to his living room, settling onto the couch. I could feel the heat of his body next to mine, a comfort and a distraction all at once. For a while, neither of us spoke, the silence filled with the sound of rain tapping against the windows.

"I'm sorry I've been distant," I started, my voice barely above a whisper. "I've just... I've had a lot to figure out."

"I know," he replied, his hand reaching out to rest on my knee. The simple touch sent a shiver through me, the connection between us sparking back to life. "I get it, Hayley. You've been through a lot."

"It's not just that," I said, turning to face him fully. "It's us. This... thing between us. I've been so scared, Taylor. Scared that I'm just... that I'm going to hurt you. I don't want to mess this up. You mean too much to me."

"Hayley..." He sighed, his hand squeezing my knee gently. "You're not going to hurt me. But I need to know... what do you want? What do you really want?"

His words hit me like a wave, the truth in them crashing over me. I stared into his eyes, the ones that had always been there for me, through every high and low. I didn't have to think about the answer—it was right there, waiting for me to acknowledge it.

"You," I whispered, my voice trembling with the weight of the admission. "I want you, Taylor. But I'm so, so scared."

Before I could second-guess myself, I leaned in, closing the distance between us. My lips found his, and the moment they touched, all the doubts and fears that had been swirling inside me seemed to vanish. The kiss was tentative at first, a question more than an answer, but when he kissed me back, it was like the floodgates opened.

Taylor's hand moved to cup my face, his thumb brushing against my cheek as the kiss deepened. There was a hunger in it this time, a desperation that matched my own. I felt his other hand on my waist, pulling me into his lap, and I responded in kind, my hands finding their way into his hair as I straddled him.

The world outside ceased to exist as we lost ourselves in each other, the kiss becoming more urgent, more intense by the second. The need I had been trying to suppress for so long was finally given free rein, and it was overwhelming in its intensity. I felt his breath catch as I leaned into him, our bodies molding together as if they were made to fit this way. His hands slid up my back, drawing me impossibly closer, erasing any remaining space between us.

But just as the heat between us reached its peak, Taylor pulled back slightly, his forehead resting against mine as he struggled to catch his breath.

"Hayley," he murmured, his voice low and rough, "if we keep going... I don't think I will be able to stop."

My heart raced as I met his gaze, seeing the same urgency and desire mirrored in his eyes. The pull toward him was undeniable, but there was still something holding me back—something that had nothing to do with how much I wanted him. It was more than just wanting him; I needed to be certain, for both of us.

"I know," I breathed, feeling the tension between us like a live wire. "Believe me, I know. But... I can't stay. Alf's waiting for me."

Taylor closed his eyes, taking a slow, deep breath before he nodded. "Yeah... of course."

Reluctantly, I pulled away, the loss of his warmth almost painful. I stood up, smoothing down my hoodie as I tried to compose myself. Taylor remained on the couch, watching me with a mixture of frustration and understanding in his eyes.

"I'll see you soon, okay?" I said softly, not wanting to leave but knowing that I needed to.

"Yeah," he replied, his voice soft. "See you soon, Hayley."

As I left his house and stepped back into the rain, I felt a mixture of relief and disappointment. The tension between us was still there, unresolved, but the fact that we'd finally confronted it was a step in the right direction.