𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝐘𝐎𝐔 || 𝐭𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐰𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐬

chapter 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍 - statues

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Taylor asked, kind of bewildered, "How did you find me?!"

The brunette woman on the doorstep could only laugh, making Taylor even more aggravated. He was mad that she had just turned up and caused Emmalyn to question him again. Just after he'd gained her trust again.

"Look, Taylor," She dragged her long nail up the man's arms, trying to win him over. Sadly, it only worked, "I just needed to see you."

"Gi..." Taylor sighed, giving in to her insane puppy eyes as he closed the front door whilst stepping out. He tried to bring his mind back to Emmalyn, and how Dave was probably comforting her distraught self; but he couldn't look at anything other than the woman before his eyes.

"Gianna, you can't be here," Taylor's voice was strained as he stared at the patio beneath them, "Not now, not ever."

He glanced up for a moment, his gaze lingering a little longer than expected but she was just a reminder. A reminder of every inch of the chaos he had tried so hard leave behind, and yet, here she was, with the familiar smirk, as though she already knew she had him.

"You always say that," Gianna teased, her body edging closer as she quickly slipped one hand into Taylor's. As she drew nearer, Taylor caught a hint of her intoxicating perfume, however her breath smelled unconventionally sober. "But somehow, I always end up right back here."

Taylor clenched his draw, retracting his hand out of her palm as he tried to form some kind of resistance. For the entirety of his life, Taylor had been so quick to pick up any chick he could and drag her back into his arms until they were breathless, and in that moment it was so tempting.

"Gianna, this can't- we can't happen," His voice was firm but his hands deceived him, twitching relentlessly at his side as his mind played at the ideas of just giving in.

"Why not?" Gianna's voice was nasally and immature, feigning innocence as she let her fingers brush against his strained wrist, "What's changed? Is it... her?" She titled her head in the direction of the door they'd stepped out of, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly.

Taylor's framed stiffened due to the even slight reference of Emmalyn, finally bringing her presence back into his distracted mind. A rush of guilt washed over him for forgetting about the woman who usually occupied his mind 24/7, even momentarily.

"Yeah, it is her," Taylor admitted, letting a pained sigh exit his tight chest, "She's everything I've been trying to find Gi..- Gianna. Everything I deserve. And you..." He rolled his eyes, looking at the state of the woman.

Gianna wore a fitted black dress which clung to her skinny figure, paired with her white sandal stilettos which clicked as she shifted her weight from one foot to another in impatience. She always radiated a constant overconfidence, but it finally felt hollow to Taylor. He saw straight through her degrading act.

"And you," He continued, his voice sharpening, "You're everything I've wanted to leave in the past.  You showing up here like this? It's not fair. To me, to her, to any of us."

Gianna's smirk faltered, but only for a moment. She tilted her head, her eyes narrowing in a mix of hurt and defiance. "Not fair?" she echoed, her voice dripping with sarcasm, "When did you, Taylor Hawkins, ever play fair?"

The woman paced back and forth, the curls on her back bouncing as she strutted, "Last time I checked, you couldn't hold up a relationship, even with the girls as messy as you were. And now?" She scoffed, "You think she is going to give the complications and suffering that comes as a package with you? You're dreaming."

Her words were harsh and well-thought out, designed to cut deep. It was like she'd been plotting every way to hurt him.

Taylor clenched his already white knuckles, his teeth tightening as he took a step back towards the door, "Don't," He warned, defensively, "You don't get to come here and ruin it. I know I fucked up but you're not dangling this in my face. Not this time."

Gianna let out a bitter laugh, "Ruin it, baby? I'm just reminding you of exactly who you are and what someone like you deserves. And you don't get to pretend you're someone else because she makes you better."

The way Gianna emphasised while talking about Emmalyn made Taylor's blood boil, "She does make me better," He shot back, his volume raising tightly as she struck a nerve Taylor never wanted to acknowledge, "She makes me better, and that's why she belongs with me, and you don't."

The air hung heavy with tension as Gianna eyed up the man who stood awkwardly before her. Her expression lingered between a strong anger and something manipulatively softer.

Before either of them could say anything else, the door creaked open from behind the pair of them.

"Taylor?" Emmalyn's voice was hesitant but it carried enough weight to make his stomach drop. He turned slowly, his eyes meeting hers which brought an immense sense of culpability with it. As she stood in the doorway, her arms were folded above her chest, the expression on her face a mix of confusion and hurt.

"Emmalyn," Taylor attempted, stepping forwards and trying to fall back into that comfort of being near her but she put out her hand to stop him. "Who is this?"

Emmalyn's eyes narrowed, flicking between Taylor and Gianna who stood like 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐞𝐬, guiltily side by side, suspicion and pain evident in her tone.

Gianna took the self-presented opportunity to drop in a snide comment, not even having to try to rile Taylor up at this point. "I'm Gianna," She placed out her hand with false charm, her fingers laced with extensively long glossy acrylics like the plastic doll she was, "An old... friend, of Taylor's. Sorry about the miscommunication earlier."

Emmalyn took Gianna's hand into her sweaty palm, relishing the moment with complacent anger.

After dropping the handshake, Emmalyn turned back to face Taylor so that only he could see the expression on her face, which was now extremely frustrated. Taylor's throat was dry, feeling the weight of the moment stressing down on him.

"I'm gonna go," Gianna interrupted, bringing the eyes of both blondes back to her once more, "Taylor, I know you'll call me. See you soon."

And with a wink, Gianna walked back out of the drive, her car being parked on the pavement as everyone else's were on Emmalyn's lawn.

"Emmalyn I-," Taylor tried to reason, following the woman back into the house.

"Save it," Emmalyn announced sternly as she reached Dave who stood up from the foot of the stairs, "You can explain later, but we have other people here."

Emmalyn started walking back out to the dinner table, Dave hanging back in order to leave the pair in their own space, "Wait, doll-."

She turned back, just before reaching the door, "Not now. Just act normal, and we'll talk later. You can stay over tonight."

That was a good sign, right? Taylor thought, following her back. It was going to be a long evening.