Ecie & Esme II: Another Day Like This

Four

'I hear you hooked up with Simon Hoult,' said Chris, one of Taylor's friends. 'Was he better than Taylor?'

'I didn't hook up with him,' Esme said tearing up a stick. 'He kissed me.'

'Was he better than Taylor?' Chris laughed.

'No,' Esme smiled back at Taylor who was sat behind her. She sat back in his lap and kissed him. 'I told him that I had a boyfriend and I think he felt bad about it.'

'So then to make up for it he put you in his music video?' said Dylan, another friend. He relit his joint and inhaled. 'Fancy way of apologizing.'

'He took me out to dinner too,' Esme said.

'What do you make of that Tay?' asked Ethan.

'I trust her,' Taylor shrugged. 'I know she wouldn't do anything.'

'Some other guy is totally macking on your girl and you don't care?' Dylan laughed. 'Come off it Tay.'

Taylor shrugged and held Esme closer. 'That's why she's my girl,' he said. 'I got her first.'

'So how come we haven't seen you around?' Aaron asked. 'It's been forever.'

'I've been busy,' Esme replied. 'I thought that Taylor would prefer hanging out with you guys by himself.'

'It's nothing to do with Taylor,' Alfie laughed. 'We don't want to hang out with him. We want to hang out with you.'

'I'm flattered,' Esme blushed. 'I didn't know I'd left such an impact on you all.'

'You're like the coolest girl out here since E,' Chris said. 'She was pretty cool when she was with Denis.'

'Does Denis still hang out with you guys?' Esme asked. 'I haven't seen him in ages.'

'Sometimes,' Ethan said. 'But he's busy with his own thing and he got a new girlfriend as well, so they keep to themselves.'

'You look cold,' Dylan said.

'I'm fine,' Esme replied. 'I never remember to wear layers at night.'

'That's because at night you're usually inside,' Taylor said rubbing her arms. He took off his sweater then put it over Esme's head and kissed her. He flattened her hair down as she pulled her arms through the sleeves.

'We hear you always drag Taylor out to family meals all the time,' Aaron joked. 'Do you think we might get invited some time?'

'It depends,' Esme replied. 'You don't strike me as the guy who would like linguini.'

'What's linguini?' Aaron asked. 'It sounds like squid or something.'

'It's pasta, man,' Taylor said.

'I love pasta,' Aaron said. 'It's like my favorite food.'

'It's pasta and seafood in pesto,' Taylor said.

'It sounds expensive,' Chris said. 'Why would you spend so much money on food when you can buy other stuff?'

'I'm never paying for it,' Esme laughed.

'Is that why you always go along then Tay?' Alfie joked. 'Free food?'

'Beats having to make it myself,' Taylor laughed. 'The food they serve in town is gnarley.'

Esme looked at Taylor and sat forward a little. 'Is that true Taylor?' she asked. 'Free food?'

'You know what I mean...'

Esme moved away from Taylor and looked at him. 'No I don't. What do you mean?'

'Come on Es,' Taylor rolled his eyes. 'You know... I was only joking.'

Esme got up and kicked sand in Taylor's face. 'So was I.'

'Great,' Taylor said annoyed as he got up. 'I'll be a minute.'

'Ha ha,' Ethan laughed. 'Troubles in the martial home.'

Taylor left the group and ran after Esme.

'Come on Es,' he said holding her arm. 'I didn't mean it. I was joking about the free food thing.'

'Is that why you're with me?' she said. 'Because of all the "free food"?'

'You know it's not,' Taylor said. 'I've never taken a dollar from you...'

'You know the problem I had with Dan,' Esme said. 'Don't tell me that I've got to start worrying about your motives too.'

'What's that supposed to mean,' Taylor said annoyed. 'I'm poor or something?'

'You tell me,' Esme said. 'I always seem to have something that everyone wants. You act funny all the time, now I'm just thinking about it.'

'I'm with you because I love you,' Taylor said. 'Do you think I would've spent all those hours in the hospital with you if I didn't? Do you think I would have held you for all that time crying about Ecie's problems if I hadn't loved you?!'

'I don't want to talk about this now,' she said. 'I'm going home...'

'You started the fucking conversation in the first place,' Taylor said frustrated. 'You can't just shut me out Es.'

'I'm tired...'

'Don't pull that with me,' Taylor said. 'I know you're really pissed at me, but you need to know that I really love you.' He put his arms around her and kissed her. 'If I wanted any of your money I would have taken some by now. Besides, you don't even have any money. You're poorer than I am.'

'Well you shouldn't say stupid stuff like that in front of your friends,' Esme said. 'You know how paranoid I am and that doesn't help.'

'Okay,' Taylor said. 'I'm sorry; just don't storm off like that again. My friends really love you and they weren't joking when they said they didn't want to hang out with me. They're always asking of you.'

'I hate you,' Esme said nuzzling her face in his chest. 'I really hate you.'

'I hate you too,' Taylor said kissing her head. 'Will you come back?'

Esme didn't say anything.

'Esme,' he said. 'I've got enough money and a job to see me through for the rest of my life. I need you to enjoy it with and I need you to love. The only thing I want from you is your company.'

'Is that it?' she replied muffled.

'That and your sex,' he grinned. 'You're amazing.'

Esme looked up at Taylor. 'I get worried because I'm so much younger than you,' she said. 'Why me when you could have someone your age?'

'You seriously want to talk about this now?'

Esme looked at Taylor.

'Fine then,' he sighed and thought for a moment. 'Why you? Well for starters you're a lot more mature than most of the girls that I've dated who are my age. You're imaginative, annoying, sexy as hell and incredible. That's why it's you and not a girl of my age, or any other girl.'

'You forgot to say smart.'

'That's E, not you,' Taylor laughed. 'She does all that for you,' he kissed Esme on the lips. 'I love you, you know. I really do.'

'You're going to have to work hard to get me to love you back,' Esme said. 'I'm not really feeling it right now.'

'Oh really?' Taylor said raising an eyebrow. 'How hard are we talking?'

Esme shrugged as she walked away from Taylor and back towards the group. 'I'm not telling.' She stuck out her tongue and shimmied at him. 'You'll have to find out for yourself.'

Taylor laughed then ran to Esme and kissed her passionately on the lips for a few moments. 'How about now?'

'Nope.'

Taylor laughed as he swooped her up in his arms. 'That's okay because I love a challenge.'

Esme giggled as he kissed her again then carried her back to the group.