Taylor [Theo // Lost & Found Music Studios] ✓

Chapter 10: Bowling

Taylor and I were sitting on the floor in the recording studio, legs crossed as we sat across from one another. We were finishing off the second song we started together and Taylor was currently flipping through her blue notebook, trying to find inspiration.

My eyes wandered around the room as I waited for her - she had insisted she wrote something perfect for the song only a few days ago - until they fell onto the brown notebook that was sticking out of her bag.

"Do you think there's something in there?" I asked, breaking the silence. Taylor looked up at me and I nodded towards the notebook in her bag.

She sighed. "No," she said. "There wouldn't be."

I inwardly groaned. I wanted to know what secrets she kept in there. She was constantly waving the book around, as if teasing me, and the curiosity was slowly getting the better of me.

Half an hour later and we finally found a conclusion to the song. It was our third finished song. I was beginning to feel hopeful, liking the odds of us completing this songwriting challenge.

I wasn't going to get kicked out of Lost & Found. 

I watched Taylor as she sang the finishing line to the song that she came up with, realising it was all thanks to her.

She wrote the finishing words into her blue notebook and then looked up at me, smiling excitedly. I knew she was stoked about our progress, too. When the month was over, I hoped there was a chance we would still be collaborating. We worked well together, even coming from a Theo who wasn't completely head-over-heels for Taylor. 

"We're done!" Taylor exclaimed, excitedly as she began to pack up her things.

I didn't want this night to be over just yet. I didn't want any night with Taylor to ever be over.

I bit my lip. "Do you want to hang out?"

Taylor raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Like, now?" she asked.

"Yeah," I replied, nodding as an idea came to me. "Let's go bowling."

Taylor let out an amused laugh and shrugged. "Okay, sure."

I stood up, excitedly. "Yes!" I exclaimed. "I'm going to ruin you!"

I was super competitive in everything I did. It was probably a small problem.

Taylor raised her eyebrows, standing up with me. "Oh, really?" she asked, matching my competitiveness. It was so hot. "Well then, game on."

+++

"In your face!" I yelled, pointing at Taylor who was just staring at me in amusement. I had just beat her in our game of bowling, and as all competition wins, it was one of my proudest achievements.

Taylor let out a laughed. "Alright, big boy," she said, rolling her eyes. "You won. No need to get cocky."

"You're just salty 'cause you couldn't beat me," I retorted, trying to get a stir out of her.

Taylor shrugged. "You're right, I guess you're unbeatable."

I stared at her for a moment as she smiled at me. Realisation dawned on me and I broke out into a surprised and shocked grin.

"You let me win," I said, shaking my head.

Taylor let out a small giggle. (A giggle!)

I walked closer to her. "You let me win. I demand a rematch!"

Taylor groaned. "No, I let you win for a reason. I'm not just throwing all that effort away for nothing," she said.

"Effort?" I repeated. "Oh, so it was so hard for you to not win?"

Taylor pushed me lightly. "Stop, Theo. You can't tease me into playing a second game with you. I'm tired."

I laughed. "Alright, fine, I win this time. But next time, you're bringing your A-Game." I pointed my index finger at her to get the point across.

Taylor nodded, laughing. "Yeah, sure, whatever," she agreed, half-heartedly. "Now take me home."

"Will do," I said.

We walked out, handing our shoes in at the counter as we passed by. I watched Taylor walking in front of me and smiled; she let me win.

I felt incredibly special in that moment.

+++

As we drove back to Taylor's, all I could think about was the fact that Taylor had let me win. She knew I was super competitive, so she let me win. She did it to make me feel good, even though she knew of the bragging she'd encounter from me.

She cared about me. This I could no longer deny.

"Here we are," I said, as we reached her house. I turned the car off and got out, running around the front of the car to open Taylor's door for her before she could.

She gave me a smile. "Thanks," she said. I think it was safe to say this was slowly becoming a date.

I walked her to the front door. Memories were still there of her mother yelling at her, Taylor telling me to leave, but most dominant were the memories of our kiss. Her lips embracing mine, her arms around my neck.

Oh, how I wished we could do it again.

Taylor smiled at me. "You know," she said. "I really appreciate having you in my life."

My whole body warmed up. Happiness took over my entire being and I couldn't not smile. However, I needed to keep my cool. Taylor may have cared about me and she may have appreciated having me in her life, but I still was unsure whether she liked me as much as I liked her or not.

"Thanks," I said, less enthusiastic than I felt. A lot less enthusiastic than I felt. "I appreciate having you in my life, too."

Taylor grinned at me and then pulled me into a hug. We stood there for what felt like hours, and probably lasted longer than your average, everyday hug. 

When we pulled back, Taylor was still grinning.

She opened her front door. "Thanks for today, Theo," she said. 

I smiled and nodded. "You, too."

Taylor went inside and I walked back to the car, still smiling. I wasn't heading home yet, though. There was still something I needed to do.

+++

I parked out the front of the familiar house, getting out of the car and entering the house. I knew the front door would be unlocked; the front door was always unlocked.

The living room was void of anyone, so I ran upstairs until I found the bedroom at the end of the hall. 

I knocked on the door, hearing the sound of zombies dying on the other side. After a moment, the door swung open and my eyes were met with the bright blue ones of one of my closest friends.

"Hey, man, what's up?" John asked.

"I'm sorry," I said. It had only been a day, but I still hadn't apologised to John for snapping at him. I didn't want there to be any conflict remaining between us.

John let out a small laugh. "It's alright, Man," he said, pulling me in for a quick hug. "Want to come in and play COD?"

I smiled and entered John's bedroom. I was in a good mood. I was in a really good mood, back to the old Theo. 

And it was all thanks to Taylor.

A/N: lmao this chapter was trash af. Only 6 more chapters + an epilogue until the finale (finally lol).

Question of the Chapter: who do you think is the bigger pothead, Theo or Luke after sex?

ily, next chapter is on Tuesday,

-C xx