Where We Begin

Chapter 31 - I'm Glad You're Finally Happy Here

One Month Later

Oct 20th, 2002 - Busta

It was a clear Sunday, with a light breeze and temperatures in the low 70's. Perfect bike riding weather. The later we got into Fall, the less I minded not having a car yet. I also didn't mind landscaping as much. Since I was in school, I only worked part time on weekends, but it was still a decent gig. I got paid in cash and I was always done by the early afternoon. 

After work, I rode over to Taylor's. I parked my bike next to her Lexus, frowning for a moment. Yeah, I needed a car.

I walked around back. Taylor was sitting at the table on the deck, books and folders splayed out before her. She didn't look up until I plopped down in the chair closest to her.

"Hey babe," she said with a quick half smile. 

"Looks like you are having an exciting day." I scanned her sea of notes, which were a meticulously organized blur of highlighter and script. "How do you read this? Wouldn't it be easier to not write in cursive all the time?"

Taylor shrugged. "It's just how I like to write."

"Hey, is anyone else home?"

"No, dad's golfing. Mom took Kristen and her friend shopping or something," she replied.

I kicked off my shoes, then I stood up and took off my shirt. I started to unbutton my jeans.

"Whoa, hey, I don't really have time to mess around. This test tomorrow..."

I scoffed, as my pants fell to my ankles. "Who say's you're getting any of this grade-A man meat?" 

I ran off the deck and did a cannonball into the pool. After a couple of quick laps, I got out and grabbed a towel, clinging to my heavy, water-logged boxers the whole time. It was definitely warm enough outside for a quick dip, but the pool was chilly. I didn't want Taylor getting a glimpse right now. 

When I sat back down, towel wrapped around my waist, Taylor was squinting at me, tapping her pen against her chin. She was studying me like her notes.

"You know, you're getting some muscles."

I beamed, flexing my arms in my best Arnold pose. "Yeah? I mean, I'm no Brent. I'd have to consume about fifty protein shakes a day to make that happen. But it's something, huh?"

"You're a hunk." Taylor winked. "A hunk of grade-A man meat." 

I put my elbows onto the table and rested my head on my hands. "Sweetheart, you know just what this hunk likes to hear."

She leaned over and kissed my cheek. "You've been working very hard."

I sat up straight again. "After half a summer in my room playing video games and eating Hot Pockets, I needed a change. Back in Chicago, I would have felt guilty ditching Buddy and my mom, but now they are hardly home either, out doing all the stuff they wanted to do. It's crazy. I never thought I could handle school, a job and a sport. Lacrosse is really good for getting out some aggression, though." I realized I was babbling, and felt a little embarrassed by that last statement.

Taylor was furiously copying notes, her eyes on the page. It would've seemed rude, but I knew by now that multi-tasking was how Taylor managed to pull off being Taylor. She was always listening to me, even when I was going off on tangents. 

"With what you went through, it's kind of a given that you would have some negative emotions pent up. Sports are an extremely healthy outlet for that. Also, you did yourself one better by setting the positive goal of getting into shape to stay motivated." She stopped writing and looked up at me. "And you kept your job even after the school year started. I'm very proud of you."