Make You Smile

Just one more go on the carousel.

AN: sexy stuff and terrible British metaphors.

Mark's P.O.V

It was strange.  So much time had passed but things between us hadn't changed.  The way I felt about her a year ago was the way I felt about her now.  That chemistry we had was undeniably still there.  We'd been talking for an hour non stop. No awkward pauses. Nothing.

"You'd love London. You should come visit when ever you stop touring and writing for a minute."  She said as she played with the lid of her now empty coffee cup.

I nodded.  It's a place I definitely wanted to check out.  And it meant I'd get to see Taylor.

"Maybe we'll tour there next year and you can show me around. I might need to take my sweater back when I visit though. It's cold there right?" 

Taylor grinned and blushed.

"I'm really sorry about that. I had no idea I still had your sweater." She said innocently. 

I laughed and raised my brow unconvinced.

"Sure.  Looks better on you anyway. Keep it.  Wouldn't want to think of you freezing your butt off in dear old England." 

Taylor smiled.

"Thanks. So how's recording going? How are Tom and Travis?"

I nodded.

"It's going really well actually.  They're good. They miss you a lot you know...why didn't you tell us you were coming home?"  I asked gently. 

Taylor bit her lip and shrugged guilty.

"I thought you'd be too busy. And I thought that maybe... you wouldn't really care.  It's been a long time...I mean people drift apart after high school. It's just what happens." 

I sighed and shook my head. 

"How could you even think for one second that I wouldn't care?"

Taylor's blush intensified and the urge to touch her cheek was overwhelming.  No Mark. Bad.

Taylor shook her head.

"I don't know.  A lot of things can change in a year."  She said with a small smile.

My stomach flipped nervously.  Did that mean she felt differently about me now? Oh man she had a boyfriend.  Of course she did.  Why wouldn't she? She was perfect.

I nodded. 

"True.  But how I feel about you hasn't changed."

Taylor's blush deepened and I smiled.

She looked a little nervous and awkward. The first time she'd looked that way all night. I guess it was because I was pushing the boundaries now.  I was pushing the conversation into territory about feelings and relationships. 

This past hour we'd only been exchanging friendly banter. After all above and beyond the fact we had dated we were friends first and foremost. 

"What?" I asked. 

She shook her head. 

"Nothing. It's just I'm surprised.  I mean it's been 9 months I thought maybe there'd be someone else. I mean on tour...you were hooking up with other girls right?" 

I swallowed nervously. I felt my face heat.  Fuck.  I couldn't lie.  I had  hooked up with a few girls.  And they'd been awful and unfulfilling and guilt trip inducing experiences. It had been like being back in high school pre-Taylor again. Awkward alcohol fuelled fumbles on tour buses and in hotel rooms with girls that didn't love me.