Jake and Taylor: A Love Story

Chapter 3: Taylor

-Taylor's Point of View-

I hear the phone vibrate and roll over in bed. Rubbing my eyes. One of the nice things about my job is that I get to sleep all day. But the also means I almost never see Jake. We saw each other more before I moved in. I guess that's OK.

I check my phone, It's Andie. She is about to leave for college and she is super nervous about what might happen. On top of that she is a total spaz. She texts me everyday asking about some new crisis that has come up. I read the message and reply my eyes half closed. I lay back down but not being able to fall back asleep I get out of bed and walk to the bathroom. I look at myself in the mirror. My make up is totally smudged and my hair is falling out of it's bun. I sigh and get a wet wash cloth. Before I moved in the only towels Jake had were white. I bought Black ones so I can wipe away my make up in the morning with out costing him more money than I already have.

I hum as I take away the make up from under my eyes and apply a little more mascara on my upper eye lashes. Then it's on to my hair. I take it all out of the bun and shake my head pulling it back up in a high bun, little curls falling out around my hairline.

I look in the mirror, I tilt my head to the side, my bangs falling loosely. I could be pretty when I tried but it takes some work. I give up leaving the bathroom going back to my room and grabbing my phone from the bedside table. One new message. 'Call me? (:'  I roll my eyes and Dial Andie's number walking to the kitchen.

"OK so here's the thing, Matt called me today.. He got into Boston too!" She says with out a hello.

"Matt is the tennis player right?" I ask taking out a coffee cup and filling it.

"Yeah and he was my boyfriend for a year and a half.. How could you forget that?" She asks sounding a bit hurt.

"I'm sorry I wasn't thinking straight, I just forgot." I say as I see a bright pink piece of paper sitting on the counter. 'Good Afternoon sleepy head! I probably won't be home until 8ish.. :/ have fun at work! Love, Jake :)' I smile putting down the note and taking a sip of my coffee.

"Tay! Are you even listening?" Andie asks almost yelling, making me jump a little.

"I'm sorry I was.. Um never mind." I say smiling at the note.

"Did you get another note from Jake?" She asks the excitement coming through her voice.

"No!" I say but I know she doesn't believe me/

"You TOTALLY did! Oh My God! That is so cute! Just tell him already!!" She says screaming

"Andie calm down!" I have to yell to get her to shut up. I hear the door in her room open and close then footsteps. "What was that?" I ask dreading the answer.

"You want to talk to Ryan?" she asks and before I can say anything I'm talking to Ryan, Andie's boy toy of a year. I hate him. None of my family likes or understands their relationship but 'they are in love!'

"Hey Taylor." Ryan says in his annoying drawling voice.

"Ryan.." I say crossing my arms, hoping he can sense that through the phone.

"How's it going?" He asks and I can just imagine him leaning against the counter flipping his hair and winking awkwardly at Andie.

"Fine Ryan, look I really need to talk to Andie, would you be a dear and hand her the phone please?" I ask as nicely as I can, I probably got an ulcer.

"Totally." He says and I can hear the phone fly through the air landing in my sister's hands, I hear his footsteps as he walks out of the room.

"OK I'm back." Andie says closing the door again.

"Please break up with him." I beg as i open the fridge door and pull out a bag of bagels

"Tay! He's so hot! And older, which makes other girls jealous... At least I fell for a guy who I can tell my feeling to instead of hiding them in a journal."

That was a low blow but I don't let it bother me taking out the cream cheese and closing the door again. "At least I can have conversations that don't involve the word totally 8 times."

I hear her laugh, "Taylor, the only reason I talk to you is so my brain doesn't melt from lack of vocabulary."

I can't help but smile, "OK back to Matt.. What is the problem with that? I thought you two were good together."

She sighs and flops down on the bed, "Yeah we were, like really good. But I don't know.." I take one of the bagels out  and put my phone in between my shoulder and my cheek.

"Why not? Maybe you guys could reconnect... I wouldn't mind if you dated Matt. He's cute!"

She sits silently then says, "Uggghhh!"

"I'm sorry sweetie!" I say spreading the cream cheese on my bagel

"It's fine, I should be going." She says quietly.

"Alright call me if you need anything. Say hi to mom and Dad for me!"

"Bye!" she says and hangs up.

"Bye!" I say rolling my eyes and hanging up. Andie always has to be the last one to speak.

I go and sit on the couch with my bagel and coffee. A perfect meal. I turn on Netflix and look through our Instant Queue. The first couple movies on the list are ones that Jake likes. Mostly Horror and adventure. Which I like but aren't totally my thing. I keep scrolling and get to my section of TV shows. Pretty Little Liars, Drop Dead Diva, and Say Yes to The Dress. Then I get to my movies. Comedy, chick flicks, and drama. Jake won't admit it but he really does love watching those movies with me. Then I finally get to the Shows we both like. That 70s Show, 30 Rock, The Office, and How I Met Your Mother. I go through the list one more time and decide on What's Eating Gilbert Grape. One of my favorites. I grab a blanket from the armchair and curl up on the couch watching the movie and smiling. I sit and think then pause the movie after about 10 minutes. I decide to call Carl, while I'm waiting for him to answer I start biting my nails, a habit i promised to stop.

'William's, how can I help you?" He says answering the phone in a professional tone.

"Carl, you know it's me. Why do you answer like that every time?"

"Because if I answered it saying 'Hey Taylor!' I'd be taking about 20 extra personal calls a week." He says laughing.

"Good point," I say smiling, "But um the reason I called you is because I need to take tonight off."

"Why?" He asks and I can picture him crossing his arms and glaring at me like he does at least once a day.

"I haven't had a night off since literally the second week i worked here."

"Fine, have fun!" He says after a hesitation and then hangs up. I start the movie again and by the end I'm crying, like I do every time I watch it.

After it's over I realize that I'm still wearing the same pajamas i have been for almost a week. I sigh and go to my bedroom putting on clean pajama shorts and a black tank top. Then realizing it is starting to get chilly I put on my high school volleyball sweatshirt. I stop in front of the mirror and laugh at the fact that it still fits. I leave my room turning off the light and grabbing my iPod. I look at the clock, 6:06. My heart jolts before I remember that I don't have to go to work.

I smile and put my iPod in the dock in the kitchen. I sigh going through my play lists trying to decide what I want to listen to. I go with One Direction, I may be 25 but i love them. I turn it to 'Gotta Be You' while looking in the cupboard and taking out a box of spaghetti noodles and tomato sauce. I Put them on the counter and get out a pan, filling it with water I put it on the stove to boil. I put on 'The Real Slim Shady' rapping the whole thing I start to dance then I put One Direction back on still dancing I pour the noodles in, adding enough for Jake in case he is hungry when he comes home. Since I was the only one home I decided it would be appropriate to dance. I tun the volume all the way up and jump around making up dance moves to the songs and singing along totally off tune.

But Honestly I could care less. The was the happiest I had been in along time.