Here & Now // T. Hall Sequel

Chapter 2

Once I stepped outside, I questioned why I decided to come to the great white north. It was fucking cold out and it wasn't even winter yet. I didn't have the clothes to be here, anyway. Sure, I had on yoga pants and boots, but my sweater didn't cut it. You could definitely tell I'm from the southern states.

I took out my phone, searching things to do in Edmonton. Apparently there's not much. Figures. No wonder my family lived in the south. But there was a museum so I started there.

I've always been into sciency things, just not when it came to college. Labs were always entertaining, but sitting through a 50 minute lecture with a Bulgarian chemistry professor is not my idea of fun. I liked messing around with things. Mixing things together, burning things. Stuff like that. That's why I made my parents go to every museum we possibly could when I was younger.

With my admission, I got a ticket to a movie about pandas. So I'm going to be that nerd in the middle of a movie theater, alone. I've totally done that before. No shame.

It took me hours to go through the whole thing and about halfway through, my stomach started growling.

"Oh shut up. Let me find the cafe and I'll feed you." I mumbled to myself. I didn't know what the would have to eat but the Smithsonian in DC usually had good food. I mean, I always got jello and fries - and weird looks - so you can't go wrong with that.

There was a mall wasn't too far away from where I was located so after the thrilling tale of the pandas, I did some retail therapy. Which I had been doing a lot lately. I didn't know what I was going to do with all of these clothes, but I didn't really care.

Walking back to Taylor's with no less than six bags, I realized I didn't have a key to the place. I really hoped that someone was there to let me in.

Luckily, some girl opened the door for me.

"You must be Annabelle! I'm Jordan's girlfriend, Sadie."

"Hi. Uh, you can call me Anna." I set my bags down by the couch.

"I've heard a lot about you. For the longest time, you were all Taylor could talk about. Though, you don't look like his kind of girl." What gave it away? The black makeup or the fact that I don't worship the ground Taylor walks on?

"Yeah, I get that a lot." I mumbled, climbing onto one of the bar stools.

"There's a game tomorrow, do you want to go with me?" No, not really. I kinda don't want to sit in a cold building and watch the Oilers lose

"Um. Sure. I don't have anything else to do." She was being ridiculously nice and it was weird.

"Do you have any Oilers gear?" I thought about what all was in my suitcase and I honestly didn't think to bring any with me. That would be too logical, you know?

"I don't."

"Don't worry, I have plenty."

"Oh. Okay. I'm going to go take a nap."

"At 6? Don't you think it's a little late?" Jordan asked, talking for the first time since I got back to his place.

"Maybe I'll just go to sleep. I'm pretty wiped." I walked to Taylor's room, grabbing a change of clothes before getting in the shower. It was weird not having music blasting while I cleaned myself, but I didn't want to bother Jordan and Sadie.

I didn't know if Taylor would want his bed, but I figured he could always wake me up if he didn't want to sleep on the couch. I cuddled up with my stuffed animal that sat on my bed for years until I lost my family.

"What the fuck was that for?" I cursed as someone turned on the light.

"Sorry, I just have to get a blanket and I'll go out to the couch."