Destructive: Chapter Six ♥
That night when I got home, I skipped dinner and rushed through my homework. Luckily, I didn’t have much to do, it being the first day of school. I was able to finish it all and take a shower by 6:00, so I made sure my mom had food in the fridge if she needed it when she got home from work, and I left a note on the table for her. Eager to see Taylor, I threw my wet hair into a messy bun, put on my most comfortable flip-flops and shorts, and skipped out the door. As I walked, I thought about what Taylor might say to me… What could he possibly want to talk to me about so soon? I guessed that it had something to do with Francesca. What would I say? …What would he say? Thoughts bounced around in my brain, and I nervously twisted the extra rubber-band on my wrist as I walked down the barren street. I’d always loved this road… Trees surrounded either side of the pavement, and bent over the top towards the other side, creating a sort of tunnel. In the spring, honey suckles grew all the way up the thick trunks of the trees, and there were tons of fireflies. It looked like something out of a dream! And the smell after it rained was fresh, and smelled sweet like honey. Taylor and I both loved it, and we would walk up and down this road together for hours. We would sit in the middle of the pavement with our eyes closed, listening to all the life. Crickets, birds, rain falling, squirrels running around, the sound of each other breathing… And one day, we’d decided to walk all the way to the end of the “tunnel”. There were numerous vast fields, set aside for the township for fireworks, concerts, bonfires, and other recreational purposes. Except the thing is, the stage used for concerts was old and creaky, so no one used it. The fire pit deep and wet, so no one could ever get a fire going… The field was all ours.
As I approached the fire pit, I noticed a figure slumped over the deep pile of ash. It was Taylor, and he was rubbing two sticks together, trying to start a fire. I liked to say Taylor had the magic touch, because somehow, he always got a fire going in the pit that supposedly never worked. “Hey handsome,” I whispered into his ear as I crept up behind him. He let out a whoosh of air and turned around to hug me. He kissed the top of my head, and held me tighter than ever. I stood there, and listened to the beating of his heart again. Slow… peaceful. I slowly let go, and looked him in the eye, worried. “Is everything okay, Taylor?” He rubbed his forehead, and sat down on one of the logs next to the fire. “Yeah… We just have to talk about some things.” His face was solid and expressionless, but his hands were shaking. I sat down in front of him on the ground, and took his trembling hand. “You can tell me anything, Tay.” Looking down at me, he rubbed my hand on his face, breathing in deeply. The light of the fire flickered on his face, darker and lighter in some places. I couldn’t be sure, but I thought I saw moisture in his eyes when he began to speak again. “I just want you to know… When I met you, I was going through some rough times… and I still am. But ever since we’ve had eachother, it’s been better. I just want you to know that, because I couldn’t bear it if I ever lost you,” he whispered as he turned over my wrist and gazed fearfully at the jagged scars. I was utterly stunned… and I didn’t know what to say. Taylor gently squeezed my hand, and began to speak. “I know you’re in a rough spot, too. So don’t you worry, Jay, I’ll always be here for you. I’ll never leave you, Jane, I pinky swear. I swear on my mother’s grave, and I swear on my own life.” He said as he pulled me closer and wrapped his thin arms around me. I was still stunned into silence… I sat there, limp in his arms, and listened to the sound of his uneasy breathing. I could have stayed in that moment forever… everything was perfect. His head resting on mine, I hugged him tighter.
I must’ve fallen asleep after that, because when I awoke, he was carrying me down the darkened tunnel of trees. I blinked for a moment, taking in my surroundings… When I looked up, the first thing I saw was Taylor’s face. He looked like he was in a lot of pain, probably because I was twice his weight. Not that I was overweight, it’s just… Taylor was so skinny. It’s a wonder he made the football team with those twigs he calls arms. Sometimes I worry about him, looking so frail all the time. Even the sound of his breath most of the time is quick and sickly… But I usually let it roll off my shoulder. Taylor would never do anything that he knew was bad for him, I thought to myself. Suddenly I noticed that Taylor stopped walking. Just so abruptly, his arms tightened around me, and I looked up. I was surprised to see how close his face was to mine, and how close his lips were to mine. Staring right into his eyes, everything felt so unreal… And it only got worse when he leaned in. My vision went blurry as he touched his lips to my forehead, and murmured, “You’re amazing. Don’t you ever forget it,” And carefully set my feet down on the steps to my house.
After he kissed me, the rest of the night passed by in a haze… I was so drowsy that I barely noticed my mother, passed out on the couch as usual. What I distinctly remember, though, was the comfortable warmth that encompassed me for the rest of the night.
Destructive