7

~Jack~

Shoot. Shoot, shoot, shoot! Taylor is staying in my house. With me. Goddamn it!

I’m pacing in my office when someone steps in.

“Please leave me alone Sam. I’m not in the mood.” I push my hand through the front of my hair.

“Not Sam…Taylor. I was told to come and tell you that your shift is over? Sam is telling us to ‘get the hell out’.” She laughs awkwardly.

Why the hell did my pants just get tight. Crap!

“Oh, yeah.” I look at my watch. 10:30.

“Yeah, let’s go.” I grab my bag and jacket.

She nods and fidgets with her blonde hair.

---

We pull up to my apartment at eleven thirty.

The drive here was awkward and silent. It was awkward silence.

I put the car in park and open my door. I hear her door slam closed as I pick up my stuff.

We head to the front door and I see her in the corner of my eye.

She’s wrapped her arms around her torso, and I can see she’s holding back tears.

Shooot.

I open the door for us and she steps in behind me.

“Uhm, I’ll show you the guest room?” I gesture for her to follow me.

She nods and lowers her gaze.

I open the door to the guest room.

It’s small, walls painted gray-ish-white, queen sized bed with black and white bedding, night stands on each side, and a built in gray closet.

She steps past me into the room and looks around.

“Thank you for letting me live here Jack,” she says.

God why does hearing her say my name make my pulse quicken?

“It’s my pleasure,” I say.

I take a step out of the room when.

“Uhm, Jack?,” I hear her say.

I turn back.

“Yeah?”

“I—I don’t have anything to sleep in.”

That stops my heartbeat.

“Oh, uhm, I’ll get you some of my clothes. I’ll be right back,” I say.

I head into my room.

It’s a bit bigger than hers and matching with bedding, and furnishings. The one thing that’s different is the cat tree and toys littered everywhere.

I hear a chirrup from under my bed.

“Hey Bethy,” I say to the cat.

Bethy is my ten-year-old gray and white rag doll.

She rubs her head against my leg and chirrups again.

I go to my closet and throw it open, feeling like a Disney princess.

Pants, shorts, shirts, underwear—

My face flushes.

I don’t have anything underwear for her.

I grab a pair of white and navy blue Nike shorts and a gray T-shirt.

I knock on the door to her room.

“Come in,” I hear her say softly.

“I have some shorts and a shirt for you,” I tell her.

She looks up at me and I stop short.

She’s tiny. Maybe five four, and compared to me at six one she barely reaches my upper neck.

She looks at the clothes in my hand.

“Can I change?” She asks quietly.

I realize I’ve been staring.

“Oh yeah! Sorry, here. Good—good night,” I say.

“Night,” she reply’s.

I exit her room and go to my room.

---

Half an hour later I’m in bed and about to turn off the light when I hear something from Taylor’s bedroom.

Is she—is she crying?

Oh god. She’s crying.

I get up and walk to her room on the opposite side of the hall.

I knock.

“Taylor…? Are you…are you ok?” I ask.

I hear her feet padding to the door. She opens it.

Her face is splotchy and red, tear marks on her face.

“Oh yeah I’m fine.” She tries to smile.

“Are you sure?” I ask her, leaning against the door frame.

“Mhm!” She nods to enthusiastically.

“Alright…night,” I say.

I start to walk away, closing her door.

“Jack. Wait,” I hear her say.

I turn back to see her looking up at me, fresh tears filling her eyes.

“Yes?” I stand slightly back from her.

“Stay with me?”

Did I hear her right?

I definitely heard her right.

“Oh, uh, yeah. Yeah of course,” I say.

She steps aside to allow me in.

Nothing happened.

I held her as she cried her eyes out.

I held her as she sobbed and hurt and felt all the feelings from the past two days.

And I’m finally admitting to myself that I do feel something for this girl.