A Boyfriend Like Him

You're Beyond Me

I must say, this might be my favourite chapter so far. I wrote the thing and even I swooned just a little.

Chapter Ten
-You're Beyond Me-

"Aww, am I witnessing the first lovers tiff?" I looked up to find Robbo giving me Bambi eyes. I scooped up ice from my empty cup and threw it at him.
"Get stuffed," I glared at him and he laughed loudly.
"You move on quick," He observed. "Weren't you sprawled out against a wall under Brennan last week?" He asked and I felt my features turn icy at the mention of Jake.
"Well as always, Taylor is there to pick up my rubbish," Jake appeared from nowhere. His features were harsh as he looked us over.
"Oh, go fuck yourself," I found myself replying to Jake without much thought.
"But only after you're done screwing Milly," Taylor chimed in and I gave him a small smile in thanks.
"Well," Robbo looked around the small group uncomfortably. "Obviously this is something I shall never bring up again as a conversation starter. I need a drink," Robbo announced and retreated into the safety of the rest of the group as I glared at Jake.
"What happened to 'Take me back Lucy, I've changed Lucy'?" Taylor spat in question at Jake and his steely eyes took Taylor in for a moment.
"You touched her. She's soiled goods now." His hard gaze flicked to me. "Worthless." If his head could combust from the heat of a gaze, I would have enjoyed watching his face melt into a gooey steaming pile of liquefied skin.
"I wouldn't say she's soiled," Taylor smirked at him. "I'd call her smart for kicking your, good for nothing, ass to the curb," He glanced at me and then back to Jake.
"Can you just go away?" I asked. "No one is in the mood to deal with your bullshit." His icy stare stayed on me. He was trying to make an impact I was sure, but I wasn't feeling it, whatever his intentions were. I stared right back at him, hoping to find his face would start growing hot. After a moment, Jake disappeared into the crowd and I sighed.
"You have wonderful taste in men," Taylor murmured after a silent moment.
"I did, until I met you and your best friend," I grumbled back at him. "I suddenly have absolutely no desire to stay here anymore. You're my boyfriend, you have to come with me," I demanded and Taylor gave me an unsure, but willing to see where this goes, look.

I led him outside and directly into the neighbouring bottle shop that resided next to The Hub. I plucked an unsuspecting bottle of black current vodka from the shelf and Taylor snorted.
"Planning on a party?" He asked and I gave him a glance as I moved to pay for it. Jake had pissed me off, I knew he was upset about the situation but I wasn't sure why it was being taken out on me when I wasn't the one jumping into the sack for round two with my ex. He had made his bed, he can damn well lie in it. The alcohol safely in the brown paper bag, I dragged Taylor back to my room and he fell onto my bed as I cracked the seal on the evening's festivities in a bottle.

"You're a bad influence," I told Taylor as I proceeded to take a gulp and then choke the burning liquid down. "I never drank anywhere near as much as I have since I met you." Taylor grinned and shrugged, taking the bottle when I handed it to him.
"I have that effect on people," He replied with acceptance. "My parents, teachers, siblings," He murmured and I glanced at him. The spark in his eyes told me he was joking. "Now my girlfriend," He sighed and then smirked.
"Glad I'll have company at my first AA meeting then," I replied and he laughed.
"Remember, admitting you have a problem is the first step," He frowned at me and I rolled my eyes.
"My only problem is an almost ex with a grudge and an about to be ex with a friendly trouser snake."
"He's a people person," Taylor smirked proudly, petting his crotch. I laughed out loud and he grinned at me. I took the bottle from him and choked down another gulp and started feeling it spread through my limbs since I hadn't gotten around to eating dinner. I settled on my small bed next to Taylor and gave him the bottle back.
"Why does he have to be such a bastard?" I murmured, after a moment of silence. Taylor pulled me into his arms and allowed me to rest my head on his chest.
"You dumped him before he could dump you?" Taylor suggested and I sighed.
"He says he wants another chance and then as soon as he sees us together, it's like I don't even exist. It's just about how good of a jibe he can come up with to insult you." I sat up a little so I could pull my head up to look at Taylor, who was peering down at me looking concerned.
"I'm not sure how many more times I can apologise for him before I have to physically harm him," He warned me and I gave him a small smile in return.
"It's okay," I assured him. "He's just proving that looks can be deceiving. I thought he was one of the good ones. He wasn't supposed to be the asshole here."
"I'm guessing I was?" Taylor asked, with a small amused smirk and I shrugged.
"You were, but you're not living up to your stereotype either. Do something about that please," I requested and he grinned, shaking his head.
"If I was the asshole, we'd have stopped talking by now," He murmured and smiled at him.
"If we're going by stereotypes, I should have kneed you in the jewels and gone to find some girl to make out with." I liked watching the way his brown eyes turned up in laughter. The little creases at the edges and the laugh lines around his mouth.
"How I ended up fake dating the crazy feminist lesbian, is beyond me," He teased. "All I ask is that I'm allowed to watch the show," He requested and I hit his chest.
"What if my type is really butch, chunky chicks?" I asked.
"A show is still a show, bring it," He smirked and I rolled my eyes.
"You're beyond me," I sighed and he laughed.
"I agree with you there," He nodded, his brow creasing into seriousness.
"How do I stop it?" I asked after a moment. "How do I stop getting upset that I didn't mean anything to him when he kind of meant something to me?"
"No idea, buttercup," Taylor frowned at me. "I like alcohol, myself. Anonymous women help too," He added with a smirk.
"Find me a pool full of vagina, so I can just dive in," I glared at him and he laughed loudly.

We lay in silence for another moment as we passed the bottle between us. His hand had lifted the back of my shirt up just enough that he was running his nails back and forth along the bottom of my back. It was a comfortable silence that I wouldn't expect Taylor capable of, having just dragged him from the bar to cuddle on my bed and slowly get drunk in frustration from Jake. But, just like his hand was nice to hold and lips were good at kissing, his chest was perfect for resting on. He was made up of one puzzle after another.
He could have been giving one girl the world with his interest and attention solely on her, but he spread himself around giving only a miniscule bit of his goodness to those he chose to involve himself with. I was getting the feeling that he extremely undervalued his own worth when it came to relationships. That girl that finally gets Taylor was going to win the jackpot prize and it was a little uncomfortable that that thought made me a little bit jealous.
I pulled myself from my unnerving thoughts and looked up at him instead. I met his gaze and held his stare. We didn't say anything, just looked at each other silently. His brown eyes, liquid like maple syrup took me in and I lost myself a little at the sincerity in them. I didn't want him for myself; he was too much for me. We'd clash every moment and want to wring each other's necks daily, but I knew I loved him, in a very much friend way. I cared deeply for what the future held for him. I didn't want anything bad to ever happen to him, he didn't deserve it. It's rare to find platonic affection for another person like this, so I knew I wanted to savour it while it lasted.
Who else could I really do this with? Silently and comfortably lie on a bed with no intention of it going any further, knowing that the boundary that was being crossed daily for his assignment was still fully in place behind closed doors. I never even did this with Trent before we got together, and we didn't do it after, either. I looked at Taylor and saw a very special person that I wanted to keep in my life for as long as I was able. He was rare, so was what we had together.
"Thank you," I whispered to him and to whoever brought him to me. He left the bottle on the night stand and used his newly freed hand to cup my face. He surprised me when instead of the kiss I was expecting him to give me; he proceeded to move forward and press his lips to my forehead, letting them linger for a long moment. I closed my eyes against the action and just let the gesture and moment wash over me. When he pulled back, I turned and rested my head on his chest. His fingers threaded with mine to hold my hand, while the other hand slowly started moving against my lower back again.