A Boyfriend Like Him

Snuffaluffagus

You're all getting your knickers in a knot about Lucy being one of those girls that's like 'I totally don't love him, it's blatently obvious to everyone else but him and I are besties and nothing more blah blah blah I'm a girl and have no idea who or what I want Wah wah Wah'.
I ask you one question: if you were dating a 'Taylor', would you want to be the first one to say I love you?
I wouldn't. So quit your bitching and just chill, Kay. Daaaamn.

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Chapter Twenty-Five
-Snuffaluffagus-

To say Taylor's father was intense was an understatement. We had been sitting on the couch as Taylor channel surfed and I read a book. The moment he opened the door of the house, the air seemed to become electric and Taylor's whole demeanour changed.
Taylor sat straighter, his hand that been resting behind me on the couch, absentmindedly stroking my shoulder stilled and then moved into his lap. His body hummed with nervous energy and he looked completely guilty, although he hadn't said a word to his father or done anything wrong before his father arrived home.
I tried to discreetly watch the older man as he walked into the living room and took a seat in one of the recliners next to the couch we were seated on. He was in a corporate suit that made an impression and sat stiffly in the chair. I then watched Taylor turn down the volume of the TV even though it wasn't at a distracting level. I had been easily reading with the noise around me.
"Dad, this is Lucy," Taylor quietly announced and the man peered at me over the rim of his glasses. His smile wasn't forced, but it was as easy as Judith had offered me.
"Ah, yes. Your girlfriend. Nice to meet you, you can call me Bruce," He offered.
"Thank you for having me this weekend," I smiled at him, unsure of what else to say.
"No trouble at all. Judith was ecstatic to hear that Taylor had finally found a girl he deemed worthy of committing too. You should have seen her when he then proceeded to tell her he was bringing her home for the weekend. She's been working herself ragged to prepare for Taylor's visit." Taylor's jaw was working overtime; the tick in the muscle was completely distracting in my peripheral vision as he worked hard to obviously restrain himself from responding. "What with the chair being more and more of a necessity for her nowadays, anything that brings her spirits back up is welcome in this house." His voice was deep and serious, but there was softness in his stormy grey eyes when he spoke of his wife. "And by the look of the greeting I've received from her today, I'd say she's been fussing all over both of you today."
"A little, Taylor's been doing the heavy lifting though," I smiled and a small smirk pulled at the corner of his grim looking mouth.
"As it should be. Speaking of heavy lifting, how is school going, son?" Bruce asked, glancing at Taylor. "I hope that it's not all just girls and good times. You are keeping a top of your work load?" Taylor glared at his dad and I almost wanted to squirm at the level of tension radiating from Taylor right now.
"Of course I am," He almost hissed. "Can't be a disappointment to anyone, can I?" He demanded and his father studied him seriously for a moment.
"Still have the attitude, I see," he murmured to himself, opening his newspaper and spreading it out. Taylor glared at the television as his dad shut us out with his newspaper held up high. I poked Taylor in the thigh and when he looked at me with his serious scowl, I frowned at him.
"Are you okay?" I mouthed to him and he shrugged and looked away from me. I hated seeing him like this and wanted to do something. I just wasn't sure what I could do. I looked down at my book and tried to get back into it. After the third time I had to reread a paragraph, I realised I wasn't going to be able to get back into the book. I closed it and sighed which made Taylor glance over at me.
"Good book?" He murmured and I shrugged.
"It was," I gave him a small smile and glanced over to his dad and then back to Taylor.
"Sorry," He mouthed. "Come on," he took my hand as he stood up and pulled me from the room.

Just as we walked past the front door headed towards Taylors room, it opened. An older, but less attractive looking Taylor walked through the door. Taylor stopped, so I had to too, but I didn't miss his hand tighten its grip on my fingers.
"Simon, hey," Taylor greeted and the guy broke out into a big grin.
"Little brother, you are here this weekend. Excellent. Got the best news, buddy. Best. News."
"You're running away and joining the circus?" Taylor asked, sarcastically and Simon threw his head back and let out a laugh.
"You wish, punk. Ronnie is on her way over from the doctors and we're having dinner here. Please be nice to her, man. Today is huge." Taylor rolled his eyes and I got the distinct impression Taylor didn't like her.
"When am I ever anything but pleasant?" He asked with a dry tone. "Speaking of being polite, Lucy this is Simon. Simon this is..." He paused and looked back at me for a moment. "This is my girlfriend."
Simon's eyes widened and he smirked at me. He looked exactly like Bruce did just before, but Simons smirk was more condescending.
"Lucy, hey? I would have thought your name would end up being Snuffaluffagus, as in only Taylor can see you. But here you are... in the flesh. A real life, honest to god, not terrified of Taylors complete inability to commit, girlfriend," he laughed; Taylor tensed and almost growled from the back of his throat.
"If Ronnie is coming from the doctors and today is huge for you guys, she's pregnant." Simon's wide eyes confirmed Taylor's suspicions. "How pissed will she be if I tell mum before you two get too?" Taylor questioned with his own condescending smirk and Simons face dropped to a glare.
"Don't you dare," Simon hissed, glancing around him to make sure no one overheard.
"Then treat Lucy with more respect, you ass-hat," Taylor hissed back at him. Simon glanced down to me and gave me a small half assed smile.
"Sorry, Lucy," He murmured.
"That's alright," I whispered, not sure what else to say. Simon glared at Taylor for one more moment and then stepped around us and headed towards the kitchen.
"Fuck my family," Taylor watched Simon disappear through a doorway and then sighed. "...Seriously."
"It's okay, Taylor," I murmured quietly and he shook his head.
"It's really not," He replied, and started pulling me along again.

He took me through the house and out the back door. The backyard was overflowing with plants and greenery.
"As soon as we stopped showing an interest in playing out the back, mum had the entire backyard converted to her personal rainforest," Taylor joked as he pulled me along a well maintained path. "She used to do all the hard work herself, but now she's in the wheel chair a lot more she has someone come in and maintain it all." He pulled me up a dozen steps and we were in front of a large gazebo. Around the edges were small potted plants and in the middle a large outdoor table and chairs setting.
"It's beautiful here," I smiled and Taylor nodded.
"It's her hideaway for when she needs time away from her awful children," he laughed. "Her words, not mine."
"Stop it," I rolled my eyes as Taylor pulled out a chair for me and took the one next to me.
"It's true. We're monsters that ruined her figure, bank account and social life," He laughed. "You should hear her go on and on about it." He rolled his eyes, feigning exasperation.
"I could imagine. In just one week, you've pretty much ruined my social life," I frowned at him and he smirked at me, shaking his head.
"Nope, I've improved it, Buttercup." He told me.
"Really?"
"Oh yeah," He exclaimed with a grin. "I'm the only one worth hanging out with at school and I've been all over you like a rash, therefore your social life is at max capacity." I laughed at his sheer ability to be a complete arrogant ass, yet endearing at the same time.
"How on earth could I miss that completely rational, reasonable point?" I asked and he shrugged.
"It's really lucky you have me to point these things out. You might think you're not living the amazing life you actually are living, without me."
"Oh, how would I cope?" I muttered in a dry tone which made Taylor laugh. We sat silently for a moment, taking in our surroundings before I spoke again. "You don't really get on with your dad and brother, huh?" I asked, peaking at him from the corner of my eyes.
"I just think there's more to life than wasting your time behind a desk all day, every day and then expecting your offspring to do it too," Taylor replied quietly. "I don't like what they expect of me, more so than them, themselves."
"I'm not sure about your brother, but I suspect your dad only wants the best for you. He found a way to make sure his family was comfortable and wants that for you when you start your family."
"True, but there are other ways to be comfortable. Not everyone wants to live in a giant house with giant cars and giant bank accounts," Taylor murmured.
"There are people busting their arses for all those things," I frowned at him and he returned the frown.
"Then give it to them," He replied, simply. "Why should I have it given to me, when the guy under me has made hundred percent more effort to get it?" He asked and I stared at him for a long time.
"You know, you scare me sometimes with the modesty that can come out of your mostly arrogant mouth?" I asked and he cracked a grin.
"There I go again, proving that I'm not so much of an asshole, huh?" He laughed and I nodded.
"It's kind of terrifying how consistent you are being with the non-asshole thing," I admitted with a smirk.