A Boyfriend Like Him

Seven Minutes In Heaven

Thank you dear Anushkaa for the cover. You're a gem.
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Chapter Thirty
-Seven Minutes In Heaven-

I woke to a brightly lit room the next morning. When I had fallen asleep it had been next to Taylor as we watched another movie. I figured he would leave before I woke up, maybe to sneak back to his bed or to get an early start at the gym. I could still smell his cologne and he'd left his watch on my bedside table. As I came out of my sleeping haze, I concentrated on the watch and thought back to last night. He somehow managed to pull me out of my self-conscious funk and it meant he was dangerous to any resolve I made that didn't include letting myself be a hundred percent into him. Kathy was sitting on her bed organising her bag when I finally sat up and she gave me smirk.
"Lover boy snuck out at the crack of dawn," She told me, confirming one of my theories. "He was going to the gym, although it wasn't his usual walk of shame look," She smirked knowingly and I rolled my eyes.
"Because nothing's happening," I sighed and she laughed.
"Oh it so is, Taylor is majorly pissing off like eighty percent of the female demographic around here because he's not returning texts anymore. He's not even sending filthy snap chat pictures back and those girls aren't sending him pictures of their faces, if you know what I'm saying," She winked at me and I rolled my eyes and gave an ungraceful snort. "So when did it first happen?" She asked with an excited grin. "He was as good as I told you, right?"
"Don't know what you're talking about," I muttered, lifting from the bed and grabbing my showering stuff.
"Oh, what evs," She scoffed. "You can't play coy with me, Walters. I know what Taylor looks like straight out of bed, and you wouldn't exactly win any poker face awards yourself," She continued on.
"Fine, it happened," I admitted and it may be the first time I've actually heard anything resembling a girly squeal come from Kathy.
"Knew it," She fist pumped into the air.
"But, I'm not talking about it," I told her and made a beeline for the door.

I stood in the shower for as long as it took for my country girl guilt about wasting water to kick in. But before that, as I stood there I couldn't help the small smile that came to my face as I watched my feet. Nine of my ten toes were painted a silky looking cherry red. One, the biggest toe on my right foot was seriously messed up. While he had managed to keep on the nail and not paint my skin, the paint was uneven in some places and looked like it was done with year old, thick nail polish. He had been so excited about the fact that he actually kept on the nail, I didn't have the heart to tell Taylor that the more nail polish on the brush, the better the consistency. Watching his face concentrating as he did small, sharp stabs of the brush against my nail was too heart-warming to criticise.

I finally turned off the water, and made my way back to my room. Kathy was still there getting ready and the smirk was firmly in place.
"So, you like him?" She asked casually as we shared the makeup mirror.
"What if I do?" I replied more defensively than I meant too.
"Wow," She laughed, stopping her routine to look at me. "You really like him." I rolled my eyes at her, hoping my coolness covered for my sweat inducing terror. "No, seriously." She stopped me and made me face her, looking actually concerned. "How badly have you got it for him?" She asked me and I avoided her eye contact until she drew in a gasp. "Wow. Well, honestly," She stated quite frankly. "Anyone else I would feel seriously sorry for you, but I reckon you should give this a shot," She told me.
"What for?" I asked, sounding bitterer than I thought I would. "So he can prepare his speech to break it off easy at the end of this week?" I asked, hating every word that came out of my mouth. Kathy stopped and gave me a dead eyed stare.
"Don't," She told me.
"What?"
"Don't be that girl."
"What girl?"
"The poor, woe-is-me girl that gives up before she gives herself a chance and blames everything else for the lack of balls to stand up and ask for what you want," she glared at me, being scary even with only one eye lined in black eye liner.
"I have balls," I glared back at her and her eyebrows raised to condescending peaks.
"You have about as much balls as a gelding," Kathy replied. "You're not even giving this a damn chance."
"Do you blame me?" I asked. "You just tell me he's getting sexts and nude snap chats from the entire female populous and you want me to have balls?"
"I did say that and I also said I haven't found a girl he has replied too since the beginning of last week. Whatever has happened between then and now means you've found the fountain of eternal youth, the Holy Grail, you may pass go and collect two hundred dollars. You have his whole attention and that is no mean feat when it comes to Taylor 'ADHD' Cadley."
"I blew him in the showers," I muttered half sarcastically and she threw her head back and laughed loudly.
"Atta' girl. Way to get it done!" She congratulates me and I roll my eyes. "Give him a chance, Lucy," She tells me seriously. "Promise me, you'll give him a chance."
I watch her face and she's serious, she's demanding I stay genuine. She seemingly see's something I mustn't and I feel nauseous with hope, wondering if she's maybe right. Would it be so bad to hope? What is the worst that could happen?
I already knew the answer to that. I would end up where I was with Jake, really. Licking my wounds, watching him gallivant with whoever held his attention more than I did. I was doing okay after Jake. I could survive again.
"Fine," I finally mutter and turn to continue my make-up, not missing Kathy's self-satisfied smirk when I glance at her in the mirror.

We walk out of the building and head to our respective classes together. Passing the café, I see Taylor in there talking to Robbo and he turns to look at me just before I pass him completely.
"Lucy, wait!" He calls out and I stop and oblige him. "Buttercup," He grins as he suddenly appears in front of me.
"Are you coming to class?" I ask and he shakes his head.
"Got to do something for another class," He tells me and smirks as he proceeds to look me up and down. "Nice toe nails," He grins and it makes me laugh. "You get a professional to do those for you?"
"Yeah," I snort. "Cost a whole five minutes of making out."
"Excellent, I love a girl who can haggle. I saw them advertised for seven minutes in heaven. I just wanted to say good morning." He gives me an honest little smile and I could faint then and there.
"Good morning Taylor," I grin back at him.
"Good morning, Buttercup," He replies and pulls me to him. I meet his kiss halfway and let him pick me up and spin in a full circle before dropping me again. I pull back and become aware of Kathy lying on the foot path next to us, heaving and convulsing.
"So gross. Can't. Handle. The cooties!" She gasps.
"Hi, this is my overdramatic, childish roommate," I tell Taylor.
"I hear she puts out and isn't actually afraid of cooties," He laughs in reply.
"You should see what she will do for a Klondike bar," I snort.
"You should see what she won't do for a Klondike bar," Taylor counters and I 'ooh' ominously, while laughing. Kathy obviously over her case of the cooties sits up and glares at us.
"Like you guys are fricken saints," she snaps at us, standing up again.
"You forgot your watch," I tell him and pull it out of my bag to give to him.
"Got to leave something to come back for," He smirks with a naughty look in his eyes as he slips it on his wrist.
"I'll see you after classes?" I ask Taylor and he nods.
"Basketball courts at eleven." And then just because I can, I cup his face in my hands and pull it to me. Moulding my lips to his, I sigh as he wraps his arms around my waist one more time. "See yah around, cutie," He mumbles against my lips and winks at me as he unwraps himself and runs back to where he came from. I watch him go and you couldn't get this smile off my face even if you used acid and a high pressure water blaster.
"I knew you guys were so into each other," Kathy mumbles and I turn to her. "And you wanted to pull back and leave him hanging dry. Idiot," She mutters as she begins walking again. I don't want to disagree with her so I just start walking with her, keeping pace. The smile still firmly planted where it belongs.