The Fame of Love

Chapter Thirty-Six

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

I fell asleep around three o’clock that morning. At exactly 3:06 is when I heard the knock on my door.

Flipping over, I saw Becka still silently asleep as the knocking softly continued. I got up and slowly opened the door to see Taylor standing in the doorway. Moaning in anger, I walked out into the hallway with him.

“What the hell are you doing here at three in the morning?” I demanded. “Shouldn’t you be asleep?”

He laughed, “Please, this is early for me.”

I rolled my eyes, wiping them after I finished, “What do you want? Becka’s fast asleep and I wouldn’t wake her up.”

“I didn’t come here for Becka.” He admitted. “I came to talk to you.”

There was a pause in his words as he waited for me to catch onto what he was saying.

I laughed in sarcasm, “If you’re here to do Ryan’s dirty work and clean up the mess. I’d rather pass and go back to sleep.” I walked back to the door but he stopped me before I could open it.

“That’s not why I’m here. And it’s not what you think.” He fought.

I choked up a laugh, “Than what is it Taylor? Please, enlighten me. Because him kissing his ex before she left painted a pretty clear picture of what I think.”

He shook his head and pushed me back down the hallway, “Its. Not. What. You. Think.” He repeated. “You need to talk to Ryan.”

“And why are you telling me this and not him!” I demanded, holding back the tears. “Do you know what I felt like, what I do feel like right now?” Tears fell. “You said you’d hurt him if he ever did anything but treat me right. And I don’t want you to hurt him, I just don’t see how you could take his side over mine.” I was yelling now, and a few people from their rooms were checking the hallway to see what was going on.

“Paula!” Taylor hushed. “Calm down! I’m on your side. I just think you need to hear him out.”

I shook my head in dismay, “And he made you come out here to fight for him? That’s pathetic.”

“No!” He continued to fight. “Listen! If you don’t want to hear him out, that’s fine.” He waved his arms. “But you’ll never know the whole story. And he did not send me out here to fight for him. I’ve seen how he’s been acting since you left him and he’s been miserable.”

I walked forward and said my words slowly, “I don’t give a damn about his feelings right now. You tell him that; because HE is the one who’s put me through Hell and back these past few days.” I let the words stick. “I didn’t break us up. He did that all on his own.” And after that, I turned and walked away back into the hotel room, slid down the old wooden door, set my head in hands, and cried whatever tears I had left.

The last few days spent in Maui weren’t much to brag about. Everyone seemed to be having a great time, but me. My parents had arranged for us to all go horseback riding on the beach; and when I say all of us,  I mean me, my parents, Taylor and Becka, and then Ryan and I. I chose the horse in the back so I wouldn’t have to make eye contact with anyone.

The next day we all spent time vedging on the beach, I pretended to sleep, but really I was holding back tears lying on my stomach in the sand. Everything was reminding me too much of what Ryan and I were doing.

The day after was our last day in Maui, we were flying out later that night and would arrive back in Redding sometime around midnight. Right before we left we went to a restaurant and then headed to the airport. The entire time doing so, I managed to dodge both Taylor and Ryan. Becka had stayed with me instead.