A Boyfriend Like Him

Sunshine

"I know I fucked up, I know she doesn't trust me. I assure you, even though I don't have to answer to anybody here, that she isn't just fucking skipping off into the sunset with me. You have no right to assume to know what's going on in anyone else's relationships. So, don't come at me with your high and mighty opinion, making her feel like shit and reminding me how fucked up I am. She and I are both fully aware of what I did and neither of us have forgotten about it." The girl visibly shrank while standing in front of him.

"If she and I end up back together, if she makes the decision that she can find a way to give me another chance, that is her choice and you're a really fucking shitty person for making her question it, when I know for a fact that she's already confused and trying to figure it all out still."

"I just..." The girl began to murmur, the conviction that was in her voice, now lost.

"You just fucking nothing," Taylor barked at her. "Sit the fuck down and the next time you have an opinion on someone else's relationship, keep your fucking mouth shut."

"You're done, Taylor," Mark spoke with demanding authority in his low voice.

"Don't we all fucking know it," Taylor muttered, taking his seat again next to mine. He was basically vibrating in anger.

"As for you Ashley, I have to agree with Taylor when he said the only opinions that matter come from the people in the relationship," Mark glanced towards the girl. "This whole semester I have been trying to have you people learn not to judge without knowing the full story. Knowing what I know now, I wouldn't have recommended Taylor and Lucy do the assignment that they just finished, but only because it ended in a rather public display of emotion that would have been better handled in private to save face for the people involved. But that's hindsight for you," He chuckled humourlessly. "Taylor and Lucy deserve the respect of you all, that all couples deserve. Common decency to stay out of their relationship, because we don't know what has happened behind their closed doors. Relationships happen and fall apart for an extraordinary number of reasons. We will one day be in, or have already been in their position and they need space of their own to figure out their own issues, the same way you all will, or have needed space, to sort out your issues. This is the last I will speak on the subject to you all and I will not have another word spoken about it in my classroom out of respect for the two of them." I loved Mark in that moment. A tight ball of anxiety I hadn't realised I had twisted up in my chest unfurled and I took a deep breath of gratitude. Catching Marks eye, he gestured to the door and I knew he was giving me the out if I wanted it, but I didn't want to miss any more class time. Shaking my head, I gave him the most grateful smile I was able too.

The class passed with little drama after it, although Taylor sat next to me and I felt every wave of anger that came off him. Grabbing his hand as we left the room, I dragged him to the empty room next to it and pulled him inside it.

"Taylor," I murmured, as I closed the door and his arms were suddenly wrapped around me from behind. I waited for him as he seemed to compose himself for a moment.

"I'm sorry," He murmured in my ear a moment later. Letting me go long enough for me to turn and face him, I pressed my palm to his cheek and got up on my tippie toes to kiss him softly.

"It wasn't fair of her to do that," I murmured and he snorted his amusement.

"I'm sorry I couldn't control my temper, I don't want to take back a single word though," He told me, pressing his forehead to mine. Closing my eyes, I breathed him in. "If you had of had this moment of clarity from what she said I would have lost it, I'm so fucking scared that I'm going to screw this up again and for good," He whispered and I shook my head.

"You're doing it fine, its everyone else that needs to not have an opinion," I replied.

"But she was right," Taylor swallowed hard enough that the action rippled through his body and I felt it where I was pressed up against him. "I was so fucking nasty and I still don't have a good reason why. I just..." He trailed off and I hadn't anything to say at that moment so I stayed quiet and let him finish that thought. "I don't know. I wanted to make you angry, I guess. If you were angry, you didn't want anything to do with me and then I didn't have to face what I feel for you and how you could hurt me so quickly if you wanted too."

"I don't want to Taylor," I shook my head. "We all have a bad side and I'm giving the chance to prove to me that the bad side isn't in control of you. I've already said it, you were doing fine until you decided to pre-empt my decisions. My decision right now is that I love you and I love you enough to try once more. That's all you need to worry about." Pulling back to look at him, he looked so worn down.

"You're amazing," He murmured, with a small smile.

"I like amazing," I grinned at him and he laughed.

"I prefer Mcstuffins," He replied and I gargled from the back of my throat in disgust.

"I'm not a burger on the McDonalds menu."

"But I'm lovin' it," He teased and I rolled my eyes. Pulling back I pointed at the door.

"You're outta here, sunshine."

"Oh, you found your own pet name for me?" He asked, with bright teasing eyes.

"You're a dork," I muttered at him.

"There's another one. I love them, Lucy. Keep going," He laughed as I pushed him out the door and outside.