"This is so strange," Taylor giggled, jogging the last few steps to where Joe stood on the lawn in front of her mansion. "Thank you for coming back. I didn't think you would."
"Is it creepy?" asked Joe. "I just couldn't get you out of my mind, I had to come find you again."
"I was thinking about you too," Taylor smiled, happy that she was in his thoughts. "We barely got time to talk, but I really liked it."
"Let's go back out to that garden, shall we?" asked Joe, offering his hand.
"I have a better idea," Taylor told him, and took his hand anyway, but led the way in a different direction.
"Where are you taking me?" asked Joe, amused by how easily Taylor took the lead. She was beautiful with an amazing personality; it was no wonder he couldn't stop thinking of her.
"Somewhere we can be alone." Taylor looked back at him, her skin sparkling in the moonlight as she smiled over her shoulder.
It wasn't too far of a walk, just to a lake near the edge of the property. The moon reflected on the dark surface, causing it to shimmer even in the dead of night.
"No one will find us here," Taylor said with content and certainty.
"There's no one here anymore, who would find us?" Joe frowned.
Sighing, Taylor took a seat on the grass, and motioned for Joe to join her. They just sat for a while, looking out on the glassy top of the lake.
"My parents don't like you much," Taylor revealed finally, tilting her head to look at him once more.
The corner of Joe's lip turned up slightly, as if this was some sort of bad joke. "What'd they say?" he asked, and it almost sounded as if this was a conversation he'd had before.
"They said you're... reckless and bad at commitment," Taylor said. "They don't want me around you."
Joe nodded, looking down at the ground. He fiddled with a blade of grass, bending it back against itself. "What do you believe?" he asked.
"That they're wrong," Taylor confessed. "Is it dumb to trust someone so quickly?" she asked.
"I don't know," Joe responded truthfully.
"Who was that girl? Polly, is she your girlfriend?" Taylor questioned.
"She's my sister," Joe said, smiling faintly. "My twin sister."
Taylor felt lighter all of a sudden, relieved that Joe wasn't in love with someone else, that he didn't have a different girl just waiting to be his Juliet.
"Oh, that was the other thing. That you're the odd one out of your siblings," Taylor recalled. "How many do you have?"
"Three," Joe answered. "My older brother, Tom. He's still in London. My twin sister Polly, and our baby brother Patrick. He's seven."
"Awe," Taylor said, smiling at the idea of a mini Joe. "You're so nice. Why don't my parents want me around you?"
"Well," Joe began, chuckling slightly. "I think that's a rather awkward question to answer about myself."
Smirking a little, Taylor realized it probably was a completely inappropriate topic to be discussing with him, and blushed. "I'm sorry," she laughed, looking away.
"I think I can answer the black sheep part, though," Joe offered. "I'm just the only one who doesn't care about all the fancy things. My family aren't pricks. They don't value it above everything else. They just... like to put in the effort. I don't hate it, but I don't choose it. They choose," he explained.
Smiling a little at the irony, Taylor knew why her parents had requested she stay away from him. "So you got the reputation of the black sheep because you don't actively care for the fancy things," she clarified.
"And when you have a suffering reputation, people enjoy knocking it lower," Joe said with a bitter smile.
"I like reckless," Taylor told him, and moved closer, their legs only an inch apart now. "I don't care so much about the fancy things either. I think that's why my parents don't want you around me."
"Since we both don't care for it?" asked Joe, raising his eyebrows.
"My parents want me to care. I care a bit. It just bores me, so much of the same old, same old," Taylor said.
"I'm really gald I came back here tonight," Joe said. "I really enjoyed talking to you alone earlier, and since it got cut short, I wanted to make up for that lost time."
As a memory from earlier slid into the forefront of her mind, Taylor bit her lip, furrowing her eyebrows a bit. "I don't know if we were alone earlier," she said unsurely.
"What do you mean?" Joe asked, extremely confused.
"In the garden earlier... something in the bushes moved. Remember?" said Taylor.
Frowning, the memory resurfaced in Joe's head, a moment he hadn't thought about at all since it happened. "What do you suggest?"
"I don't know. It was weird that my parents knew I had been with you, though. I only talked to you for a moment inside, hidden in the crowd," Taylor pointed out.
Joe's eyes darkened slightly, growing more suspicious. The night was silent, and the pair just looked at each other, ideas hatching in their minds.
Suddenly, there was the snap of a twig. Taylor nearly screamed, instead gasping in suprise and jumping into Joe, her widened eyes looking in the direction that had come from.
"We definitely aren't alone," Joe breathed. It wasn't even odd to be holding Taylor so suddenly, instead it felt as if she was just a missing puzzle piece.
"I should get back to my room," Taylor said hastily, and she and Joe stood up together, using the other for support. "Thanks for coming by. It was really nice to talk to you again."
They were walking back to the mansion now, holding hands. "I'll come by again soon, I promise you," Joe told her, and put his other arm around her body as they hurried away.
"I can't wait. I'm so sorry about all this," Taylor told him.
"Don't worry. We don't know... anything for sure yet," Joe told her. They reached a spot just outside of the light, right at the edge of the shadows. Joe stopped, as did Taylor. "I'll leave now," he whispered.
"Stay a moment," Taylor breathed. She looked into his eyes, and then fluttered them shut as she leaned her head forward, gently connecting her lips with his. They held it for a while, needing nothing more than it.
"Flawless," she breathed into the nighttime air, never breaking her gaze with his blue eyes.
"I'll be seeing you soon," Joe whispered. He tucked her hair behind her ear before turning around and disappearing into the shadows.
Taylor was on an emotional high as she walked back to the house. She felt like a little kid, wanting to sing and dance and scream in joy at the kiss she had just experienced.
"Taylor."
At the strict voice of her father, Taylor stopped abruptly in the middle of the entryway.
"What have you been doing?" Scott demanded, his stern gaze making Taylor turn her face to the ground.
"I couldn't sleep so I went on a walk," Taylor said so quietly she knew her parents could tell it was a lie.
"We told you earlier, Taylor. We don't want you around that Alwyn boy. He is nothing but trouble," Andrea said.
"Mom, he's nice. You just don't know him," Taylor defensively responded.
"Oh, sure. Nice boys sneak girls out at two in the morning," Scott said dryly, clearly annoyed with his daughter.
"You shouldn't date someone like him," Andrea added on primly.
"Who do you approve of me dating, then?" demanded Taylor, extremely angry at her parents.
"Perhaps John, from the country club?" Scott suggested. Taylor wrinkled her nose. "He's nice, respectable, and has expressed interest in you."
"He's also, like, ten years older than me," Taylor said in disgust.
"Seven," Scott corrected. "He'd be good for you."
"I don't want to date him," Taylor frowned. "I really like Joe."
"You just met him," Andrea argued, hoping to knock some sense into her daughter.
Taylor huffed, seeing that this argument was going to go nowhere. She was also finally tired, and really just wanted to be asleep up in her bed. "Can I go to sleep?" she asked.
"Fine," said Scott. "But don't meet with the Alwyn boy again. He'll bring nothing but trouble to your life."
Knowing she didn't want to agree to those terms, Taylor simply stormed off to her bedroom.
-
A few days later, Taylor found herself wanting much more than usual to go with her family to the country club. Rarely was she ever this enthusiastic, her parents just knew it had to do with Joe. After some private discussion, they allowed her to go in the hopes that John could sway her.
As Taylor sat in the car, she grew more worried that Joe wouldn't be there. He hadn't been too keen on it since the very first moment Taylor had met him, after all.
While her father went off to go golf and her mother to chat with friends, Taylor and her brother went to the pool.
"See ya!" Austin called to Taylor, already in his swimsuit, as he ran and lept into the pool to meet his friend.
Taylor looked around the pool, which was extremely large but not extremely crowded, thankfully. She suddenly spotted Polly, standing in a bikini and bending down a bit to speak to the little boy in front of her. Polly moved to reach for something, and Taylor felt a flutter in her stomach when she saw Joe was sitting on a pool chair, having been blocked by Polly and an umbrella.
"Hey!" she called out to him, beaming as she walked over.
A delighted smile spread over Joe's face when he saw her, and Taylor felt herself lose her mind just a little bit more. He was so beautiful, enchanting, she couldn't believe he was real.
"Fancy seeing you here. Brock at the front was saying you don't frequent it," Joe said, using his hand fo shield his eyes from the light.
"You asked about me?" Taylor responded, touched and excited.
"Wouldn't stop, actually," Polly cut in, smiling at her brother. "He was really insistent. I think he likes you."
Both Joe and Taylor blushed, and Taylor giggled, feeling like a schoolgirl.
"Don't believe we've formally met. I'm Polly," Polly said, lifting her hand in a friendly wave.
"Taylor, but I guess you know that," Taylor laughed. "It's nice to meet you."
"You as well! Joe hasn't shut up about you," Polly teased.
Giggling again, Taylor felt more butterflies take flight inside her. "I'm flattered," she managed to say, and hoped she didn't sound like an idiot.
Polly smiled warmly at Taylor, and then glanced to Patrick, who had began playing catch with Austin in the pool.
"Pat! Get back here, you need sunscreen," Polly called, and held up a spray bottle.
"I don't want to!" Patrick whined, and turned to them with a pout.
"It's not up for discussion," replied Polly sternly.
"Come on," Joe said suddenly, standing up and taking Taylor's hand. "Let's go in the pool. You don't need to listen to this."
"Does this happen every time?" asked Taylor curiously.
"Pretty often, yeah," Joe nodded. "Let's go swimming. You've got a suit on, right?"
"Course I do," Taylor grinned. She quickly slipped out of the sundress she'd been wearing, her dark green bikini on underneath. Joe took off his shirt, revealing his toned body, and Taylor was falling even harder for him.
"I'll race you," Joe taunted, getting into a running position.
"Go!" Taylor urged, and both of them sprinted towards the deep end of the pool and leapt into it, with Taylor landing in just a second after Joe.
"I win!" Joe said victoriously, throwing his fists in the air.
"By a second!" Taylor protested. Joe ran his hand across the surface of the water, spraying some at Taylor. "Rude," she pouted.
"You're already soaking wet!" Joe cried, his voice ringing wih laughter.
Taylor rolled her eyes, paddling away from him. "Try and catch me!" she called, and led him on a chase throughout the pool before finally he cut her off, diving under and wrapping her arms around her torso. Then he swam up, lifting her body above the water.
"Ah, Joe!" Taylor laughed, flailing slightly before he lowered her back down. Forgetting that they were in public, she swam closer and pulled him in for a kiss, right in the middle of the pool.
"Whoo!" Austin whistled, and Taylor pulled away, her face flushed deep red. "Nice one!" he called out.
"My brother," Taylor explained to Joe, and then stuck her tongue out in Austin's direction.
"Let's go somewhere else," Joe suggested, already paddling towards the side of the pool. He pushed himself out, and then waited as Taylor did the same.
"I want do clean off first," Taylor said. "I'll meet you right back out here?"
After quickly rinsing off, Taylor found Joe back out by the pool, also dressed back in regular clothes.
"I know secret places here, too," Joe said softly. "Come with me."
He led her around, clearly very familiar with the place. Taylor had once been, but she'd stopped frequenting the place and there had been a remodel over the past year, so she didn't know it as well.
"I can guess you're here a lot," Taylor commented, as he walked her through the garden. This was something that had changed a lot in the remodel, and she barely knew where she was.
"All the time," Joe said, sounding tired. "My parents want to really integrate themselves into the community, whatever that means."
Taylor laughed, knowing that far too well. Joe had now led her off the path, and they walked over flower beds and past the well groomed bushes and pearly white statues.
"Back here," said Joe. She followed him behind a tree, over some tangled tree roots. There, he sat down, leaning against the trunk. "Have a seat."
The grass was nice, fresh and green and soft beneath Taylor's legs when she sat down as well, cross legged, looking to Joe.
"My parents want me to marry some country club jerk who's seven years older than me," Taylor said, upset.
"At the country club here?" inquired Joe, looking around at his surroundings as if someone else was there.
"This is the only country club we're a part of, isn't it?" replied Taylor pointedly.
"True... god, that's disgusting," said Joe.
"I think they want to give me ideas of men who aren't you," Taylor told him blankly. Joe was silent, staring at the ground as he sat in his thoughts, seemingly conflicted. After a moment, Taylor spoke again. "I really like you, Joe." She reached out, her manicured finger just brushing against his arm before she let her outstretched hand rest on the grass.
The corner of Joe's mouth turned up, and his eyes moved from the ground to meet Taylor's. They shone like sparkling stars in the night sky, looking ethereal even in the daylight.
"I really like you, too," Joe responded, and he reached out to touch her fingers delicately.
"I don't care who my parents prefer I date. We could be secret, like... Romeo and Juliet," Taylor hoped dreamily.
"Cute," Joe smiled. Using his hand for support, he leaned closer, his just barely parted lips telling Taylor exactly what to do.
-
When Taylor met her parents later, she was faced with a silent car ride. Finally, at home, she was called into the sitting room.
"John was at the country club today," said Scott, his jaw tightened.
"Okay," Taylor said, not seeing why this was important.
"He saw you kissing the Alwyn boy," Scott stated, and Taylor felt as if she were in a stare down.
"His name is Joe. And now you've got John spying on me?" asked Taylor in disbelief.
"He's just looking out for you," Andrea argued. She was gentler than her husband, but still on his side.
"It's creepy," said Taylor.
"Listen. You will stay away from him. Don't try to be some modern Juliet, because it won't work," Scott threatened.
Taylor swallowed, backing away slightly. She took a breath in, fighting to keep it steady. Without speaking, she walked out of the room and up to her own, where she collapsed on the bed and cried.
Again, late that night, she heard the tapping on her window of pebbles. She stood up and threw open the window. Joe was standing below, his facial expression bland as he saw her. He used one finger to beckon her closer, and with a nod, Taylor shut the window and put on sandals to meet him outside.
He was hidden in the shadows now, pressed against a wall under the balcony. Taylor solemnly approached him, creeping behind a hedge that stuck out from the house. Taking tentative steps forward, Taylor breathed a sigh of relief as she wrapped her arms around him.
"Don't let go," Taylor whispered, and she meant it.
That summer was spent with many clandestine meetings between the pair. They found secret places to be alone, where they'd spend hours talking about everything. Their past, their present, their future. The iron fist around Taylor had tightened since she'd met Joe, but even still, she'd been well able to keep him a secret from her parents. Austin had even turned out to be a big help, covering for Taylor when the situation called for it.
It was late August when things took a turn for the worse.
Maybe the months of getting away with it caused Taylor to loosen her gaurd, or maybe her parents had just grown more observant.
"I want to go... to Paris," Taylor said dreamily. She paced around one of the fancier rooms in their house, with walls of bookshelves, a grand piano, lavish furniture, and exquisite art. "Paris with my lover, where we kiss on top of the Eiffel Tower and try those cute little pastries and go on picnic dates and look at art museums."
"I'm going to take you," responded Joe from where he sat on the window seat. His legs were stretched across it, his hands resting on his knees. "We'll rent a fancy hotel room and go have an impeccable time in the city of love."
Taylor smiled and then sighed contentedly. "My parents took us to Paris when Austin and I were little. I was seven, and completely enchanted by everything around me. I've wanted to go back there ever since, but we never have."
"I'll be the one to make your dreams come true, then," said Joe. He swung his legs around and stood up, taking steps towards Taylor. "We'll have a wonderful Paris vacation, it could even be our honeymoon," he softly expressed. He broughtt his hand up, and Taylor brought hers up so her fingertips were just touching his.
"I like the sound of that," Taylor responded, a giddy smile playing with the corners of her lips. She intertwined their fingers fully, allowing for one moment of peace before it all crashed down.
The doors burst open, with shocking force considering how heavy they were.
"What is going on?" Scott boomed, staring daggers at both Joe and Taylor. He had Andrea on his trail, with a nervous looking Austin behind them.
Taylor dropped Joe's hand in surprise, and both took a few steps back.
"I'm sorry," Taylor choked out, flustered and struggling for what to say.
"I thought we told you, months ago, that you were not to see that boy." Scott's tone was harsh, not an ounce of sympathy in it.
"Dad, I-" Taylor began.
"Is that what you've been up to all summer? Illicit activities with this delinquent?" demanded Scott.
"He's not a delinquent!" Taylor protested, but already knew she was losing this battle.
"You," Scott turned to Joe, and Taylor had never seen him look angrier at anyone. "Are to stay away fron my daughter. I do not want you anywhere near her."
"Dad, stop!" Taylor shouted. "I love him!"
The room got quiet, even breathing seemed to stop. "No you do not," Scott told his daughter.
"Don't tell me what I feel!" Taylor argued, her blood boiling.
"You, boy," Scott had turned back to Joe, closing in on him. "You are to leave and never return. Srop coming around here, stop visiting my daughter, stop infiltrating my family."
Joe had the window open now, having decided to leave the way he had come. He nodded curtly at Scott, swinging his legs onto the ladder leaned against the house.
"I love you," Taylor desperately called after him.
"Weeping willow," Joe said, his eyes wide before he disappeared down, and a faint thud could be heard as he jumped the rest of the way.
To someone who hadn't spent the summer discussing every topic under the sun with another person, this statement might make little sense. But to Taylor, it was clear as day.
Over the months, one of their meeting places had been established as a weeping willow tree on the outskirts of town. At that location, they would always meet at one o'clock sharp. Taylor knew exactly what to do.
She allowed herself to spend the rest of the afternoon and night dreary and moping about, but really, her mind was going a thousand miles a minute with hypotheticals of what she and Joe would do the next day. Would they be running away?
At half past eleven the following afternoon, Taylor was once more climbing down from her room, using the balcony as an aid. A summer of sneaking about had taught her shortcuts to the outskirts of town, and she arrived quickly.
Now all there was to do was wait.
And it seemed like that was going to be the hard part.
Taylor knew she was early, but as her watch ticked closer and closer to 1 p.m., she grew more worried. Once it passed the hour, she all but gave up hope. Joe was never late.
Feeling defeated and lonely, Taylor allowed herself to fall back onto the grass, tears welling in her eyes. She was all alone next to a fairly unfamiliar town, having left home and been abandoned by the one she loved.
She had no desire or motivation to get up, so she just lay there, her mind blank of anything but hurt.
"Taylor? Are you okay?" asked Joe, and Taylor could tell his voice was growing louder. She sat up, twisting herself around to see him.
"You came," she whispered hoarsely.
"Didn't think I'd abandon you, did you?" questioned Joe worriedly.
Taylor looked like she was about to say something, but instead just took a deep breath. Joe looked sadly at her, and bit his lip in regret. He hadn't meant to leave her here without explanation, but he'd had to get something done, and it had taken longer than expected.
"Are you here to save me, then?" whispered Taylor. "I'm tired of feeling so alone."
"Hey, why do you feel alone?" asked Joe, crouching down to be on the ground as well.
"I've been waiting here by myself for two hours," Taylor responded, not angry but instead disappointed. "Do you really feel the same way about me as I feel about you?"
Joe nodded, and then carefully took Taylor's hand as he pushed himself back up. She stood up as well, following his lead. "Just trust me," he breathed.
There was only a second for Taylor to think about his words, for her to contemplate what they might mean. Before she knew it, Joe had knelt to the ground and pulled a ring out of his pocket.
"Taylor, my Juliet..." He began. "I want to marry you, and I'll make sure you never feel alone again. I could say a big speech, but... I love you, and that's all I really know. I believe memories speak louder than words, so... just take all of this summer, and that's how I feel about you."
"Oh my god," Taylor gasped, suddenly breathless. "How did you even...?"
"I talked to your dad this afternoon. It took a lot of time and convincing, but he's given us his blessing," Joe smiled. "What do you say? Will you marry me?"
"Yes!" Taylor cried, urging Joe to stand back up so she could hug him. "Yes, yes, yes!" she said, her arms wrapped around him tighter than she'd ever hugged anyone before.
As they celebrated, Taylor recalled that first night they'd met. How enchanted she'd been to meet him, how every night had seemed to sparkle after that. It had only been a few months ago, but so much had changed since. Taylor couldn't begin to put to words how thankful she was for it all.
As they lay together on the grass before they went back to celebrate with their families, Taylor dreamily muttered something she could now say with full certainty was true.
"We're like Romeo and Juliet, but happily ever after."
✰✰✰✰✰
i was dangerously close to making this a whole book that would end up unfinished.