Infatuated

I watched the last of the water run down the drain before wrapping a towel round me and wiping the steamed up mirror. Towel drying the last of my hair I stepped out of the bathroom, picking up the pace as I jogged over to my room. My hand was hovering just over the doorknob when the bell rang. Knowing my mother wasn’t up yet I stood tossing a pleading look at the white paint in front of me. I thought fast, Taylor was still here, he’d said he wanted to do something today so I’d said he could stay while I got ready.

“Uh, Taylor could you get that?” I called down the stairs praying he wouldn’t take offence. I heard an amused chuckle at the bottom of the stairs as I awaited my reply. My hand was still hovering above the handle and the door had suddenly become fascinated in my slightly worried eyes.

“No problem, just get dressed,” his soft voice reached me making me sigh in relief and close my eyes. He was my saviour. I quickly turned the knob as the front door opened and two deep voices started conversation. I shut the door behind me as I frantically ran to my wardrobe and changing. A few minutes later I threw myself down the staircase only to see Alex sat talking to Taylor.

“Hey Auty,” he smiled at me. I returned the smile as I rolled my eyes, should of known.

“If I’d of known it were you I wouldn’t of hurried,” I huffed playfully. He pouted as I ran over and jumped in between the two.

“So, what we chatting about?” I asked waving my feet about. I wasn’t one of the shortest girls, but I sure as hell wasn’t the tallest, and these guys towered me. Alex merely shrugged from his armchair. I’m sure he didn’t realise it but he was mirroring Taylor’s position. I felt a hand lay on my shoulder and turned to look at it before seeing Taylor’s grin.

“Guy stuff I’m afraid,” he began before shrugging. “But I suppose if you really want to know” he added to which I held my hands up in front of me cutting him off.

“Oh believe me, I don’t want to know,” I replied shaking my head furiously. Alex found this hilarious as I heard the bellowing laughter from his chair. I shot him daggers. He merely shook them off and changed the topic, yeah this was normal.

“So how come we’re not alone Autumn?” He asked wiggling his eyebrows. I ignored the last part and answered him anyway.

“Taylor slept over,” I shrugged walking into the kitchen and quickly getting myself a drink before rushing back. When I entered the room Alex had an amused expression on his face and his eyebrows were nearly touching the ceiling.

“No Alex,” was all I said as I took a sip from the cup.

“No he’s right,” I heard Taylor say causing my eyes to bug and me to spit my drink half way across the room. I swatted his arm with my free hand as Alex burst into fits of laughter. I scowled at the two of them before sinking into my seat and sipping more on the cup. The boy on my left merely giggled and hugged me and play with the neck scarf I had on mumbling ‘I’m sorry”. I rolled my eyes, why was I such a pushover.

We spent the next hour talking before we finally decided to go somewhere. We ended up in a record store just on the outskirts of town. It was about noon when we finally left and simply wandered through the town centre. There were construction workers everywhere, with it being the start of summer everyone was out with their friends and buying new clothes. This meant everything had to be in amazing shape. I sighed as I sat myself down on some grass everyone was sat at; Taylor joined me whereas Alex stayed stood up.

“I’m gonna go get some Gatorade,” he began gesturing to the stall behind him. “You guys want anything?” He asked. I looked beside me at Taylor who shook his head, no.

“I’m alright thanks,” he smiled politely. I then looked back at Alex who was gesturing to me.

“Doctor Pepper?” He asked, he knew me too well. I grinned and nodded, squinting at him through the sun.

“That’d be lovely young sir!” I replied putting on an over the top British accent.

“Oh don’t worry dear Madame it’d be a pleasure!” He replied making his own accent as he smiled and bowed. He giggled as he turned on his heal and made the few feet to the stall.

“So,” Taylor spoke up causing me to turn my head urging him on.

“Having fun?” He asked. I smiled at him.

“I am actually, you?” I asked studying his pale features illuminated by the small cracks of sun coming through the trees. It reminded me of his first day at school, it was amazing how much more friendly he was in the space of two months.

“Yeah I am,” he grinned. His face suddenly turned serious and within a matter of seconds he’d clung onto me and rolled me out of the way just as a large thud was heard along with a lot of screams. When everything came into focus I saw several large sacks along with a variation of sharp and heavy tools where I had once been sat. I looked up to see where it had come from and there, hovering by only a few threads hung large, broken piece of scaffolding. All the construction workers along with everyone else in the park were looking at me with horror stricken faces. My own must of been a mirror of theirs. What just happened? I looked at Taylor who hadn’t taken his eyes off me once. His face was painted in worry, his hands had mine pinned out to my sides and eyes were frantically searching mine. His breathing had become heavy and jagged as I realised what had just happened. Had I been left there for a second longer I would have certainly been crushed or stabbed in some form, but Taylor got me out of the way. Taylor saved my life.

“Autumn!” I heard a loud yell along with people getting to their feet and the thudding off sneakers. Alex soon appeared next to me, stroking my hair and speaking to me in a rushed voice.

“Autumn! Are you okay? What the hell just happened?!” He screamed. My eyes were still fixed on Taylor, my expression not changing once as the same thing was running through my head. He saved me.

“Taylor, you saved my life” was all I managed to choke out. Everyone’s eyes then turned to him. His gaze finally broke off and he stared off into nothing trying to find words to explain what had just happened, nothing came to him. His mouth opened and closed several times as if he had some form of explanation, nothing.

“I, are, are you okay?” He asked changing the subject.

“Yeah,” I mumbled, my voice breaking from the shock. I kept my gaze fixed on him, how had he known that would happen in such a short space of time? He wasn’t even looking at the scaffold, he was looking at me. He saved my life.