I'm Always Gonna Be Looking Right to You

*THREE YEARS AGO*

“Alex, it’s just one date, come on!” One of my best friends, Zack, begs. “She’s really cool. I’ve known her for years, you two are like twins.”

I shake my head. I haven’t been on a real date in ages, probably since my last girlfriend was a total bitch (courtesy of Zack). “Zack, I don’t think so.”

Zack practically stomps his foot like a child. “Aleexxx!! You say that every time I try to set you up with someone!” He whines and pouts.

I chuckle and push past Zack, into the kitchen, where I grab a beer. “That’s because the last girl you set me up with was pretty close to being the devil.”

My friend scoffs and rolls his eyes. “I swear on my life, this girl will blow you away.”

I raise an eyebrow. “On your LIFE?”

Zack might as well be on his knees begging by this point, based on the needy tone to his voice. “Just one date!!! If you hate her, I’ll never try and get you anymore blind dates. Ever.”

“Ever?” I raise an eyebrow.

“Ever.” He nods eagerly.

I smile and nod, too anxious to take him up on what I consider basically a bet. “I’ll go.”

-&-

Two weeks later is the night. I’m sitting at some fancy restaurant in downtown Baltimore, sipping at my wine casually while my eyes hunt for this ‘amazing’ girl. I hear a cough and look up, a surprisingly gorgeous girl standing across from me, probably standing at barely five feet tall.

“Are you Alex?” She asks. Her voice has a husky tone to it, but not like that of a smoker.

I nod, and that’s when I’m offered the first of many radiant smiles. This girl is really beautiful, I have to admit, and I make a mental note to thank Zack later. Her brown hair falls to her shoulders, her brown eyes are a deep chocolate color, and her height is too cute. Her outfit is adorable—a knee high white dress, white sandals, and a white rose in her hair.

She sits down and reaches for her menu. “I’m Taylor Jardine, by the way. But I go by Tay.”

“I’m Alexander Gaskarth. But I go by Alex.” I wink, and she laughs.

“Nice to finally meet you. Zack’s been wanting to send us on a date for a while now, huh?”
I chuckle and sip more of my wine. “I’ll say. He’s more interested in his friends’ relationships
than his own love life, I swear.”

Tay laughs again, a sound I could definitely get used to. I crack a smile. “Seriously! When’s the last time he treated poor Katie to a romantic night out?”

I shrug and chuckle, just as the waitress comes over. I tell her my order, followed by Tay.

An hour later, we find ourselves walking on the beach five minutes away from my house.

“I love Maryland.” She breathes.

“Me too. How long ago did you move out here?” I ask.

“About a month ago. I finished college and moved in with my cousin. I’ve known Zack for awhile, though. We met in New York a few years ago.” She explains.

“Is that where you’re from?”

Tay nods. “Born and raised. What about you?”

I put my hands up and motion around me. “Raised in lovely Maryland.” I smile, putting my arms down. “But born in England.”

Tay’s jaw drops. “England?! No way, that’s too cool! Do the accent!” She looks at me expectantly. I roll my eyes and laugh.

“No, no accents.”

“Pleeeeeeaaassseee?”

I smile. “This has been quite a wonderful date, Miss Jardine.” I say in my best attempt (because seriously, it’s been awhile since I lived in England, okay?).

Tay laughs loudly and claps her hands. “That was great.”

“So are you.” I say quietly.

We stare silently at each other for a while, the sound of the waves and some Italian music suddenly much louder with the disappearance of our voices.

“Taylor, I know I just met you two hours ago, and I don’t want to be straightforward, but—“ I begin.

“It’s okay,” Tay cuts me off, filling the space between us. “You can kiss me.”

I grin, leaning down and slotting our lips together. The fireworks I feel are instantaneous, and I really hope she feels them, too.

*TWO YEARS LATER*

I asked Tay to move in with me roughly two months ago, and I never realized how slow of an unpacker she could be. Two months and she was still making trips to her old house to retrieve her things.

“Alex, babe?” I hear her call. “I have some of my clothes, and they’re heavy, can you help?”

I groan teasingly, setting down my beer, getting up from my spot on the couch where I was watching the game and following her into the bedroom.

She sets the box down on the dresser, laying back on the bed. “Oof, I hate this part of moving.”

I smirk and crawl over her, my hands resting on either side of her shoulders. “It just takes you so long because you’re lazy.”

Tay scoffs and raises an eyebrow. “Says the guy who spends all day on his ass watching the Ravens play. And I’m not lazy, I like things to be neat, that’s all. That’s why it takes so long.”

“So…you’re a perfectionist.” I joke.

“I’m organized.”

“You’ve got a lot of shit for an organized person.”

“I don’t like to throw stuff away. I collect.” She challenges.

“You’re a hoarder, then.” I grin, leaning down to kiss her.

She shrinks away after a second. “Mm, I love you, Lex.”

“I love you, too.” I smile, and my heart swells up with happiness when I say it.

“But if you don’t mind, I’ve got some more boxes to get…” Tay laughs.

I roll my eyes and let her up, watching as she leaves the room.

Little did I know that in just one more short year, she’d be replacing all these boxes in this very room, telling me she didn’t want to be with me anymore.