Home Is Where The Heart Is - Chapter 1 - Their Turn
Hey guys! Did I mention the next few fics will be updated every other day because wow GCSEs? Well, they will be xD But you’ll probably get another chapter tomorrow, because it’s a weekend :) So, Chapter 1, introduction. You probably guessed that already... anyway. Enjoy!
Taylor POV
I’m not quite sure what I expected, when I ran away that first day. Maybe I expected to be okay and find a house, somehow. Maybe I expected to just get kidnapped or killed, and I wouldn’t have to worry about sorting anything out. I should be so lucky.
Either way, I hadn’t expected still being outside that same shop, watching those same people, nine years later. I was starting to feel a little pathetic. I mean, 27 years old, unemployed, and homeless? It was pitiful. Especially when the people whose lives I made up in my head were my only reason to live. Just... ugh.
As I’ve said, the guy with the kids shoes interested me the most. Just how he was. He was confident, and pretty cute, and just seemed like a generally nice guy. But his girlfriend was always there, and she was beautiful, and always ended up looking angry whenever he smiled at me, so I kept my distance and barely ever smiled back.
A few times, they walked out of the doors with phones or cameras in their hands. They were always talking to them, and laughing, and I wasn’t really sure what was going on. I mean, maybe I’d been a bit cut off from technology with no electricity, but everyone around them seemed a bit freaked out too. I dismissed it as a quirk, and ignored it as I invented my stories.
After a few months, the girl disappeared. I watched curiously as the guy walked up alone, shoulders hunched and face miserable. It felt awkward. I mean, I’d hardly been generous with that girl’s plotlines - death, mugged, attacked, any number of things. I’d never really thought about how he’d feel if his girlfriend left. Maybe that was just me and my worthless emotional capacity, or my general disgust at human beings. Probably something like that.
As he got closer, I felt myself smiling kindly at him. I was actually worried - I didn’t even know his name, but I wanted him to be happy - and slightly relieved when he smiled weakly back. It was stupid. But so am I. He hurried away when he came out again, actually using his phone for a call, and I smiled at the back of his head as I watched him go.
Everyone bored me after he left, and I eventually called it a day. As I slunk back to my alley, I found myself hoping he was okay.
I got my answer a few days later, as I saw him approach the store again. This time, there were two men, one either side of him. One of them had black hair and wouldn’t stop smirking, and the other had blonde-ish hair and shoving the original guy. I pretended to be disinterested as the two men stopped by a lamppost, putting on my shaded-in spectacles - which had cost way more than I could afford, but what was I supposed to do, not see for nine years? - for maximum spy potential as my character kept on walking.
He slowed for a fraction of a second as he neared me, bit his lip, smiled awkwardly at me, then practically ran into the store. I tried not to giggle as I looked up at the two guys who’d been standing with him. One was rolling his eyes and tapping his foot with crossed arms, and the other had his face in his hand. I smiled, and carried on people-watching.
After a few minutes, I noticed a face peeking at me from around the corner of the pillar I was leaning on. I struggled to keep a smile off my face as I looked back at the two guys to see them flailing wildly and gesturing at me. The face by my side slowly retracted, and I didn’t see him for a while afterwards. Sweet.
I stared into space for a while, only snapping out of it when I heard a cough next to me. I jumped, looking up at him. My character. I took off my sunglasses and put my proper ones on, smiling nervously. What the hell? I mean, it’d been obvious he wanted to talk to me, but I couldn’t think why. We were strangers, after all.
“Hey.” he smiled back. I nodded.
“Hey.” I replied, twirling my glasses around as I mentally stopped myself from calling “Chris” like I’d named him. He grinned wider, like he was happy. It looked cute.
“Waiting for someone?” he asked casually. My heart stopped. What could I say, “I just like staring at people”? I decided to lie.
“Mhmm.” I murmured, not committing myself to anything. I’m a terrible liar. He nodded slowly.
“Uh... boyfriend?” he pushed after a while. I frowned. Oh. What? But... why? I mean, I knew that girl had left, bu- ah.
“On the rebound, huh?” I smiled as kindly as I could, but there was really no way to be nice about saying that to him. His eyes hardened, and he forced a grim smile onto his face.
“Yeah, that’s what everyone says.” he muttered, starting to walk away. I bit my lip. What? Had he been asking more people? Either way, I didn’t want him to leave. I’d been quite enjoying my first conversation - however short - with someone who wasn’t in my situation for nine years.
“Wait.” I called. He stopped, looking back at me. “I didn’t think. Sorry.” I smiled. He relaxed and smiled back, stood two steps away from the wall awkwardly. I nodded my head at the patch of wall he’d been leaning on, giggling despite myself as he hopped backwards and settled next to me. “You’re cute.” I heard myself saying, telling myself to shut up immediately afterwards - but I would’ve been running away if he hadn’t been blushing. It suited his boyish face.
“I can never understand what British girls mean. Cute as in...” he tailed off, and we both gave each other an awkward look. “Or cute as in like a kid.” he finished quickly, stumbling over his words. I smiled.
“Bit of both.” I replied, deciding to go for it seeing as I’d already been way too forward and he hadn’t started screaming yet. He blushed a little deeper, turning the same colour as his pale-pink lips. I grinned. “You’ve gone red.” I pointed out, giggling as he started going redder.
“Sorry.” he mumbled. I chuckled.
“Nah. It’s hot.” I flirted, trying to stop myself but failing as he went absolutely scarlet. Cutie. “Awwww. You’re adorable.” I teased, laughing when he pouted.
“Shh.” he muttered, embarrassed. I rolled my eyes.
“Gonna stop blushing anytime soon?” I grinned after a minute or so. He narrowed his eyes playfully.
“Shut uuuuuup!” he whined, shoving me playfully. I smiled, settling against the wall again. I felt pretty at home, actually. Maybe it was just because I’d technically already dated him in my head... oops. Oh, come on! He was hot, okay? “I’m Toby, by the way.” he smiled, extending his hand and snapping me out of it.
“Taylor. Nice to meet you.” I replied, taking it and smiling to myself as we shook hands. I quite liked communicating. Well. I was nervous as hell and scared I’d make a fool of myself, but it was nice anyhow.
We stayed for a while, talking and laughing. I kept watching the two guys - who I assumed were his friends - out of the corner of my eyes, smiling to myself as I saw them egg him on or gesture for him to change the subject or tell a joke. It just made Toby cuter. Maybe his personality matched his shoes... or “Heelys” as he called them.
After a while, his friends wandered over.
“Hey! Douchebag!” the black-haired one called. Toby rolled his eyes, making me smile. The blonde one threw a carton at us... which I caught. And I saw it was a sandwich, just a half-eaten chicken sandwich. I hadn’t had one in ages. Without even thinking, I flipped it over to the bit with no bite marks and started chewing. I only realized what I was doing when they all started to laugh, blushing like an idiot and screaming at myself inwardly.
“Nice catch.” Toby muttered as they arrived, nudging me as I swallowed and laughed goofily. Damnit. “So, Taylor, you been around town much?” he asked. I blinked.
“Uh... you’ve walked past for like the last year or so, right? I’m always here.” I pointed out. He rolled his eyes.
“Yeah, but you never move.” he teased. I shrugged as I realized I really hadn’t been around town much. The only time I’d ever explored was years ago, to find this shop.
“Right. No, I haven’t much.” I replied. He smiled.
“Wanna tour?” he asked. I nodded.
“What about the person you’re waiting for, huh?” the blonde man asked. Toby glared at him, kicking at his shin. I rolled my eyes.
“It’s their turn to wait.” I replied, grinning as I noticed Toby edge closer to me as we all started walking down the street. This was new.
