#taylor mitchell

But it doesn’t occur until the second book . . .

Okay so first of all, super sneaky way to try and get a first kiss chapter, so kudos! This one got me thinking!! Hope you enjoy!

Daydreams

Later, when she’s asked, she’ll say that the first time she thought about kissing Taylor was when Mandy steps aside to reveal Taylor all decked out for their first date.

(That’s a lie. The first time she thought about kissing Taylor, was when she was walking into physics class, and stopped to admire the girl a few rows back from the front who was doodling in her notebook - before their first date is just the first time Lexi almost follows through.)

The first actual time is one that she keeps to herself - that time when she spotted Taylor doodling. Most notebook scribbles that Lexi is familiar with are crappy caricatures or geometric shapes. But this, this is art - so much so that even an inexperienced eye like hers can tell.

It’s a scenery picture, the viewpoint from behind the counter at a coffee shop, but before Lexi can decipher which one, the person behind her is clearing their throat and she’s forced to move forward.

Only the person doodling looks up at the sound, and Lexi finds herself staring into the most beautiful pair of brown eyes she’s ever seen. The girl smiles, those same brown eyes crinkling at the edges as she scoots her backpack away from the aisle, and Lexi finds her breath catching in her throat.

Beautiful girls have always been her Kryptonite, and she probably would have stood there stuttering for days if not for the pressof eager students at her back. Instead, she stumbles forward, mutteringan apology to the pretty girl and vowing to pay attention to her name when roll is called.

Taylor.

That’s the pretty girl’s name.

And she may barely know Taylor’s name, but she’s already planned out their wedding by the end of the class period.

(They’ll have two children - Jaime and Taylor Jr., and their house will be decorated with Taylor’s artwork.)

She’slucky she’s already familiar with the coursework, because otherwise she would be screwed - all of her attention focused on her newfound crush.

It isn’t fair, really, for anyone to be that beautiful.

Taylor should be a model of some sort, not doodling masterpieces in Lexi’s physics class.

Bythe time she finishes talking to Dr. Camberio after class, Taylor is long gone, and Lexi’s shoulders deflate as she’s left to pine all the way to her next class.

* - - - - - - - - - - - - -  - - - - - -

Unfortunately, her run in with Taylor happened on Friday, so she has all weekend to second guess their interaction.

Cadeis skeptical that such a beautiful woman would exist - much less that such a pretty girl would be in Lexi’s Intro to Physics class.

It’s enough to make Lexi wonder if she simply imagined the whole thing, (or at least imagined Taylor’s beauty).

Sowhen she returns to class on Monday, she’s entirely too early; showing up before anyone else and completely ruining her chances of running into Taylor before class.

(She definitely doesn’t keep twisting in her seat to see if Taylor has made it yet.)

Lexidoesn’t see Taylor come in, but when Dr. Camberio calls roll, she’s there, looking just as breathtakingly beautiful as Lexi remembers.

Seems she hadn’t just imagined it - take that, Cade.

Unfortunately,Taylor is gone by the time Lexi leaves, and so it goes for the next week and half - like two ships passing in the night - she explains poetically to Cade, who simply rolls their eyes.

There are glimpses, here and there, where she thinks that maybe Taylor might be looking for her too; but it’s fleeting, and self-doubt quickly convincesher that there’s no way Taylor is looking at her.

Of course not.

Theydon’t actually exchange words again until Taylor startles her one day after class - it’s beyond embarrassing, her books and papers go everywhere, and she’s left feeling like an idiot as she tries to make eye contact.

Somehow, she stutters through, and manages to agree to be Taylor’s tutor for physics.

(It’s a stupid idea, she doesn’t know how she’ll ever get over her nerves enough to be coherent.)

But still, she says yes, and Taylor looks so happy that she can’t take it back - even though she knows she’s doomed.

* - - - -

Shesomehow makes it through the study session without imagining grocery shopping with Taylor on Sunday afternoons, but it all flies out the window when Taylor’s lips make contact with her cheek.

She certainly doesn’t stay up all night wondering what would have happened if Taylor’s lips had landed a few inches to the left.

(Shetries to convince herself that friends kiss friends on the cheek all the time, and Taylor kissing her means absolutely nothing-  but she can’t stop the tiny spark of hope that flares.)

Once Taylor accepts her offer of an actual date, the tiny spark transforms into a bonfire, but again, Lexi’s too caught up in not stuttering or fumbling to think about kissing her.

She has to say though, once she finally gets up the courage to kiss Taylor? Totally better than any daydream she’s ever even thought about having.

I Dare You

“I can’t wait to marry you one day.” Taylor sighs leaning into Lexi’s shoulder as they meander down the river side, star twinkling above them.

It’s a beautiful night for an after dinner walk, and she can’t help but think about their future on such a perfect future.

“Me neither.” Lexi confesses. “Guess I should hurry up and ask you then, huh?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, I mean there has to be a proposal before the wedding right?”

“No, not that part, the other part, the part about you asking.”

“Oh. Well, I mean, I’m totally going to be the one to ask.”

Taylor stops in her tracks, dropping Lexi’s arm.

“Why does it have to be you that asks?” she demands.

“Dad, I’m going to be fine, I promise.”

Taylor reaches over to turn down the radio to a conversational level, before looking over at her father in the driver’s seat.

Mike Mitchell looks every bit the worried collegiate parent, hands tight on the steering wheel as he stares ahead at the brick building in front of them.

“I know.” He replies, unmoving.

“Dad.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to just take correspondence courses? Or you could live at home and commute!”

“You mean drive forty-five minutes to school everyday?”

“Doesn’t sound that bad to me!” He counters, finally turning to face her.

“I thought I was supposed to be the worried one and you were supposed to be the one comforting me?”  She manages to keep most of the accusing tone from her voice, but lets just a little seep through.

“Sorry.” He grins sheepishly. "Are you nervous?”

“Nope!” Deep down she knows it’s a lie, but she pushes her doubts down and forces a smile. “I’m excited! This a world of opportunity in a big city!”

“It’s not that big of a city.” Her father is quick to clarify, and she grins. “Well,  no, but it’s bigger than Greenwood.”

“Everything is bigger than Greenwood.”

They share a laugh and then another long moment of silence over the car radio before Taylor tries again.

“Maybe we could go inside? Check it out?”

“Right.” His fingers shift the steering wheel and he takes a deep breath before breaking out in a wide, forced smile. “Have to get you moved in!” He turns off the SUV and Taylor grabs the few bags from the backseat before following her father to the trunk.

A host of cardboard boxes greets them, and her dad stacks up a pile of them before picking them up and gesturing for her to close the hatch.

“I’ll come back out for the rest later.” He promises.

Pulling out the map the orientation leader gave her, she directs them through the buildings until they come to one with the sign ‘Lennox Dormitory’.

It’s two flights of stairs until they reach room 314, and Taylor uses the provided key to open the door.

"Here it is! Home sweet home!”

It isn’t much, two twin mattresses situated across from each other over two simple desks with a window in the middle.

It isn’t much, but if feels like independence.

It feels like freedom.

“Well, here you have your typical two bed dorm room with attached bath, it looks a little small, but the open floor plan really gives it a spacious feel.” Mike sets down his boxes before gesturing to the walls. “The paint color is a little bland, but as I remind all my clients, it’s nothing a few posters and some artwork can’t fix up.”

Taylor laughs, feeling some of the nerves she didn’t know she had ease away.

“Dad, I’m not a client!”

“You’re right, I don’t buy all my clients mini fridges as housewarming gifts.”

“Ooh, you should though! That could be your new advertisement - ‘Mike Mitchell - The Realtor that Buys You a Mini-fridge!’”

“Ah, see, I knew there was a reason you stuck with painting and not marketing! You stay here and start unpacking; I’ll go grab another load of boxes."

He claps a hand on her shoulder before leaving through the open door and

Taylor is alone in her new home for the first time. Well, not home. Home is still the yellow two story house back in Greenwood.

More like . . . home away from home.

Here it is! The official artist rendering of #Taylington!