Stray Story - 008

Tayla and I went through the shopping complex, joking and speaking nonsense like usual, as we went. We didn't just stick to window shopping as we thought I might, but it still wasn't like we could buy anything. Tayla doesn't have a job, and all my money is going into buying a phone, which I now need to wait an extra week for.

"Do you think this dress would look good on me?"

Tayla wasn't wearing the dress, just holding it out in front of her. It was a very, very expensive black dress, coming down to just around her ankles. The dress was shoulder less, and even though I couldn't see it now, I'd notice before that it had an open back.

"It's hard to tell when you're not wearing it," I replied honestly, "but, I'm sure it would. It'd make the colour of your eyes really stand out."

Tayla's eyes are a very sharp grey-blue colour, if you didn't remember.

"Thanks," Tayla turns away from me, to look at herself in the mirror.

"I'd really like to wear something like this to formal next year."

Formal's something like prom if you're old fashioned.

"Formal huh… when is that?"

"August, I think."

August. That feels like such a long time away. Seven months, in fact. I can't even begin to think about something that far in the future. I've just been living the days as they've come to me. To think about something that's that far away just doesn't occur to me.

After we carried on through the complex, continuing to joke and speak nonsense like usual, we ended up getting ice cream from a vendor on the side of the street. I got mango, and Tayla got strawberry. There's a park across the street that we head to, looking for a bench to sit down on.

Whilst we don't find any unoccupied park benches, there's a large fountain in the middle that we can sit along the edge of. The top of the fountain is adorned by the image of Queen Victoria. She was the ruler of the British Empire when this country was first colonised.

"Why do you think I chose strawberry?"

"Because you like the flavour?"

"No. Well, yes, but the reason I chose it is because I'm berry in love with you."

I feel like sighing. Maybe I should just ignore it, and she'll stop.

"I love you too, Tayla."

"You know, I've become very interested in mathematics recently."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, I was wondering if you could express your love for me as a percentage."

…

Your making it way to obvious this time Tayla.

Hhhh.

I almost feel like just stopping the conversation here, and just ignoring her. But then again, I don't know exactly what joke she's going to make, so I guess I can humour her and keep on going along with this.

"Of course, I love you one hundred percent."

"Yeah and I love you one hundred percent too, all the way to the decimate point."

…

…

…

…

"What do you mean 'decimate point'?! How do you decimate a single person?"

"Oh, you know, I'll chop it off."

"Chop what off?"

Scary!

My girlfriend is terrifying!

"Hey Tayla."

"What is it?"

"If you're mad, can you just say it."

"I'm not mad."

"Really?"

"I'm just a little jealous. And disgusted."

Oh, you don't say.

"Look Tayla, I'm sorry," I apologised, "I'll apologise about what happened with Caroline as many times as you want-"

"That's not what I'm upset about."

"Oh, it isn't?"

What could it be then? She said that she was jealous and disgusted, so I assumed that had to be it.

Tayla sighed, "I'm upset about how this all happened, idiot."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Why did you get involved with Caro then? As far as you knew at that time, she was a complete stranger. You didn't know what you were getting into. How could you just take her back to your place? What if she was involved in like… a gang or something?"

"But…" I said it as if it was the most natural thing in the world, "I couldn't just leave a young girl like that sleeping on a park bench."

Tayla looks at me as if it was the most unnatural thing in the world.

"I thought after what happened with AJ and Ray, you weren't going to play the hero anymore."

"I'm not trying to play the hero. I just want to do what I can do."

Tayla sighs, "sometimes I think you haven't changed at all since we met."

"No, I've changed. Of course, I have. I'm a much better person than I was when we first met, and a lot of that's thanks to you."

"I mean, I know that, but… just every now and then it feels like you haven't learnt anything. You're such an idiot sometimes."

"Hey, everyone has their moments," I smile, "so, are we cool?"

"Yeah, we're cool," Tayla sighed once more, "just try not to do anything dangerous, okay?"

"Yeah, I promise. I'm not going to be the hero. Don't worry, it'll all be fine. Everything will work out one way or the other, eventually."