But a knock at the door surprised her. She stood, and walked over. As she stepped her brown hair bounced, framing her thin face. The light reflected off her beautiful hazel eyes. Her thin frame was covered in jeans and an oversized sweatshirt. Her hand reached out to the door, long fingernails gripping the handle and opening it. Before her stood him; him. She needed to get rid of him. Her nostrils flared as she slammed the door.
She was surprised when the door opened again and in he came. �Kris, please, let me talk to you.� She ran up the stairs, ignoring him, silently hoping he would go away. But he only ran up after her, barely seeing her run into her room. He opened that door and let himself inside. She jumped, having seen him there. �Please, I need to talk to you and you won�t let me.�
�Brian, go away.� His eyes were desperate, pleading for a chance with her. She was too much for him, she was in love with someone else and yet he still loved her. He put his hands on his head, smoothing over the brown strands, pushed forward with a flip. Seemed that lately everyone wore their hair like that. She loved it, that�s why he had it done in the first place. He hadn�t liked it at all but he remembered how he got constant attention from her. The way she played with the flip, how her lips were just inches away from his�he missed those days.
�Kris, I love you.�
She stiffened. He hadn�t said that before. He hadn�t even come close to saying it. Certainly, they cuddled and they kissed but that was pretty much as far as it went. Nine months for nothing, huh? The other guy, ooh that other guy was so much better. He�d commit, he�d say I love you just because. Brian was saying it because he didn�t want to lose her. Slowly she turned to him. �No, you don�t. You never loved me; you�re just trying to keep me. Get it into your mind that I am not going to be with you anymore!�
�He�ll never love you like I do,� Brian said, walking over to her, cornering her at her desk. �I may not have said it but I do feel it.� Kris looked up to him, and immediately he was lost in her eyes. Those eyes penetrated into his soul, not just looking at him but also taking him in with intense passion. Her eyes said a thousand things about her. Even if her words and her stature were alright, her eyes never lied. Right now she was angry and afraid. Angry with him for lying, afraid of what might come. He knew she loved him, and was afraid that he�d lose her.
�Brian, just leave.� He looked down at her. She stood half a foot shorter than him, making it easy for her not to look at his eyes. He wasn�t about to leave, not just yet. Instead of waiting any longer, he moved to her. His heart pounded loudly in his chest, and for a moment he wondered if she could hear. Taking in a deep breath, he placed his hands on the sides of her face and pressed his lips aggressively against hers, knocking her into the wall. She slightly winced at the impact of the hard wall against her back, but knew inside that this was what she wanted him to do. He wanted to stay kissing her forever. He wanted to be there with her until the end of the earth. The thought of anyone else in her life that could love her anywhere near as much as he did frightened him. Goosebumps raised on his arms when he felt her tongue enter his mouth. He�d never felt so much longing for a single person. He�d never known how much he needed her until she said that she was leaving.
But she was doing this to him, she was playing this game of favorites with him and the other guy and he didn�t want to lose her anymore than he already had. His arms wrapped around her waist to pull her closer.
�Brian,� she said, pushing him away. He opened his eyes and looked at her, now realizing that she had tears streaming down her cheeks. �This isn�t going to work out. I don�t know what else to say to you to get you out of here. Do you want me to get a restraining order or something?�
�Kris you can�t just say that now! You and me, we belong together. You know that we belong together. Whoever this guy is that you�re supposedly in love with isn�t worth shit to what we have.� She smacked him, causing him to yell out in pain. She�d never smacked him before but he�d seen her hit others and all of them had a bruise across their face for the next week or so.
�You don�t talk about him like that! You don�t know him; you�ll never know him. He wouldn�t mind taking me out to a public place, he wouldn�t mind kissing me in front of his friends; he wouldn�t mind anything! You were horrible to me, you never did anything with me and you never once showed any act of love to me in front of other people. How could you say that we belong together?�
�Because we do. I know I shouldn�t of been that way with you and I�m willing to change if you�d just give me a chance.� She ran her hands through her beautiful hair, staring deep into his eyes. He was desperate to keep her; this other guy�even though he�d never met him�could never love her like he did. He ignored the stinging pain in his cheek from where she�d slapped him. He couldn�t believe that she�d actually slapped him, but inside he felt as if he deserved it. If she was in love with this other guy, it wasn�t his place to say anything demeaning.
�Brian I�ll ask you one more time to leave.�
Brian took a deep breath, taking her in one last time. He�d get her back, maybe not anytime soon, but he�d get her back. He let his hand graze her face, over the earrings he�d given her to her neck; over the necklace he gave her for their six-month anniversary, three months beforehand. His fingers trailed down to her hand, over the ring he�d given her. Sudden realization crashed on him. He didn�t give her that ring. That other guy did! It suddenly made sense where it came from. That other guy gave her a ring! How didn�t he notice it all that time? He�d remembered seeing it on her hand for the past two months, but never thought anything of it.
Well, she wasn�t making an attempt to give his earrings�or his necklace�back, so he knew he wasn�t out of her life quite yet. With a sullen face, he turned away from her and walked out of the room. Tears filled his eyes, as he walked out and knew that she wasn�t about to go after him. He�d miss her touch, he�d miss her kiss, but it was a part of life and his life was moving on. His life was moving on much against his will. It�d be a long time before he got over her.
Kris watched as he left, then immediately sunk to the floor, a wail leaving her mouth. The tears she�d tried to hold in her heart fell from her eyes, drenching her red, blotchy cheeks. An empty void that she hadn�t even realized would appear was suddenly in her heart. Already she missed him. She grabbed the phone off the desk and quickly dialed the familiar set of numbers.
�Hello?� his voice answered. The void that she felt was immediately filled, and the sadness was lifted. She smiled, remembering how his voice was like chimes and the way his lips moved as the words left him was so beautiful. He was so perfect in every way to her that she wanted to be with him all the time.
�I broke things off with Brian, I�m a free woman now,� she said, her eyes shining. He gently laughed, and as he did so the Angels sang. The wind gently blew, tousling the trees. Why was it that she couldn�t feel this with anyone else? Why was this boy�the one who was gone most of the time�the one that she loved so much?
�You�re so beautiful, Kris.� She sighed with happiness. Brian had never just gone out and said that she was beautiful, for no reason. This one did that often. Kris loved him so much; from the first time she�d met him. He�d been a perfect gentleman. She knew then that she needed to have him.
::two months before::
�Excuse me miss, you dropped this back there,� a kind voice interrupted. A startled Kris turned to a beautiful pair of blue eyes. Her hand went to her chest, looking at the object in his hand.
�Oh my God! Thank you so much,� she said, taking the wallet from the boy�s hand. Out of pure shock, she hugged him. �I hadn�t even realized I dropped it.� She quickly stuck the wallet in her purse, making sure it was securely there. The boy�s eyes were staring right into her, not meaning to be so penetrating but just questioning. She looked back at him, wondering why he hadn�t walked off yet. �What, do you want a reward or something?�
He softly laughed, sending a quiver through her entire body. Her heart pumped twice as quickly as it should, making her feel like she was running a marathon. His eyes were soft and beautiful. She had a thing for beautiful eyes, and he had the best set she had ever seen. �No, I don�t need a reward. Just a name,� he told her. She sighed, suddenly remembering her boyfriend.
�I have somewhere to go, excuse me.� She turned away, still feeling his gaze. She set off in the direction she had been headed before he stopped her. Suddenly he appeared in front of her, blocking her.
�I beg of you, a name. Something that I can repeat in my head until I have you to come with it.� She stopped, slightly upset. He was so persistent and yet he was so gentle with her. He hadn�t even thought about touching her, he kept his distance but was close enough to block her. �Please.�
�I have a boyfriend.� His eyes faltered quickly, only long enough for her to notice the pain that shot through him. Immediately she regretted saying the truth. To him, the truth didn�t matter at all, as long as he had her to talk to. �My name�s Kris.�
�Kris�� he said, trying it out. �A beautiful name for a beautiful girl.� She blushed, not knowing how to handle the comment. �What, you said you had a boyfriend. He doesn�t call you beautiful every chance he gets?� Kris sighed and shook her head. He gasped. �What kind of boy is this?�
�A boy that I�m late in meeting. I said before that I had somewhere to go so please move out of the way�um, what�s your name?.�
�Taylor.� She looked up at him and was immediately lost in his eyes. �He won�t mind that you�re a few minutes late. I�ve had a bad day and the only way to cheer me up is to have a beautiful girl talk to me. So talk to me, Kris.� That was corny as hell, but for some reason when it came from his lips it was beautiful. She smiled, wondering why she was falling for a boy she didn�t even know. Maybe it was the way his blue eyes were so clear, she couldn�t tell. He seemed so determined to be with her, and wouldn�t let the fact that she had a boyfriend interfere with it.
�Fine then, Taylor, I�ll talk to you. You aren�t getting any further with me because I have mentioned that I do have a boyfriend and I love him very much.� He didn�t believe her.
�Well I�m sure that you do. But if you�re willing to talk to a complete stranger that just offers then I don�t think he does much for you. For all you know I could be luring you away from him.� She began to walk, letting him stay beside her as she did. The cold air from a late November night in the middle of Chicago sent chills through her, or maybe it was just his likable attitude. Either way, she was freezing. It was Thanksgiving and she was on her way to her boyfriend�s house for dinner; she didn�t want to be late. Otherwise she would of walked slower.
�Taylor, it�s Thanksgiving. Why are you out here? Don�t you have a family to be spending dinner with?� she asked. He nodded, but didn�t explain the subject. �Well I�m going to my boyfriend�s for dinner and I don�t think they�d appreciate me being late.� He turned to her, like he hadn�t even noticed her comments.
�What are you thankful for?� he asked. She looked at him, shocked. The question came from nowhere. His eyes rested on her lips, watching as they quivered from the cold. A gentle snow had begun to fall, so every once in a while a white snowflake would land on them, lightly stinging before melting into the cool skin. Her tongue would graze over her lips, creating a bit of moisture to from the cold air. He longed to press his lips against them, to taste her and let her become a part of him. She noticed him staring and quickly turned back to the road. His eyes flickered from her lips.
�I�m thankful that we�re not caught in a snowstorm cause it�s freezing out here.� He laughed again, the sound of Angels singing and the wind blowing. He was so perfect that she didn�t want to leave him. �What about you? What are you thankful for?�
�Many things. That you�re here, talking to me. That you haven�t run off, and that even though you have a boyfriend, you�re still willing to fall in love with me.� Kris huffed and quickened her pace, her body language indicating that she couldn�t believe he said that. But inside her eyes she knew that she was falling in love with that boy. She just didn�t want to lose Brian�
�He�s going to get worried, Taylor. I don�t think I should stick with you anymore.� Taylor gently grabbed her arm, flipping her to him. She let her eyes meet with his. His eyes were so beautiful, she knew it would be a problem lying to him. She could never lie to a good set of eyes. He read her like a book, instantly knowing that she wasn�t all that worried about being late. His hand was cool against her arm, gently gripping it. She didn�t mind that he was touching her. When his hand moved from her arm to her lips, she closed her eyes. His fingertips grazed over her lips, sending chills down her spine. Though it was cold out, she was shivering more from his touch than from the weather. A flash of Brian raced across her mind. Her eyes slowly opened. �I-I have to go.� Quickly she headed off in the other direction, running as fast as she could.
The sound of the doorbell was familiar enough, and Kris waited impatiently for someone to answer. She tapped her foot and let her eyes gaze around, searching for that boy. She knew if she saw him again, she believed just leave Brian and go for him. Just as the door opened and Brian pulled her in, she met eyes with that boy for a final time.
�Hi,� Brian said, taking her coat and putting it on the rack. His eyes flickered around the room to make sure no one was around before gently pressing his lips against hers. She barely responded, her mind on the mystery Taylor that seemed to appear out of nowhere. She didn�t know why he was there or why he was so persistent. For a moment she thought he was a serial killer out for her blood but quickly she shut it out. Don�t do this to yourself Kris.
Kris followed Brian into the main dining room, where his family was already sitting. His mother came over, being one of the few at the table who actually had met her before. �Why hello Kris, what kept you?� she asked, showing her to an empty seat.
�There was ice over where I live and I had to be careful so I wouldn�t slip. Wouldn�t want to come with a bruise now wouldn�t I, Mrs. Hoffman?� Kris lied, glancing over at the others. Brian introduced her to all of them, and she found out that it was only his grandparents there that wasn�t normally. She�d met his brothers before, a few times because they�d been friends for so long, but they were still a bit unfamiliar. She realized that she was also the only one outside the family there. Did his brothers not have girlfriends or something? They were cute enough�
�So Kris, do you normally spend Thanksgiving with a lot of relatives?� Brian�s grandmother asked. She seemed sweet enough. Kris collected her thoughts as she scooped some mashed potatoes and stuffing onto her plate.
�Well normally my mother and I drive to Wisconsin and spend the weekend with one of my sisters and their families. This year Brian invited me over so my mother just went up there for today and will be back later tonight. They enjoy cooking for us.� Brian�s grandmother smiled at the thought of the daughter cooking for the mother, and let her glance go to Mrs. Hoffman.
�And what about your father?� Kris let her eyes glance around the table. Brian had a mother and father that loved each other very much. She could see it in their eyes. Why couldn�t it be that way with her family? It seemed a likable question to ask, from a woman who seemed to know nothing about a separated family. She was still married to her first husband, and her daughter was still married to her first husband. Everyone was happy.
�My father left my mother and I was when I was six. I haven�t seen or heard from him in a long time.� That was ten years ago when he left, she was sixteen now and it still hurt her inside to talk about it. She twisted a napkin around in her hands while studying the family�s reaction. None of them knew that she didn�t have a father, and no one had thought of such a thing. It was 1999�almost 2000. Goddammit, things like this happen all the time!
�Oh,� was all his grandmother said. Immediately Kris felt like an outcast, just for being different in a way she couldn�t control. It was his fault, it had always been his fault. Him and that bitch he found�what if he began to raise a family with her? What was with that? Just leave his first family behind, his wife and his child and just leave to do the same thing with different people?
Kris looked to Brian for a bit of comfort, a welcoming expression or at least a smile. He stared a her blankly for a few moments before turning back to his food. She looked out into the table. �Excuse me,� she said, then quickly got up and headed for the bathroom. Brian noticed, and didn�t do anything about it. A stern look from his mother made him think otherwise. Her eyes followed him as he walked out of the room, after his girlfriend. He saw her duck into the bathroom, and quickly he made his way over. The door was shut by the time he got there, so he knocked.
�You can come in,� she said, grabbing a tissue. Brian walked in and closed the door behind him. She was sitting on the side of the tub, her cheeks red and her eyes glossed over. She hadn�t cried, not yet at least. He looked over her, not knowing what to say. �I turned to you for reassurance, Brian, and all you give me is this look that I�m some sort of alien. Not all marriages work out, you know. Just because it hasn�t happened in your family doesn�t mean that it doesn�t happen in others.�
Brian took a seat next to her on the edge of the tub, and put his arm around her, pulling her close to him. She looked off into nothing, trying to enjoy his affection. Even if it was forced, it was still something. Maybe it would of been better if she stuck with Taylor instead of coming here. �My grandmother�s very old-fashioned, Kris. She believes that marriage is forever and throughout whatever problems there�s always an answer. If two people exchange vows and say till death do us part, the promise is not to be broken.�
�Well this is the modern age, Brian. Nothing could of saved my parent�s marriage. My father fell in love with his boss and started neglecting my mother and me. Eventually he left, and I haven�t seen him since. I was six, and I still remember coming home and my mother bawling for days. He left us a note saying that he went to France with his new love and that he wouldn�t be back.� Kris let her head fall onto his shoulder, for a quick moment wanting it to be Taylor that she was with. Would she ever see him again? Brian noticed her sigh, but only figured it was about his grandmother�s question. Never did he think that there was another man�