Xavier FINAL(59)
Xavier was talking studio equipment, I think, with someone who didn’t seem to be a professional but more a friend so I popped in ear buds to continue the search for more unknowns.
It was three in the afternoon when I finally looked away from the computer screen. We hadn’t said two words to one another. I even emailed him back the dates of the gigs I found. He chuckled and turned his chair away from me and continued talking on the phone.
He had emailed me a detailed schedule he had made of what was happening each day at Forever Four. Friday we would be in the office at Steel Industries. He seemed happy with the way things were going. So was I.
My phone rang and it was a friend I was paired with to do a semester long project asking what time I could meet him. I told Billy we could meet at my apartment in an hour to come up with a plan. That’s when Xavier spoke to me the first time since ‘Office hours’ had officially started.
“Who is Billy?” He asked looking down as he tapped the keys on his laptop.
“My partner in design lab this semester.”
“Hmm. You told him to meet you at your place?”
His voice was a little unsteady and it made me laugh. He glanced up at me and leaned back in his chair, eyes locked on mine.
“Yes. I figured it might be a little cold on the sidewalk at school.”
“And the library?”
“Is a quiet place.” I said giving him the same annoyed look he was giving me.
He stood up pushing his chair back and his eyes remained locked on me. I let out an exaggerated breath and his lips formed a line.
“I’ll take you. I’ll stay with you, and…”
I stood up and walked out the door and up the stairs. My pace quickened when I heard him growl and his heavy steps coming up behind me. He was stomping up the stairs behind me.
I went in and started putting my things in the bag he had packed for me two days ago. I expected him to argue with me, maybe I wanted him to? I don’t know I was too confused when he was around.
I was further confused when he walked past me into the closet and brought out some of my clothes and put them in the suitcase. He helped me pack. Huffing much of the time but he was helping me.
“I’ll ride into the city with you.”
“I’m taking the train.”
“Over my dead…” he stopped midsentence and clenched his jaw and grumbled for a moment as I walked past him into the bathroom. He followed, “I have to go in anyways. It would be silly. Jesus can’t you just say okay?”
“Okay.”
“Okay?”
“No maybe--.”
“Bullshit. You said okay.” He grabbed my large duffle and down the stairs he went.
~
The ride in was as quiet as the day had been. He was annoyed and I was trying my best not to be annoyed by him being annoyed. I knew what my problem was. I was about to face something he had made me forget.
Xavier pulled into the small lot across the road and parked the SUV. When he started to get out I stopped him.
“I got it. Go on and do whatever it was you had to do.”
“I can carry your things up Taelyn.”
“No thank you.”
I got out with my bags and all but ran from him into my building.
I walked up two flights of stairs and through the hall door to my apartment. It took me awhile to find the key. I opened the door and saw the mess. I hadn’t cleaned up before Xavier swooped in and saved the day. I had left it as it had been when Daniel had --.
I covered my ears and wasn’t sure why. I closed my eyes tight trying to make the memories fade. Memories don’t fade. It doesn’t matter how tight you shut your eyes you can’t erase a mental image. Regardless of how much I disliked Daniel, I still wanted to know why. Why had he done that to me? What did I do wrong to make it okay for him to treat me like that? What was wrong with him that made it okay to put his hands on me-- even if I did it first. No man I knew was like that.
I jumped and screamed when I felt a tap on my shoulder. Everything else was a blur. I was pushed to the side as Xavier tackled someone onto the floor. He was shaking him and just as he drew his arm back I realized it was my lab partner.