I just want to give a quick thanks to everybody who has been reviewing the story! It makes me very excited and boosts my creativity!

Chapter 3: Now What?

Chad sighed as he rolled over in his bed. He missed waking up next to Taylor and having her beautiful face be the first thing he saw in the morning. He was almost asleep again when his cell phone started to ring. His hand patted around his bedside table, before it found the phone. "Hello?" He answered, groggily.

"Morning," her equally tired voice greeted. "Sleep well?"

"Not as well as I did last weekend," he replied, as he flopped on to his back. "You're a breathtaking sight for the morning."

"You aren't so bad yourself," she laughed.

"No, I'm serious," he said. "Compared to walking into the kitchen and finding Troy standing in front of the fridge, dresses in a pair of boxers and scratching his ass while he tries to find something that isn't moldy to eat, you win hands down in every category."

"Thanks, I think," Taylor laughed. "I miss you, Chad."

"I miss you, too," he sighed. "What are you wearing?"

"Chad," she rolled her eyes.

"Tell me," he insisted.

"Fine, I'm wearing the shirt from your state championship our senior year," she replied.

"Oh man," he groaned remembering when he'd walked into the kitchen at his mom's house and found Taylor wearing that shirt and a pair of white cotton panties while she made scrambled eggs for them. "You look hot in that one."

"So you've told me," Taylor smiled.

They talked for a few more minutes before they said goodbye and hung up. Chad put his phone back on his bedside table then stretched before he stood up. He grabbed a set of clothes then went into the bathroom. As he showered he let his mind reflect on what had happened with Taylor over the weekend.

They had spent a majority of Friday afternoon and evening making up for their lack of sex during the previous month. He'd woken up on Saturday morning a few minutes before noon and had gone in search of Taylor and found her in the kitchen wearing his championship t-shirt with her white panties peeking out from underneath.

He and Taylor had spent most of Saturday watching TV and when she fell asleep, he had turned the TV off and let his mind wander. Taylor was the topic his mind always came back to and he wondered what was next for the two of them. He knew that he loved her and that she loved him back, but could they take the next step, whatever it may be?

Chad groaned as his shower and thoughts were interrupted by pounding on the bathroom door. "HURRY UP!" Troy yelled from the other side.

"About freaking time!" Troy exclaimed when Chad exited the bathroom. "I was gonna piss out the window if you were a second longer."

Chad shook his head and went into his room. He shoved his feet into his shoes then grabbed his backpack. He ran down the stairs and went into the kitchen. He was pouring a glass of orange when Zeke came into the room.

"Hey, how was your weekend with Taylor?" Zeke asked as he opened the drawer under the stove and pulled out his secret stash of baked treats.

"It was amazing," Chad smiled. "Just what we needed."

"So now that you've gotten laid, we shouldn't expect you to bitch at us?" Zeke nudged his friend.

"No promises," Chad replied, he looked at the sink that was filled with dishes. "You guys are slobs." His mind wandered to the water fight that he and Taylor had shared after eating Sunday afternoon.

"What's up with him?" Troy asked when he came into the kitchen, dressed in a pair of red plaid boxers.

"He's thinking about Taylor," Zeke said before he pushed Chad, knocking him out of his thoughts. "Right?"

"Uh, what?" Chad asked, blinking twice. "Sorry, I was lost in my thoughts."

"Yeah, we figured that out," Troy said as he opened the fridge. He grabbed a bottle of milk, took a swig then put it back.

"So where did you take Taylor?" Zeke asked. "Did she like the meals we made?"

"She loved them," Chad replied. "And we house sat for my mom. It was cool ya know, cause it was just the two of us and we just chilled for the first time in a long time."

"Chilled, ha!" Troy scoffed. "How many times did you take her on the couch, Chad?"

Chad rolled his eyes. "I have to get to class, I'll see you guys later," he said.

-----

Taylor sighed as she went into the bathroom that she and Gabriella shared. As per usual, Gabriella had left everything she used in the morning spread across the counter. Taylor shook her head and put all of Gabriella's stuff away so she could get ready. She wondered if Gabriella thought that there was a fairy that came around after she left for school to clean up after her.

Taylor got to the University of Albuquerque campus twenty minutes before her class and settled into her seat near the front of the class, hoping the close proximity to the teacher would keep her mind on the lecture and off Chad and the wonderful weekend they'd shared. But instead of focusing on the lecture, her eyes watched the clock 11:05, 11:20 then finally 11:50. She hopped out of her chair as soon as the professor excused the class and she practically ran to the student union where she knew Chad would be waiting for her.

She smiled when she spotted him bent over a textbook, with headphones in his ears and not paying attention to the world around him. She slipped her arms around him, startling him, and moved her hands down his chest as she kissed his neck.

"Hey," she greeted when he pulled the headphones out of his ears.

"You scared the shit out of me," he laughed as she let go and sat down next to him. "How was class?"

"I was there physically," Taylor shrugged. "But my mind was somewhere else."

"Same here," he grinned.

"Hey guys," Gabriella greeted as she walked up and sat down at the table with them. "Taylor told me all about your romantic weekend, Chad."

"Well, hopefully notall of it," Chad grinned and Taylor felt her face heat up. He pushed back his chair and stood. "I'm getting food, you want anything, Tay?"

"Sandwich," she replied. He nodded then walked away. As soon as he was out of sight, she turned to Gabriella and softly kicked her in the shin.

"Ow!" Gabriella cried, rubbing her shin. "What was that for?"

"Lunch time is my only alone time with Chad," Taylor stated. "Which is why we never invite you to join us."

"Fine, I'll leave," Gabriella said, standing up. "See you later." She grabbed her bag and walked off.

Taylor sighed as she shook her head. She felt bad for running her best friend off, but she wanted to be alone with Chad, even if they were sitting in the noisy student union.

"Where'd Gabriella go?" Chad asked when he walked up carrying three sandwiches. "I got a sandwich for her."

"She forgot she had a quiz in her next class," Taylor replied. "So she went to the library to study."

"Oh, okay," Chad said, sitting down. "Just means more food for me." Taylor rolled her eyes. "You coming with me to my mom's house for dinner tonight?"

"I can't," Taylor sighed as she unwrapped her sandwich. "Palmer called in sick so Veda asked me to take over his tutoring appointments."

"Then how about I bring you some leftovers?" Chad suggested. "And if you lock the cat in Gabriella's room and I'll watch you eat."

"Watch me eat?" Taylor raised her eyebrows. "More like watch me take a couple bites then ask 'are you going to finish that?'"

Chad just grinned before taking a big bite of his sandwich.

-----

"How was Mexico?" Chad asked his mom as he cut up onions for the chili dinner she was preparing.

"It was a lot of fun," his mom smiled. "Is Taylor joining us tonight?"

"Nope, she got extra hours at the tutoring center," Chad shrugged. "But what else is new."

"Everything okay between you two?" His mom asked, sensing frustration in his voice.

"That's just it, things are the best they've ever been between us," he stated. "It's the world and the people around us that are making things difficult."

"How are they making it difficult?" His mom inquired as he poured the chopped onions into the pot.

Chad shook his head and chuckled softly. He and his mom had always been close, but he'd never been up front about his sex life. "Taylor and I aren't comfortable being intimate when the guys are in the house and the guys keep showing up at the house at the worst possible times," he said. "And Gabriella is always at Taylor's place so we don't get to go there. Not to mention she has an evil cat.

"So while you were gone, Tay and I spent the weekend here and it was amazing, mom. We spent the whole weekend enjoying each others company and just relaxing. But now things are back to why they were before and I hate it.

"Gabriella has even started invading mine and Taylor's lunch dates. I miss Tay so much, yet she's right there. I just want to be with her. I want to wake up next to her in the morning and go to sleep with her in my arms and not have to worry about Troy barging into the room like he did when we were living in the dorms."

"How does Taylor feel?" His mom asked.

"She's frustrated, too, but she just does a better job of hiding it," Chad shrugged. "Then again, she only has to deal with Gabriella and that stupid cat while I have to deal with dumb, dumber and dumbest."

"Do you love her?"

He nodded.

"And you've told her?"

He nodded.

"And I assume she's told you she loves you?"

"Every day," Chad smiled. "We spend the first and last fifteen minutes of our day talking on the phone."

"Stir the chili for a minute," his mom instructed before leaving the kitchen.

Chad grabbed the spoon she abandoned and started to stir. When his cell phone rang, he dug it out of his pocket and answered it, "Ello?"

"Hey baby," Taylor greeted. "What's your momma serving for dinner?"

"Her delicious chili," he replied as a smile crossed his face. "Bet you wish you were here to eat."

"I can be if I can convince you to delay dinner for forty-five minutes," she said. "My second appointment got canceled."

"For you, I'd delay dinner for a day," Chad replied. "Any longer than that and I'd starve and we don't want that."

"No, we don't want that," Taylor laughed. "My tutoree just got here. I'll see you soon, baby."

"I assume that was Taylor." Chad turned to find his mom standing behind him.

"Yup, she's gonna join us in forty-five minutes," he replied.

"Good, that gives us sometime to talk," his mom said as she put the chili on low. "Sit down, Chad." She motioned to a barstool.

"What's up, mom?" Chad asked, worriedly as he sat.

"I'm going to give you something," she said. "But I am in no way telling you that this will solve your problems, but it sounds like this is where you and Taylor are headed and if that is the case then I want you to know that you have my blessing." She set a black velvet box on the counter. "Open it."

Chad looked at her surprised then timidly picked up the box. He lifted the lid carefully and found a white gold ring with a small round diamond set in a square setting. "Mom, what is this?" He asked. "I mean, I know what it is, but whose is it?"

"It was your grandmother's engagement ring," his mom replied. "She left it to you, so if you think Taylor would want something else, it's up to you. I really don't have a say."

Chad stood up and wrapped his mom up in a bear hug. "Thanks, mom," he said. "I'm going to go put this in my car before Taylor gets here."

Chad went out to his car and unlocked the passenger side. He opened the glove box and his brows knitted together in confusion when he pulled out Taylor's red lacey bra. He shook his head as a smile crossed his face. He put the ring in the glove box then hung the bra from his rearview mirror.

Instead of going back into the house, Chad sat down on the front porch to wait for Taylor. He was still in shock that his mom had given him the engagement ring. Sure he'd been thinking about what the next step with Taylor was, but was he ready to be engaged? Then what, get married? Start a family?

"Hey sexy," Taylor greeted as she walked up the steps. When Chad didn't answer, she put her hand on his knee, making him jump.

"Hey," he said, standing up. "Sorry I was just zoning out."

"It's okay," she laughed. She stood on her tiptoes and gave him a kiss. "Let's go get some chili."

When they went into the house, they found a note on the counter from his mom.

Chad,

Still suffering from jetlag. I've already eaten, so go ahead and eat without me. Just put the food away and I'll take care of the dishes.

Love,

Mom

"Guess it's just the two of us tonight," Taylor shrugged. "I'll get the bowls, you get the spoons."

Chad smiled as he silently thanked his mom. As confused as he was about what the next step was for himself and Taylor, he knew that when it came right down to it, he wanted to be with her.

After they ate, put the chili away and did the dishes, Chad locked up the house then walked Taylor to her car. "I'll follow you to your place," he said. "Just to make sure you get home safely."

"Okay," she smiled. Once he closed her door, she put on her seatbelt and waited for Chad to get in his car. She led him out of the neighbor his mom's house was in and it wasn't until she got to stop light near the University of Albuquerque that she saw her red bra hanging off his rearview mirror.

Chad could tell the second that she realized what his new rearview mirror decoration was. He laughed to himself and stayed in his car when they got to her house. She climbed out of her car and ran over to his car.

"CHAD!" She exclaimed as she threw open the door.

She reached for the bra but he grabbed her hand. "You're the one that shoved it in my glove box," he grinned. "Besides, I think it looks good there."

"I left it in your glove box because that's a private place," she retorted as she grabbed the bra. "If you want it in here-" She reached for the glove box, but he batted her hands away.

"You can have it back," he told her. "I was just messing around with you."

"I don't want it back," she replied. "Jason found it under a cushion on the couch and Zeke gave it back to me." She shuddered.

"Burn it," Chad instructed. "I'll go home and beat 'em." He gave her a kiss. "I'll see you later, baby."

He sighed in relief as he drove away from her house. She'd almost found the ring. When he got home, he shoved the box into his pocket then ran up to his room, ignoring his friends' hellos. He opened his sock drawer and put the box in the back of it.

-----

The ring and the pending question of what to do next, plagued Chad's mind for the next few days and on Friday he decided that he needed advice. He drove out to East High and entered the building through the gym.

The room brought back lots of memories for him: his first slow dance with Taylor, hours and hours of basketball practice, two state championships and countless other events. His steps echoed through the empty gym as he headed for the boys locker room.

"Hey coach, you got a second?" Chad asked, leaning in the open door.

Coach Bolton looked up from his newspaper and nodded. "This is a surprise, Chad," he said. "What's up?"

"I was hoping I could get some advice," Chad said, shoving his hands in his pockets. "About me and Taylor."

"Sounds serious," Coach Bolton said. "Close the door and have a seat." Chad did as he was told then sat down. "So what's up?"

"How did you know you were ready to get married?" Chad asked him. "Like how did you know Mrs. Bolton was the woman you wanted to spend the rest of your life with."

"Are you thinking of proposing to Taylor?" Coach Bolton asked.

"I don't know," Chad shrugged. "I know I love her and that she loves me. I know that when I'm not with her she's all I think about and the only person I want to be with."

"Close your eyes, Chad," Coach Bolton said. When Chad's eyes were closed he continued. "I want you to picture your life without Taylor."

"I can't," Chad said after a few seconds.

"Try harder," Coach Bolton instructed.

Chad clamped his eyes closed and was taken to a world of darkness, there wasn't any life, all the flowers were dead and he felt a sense of longing. He opened his eyes and shook his head. "I don't want to go back there," he said.

"Okay, now picture your life with Taylor," Coach Bolton told him.

Chad closed his eyes and instantly saw an image of Taylor's smiling face. The world around her was bright, cheerful and it made Chad feel warm. He felt like there wasn't anything that could stop them and that's when he knew what he was going to do next.

So I'm pretty sure you guys have some ideas about what's going to happen next... I have some ideas too... I just have to write them :-D Also, pictures of the ring will/have been posted under the extras section of the story website and you can find the link in my profile.

Update 2/21 - Update coming soon I promise! I'm still dealing with the aftermath of college midterms... but I'm working on the next chapter piece by piece... also... this is going to be more than a fluff piece I promise... there will be drama and it's coming really soon!