This chapter is going to be a bit...different. Just FYI. Feel free to comment and provide helpful feedback! 3 xx
It had been eight days since Beth and Sasha's coffee date.
While I looked over the calendar that hung on my wall, I noticed there were more gaps than were normal or acceptable. Ever since I met her, the large boxes were filled coffee dates, karaoke bar performances, classes, and every other time our paths crossed. Hell, I hadn't even seen her at Church in a couple weeks. There was no doubt in my mind that it had something to do with those damn Dixons, but what was I supposed to do? Beth, while mine, was still an independent woman. How would she react if I started telling her who she could and couldn't spend time with? That was not how our relationship worked. If I started taking that away, she'd leave me and I couldn't have that.
She'd gone to school as normal, but hadn't spent time with any of her friends afterwards like she normally did. She didn't go to the library to study, she didn't go to Starbucks to get her post-lecture latte. It was the beginning of Pumpkin Spice season, her favorite, and she didn't go? It worried me. I couldn't help but wonder why. I'd been trying to make sure she was alright, checking in on her every night, but it was like she was barely in her apartment too. The lights rarely came on and when they did, they were blocked out by her new, adorably striped curtains. I hadn't noticed those until I'd gotten home from work one night. Yeah, they hindered my view a bit, but it was nice to see her trying to make her apartment a bit more homey. And I couldn't blame her really. With the windows open like she had them, anyone could just look inside.
The thing that really upset me was Daryl's inserting himself into Beth and my's relationship. Couldn't he just accept the fact that he'd fucked up and lost her? Why couldn't he leave her alone? He'd had his chance already even if I couldn't understand why that goddess had even given him the time of day in the first place. Daryl didn't deserve a woman like her, someone so pure, so beautiful, so loving. From what I'd seen of him? He was disgusting. He rode around on that motorcycle like a bat out of Hell. He'd taken my Beth on that death trap more than once! Wasn't he afraid for her safety? What if she fell off? Granted, he'd at least had the decency of giving her a helmet, but still. I'd seen how he looked after his accident. I didn't know that it involved the bike until I'd seen one of his trailer trash friends drop it off a couple days later in a pickup truck donned in Confederate flags of all shapes and sizes. That was more proof that Beth didn't belong in his world or vice versa. What could they possibly even have in common? He was the Devil and she was an angel, perfect in every way. He tainted her in ways I could never imagine possible.
Oh, but how my day brightened as it went on. I got a few glimpses of my girl, which made the long hours of work pass by in the blink of an eye. It was a Tuesday, which meant she had work at the Church nursery, and I'd even been lucky enough to stop by for a little while to spend some time with her. It was by the grace of God that my buddy called me up and asked me to bring his kid to school next door. If I hadn't? I wouldn't have been able to see her until after I had clocked out. When I laid my eyes on her, it was like my breath had been sucked straight out of my chest. She just looked so damn gorgeous in her skinny jeans, t-shirt, and Chuck Taylor's. And the way those kids looked at her? I imagined that our kids would look at her in a similar fashion, with nothing but the same wonder and love that I had in my eyes when I saw her.
And when she said 'Hello' to me in the hallway as I left the kid's classroom? I wanted to reach out and take her into my arms right there and then, but I knew we weren't at the stage yet. If I had just threw myself all over her in her place of business, she'd never forgive me. We were still in the Courting phase. I was still earning her trust. I knew my little jab at Daryl on the phone had probably already cost me a few points and set me back a few paces on the game board, but what else was I supposed to do? I had to convince him to leave her alone. I thought by letting him know that she was spoken for, he'd quit dragging her through the mud with him but apparently it was going to take a bit more to throw him off her trail. I just had to figure out what that was.
I'd gotten to drive by the Church a few times that day too which only made it better. I even got to have my coffee while watching her at recess with her class. I'd gotten a couple calls around her area so I'd caught her sitting outside by herself on a small break (must have been nap time), spending some time on her phone. I couldn't help but wonder when I'd get the privilege of having her cell number. I had the phone number to her apartment, so calling wasn't ever an issue. However, having a number where I could reach her everywhere, anytime, was more than appealing. I'd loved the chance to send her 'Good Morning' texts, or messages telling her how beautiful and wonderful she is. I bet Daryl didn't do that for her. He didn't seem like the romantic, Prince Charming on a white horse, type. I wanted to be those things for her, to show her how a real man could take care of her and love her the way she deserved. I knew that when Beth gave me the chance to make her happy she would never regret it. All I needed was to take care of a few loose ends.
Around 4:30, I got a call to a building a couple blocks away from where the three of us lived so I decided to stop by theirs on my way back. I worked my way up to the third floor and immediately found the door I was looking for. I took my notebook from my back pocket and wrote a quick note, leaving it folded in the door. If that didn't work? Things were bound to get a lot more interesting...
Sorry guys, this chapter was a bit shorter than I would have liked. I had no idea where it was going to go, but I kinda like how it came out.
Also, plotting for the rest of the story is officially finished AND plotting for the next installment is under way! I'm so excited to be back and to have these guys rolling around in my head again. Hope you guys are digging the story so far and make sure to keep your eyes on the Tumblr page. I'll be posting a really special thing reeeeeeeeeeeally soon! 3 xx