#I didn’t even realize I had such expectations about what kind of pub Joe Alwyn would frequent lol

[dreaminginsteadofsleeping42]

I went to the Black Dog with @sophisticatedswifts and I was surprised by how not pretentious it was. I guess I was expecting it to be in some intellectual artsy corner of London that took hours to get to, but you could literally see Big Ben just across the way. A humble, down to earth pubwe.

[oldfashionedswiftcurse]

Alwyn vs. Swift Pt. 7

When they finally returned home, Taylor took her punishment with a brave face. Because it was growing colder, she didn’t need to be going out all the time, except when she had Joe’s band shows. She rarely if ever missed a show; although he was hesitant at first to break her punishment every Friday night, her father agreed. The first snowfall occurred after one of Joe’s shows, and as Taylor was listening to the band perform, she turned to the window and was amazed. Joe had just finished with his set and met her at the bar. As she was taking a sip of her margarita, she felt Joe’s hand around her waist.

           “When are we making this official, love?” He teased, and she giggled.

           “We’re not official.”

           “It didn’t seem like that when you were cuddling up next to me on the train to Munich,” he whispered seductively, and Taylor smiled.

           She loved teasing him and enjoyed the responses she would get from him. At that moment, a tall brunette walked in, and her eyes froze on Joe. Taylor noticed at first and remembered the face from the night of the party. Joe was grinning widely at Taylor until he turned his head and saw his ex-girlfriend, Teresa, standing there. She approached like a model, swinging her brown locks to the side, and sauntered up to Joe.

           “Joe, I’ve missed you,” she said, and Taylor felt Joe’s hand clamp up on her waist.

           “Teresa,” he said curtly, and Taylor noticed his jaw was clenching.

           “I want to apologize for everything. I ruined us.”

           “You broke my heart,” he acknowledged, a vulnerable side that Taylor had never publicly witnessed.

           “Babe, who is this?” Taylor responded, creating a façade of a happy, blossoming relationship. “I’m Taylor, Joe’s girlfriend.”

           Teresa was shocked, but despite the look of surprise in her eyes, her mouth remained shut. She turned to Taylor, shaking her hand.

           “Teresa. Nice to meet you. If you don’t mind, I’d like to speak with Joe.”

           Despite her fake depiction of kindness, Taylor could smell the superiority all over Teresa. Taylor turned to Joe who remained silent. Although he didn’t have the usual look of panic on his face at any mention of Teresa, he looked nervous. However, he nodded to Taylor to leave them alone. She was shocked, but she walked away over to Rebecca. She watched them, the way Teresa often leaned in to talk to Joe, and she hated her for it. Joe remained cordial, sipping his beer while Teresa laughed over their fond memories. How fond could her infidelity have really been, Taylor thought. She glanced over another time, and this time, Joe was smiling…or it seemed like it. She was furious. After everything Teresa had done to hurt him, he was just willing to forgive her??

           After a few minutes of discussion, Joe came over to tell them that he was going to stay a bit longer at the pub. That was the last straw for her. Taylor said a quick goodbye to Rebecca and then walked out. Unsurprisingly, Joe did not follow her out. Seeing a flyer for the upcoming masquerade ball in the middle of November, Taylor grabbed it. Reaching for her cell phone, she called Martin and asked him to be her date. He was pleasantly surprised, but accepted nonetheless. Taylor beamed and went to look for dresses that would match her mask. Although she had bought it earlier that day with Rebecca, she wasn’t expecting to go with anyone as her date. Now, however, she couldn’t wait to hang out with Martin in front of Joe.

           The night of the masquerade arrived faster than expected, and while Joe and Taylor still joked around with each other, something had changed between them. He would often leave their group conversation to take a phone call secretly and when he returned, he refused to mention who was on the other line. Taylor assumed it was Teresa and hated how close they were growing again. Martin arrived at her door promptly at 8:00 PM, and her dad had slipped up. In a ploy to grill Martin, he let it slip that Taylor had left the country with a boy…a boy that was clearly not Martin. His initial look of confusion faded away as he admired her; they arrived on campus about fifteen minutes later. Everyone looked amazing, all dolled up in their best evening wear, and Taylor enjoyed walking in on Martin’s arm. She found Rebecca who stopped dancing with her date to greet Taylor.

           “This place looks amazing,” Taylor acknowledged, and Martin squeezed her waist.

           “What do you say we dance?”

           She smiled, nodding her head. They went out on the dance floor, but instead of a slow song, an upbeat song came on, and Taylor recognized it instantly. It was Flor’s “Hold On,” and she immediately broke out into a dance. She sang out the lyrics, and Martin smiled next to her. She liked Martin; he was a great guy, and while he didn’t cause the turbulent rush that Joe often did, he was consistent. Her cheeks were growing rosier, and when she spun her head in a violent, energetic fashion, her eyes tripped on Joe. He was watching her, leaning against the wall, and smiling. When the song ended, she went to their table and grabbed food with Martin.

           He talked about the band and his major, Economics, and it was never a boring conversation. He was honest and never teased her; although she may not have immediately felt the sparks, she was beginning to build a solid friendship with him. When Martin left to catch up with some of his friends, Rebecca came over to Taylor.

           “He’s cute. What’s happening there? If you ask Joe, he’ll probably say nothing just to heal his bruised ego,” she teased.

           “I like Martin…as a friend. I’m not sure if anything other than that will happen. And Joe has a lot of nerve then, seeing as he’s back with Teresa.”

           Rebecca’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion, but at that moment, Joe interrupted them.

           “You look absolutely ravishing, love,” he whispered, kissing her cheek.

           “Save it, Joe.”

           Joe wore a confused expression, and Rebecca, sensing some tension, left them alone.

           “Did I strike a nerve with you?” He asked, watching her closely.

           Joe was wearing a plain white dress shirt with a blue bowtie and fitted dress pants. He looked amazing, but Taylor was still frustrated with him. His mask was a midnight blue, but even through it, she could spot his bright eyes.

           “Teresa, really? After everything that she did to you, you’re just going to take her back like nothing happened?”

           Joe’s lips curled into a smirk, but he played along.

           “Does that bother you?”

           “Yes,” she admitted. “Because you deserve better. You deserve…”

           “Someone like you?” He asked hopefully, but she remained silent. “I could say the same for you.”

           “Martin and I…it’s not like that.”

           “No? You seemed pretty mesmerized by his stupid hair and his crooked grin.”

           “Are you jealous, Alwyn?” She teased, but he shook his head.

           “Hardly. I play a good game, but even I know when I’m not wanted.”

           “Who said that I didn’t want you?” She said, playing along.

           “Well, it’s safe to assume when you’re all over another guy,” he responded sadly. “That night of my show, when Teresa interrupted us, you told me you weren’t interested. ‘We aren’t official’ were the words you chose, I believe.”

           Taylor paused, realizing that Joe had flirted with Teresa to make her jealous.

           “So you chose to lash out by flirting with Teresa, taking her secret phone calls and never telling anyone about it?”

           Joe looked shocked, but his face quickly turned into a look of amazement.

           “You assumed that was Teresa? You were jealous too,” he stated, not as a question but as an observation.

           She shook her head in irritation, standing up.

           “Have fun, Joe. I’m sure Teresa’s got a good reason for not coming with you tonight, so…just enjoy yourself.”

           She walked to the bathroom, washing her hands quickly. She looked at herself in the mirror, studying her dark red lipstick and curled hair. Her mask was white with feathers, matching the strapless black chiffon dress she was wearing. There was a slightly long line to use the actual bathroom, so she opted not to. The hallway outside of the women’s bathroom was just as crowded, but Taylor managed to finagle a path through. As she passed by the different masked figures, she felt a hand against her arm. She spun around, and fierce lips pressed against hers. Shocked, she was about to push away until she recognized the hands that were now roaming her body. It was Joe. Although she paused at first, Taylor gave in to the kiss and slipped her tongue in Joe’s mouth. The hallway was dark, but they found a space where they fit together. Joe’s hand slipped down her waist, resting against her thigh. All he had to do was raise his fingers slightly and they would be under the side of her underwear. She clutched him tightly, not wanting to let go, until they both had to come up for air.

           “Thanks for being jealous, love,” he whispered huskily, nearly out of breath.

           He walked away then, and Taylor tried her best to compose herself. She knew it was Joe while she was kissing him, and she didn’t stop. What does that mean? The way his hands moved around her body, it was as if they were naturally meant to be there. When she finally managed to return to her table, she found Joe long gone, but Martin was there. He was texting someone and looked…very happy. At her return, he glanced up, and it seemed as if his mind was elsewhere.

           “Hey,” she said, returning. “I hope you weren’t too long for me.”

           “I was fine, no worries,” he responded. “Look Taylor, I’ve been meaning to talk about…what this means to both of us.”

           She paused, wondering how he was going to continue.

           “I like you…a lot. It’s just…there’s someone else, an ex-girlfriend. And I promise you, I really did think I was over it, but I’m not.”

           “Oh.”

           “I didn’t mean to lead you on at all, and if the timing was different…”

           “Martin, I understand. I really do. Timing means everything.”

           “It does. You’re a great girl, Taylor. And I’m sure I’m not the only one who noticed that.”

           She smiled, gesturing to his phone.

           “Well, you can’t leave her waiting then,” she said giggling. “Go get your girl!”

           Martin smiled and paused.

           “Thank you. I hope we can still be friends.”

           “Of course.”

           Martin got up, and she followed. Before leaving, he hugged her, and it felt…friendly. She had trusted her gut with Martin, and it seems like he was feeling the same way. When Rebecca noticed her friend was sitting alone at the table, she returned.

           “There’s a great after-party going on right now,” she whispered. “Lots of booze and cute boys. I’m assuming you and Martin are no longer a go?”

           “No. And I’m not sure if we ever were,” Taylor acknowledged. “I think for me, there was always someone else.”

           Rebecca grinned, knowing exactly who Taylor was talking about.

           “I think he’s going to be there…at the after-party, I mean.”

           Taylor nodded, deciding to at least make an appearance. She left campus and quickly changed into a t-shirt and jeans; she arrived at the apartment as the party was coming to a head. There were people everywhere, circling on the dance floor and nestled in the darkest corners of the room. She was looking for Joe, of course, and she found him talking to a girl she recognized, Janet, and a few other boys. He was very much into his conversation, so Taylor waited for him and took a cup of vodka coke. She drank it quickly, watching the way he worked the crowd. Everyone in this school had fallen for his charm easily, and so every time someone laughed at his joke or touched his arm (cough Janet cough), Taylor would take another sip of her drink. Eventually, they became one cup, then two, and even a part of the third.

           Joe saw her then, leaning against a counter, and left his group to speak with her. The room was slightly spinning, and she didn’t know if it was because she was drunk or because of the colorfully lit disco ball hanging up.

           “Hey, love. I think you’ve had enough of that,” he whispered, sliding the drink out of her hand.

           “Joe, give it back. If I want to get smashed tonight, then I want to get smashed tonight.”

           He chuckled, but dumped the cup into the sink anyway. Clasping her arm around his neck, Joe said his quick goodbyes and led Taylor away from the screaming crowds and down the stairs. She nearly stumbled twice and laughed it off, but it just made Joe grab onto her even tighter. When they were nearing her house, she shook off his grasp.

           “I can’t go home like this,” she whispered, and he nodded.

           Joe led her to his favorite place, his treehouse, once more. Although she had a lot of trouble getting up the stairs, she was finally safe in his bed. Joe ran back to his house to change into pajama pants, but promised to stay with her overnight. His parents were home. When he returned, Taylor’s head was facing the pillow, and she was clutching it.

           “I hope the hangover will be worth it,” he said, placing many sheets, a blanket, and a pillow on the space beside the bed. “You were amazing tonight.”

           “Why did you kiss me?” She asked, some semblance of sobriety returning to her. “I don’t want you to kiss me unless you mean it.”

           “Who says that I didn’t mean it?”

           Joe pushed the blanket over his shirtless upper body, warming him. Although he had drank a lot tonight as well, it was nothing in comparison to Taylor’s mixed drinks. Her vodka coke was no simple vodka coke, and she hadn’t even known it. Joe made a mental note to kill whoever was mixing the drinks that night.

           “Stop playing these games with me,” she whispered in a frustrated manner. “I’m so sick of it.”

           “Taylor…”

           “No. I wish I’d never met you. You may have given me some of the best moments of my life, but it’s not worth it. You just keep playing games, and…I’m done with it, Joe.”

           “What are you saying?”

           “I…”

           At that moment, however, she fell asleep. When she awoke the next morning with only a fuzzy recollection of what she had said, she was surprised to find that Joe was no longer beside her.

[oldfashionedswiftcurse]

Alwyn vs. Swift Pt. 3

A few weeks had passed, and Joe was still as persistently in lust with Taylor. As per their agreement, Taylor refused to lose this “challenge” that Joe had created for them. Her first two dates were with two of Rebecca’s friends, and while the guys were nice, Taylor knew that it wasn’t enough to start anything serious. Her last date was unexpected, and she was actually excited for it. 

Martin, one of the members of Joe’s band, made the decision to ask her out during one of their late night pub crawls. He was nervous, and she knew that despite being friends with Joe, he didn’t have the same air of haughtiness, or at least didn’t publicly show it the way Joe did. When Martin showed up at her townhouse armed with a bouquet of flowers, Taylor blushed immediately and put them in water as soon as possible. He was dressed in a light blue dress shirts, trousers, and loafers, and she grew nervous at her own outfit: a fitted red lace dress.

           She followed behind him as he led them to a brightly lit restaurant, an Italian place. He was an only child with happily married parents who adored him and naturally spoiled him (he blushed while mentioning this). Similarly, he wanted to start his own record company and keep producing quality music for a long time. Taylor told him about her own family, conveniently leaving out her mother’s abandonment. She didn’t want to scare Martin about her mommy issues on their first date. Afterward, they walked hand in hand to a park where Martin surprised her with a movie under the stars. It was thoughtful and romantic that is until she spotted Joe and his date, Janet. Taylor couldn’t help the biting sting of jealousy that she felt at seeing them.

           As Martin set up their blanket, Taylor went to the food stand to pick them up some popcorn and drinks. Suddenly, she felt a pair of warm hands on her waist and knew that Martin wouldn’t have been so brash on their first date. She stiffened and smirked when she saw Joe’s grinning face.

           “You look marvelous tonight,” he whispered into her ear. “It’s such a pity that you’re not coming home with me.”

           She rolled her eyes and turned to face him.

           “Such a pity,” she muttered sarcastically, glancing around to make sure Martin didn’t see their interaction. “What are you doing here?”

           “Ah, curious about my night’s activities, are you love? Well, I’m on a date as well, a very nice girl. You may have met her, Janet.”

           Taylor paused.

           “Of course you’d ask out the girl that had total heart eyes for you just yesterday. Safe move,” she teased, and he eyed her wickedly.

           “Are you jealous, Swift? Who did you end up going out tonight with anyway?”

           Taylor nodded her head over to where Martin was sitting, and Joe’s smile carefully turned into a frown.

           “Safe choice as well,” he began, picking up two bags of popcorn. “Martin is a great guy, really. He’s nice and manageable…he reminds me of my grand mum honestly. Maybe not the best choice for a spitfire like you though.”

           “Sometimes, people can surprise you. Naturally, you’d expect us to be most compatible because people have this wrong interpretation of hatred and sexual chemistry.”

           “Mhm,” he mumbled, wrapping his hand around her waist. “Sometimes, it’s the right interpretation. There’s no one I’d rather make love to right now than you.”

           She froze, making sure he couldn’t see her red cheeks.

           “I’m just another challenge to you, Joe. You only want me because you can’t have me.”

           “That’s not true, love. I want you for so many reasons that I’ve lost track of them all.”

           She glanced around, and surely enough, Martin was looking for her.

           “Show me the real you, Joe Alwyn. I don’t want the playboy popular guy or the soulful indie singer. Maybe that’s what makes you and Martin so different. All I know about you is that you want to get into my pants.”

           Joe froze, and Taylor walked away. When she returned to Martin, she found Joe’s eyes still locked on her. Snuggling close into Martin’s shoulder, she clasped his waist tightly and knew how jealous this would make Joe. At the end of the night, once the movie was over, Taylor turned to Joe. Despite being engaged in a liplock with Janet, every time that he would come up for air, he would glance over at her. She anticipated this, so that when he separated from Janet as the credits rolled, Taylor kissed Martin. It took him by surprise, but he reciprocated immediately, and she felt the gentle touch of his lips against hers. It was nice and sweet, but it was not the passion she had desired for her whole life. Taylor began to realize that maybe passion wasn’t the most important ingredient in relationships. She had all the passion in the world with Joe, but even she could predict the eventual downfall of that relationship.

           Martin walked her back home, and Taylor fell asleep thinking about that night. The only problem was that she wasn’t thinking about the way Martin’s lips felt against her; she was thinking of the way Joe’s fingers felt around her waist.

             The next day, Rebecca told Taylor about a party at someone’s flat. Although everyone was going, Taylor decided to stay in for the night. Rebecca invited her over to her mansion of a house, and the girls decided to make it a movie/game night. The girls tied their hair back, threw on some sweatpants, and proceeded to play Monopoly with The Notebook playing in the background. They ordered a pizza, and eventually, Taylor was not only sans makeup but she also had greasy fingers and a competitive look on her face when Joe stumbled in.

           “Well, well, well, what do we have here?”

           “Joseph, if you even think about taking a picture of us like this, I will kick your arse all the way to America. Right, Tay?”

           Taylor giggled at Rebecca’s idea of a joke, but she acquiesced.

           “You look all dressed up,” she admitted, eyeing him slowly.

           He was wearing a white button-up shirt that showed off his tanned biceps, and his jeans fit him perfectly. Taylor gazed at him, amazed at how put together he looked. He always looked so put together. Within seconds, she caught a whiff of his cologne, and it smelled intoxicating. When she made eye contact with him, she found him smirking back at her.

           “You’ve chosen a night of pizza and games over a night of drinking and dancing?”

           Taylor nodded triumphantly.

           “I’m impressed, Swift. You’re my type of girl.”

           At that moment, Joe reached for his cell phone, calling someone.

           “Sorry, love. I’ve decided to spend a night in tonight. Enjoy the festivities,” he said playfully, and Taylor knew he had called Janet.

           “You know, if you expect to win this challenge, you can’t cancel on your girlfriend,” Taylor admitted, and Rebecca groaned in disgust.

           “I can’t believe you actually made a bet with him, Taylor. At any given time, he has about ten ongoing bets, each one more disgusting than the next.”

           “Becks, I think Taylor is old enough to make her own decisions. If she decides to fall for a gambler like me, who can blame her?”

           Both girls groaned in disgust, and Joe chuckled.

           “So who’s winning?”

           He took a seat next to Taylor, throwing his cell phone on the sofa behind them. She couldn’t deny how attractive it was that he didn’t need to be glued to his phone at all times. Downing a slice of pepperoni pizza in a few bites, Joe managed to catch up to both girls, despite their pleas that he had cheated. Before Taylor’s last move, which she was positive would ensure her victory, Joe began to speak.

           “You know, it’s scary how rigged these games can be.”

           “You’re just mad because Taylor’s going to win,” Rebecca stated.

           “Yeah, Joe. Don’t be a sore loser.”

           “All it takes is one wrong move by the victor, and they are the victor no more. Sometimes, it can even be something that happens to the victor,” he stated, emphasizing the “to.”

           At that moment, Joe lunged for Taylor’s abdomen and began to tickle her. In her fit of giggles, she knocked over the game board, and Joe chuckled in victory. She clutched her abdomen in defense, but Joe broke through every defense with his nimble fingers. After she had surrendered in defeat, Joe began to clean up their mess while Rebecca yawned.

           “I’d walk you out, Tay, but I think I may collapse from exhaustion,” she said, barely able to stand up straight.

           “It’s fine. I’ll help Joe clean up, and then I’ll find my way out of this maze,” she muttered, gesturing to the large, mostly vacant house.

           After Rebecca left, they spent a few minutes in silence cleaning up. Eventually, Joe broke the silence.

           “We can clean our heads off, and my parents still won’t notice anything,” he joked, but Taylor could feel there was something deeper to this particular joke.

           “How often are they home?”

           “Less often than is optimal for two children in dire need of parental supervision. Becks and I have experimented with all kinds of nannies, but nothing beats the real thing,” he said sadly.

           “My dad’s hardly around too. He’s always working or golfing or anything to avoid spending any time with me.”

           “I’m sorry, love.”

           “If your parents knew what amazing kids they had, they would be here in a heartbeat. Parents are weird like that, I guess.”

           “Can I show you something?” Joe questioned, and Taylor reluctantly nodded.

           He reached for her hand, and she knew that she shouldn’t take it, but she did. Wrapping her right hand in his left, Joe led her outside to a large tree house perched in their backyard. He led her up the wooden ladder until they were finally in the dimly lit room. To her right, Taylor spotted pictures and pictures of Joe and his friends, Joe and Rebecca, and Joe with multiple strange women who she now knew were his many nannies. To her left, she found a shoddily made bed, a desk, and a shelf filled with different kinds of trophies, awards, and ribbons.

           “You won all of these?” She asked, separating from him to run her hands over his achievements. 1st place in a local Karate championship. 1st place in the school spelling bee. Most Likely to Become Prime Minister on a ribbon. Class Clown on a medal. High grades in all of his classes. 1st place in a school music competition.

           “You’re sort of amazing at everything,” she whispered, and she turned to find him with his hands in his jeans pockets watching her. “Now I know where the cockiness comes from.”

           He chuckled behind her, moving closer.

           “I tried everything. I told my parents when I was picking up a new hobby or if I got the highest grades on an exam because I just wanted them to be there, you know? They showed up the first few times, but then they just stopped. When I did well, they didn’t notice.”

           “So you tried being bad?” She teased, and he chuckled once more.

           “Something like that. I got suspended a few times, and they needed a parent to come and sign me out. Eventually, they managed to maneuver the system. They gave my fucking nannies parental supervision to sign me out just so they wouldn’t have to show their faces.”

           Taylor paused, turning to face Joe. His head was tilted to the floor, his eyes growing sadder with each passing second. She saw him kick at the floor, even though there was nothing there.

           “Joe…your parents are idiots,” she muttered, reaching for his chin.

           She lifted his head to face her, smiling at him.

           “So what if they’ll never realize how caring and selfless their children are? You’ll always have someone who won’t hesitate to scream that from the rooftops. I can do it right now if you want me to,” she said, moving toward the door.

           “No, no,” he said, laughing. “I don’t need my neighbors to know about how awesome I am. They catch a glimpse every day.”

           “How do you do that?” She asked, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. “How do you jump from gut-wrenchingly honest to this persona so quickly?”

           “Years of practice, I guess,” he admitted, eyeing her. “It’s a defense mechanism, Taylor. I can’t help the way I am.”

           “I know,” she whispered gingerly. “After my mom abandoned my dad and me, I learned all about coping. It was the worst time of my life.”

           “Did you ever find out why she left?”

           There was a look of genuine concern on his face.

           “My dad said she wasn’t ready to be a mom. I think that’s a cheap excuse. I think my dad resented me a little bit after that because I was the reason he lost the love of his life.”

           “Bullshit. You’re supposed to be the love of his life. You’re his damn child, for God’s sake,” Joe said angrily.

           “I think our parents are just really messed up, and I don’t think they deserved to have children at all. You know, I didn’t need a huge house or a new car every year or anything like that. I’d give anything for just one night watching TV or making dinner or…it’s stupid, I know.”

           “It’s not,” Joe muttered, reaching for her hand. “It’s what you deserve at the least. You’re amazing, Taylor.”

           They held hands for about a minute, and Taylor scanned the tree house.

           “How many times have you slept out here?”

           “A few. I did it once during a thunderstorm with Becks, and it was the funniest thing. Our nanny couldn’t find us and started screaming our names. Eventually, when she found us, she laughed it off though.”

           Taylor yawned, apologizing.

           “Sleep over,” Joe said, motioning toward the bed. “I’ll take the floor. You’re too tired to go home right now.”

           She paused, but acquiesced once she fell onto the mattress. They continued talking for the rest of the night, and Taylor fell asleep somewhere in the middle of a conversation.

[oldfashionedswiftcurse]

Alwyn vs. Swift Pt. 2

As Taylor walked out of class, she was surprised that Joe wasn’t following her. She continued down the brightly lit hallway, scanning her surroundings. She hoped to memorize the layout of this building in particular, as most of her classes would be in here. Glancing downward, Taylor collided with a girl whose head was nestled in a comic book. As Taylor hit the floor, she peered across from her to find the girl clasping her comic book right to her chest, despite nearly spraining her foot.

           “I’m so sorry,” Taylor began. “I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

           “It’s not your fault,” the girl said, straightening her black hair. “Frankly, I’m almost positive it was my doing. If it wasn’t for this stupid special edition…”

           “Say no more,” Taylor said, chuckling. “I’m a huge sucker for special editions of anything. I’m Taylor.”

           “Rebecca,” the girl muttered, beaming. “Are you a transfer? This place may be big, but I know I’d remember a friendly face.”

           “I am. I’m from New York. My dad moved his business out of the states, so he chose London. My mom’s…not with us. She left when I was a kid.”

           Taylor expected the usual response whenever she told anyone about her mother—a look of pity and words of regret. However, Rebecca nodded briefly, and Taylor smiled.

           “I’m not sure why I just told you that. I usually don’t mention my mother unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

           “I have a trustworthy face, or so my mum always says. My brother, on the other hand, wears a poker face at all times. It helps him when he needs to sneak out to a party or a pub or something.”

           “Your brother’s in a band?” Taylor questioned. “That’s exciting. I’m a huge music lover, but I’m still trying to find my way around this big city.”

           “If you’re free tonight, they have a performance just ‘round the corner at this local club.”

           “I’m free,” Taylor muttered, probably a lot quicker than Rebecca expected.

           In all honesty, Taylor wasn’t sure that she wanted to return to an empty house. What once felt like freedom now felt like isolation, and she missed her father when he spent hours at the office. Returning to her townhouse quickly, Taylor glanced at the unpacked boxes and decided to shower instead. She threw on skinny jeans, boots, and a leather jacket and exited to meet with her new friend, Rebecca. Before the concert, they stopped by a few local shops and restaurants, and Rebecca and Taylor went taste-testing to find foods that Taylor actually liked. After nearly two hours of this, they arrived to meet the band.

           Taylor watched them as they walked offstage after their sound check. There were two brunettes who were equally handsome, and a redheaded boy who Taylor soon learned played the drums. Rebecca, however, had mentioned there were four boys in the band, and Taylor nearly growled in disgust when she found the fourth band member, Joe.

           “My, my, my,” he muttered, sneaking up to her. “If I had known you were so anxious to see me, I would’ve kept a lookout for your beautiful face.”

           “Oh, shove it, Alwyn,” Taylor muttered, turning to Rebecca. “This…is your brother?”

           “Guilty as charged,” Joe teased, winking at her.

           “Joe, stop being a disgusting toad.”

           “That’s fresh, Becks. We all know that your new friend is here to see me, though.”

           “No, I’m not,” Taylor admitted, smirking.

           “I find it rather hard to believe that you just stumbled into this place and befriended my adorable albeit annoying sister.”

           “Joseph Alwyn, don’t make me tell Mum about how you’re scaring off all of the new girls,” Rebecca acknowledged teasingly.

           “I am a ladies’ magnet,” he said, his eyebrows lifting in amusement. “I can’t help it if they’re naturally drawn to me.”

           Taylor smirked.

           “I’m sure they are. I wouldn’t be surprised if you lured them in, sucked their souls out, and used them to feed your ever enlarging ego,” she muttered lightheartedly.

           Joe chuckled, not taking her joke seriously. As Rebecca turned to leave, Taylor followed. However, she felt Joe’s thin fingers wrap around her wrist, and she felt her heart stop. Damn her hormones. She hadn’t been touched by a man this intimately since…her last boyfriend, Tom.

           “I am hungry for your soul, Taylor, but not to suck it out of you,” he whispered huskily into her ear. “I want to cherish it and feel it and eventually, if I’m lucky enough, to fall in love with it.”

           She froze, eyeing him carefully. His once playful eyes were now seriously locked on her, but eventually, his fingers slid away, and Joe went to take the stage. He began the first song, an upbeat, indie song, and then led into the next two songs, which were a cross between rock and indie. Finally, for their last original song, the band slowed the beat, and Joe belted out a slow song, all the while keeping his eyes locked on her. Taylor glanced around, and more than a few people were watching her as if she was his girlfriend. Blinded by her disgust for him earlier today, Taylor did have to admit that Joe was extremely attractive, and his personality was entertaining to say the least.

           After the show, the band, along with Taylor and Rebecca, went to the nearest pub across the street. After drinking a few beers, Taylor stepped outside for some air. Little did she know that Joe was already outside, and she begrudgingly (and certainly motivated by the alcohol) went over to him.

           “I’m on my way to getting drunk, Alwyn. Maybe a few more beers and your corny pickup lines won’t seem so corny,” she teased, and he beamed.

           “Are you in love with me yet?”

           Her eyes widened at his frankness, but she shrugged off his patronizing tone.

           “Do you even know what love is, Joe? You talk about it like it’s nothing.”

           “I do,” he admitted hesitantly. “I do know what love is. I also know what heartbreak is, as well as loss and anger and even desperation. I’ve had a few of those cocktails in my life. Recently, I’ve had them all mixed together as a concoction that nearly killed me.”

           She paused, watching the way his eyes darkened in sadness. Taylor knew this heartbreak cocktail was inevitably linked to his past girlfriend, Teresa, but she refused to bring her up around him.

           “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

           “Nonsense, love. Anyway, we were discussing our undeniable sexual chemistry,” he teased, his eyes returning to their youthful amusement.

           “You mean invisible.”

           “From what I felt back at the club, there’s nothing invisible about it.”

           “Joe, you’re not my type.”

           “And what is your type?”

           She thought about it, feeling the alcohol move around in her body.

           “Let’s see. A man who can maintain a relationship for longer than a month, for one.”

           “Is that a challenge?” Joe muttered, grinning.

           “I don’t do bets, Alwyn. How many times do I have to make that clear?”

           “Not a bet,” he muttered, shaking his head. “A promise.”

           Taylor’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion and slight frustration, but she remained standing there.

           “I know that you and me will inevitably give into our deepest, darkest feelings,” he began, and she rolled her eyes. “But to make this arrangement amusing, I propose a challenge.”

           Taylor was already growing to regret her words, but there was no way she was backing out of this challenge. She would prove once and for all that she could refrain from Joe’s charms; she would not just be another one of his girls.

           “What kind of challenge?”

           “I’ll date a girl longer than a month,” he began, and Taylor was about to interrupt, “and you’ll date at least three guys in the same time frame.”

           “And how will this inevitably lead me back to you?”

           “Because you’ll soon realize that this witty banter and handsome face is what draws you to me, Taylor. It’s what will make you fall in love with me. And if I have to date someone to prove to you how monogamous I can be, then so be it.”

           “I’m not going to let you torment some poor girl just to prove me right.”

           “Swift, do you know how many girls are dying to go out with me simply to say they’ve gone out with me? I’ll choose someone that I know won’t be too serious about me. I’m sure it’ll be all about sex.”

           Taylor nearly choked.

           “You know what? Fine. Let’s do this. You think I’m bound to find my way back to you, that I can hardly resist your superficial charm and fake persona? I’ll prove to you how easy it is to fall for someone else.”

           In retrospect, Taylor would regret that last sentence worst of all.