I stare into Travis's eyes, unable to speak. My mind is buzzing with too many things. I feel myself starting to get light-headed. I start to lose my balance and Travis reaches for me. I grab the edge of the counter and regain my balance.

"Elizabeth, are you okay?" He gasps, holding onto my shoulder.

"I-I'm fine. Travis, what did we just do?" I ask.

"I..." He trails off and looks away. I grab his face with my hands and his eyes pierce into mine.

"Do you regret it?" I whisper.

Travis thinks about it for a moment. He just stares into my eyes.

"No."

That's all I needed to hear. I'm about to push my lips into his when I remember why I had stopped the first time. I look away.

"Travis, we can't do this." I frown.

Travis runs his hands through his hair. He sighs. He seems deep in thought so I let him think about his response. Travis walks over to the living room and stares out the window.

I trudge after him and place a hand on his shoulder.

"Travis..." I begin.

"I just don't know what to do." Travis sighs a heavy sigh. "This should be easy, but it's not. I've been feeling this way ever since I saw you sitting at the airport. You looked like a goddess, lost and out of place in this small town. It was like high school again and I found myself falling for you. I kept telling myself that I loved Sharon, and only Sharon, and that these feelings for you meant nothing. But they aren't nothing." Travis turns to face me. "I just..."

Travis groans at his inability to put his feelings into words. I can't believe that he just said that. Does he really feel that way about me? I open my mouth to speak but no sound comes out.

"I just...I've been dating Sharon for four years, and these feelings came up out of nowhere. I just need to be sure that I'm making the right decision. I need time."

"O-okay." I say softly. I really understand what he's saying, and he's being very reasonable, but a part of me feels that he should just know, that he shouldn't need time. I turn to walk away.

"Stop." Travis grabs my arms and twirls me around. He pulls me into a tight embrace and I can no longer fight the tears. "Oh Elizabeth. I think I really love you. I love everything about you, to your emerald green eyes, to your video game skills, to your artistic ability, and I love being able to hold you when you cry." Travis kisses my forehead and rests his chin on my head. No one has ever said anything so kind, and I'm at a lost for words.

"Travis, that kiss ignited something in me. I just don't think I can live here without wanting you. I can't pretend that didn't happen until you sort out your feelings." I find my voice and wipe away tears. Travis's gaze softens.

"I know. I just can't break things off this very minute. I've had feelings for Sharon for too long to do that. Give me a week. Please don't leave." Travis begs me with his eyes.

"I..." I hesitate. I don't know if I can control myself around him for a week. "Alright. One week. But..." I feel too embarrassed to tell him about the self-control issue.

"You can't resist this hot bod for that long?" Travis grins and gestures to his body. I blush wildly and smack him.

"No!" I shout. Yes. When did he become a mind-reader?

"Mhm...whatever you say Elizabeth." Travis puffs out his chest and trots into the kitchen. I huff and put my hands on my hips.

"So...uh...do you...want to play video games?" I stutter. I suppose it's best to act like we were before the kiss.

"Sure." Travis grins "If you're ready for the beating of a lifetime."

My eyes go wide and Travis covers his mouth when he realizes his mistake.

"Sorry! I didn't mean it like that! I forgot about the thing with John..." Travis tries to explain.

"It's fine Travis..." I laugh uncomfortably. Travis rubs his neck and grabs a controller. He takes a seat next to me and I stiffen slightly. The video game will take my mind off of all these feelings.

It doesn't. I can't get my mind off of Travis. I glance over at him, gazing at the intense look on his face he always gets whenever he plays video games. He must have felt my eyes burning into his skin, for he turns to look at me.

He sets the controller down. His hand reaches to caress my cheek.

BEEEEEEEP.

Travis and I both jump up in shock. I finally come to my senses.

"It must be the cake." I walk into the kitchen that still looks like it was hit by a tornado and pull the cake out of the oven. I take off the oven mitts and walk back into the living room. Travis and I just stare at each other, lost in each other's eyes.

This is never going to work. I can't do this for a week. I can't pretend that we're just friends. I just...

"Hellooooo!" The front door opens and a delighted Sharon walks in. She sets her things down and gives Travis a kiss. I look away.

"H-how was your day of w-work? You're home early..." Travis stumbles over his words. It's obvious that he's incredibly uncomfortable, but Sharon doesn't seem to pick up on it.

"It was great. I—" Sharon screams as she walks into the kitchen.

Travis and I exchange horrified glances. We forgot to clean the kitchen before Sharon got home! Travis and I burst into the kitchen to find Sharon on the floor. She must have slipped on the condiments Travis and I used during our food fight.

Travis immediately bends down and tries to help Sharon up. She swats him away and grabs the countertop. She starts to pull herself back up but with her high heels she ends up slipping and falls on the floor again. I stifle a laugh and Sharon glares at me. I clear my throat to cover up the laughter.

This time Sharon allows Travis to help her up. She steadies herself and shakes her heels off her feet. She sighs with relief, finally balanced on the slippery floor.

"What the hell were you two doing!?!" Sharon shouts.

"We uh...we baked a cake." I say, gesturing to the cake sitting on the counter.

Sharon wasn't amused. Her eyes were daggers and she glared at Travis and me.

"We tried to make a cake with Stephanie, but she started throwing the flour, and things got a bit out of hand." I lie.

"Oh really? Then why is there honey and whipped cream on the ground?!" Sharon raises her voice and I fear that Stephanie will wake up.

"Sharon," Travis starts but Sharon cuts him off.

"No! I have had it with you two. You act like six year olds when I leave you two alone! Travis, go to our room and wait for me." Sharon crosses her arms. I send a horrified glance at Travis.

"Sharon..." Travis starts to plead with her.

"Go! I'll be there in one minute." Sharon says harshly. I gulp and Travis sends me an apologetic look.

Travis leaves and Sharon waits until we can hear the door open and close.

"And you," Sharon points a finger at me, "This is all your fault. It's taken me four years to get Travis out of his childish habits, to get him to stop playing those stupid video games, and to get him to act like a man," Sharon spits at me. I flinch at every blow. "In two weeks you have managed to undo all of my hard work."

I scoff in disgust.

"Hard work? Hard work? You have got to be kidding me. So you don't even love him, do you? The real Travis, you can't stand him, can you?" I hiss.

"Oh please. You are so overdramatic. I only wanted him to act more mature! For heaven's sake he's a 28 year old man, he should act like one!"

"You shouldn't change a person to cater to your wants and needs! He's a human being, not a puppet!" I throw my hands in the air, "How much do you even know about Travis?"

"A lot!" Sharon shouts.

"Oh really? What's his favorite color? What is his favorite food? When he's sick, what soup does he like to eat? What has he always aspired to be? Where does he dream of living? What—" I start spitting out all of these questions before I can stop myself. All of my feelings are close to bursting.

"I bet you don't even know half of those!" Sharon accuses. I do, and more.

"Aha! So you don't know him!" I point a finger at her.

"What does it matter, anyways?" Sharon says, exasperated.

"He's my best friend in the whole world and I can't stand to hear you talk about how you're trying turn him into something he's not! You don't even know him. What the hell have you been talking about the last four years? Oh, I know, YOU! You, you, you. You are so selfish, you know that?" Insults spill from my lips.

Sharon turns red with fury and I realize I've made a fatal mistake. She lifts her finger, her whole being shaking with unimaginable rage.

"Get. Out. NOW." Sharon points to the door.

Shit. Where am I going to go? How am I going to support myself and Stephanie?

"Travis!" I shout for help.

Travis comes running from the other room, holding Stephanie. I'm not surprised that Sharon and I's argument woke her up.

"What's wrong, what happened?" Travis gasps, setting down Stephanie and rushing over to me.

"Get away from her! I'm kicking her out!" Sharon shouts. Travis' eyes widen and his jaw drops slightly.

"Sharon, I know she may have said harsh words but let's not be rash about this. Elizabeth has nowhere else to go." Travis turns to me, "What the hell did you say to her?" He asks through clamped teeth.

"You should be asking her that!" I gesture to Sharon. "Now would be a good time to make your choice, Travis." I whisper harshly.

Travis stands there, dumbstruck. I shake my head angrily. I grab Stephanie by the hand and drag her into the guest bedroom. I ignore her pleads and questions.

I angrily grab our suitcases and start throwing clothes in, not caring about the mess I'm making.

Travis walks into the bedroom. He strides over to me and grabs my face. He pushes his lips into mine and my whole body loosens and the tension washes away. He pulls away and I sigh, hugging him tightly. He finally made his choice.

"I'll pay for the hotel. Wait for me, alright?" Travis whispers.

I rip myself away from him.

"What? What the hell does that mean?" I gasp.

"Elizabeth, I told you, I haven't made up my mind." Travis reaches to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear.

I violently swat his hand away.

"Don't touch me." I back away and hot tears of betrayal run down my cheeks. "Can you not see what I see? Did you not hear what we were arguing about?"

"I don't expect you to understand why I love her, Elizabeth! I've been living with her for almost four years, and you expect me to just drop everything in a heartbeat and restart my life?"

"Do you hear yourself? You're speaking bullshit! Just keep telling yourself that Travis." I stuff more things in the suitcases.

"I need more time to sort out these crazy feelings. What if you're just a..."

"A what, Travis?" More tears stream from my eyes.

"I don't know! A phase?"

"That's it. You may not have made your choice, but I've sure as hell made mine." I zip the suitcases up and grab Stephanie by the hand.

I walk into living room and see a smirking Sharon wave goodbye. I flick her off.

"I called a cab for you." Sharon smiles.

"Thanks, that's real considerate of you, bitch." I throw open the door and shove the suitcases through the doorway.

"Elizabeth, wait!" Travis calls after me.

I ignore him and keep walking to the taxi cab waiting for me at the end of the driveway. Stephanie is sobbing as I drag her to the cab. I place her in the backseat and slam the door. Travis grabs my hand and I slap him hard on the face with the other.

He immediately releases his grip and gasps. He just stands there silently in shock, holding his face in pain. I stuff my suitcases in the trunk and slam the trunk down. I take one last look at Travis.

"Goodbye Travis." I whisper, the hurt spewing from my voice, and hop in the backseat with Stephanie. I watch as Travis' figure gets smaller and smaller, until it disappears completely.

"Where would you like to go, ma'am?" The taxi cab driver politely asks.

"Downtown, please." I sigh and rest my head on the back of the seat. I hold Stephanie and comfort her until her sobs turn into silent heaves of her chest.

I close my eyes and silently weep. I don't where I'm going and what I'm doing. My heart has been empty, restored, loved to its fullest, and then painfully ripped out in a single day. I push away the pain and try to forget everything, at least for now.

Here we go again, a new start, a new home.

A new life.