Everything comes back to you -J.MARIANO

[1.22]

𝓐nother project for English rolled around as they so often did and, of course, Taryn and Archie were paired together. She did like working with him as their projects usually went well and they could have very interesting conversations, she just worried that he was feeling something she wasn't. Tas and so many other people had brought up the supposed chemistry and she couldn't help but notice certain signs. She had no idea if she was misreading them so just played it on the safe side and kept away from him as much as possible. But their shared project was unavoidable.

She chose Lukes as the place in which they would do the project, thinking it was a nice public place and avoided the distractions that either of their houses could bring. She just wanted to be done with the project as quickly as possible so she could focus on her other studies as her stack of homework was starting to build. They chose to do a poster, the quicker option, and sat on opposite sides of the table in the diner. She researched whilst he wrote down her scribbled notes in near perfect writing. They got distracted often, by conversation or various other things that just happened to come up. She laughed at one of the jokes he made and Jess looked up from the register, his brow furrowing ever so slightly as he handed the person their change without even looking at them.

Whilst he looked at the two of them in the corner, he noticed her shivering even though her shoulders and legs were covered with her usual blanket. Archie had chosen to sit on the table in the corner by the window, also known as the worst place to sit in the winter. Whilst it was still technically autumn, there happened to be an undeniable chill within the air that caused an awful draft which brought cold to her bones. Taryn knew this, through trial and error, but still agreed to sit at that table as she thought her usual blanket would be enough. It was not and she wished she had the guts to ask to move.

As she shivered and attempted to pull the blanket around her shoulders tighter, Jess appeared in front of her. He had been upstairs and back without her even noticing. She watched as he placed one of his jumpers on the table in front of her whilst he passed through the diner and disappeared into the kitchen. She smiled to herself as she dropped her pencil and proceeded to tug the jumper over her head. She inhaled the smell of him deeply and for a moment let herself get lost in the sizzling within her stomach. Her stomach flipped every time their gazes would become caught by the others and he would smirk at the mere idea of her wearing something of his.

After the project was completed in its entirety, Taryn said a quick goodbye and headed home just in time for the first deal of Monday poker night. They always started the game at the exact same time every Monday night, just based on practicality and tradition. "Who's jumper is that? It's not Tas'?" her Da asked as Taryn walked into the kitchen, quickly unraveling a scarf from around her neck.

"It's Jess' Da," she paused to sigh as she sank into her usual seat at the table, her cheeks bitten with cold. "Spare me the lecture, okay I'm being careful."

"Right right," he cleared his throat before shuffling the cards in one quick movement. He couldn't help but share a look with his husband at her response but they soon all sunk so deep into the game that it was forgotten about. As per usual, Taryn won the majority of the games that they played and grinned victorious at the sight of her pile of candies being taller than all the others.

"Taryn," her Dad began as they all paused to eat their dinner as the delivery arrived.

She looked up from her noodles and frowned at the look on his face, "Dad."

"The doctors rang today," he responded in such a way that she wasn't flung into great concern about her general health or could feel even an ounce of worry about the circumstances of the phone call.

She raised a brow, "My Doctors?"

He nodded and continued on, "They have the resources for that surgery they talked about a few appointments ago, the cochlear implants."

She sighed and leaned back in her chair, attempting to remove herself from the conversation entirely, "It's just another surgery Dad, it won't do anything."

"Have you even thought about it?"

"I have yeah," she paused to clear her throat and attempt to get her thoughts straight. "I don't want another surgery after having about six and thousands of sessions of speech therapy, lip reading classes and sign language classes. If this surgery does 'fix' me then it'd all be for nothing and I don't particularly like the risks that come along with it."

"We think you should go for it, Taryn, it might help a lot. Make things easier in school and for the future."

She hesitated, truly thinking about whether it would even be worth going through another surgery, "I don't know..."

"How about we bet on it?" Da suggested quickly and watched as the intrigue flickered within his daughters eyes, He knew then that they were close, close to getting something to happen that they were both sure would improve her hearing capabilities.

Her Dad turned towards her Da and scowled, "Andrew!"

"What she likes bets?" he shrugged.

"I'm listening..."

"You win the next round and you don't get the surgery but if either of us win you do. "

Taryn sighed softly, "Steep odds."

"You're interested though, aren't you?"

"Fine," she agreed somewhat reluctantly, figuring that she'd win as she almost always did. And if she didn't, she'd assume it was the work of fate and would probably get the surgery anyway. "But only if Da wins,"she added to the bet as she extended her hand across the table to shake on it. Dad had the highest losses of the three of them and always had.

Her parents took a second to look at each other, communicating solely with their eyes before they both nodded and Da shook her hand in agreement.

When Taryn lost the hand she couldn't help but stare at the cards in bewilderment, wondering how she could have been dealt such an awful hand after receiving so many good ones. It seemed, for that round anyway, her Da had been given all her luck. So she, adhering to their bet, agreed to get the surgery on the terms that it had to have no effect on school.