2 (jaylor) ethereal daylight and golden epiphanies

chapter sixteen.

"Patrick!" Joe called up the stairs. "I said to put some clothes on, not get ready for the runway! What is taking you so long?"
"Look, it's not my fault that your mirror made my hair look bad." Patrick smirked as he walked down the stairs. "Forgive me for trying to make myself look at least a little bit like I didn't spend the entire night crying."
Taylor leaned against the wall. Even standing for too long was beginning to be an effort, and by the end of the day, often her feet were sore and swollen.

The three of them got into the car, Taylor and Joe in the front, Patrick sitting in the back.
"Where are we going?" Patrick asked as they left. It was still so weird that to be leaving the house. Taylor wondered if it would ever feel normal again. She'd been stuck in that house for months now, and they felt like they were some of the best months of her whole life. Those months at home had really brought the two of them closer together, and there truly wasn't a thing they didn't know about each other.
"Nowhere in particular," Joe shrugged. "I just thought that we could drive around for a while listening to all of our favourite songs."
"Well, if I'm going to be singing at the top of my lungs, I'm going to need some coffee." Patrick grinned. "Sometimes you really surprise me when you have good ideas like this."
"Wow, Pat." Joe laughed. "I'll have you know that I'm full of good ideas. What should we play first?" Joe asked.
"Is it awkward if I were to say one of your songs?" Patrick smiled, and Taylor turned to face him, smiling.
"And which one would it be?" Taylor asked him, already feeling better. That darkness was still there, still eating away at her, but for the moment she was distracted, and that helped.
"Give me a moment to choose." Patrick closed his eyes, and Taylor laughed at the intense look of concentration on his face. "A few more seconds..."
"It's not that hard, Pat." Joe chuckled.
"I have so many, okay? Let's see. I was initially going to say Last Kiss but I was like, nope. I don't want to start crying again. And I also was going to say-"
"Patrick!" Joe laughed. "Just choose a song!"
"Erm... let's just say... oh I don't know. I can't choose. There's too many." Patrick laughed. "Joseph, you rushed me and now I've completely lost all my thoughts."
Joe smiled as they drove. "Alright, Taylor, you go first."
"That's a lot of pressure!" Taylor grinned.

The three of them blasted out their favourite songs, all the way to a McDonald's drive through, where Joe was going to buy them all drinks. Taylor couldn't even remember the last time she'd been through a drive through herself, and she'd put up the hood of her sweatshirt and put on sunglasses. Patrick gave her his jacket to cover her stomach, just in case.
It made her anxious, but Joe told her that he had it all under control.
"Hi, welcome to McDonald's. What can I get you today?" A voice said. Taylor pulled up the sweatshirt so that it hung around her. This was risky, but a part of herself wanted that little bit of excitement.
"Hey, can I just get a large latte, a large mocha and a large hot chocolate?" Patrick was laughing in the back of the car, and Taylor turned to face him, telling him to shush. If he started laughing, she would too. She knew she would. And her laugh was very distinct, and she knew she could laugh.
"Will that be all?" The voice asked.
"Yes, thank you."
"You're free to move up to the window to pay for your order."
"Cool, thanks." Joe replied smoothly, driving forward. Taylor's heart rate picked up.
"Hi! The order total is-" Taylor looked over at the girl, who had clearly recognised Joe. "Oh my god."
"Hi," Joe smiled.
"Hi! Oh my god... I can't believe... are you with Taylor?"
Joe turned to face her, and Taylor saw a little grin on his face. "Nope, this is just my good old friend William Bowery."
Taylor pursed her lips together. She couldn't laugh.
"He's a bit shy." Joe was actually going to make her laugh. She bit down on her cheek, because she could hear Patrick stifling laughter in the back seat.
"Oh... well, I love Exile... and don't even get me started on Betty," the girl gushed. "Is Taylor okay? No one's seen her in months and-"
"She's fine," Joe answered. "Don't worry about her, I'm sure she's at home playing with the cats." Joe answered, grinning at the girl.
"Will you tell her that no one's mad at her for cancelling the tour? That we all just want to make sure that she's okay?"
Joe nodded. "I'd better get William here back to a piano," he said as he handed over his card. "He's not much of a talker. Are you Will?" Joe looked over at her and Taylor shook her head, and she was really worried that she was going to lose it. This whole thing was just so funny.
"Well... have a good day," the girl said.
"You too," Joe smiled as he drove forward to the pickup window. Taylor didn't dare open her mouth because she knew that the second she did, she'd laugh hysterically.