Till Death (Volturi / Twilight Fanfiction)

14: Trying to Move on

End of March- Greece

Taylor felt warm, no...hot...sticky. Her head was pounding and her mouth tasted like she had brushed her teeth with liquor. The sun pierced through her rental's curtains directly into Taylor's throbbing eyes. She shut them with a groan, wondering why she was so sore. 

Of course, she had celebrated her last night in Greece with Calista, with Callie. She'd come over with a couple bottles of vodka and some cheap soda and they'd mixed drinks and watched game shows Taylor couldn't understand. So Callie tried explaining them through the slurs and flipping between English and Greek. It was entertaining, and by the end of the night, they had swapped socials and promised to keep in touch even after Taylor left. They'd become fast friends, and Taylor was happy to finally have a living friend. She needed to spend her last day with her too she decided, to hang out till she had to get packed for leaving. Maybe Callie would help her pack. She decided to go get her new friend and help her get over the hangover they were inevitably sharing. 

She didn't have to go far.

As Taylor started to move she felt a warm arm wrap around her waist and heard a muffled grumble from behind. She stopped, looked at the freckled-covered arm, then slowly turned around. Instantly any lingering effects the alcohol had on her dissipated replaced with a flood of last night's memories she had yet to recall upon waking. She smiled a panicked smile, a guilty smile, as Calista sleepily opened her eyes with a tired smile. 

"Good morning-" Callie winced. "We should have eaten when we drank."

"Yeah...that would've helped." Taylor sat up, and covered herself with the sheets as cold air met her bare body. Did Callie remember last night?

"Are you alright? Did you enjoy yourself?" That answered that. 

"Yeah I did, um..." Taylor blushed brightly, twiddling her thumbs. "So last night- I mean I had fun and all- I'm just-...Last night-." Callie placed a hand on Taylor's leg over the sheets, to stop her talking. 

"I don't expect much to come from it, do not worry." Callie's assurance allowed Taylor to let out a breath of relief. "I stopped dreaming of that a while ago. This is enough for me, to have shared a night with a beautiful woman." Callie clapped her hands as she sat up beside Taylor. "That is enough for me."

"I'm sorry Callie, I-this shouldn't have happened." Taylor was caught up in the moment last night, Callie probably was too. This wasn't at all her first time having sex but it felt like Taylor had taken advantage of Callie's feelings to relieve some stress. 

"It is fine." Callie didn't say it like she was accepting an apology. She simply stated it matter-of-factly. "We are friends and that is enough for me. Sometimes you accidentally sleep with your friends and then one of them wakes up panicking rather than getting dressed and helping their friend make breakfast. I have the worst hangover." Callie stood up, completely uncovered. And instantly any regret Taylor had about the night before melted away. 

"Oh damn."

"Yes." Callie power posed with her shirt not fully buttoned yet. "I am marvelous. And a woman of her own initiative. Stop with the guilty look, I chose this as much as you. And I enjoyed myself!" Callie bounced trying to get her pants back on. Once she was fully dressed she stopped in the door frame to say her final piece before raiding Taylor's kitchen. "When you go to Italy, if you find a sweet girl there...send her here. You owe me that for almost making me fall for you." Taylor laughed. 

"Yeah okay. I got eggs in the refrigerator I have to eat up so help yourself. I'll be out in a minute." Callie left, shutting the door behind her. Taylor tried keeping her smile as she too got dressed. As she brushed her teeth she couldn't help but wonder what her problem was. Callie and she had shared interests, they had a connection, they could laugh and be comfortable, even Callie's father liked Taylor. So she couldn't figure out what the problem was. In the two months they had known each other they had grown closer faster than any other relationship Taylor ever had. And it was meant to be platonic? If they had met in the states Taylor would've u-hauled it so fast with Callie. So what was up? Taylor thought on this for a while, as she spat out her mouthwash and pulled back her hair. She was running her fingers through it when she caught a glimpse of her yellow puffer coat. It'd been warm enough out for a while now, she swore she hadn't really needed to wear it since...-