Brooklyn - Taylor Swift

Part 25

"Just take it off," I request from my seat on the bed, looking up at the figure pleadingly. "Come on, just do it," I all but beg, earning a raised eyebrow from her. "If you don't take it off, I will," I huff, no longer finding the hesitancy amusing. "Fine, but when Taylor asks, I wasn't the one who helped you with this," Cara finally caves, taking the tool from my hand before hacking into the cast around my ankle.

We are in the stables right now, and if I don't get this cast off in the next ten minutes, I am in all sorts of shit.

"Remind me again why I am helping you do this?" Cara asked, still cutting through the cast with a questioning look as I shrugged at her. "Because none of us told Grandfather I was injured, and if he finds out, he will force his security on me again, and I just hired my own team. I don't want nor need him," I huff, which is true.

Firing Joey was my chance at getting freedom from Grandfather. If he finds out I got attacked by a crazy fan, he will make up some conspiracy about that guy being a threat to the family. I will be back under his thumb again.

"Ok, but why are we in the stables?" Cara asks, making me look away, knowing even she would think I was being an idiot for what I was about to do. "Well, I am the captain of one of the teams, right? This is another reason I need this cast off because if I don't, it will be hella hard to put my foot in my riding boots," I tease, trying not to let my stress show, although the twitch in my arm is a dead giveaway. "Have you been taking your medication?" She asks softly, putting the saw down as she pulls the last of the plaster off my foot, freeing it from the cast it's been in for nearly four weeks.

I hum, trying to stop my neck from twitching alongside the arm. It's a much harder tick to hide. "Really, because your arm is twitching," Cara points out like it isn't obvious, which it is.

Ignoring her comment, I slowly get off the table, limping to the side as I start to change out of the sundress I'm wearing and into my riding clothes. I would never usually wear a sundress like this. Still, apparently, Stanley would because Grandfather gave it to me the second we got off the helicopter at the estate and ordered I put it on before we left for the event.

"Andy," Cara mumbles, giving me a concerned look that I try to ignore. I sigh, sitting back on the bed as I slip on an ankle brace before forcing my foot into my boots. However, it's difficult since my right arm is not cooperating.

"Stop. Here, I'll help," Cara bats my arm away as she pulls my boots up for me. "It's bad enough you just had me take your cast off before seeing a doctor; I don't need you falling off your horse while you're at it. Lanie is still mad at me for last night. I can not harm you again for at least six months. If you're having an episode, you can't get on Stephen, so where are your meds?" Cara asks, looking at me sternly as I shrug. "When was the last time you took them?" She keeps questioning, making me huff.

"I took them this morning, just like I always do. I just... I'm having a hard day, ok?" I breathe out, trying to calm myself down.

I have anxiety. When I was fourteen and started to tour, my anxiety worsened. It began to present itself physically through anxious twitches in my arm and neck. It's typically under control because I take medication for it. Still, when I am particularly stressed or emotional, the medication cannot stop it.

"It's just, this is the first birthday since Cora, and I really wasn't going to celebrate. But then, Taylor found out yesterday, and she was so sweet this morning. I was actually kind of excited to spend the day with her doing nothing and then something just us two tonight. And he just had to call and demand I come here. And I just, I hate coming to these events. And I just hate acting like someone I don't want to be. I just, it's a lot." I ramble out, not looking at Cara as I share how I feel.