miracle | tayley

you hurt me bad this time

Hayley's minding her own business in a local music store, rummaging through guitar strings when she sees a man out of the corner of her eye. She worries she's in the way, so quickly stands up from her crouched position on the floor and offers an apologetic smile, only for her smile to fade as soon as she sees who's in front of her.

"Hayley?" He says, tentatively. She can tell by the look in his eye he's having trouble comprehending her sudden presence here, a music store in downtown Nashville, after all this time.

"Justin," she whispers, her voice soft and holding something close to sadness. Like she's missed him, maybe.

When she looks at him she can't help but to think of Taylor. She wonders if he'd told his brother what happened between the two of them to send her running so far, so fast, all those years ago.

She's known Justin for what feels like her entire life and feels a pang of sadness swell in her chest at seeing him again. He used to be like a brother to her, up until she left the band and moved away without a single goodbye.

"What are you," she croaks, stopping to clear her throat halfway through before trying again. "What're you doing here?"

"I'm picking up some guitar strings, like you, it seems." He shrugs, his brow furrowing, "I can't believe- I mean, Hayley, where in the world have you been?"

He'd still recognize her anywhere, honestly. Her hair is still a very light blonde, straightened under the dad hat she's wearing. Her face is free of any trace of make-up, her freckles standing out against her pale skin. She looks the same, but somehow different. Her eyes are the same though, wide and green.

He takes a step forward at the same time she spots a tiny head of curls running up behind him and feels her heart lurch.

"I'm sorry, Hayley," the woman apologizes, a sweet worker who Hayley might even consider a friend with how much they've talked at the store lately. "I tried to keep her entertained, but she insisted."

"It's okay, Jas. Thank you for watching her. I think I'm about to leave anyway," she says, her eyes flicking uncomfortably towards Justin before moving back over his shoulder once more. He thinks she looks more pale than she did only a moment ago.

He watches Hayley walk past him and turns to see what she's grabbing, but then... Oh. It's not a what, but a who.

A very small, very adorable person. A little girl, in fact. Maybe two or three years old if he had to guess, a toddler, really.

As Hayley swings the small girl up onto her hip, two facts hit him at the exact same moment. One: Hayley is a mom. The child is the spitting image of her, a tiny carbon copy, except for the dark curly hair pulled into pigtails, and except for those eyes. And, number two: those eyes.

Taylor's eyes.

He blinks at Hayley as she reluctantly turns back to face him, his confusion obvious on his face. There's something else there though, too. Something like hurt, or maybe a little bit of anger.

"Hayley," he breathes, and she's not sure if there's accusation in his voice or not, but really she knows she can't blame him even if there is. "Is this... Is she...?"

"Rowan. Her name is Rowan," Hayley says before he can get a full sentence out of his mouth. She lifts her chin a little, "She's my daughter."

She can tell he knows, really, anyone could easily put it together if they compared the tiny child with his brother. She's itching with nerves and wants nothing more than to run out of the store and drive far, far away, but instead she waits, letting the uncomfortable silence settle over them.