The Lucky Ones

Part 1: Alone In A Crowded Room

Taylor was over it already. Yet another music industry event. Yet another night of posing as Taylor Swift™, to satisfy the greed and fantasies of rich, straight, white men. She stood next to her 'boyfriend' - another bland man she was contractually obliged to be head over heels for. What was his name again? Callum? Colin? Calvin? Calvin. That was it.

She gave a fake chuckle at the 'joke' made by whatever faceless executive was talking at her. They all looked the same to her. Old men in suits. She glanced around the room, desperate for a friendly face. She found one. Karlie Kloss. The woman she'd been in love with since the moment they met.

The two of them locked eyes. Karlie gave Taylor the biggest smile across the room. It warmed Taylor's heart like a ray of sunshine. She smiled back. Her first genuine smile of the evening. For a beautiful moment she imagined what could be, if only she could tell Karlie how she felt. If only Taylor Swift™ wasn't expected to be the epitome of the All-American Heterosexual Woman.

She could feel tears well up as she realised that the future she imagined for herself and Karlie could never be. She quickly excused herself and hurried to the bathroom so she didn't start crying in front of everyone. She didn't want to make a scene and risk winding up plastered on the cover of every tabloid, mocked for being 'overly emotional'.

The water from the bathroom tap was cool against Taylor's face. She looked up and caught a glimpse of movement in the mirror.

"Hey bestie." came a voice she knew all too well. She turned around and locked eyes with Karlie.

"Hey Kar." Taylor said, her body filling with the radiant warmth of Karlie's gaze.

"Are you doing okay? You look a little out of it." Karlie said, her expression shifting to one of concern.

Taylor wanted to lie and say she was okay, but she just couldn't bring herself to lie to Karlie. The tears that had begun to well up earlier fought their way to the surface and before she even knew what she was doing, Taylor was crying on Karlie's shoulder.

"I can't do it anymore Kar." She sobbed. She felt Karlie's arms wrap around her. Taylor felt at home in her friend's embrace.

"Can't do what, Tay?" Karlie asked.

"Any of this. Being a celebrity. I don't feel like the real me." Taylor said, moving out of the embrace so she could look into Karlie's eyes again.

"You're pretty. You're powerful. You're on top of the world. Those are all the real you." Karlie said.

"You don't understand." Taylor said, shaking her head. "None of it's real. I don't feel pretty, I just feel used. And how powerful can I be when I can't even summon the power to tell you-" she stopped herself before she said it.

"Tell me what Tay?" Karlie asked.

Taylor closed her eyes tightly, realising that while she hadn't actually said anything it was probably still more than she should have said.

"Tell me what?" Karlie asked again, this time sounding more concerned.

Taylor opened her eyes, looked directly into Karlie's, and before she even knew what she was doing, she'd pulled Karlie in and was kissing her passionately.

After a few moments that felt like an eternity, Taylor regained her senses and pulled away from the kiss. Karlie just looked at her with a stunned expression

"Uh - I'm sorry Kar." Taylor stammered. "I'd better go." She said, pushing past Karlie and leaving the bathroom, her heart pounding and her mind racing.