You Drew Stars Around my Scars - Taylor Swifts Daughter

s e v e n

(816) 413-8789

I heard there was a friendship bracelet with this number you wanted to give me?

I shut my phone off as soon as I as I text, I find myself with that stupid smile again. I stare out the car window as I fiddle with one of my rings. Nervous to get a notification on my phone. I haven't felt like this in a while.

I feel my daughter move and I look over at her and see her adjusting herself in her seat and removing her headphones off.

"How was your nap?"

"It was great, how much longer until we get there"

"About three hours"

"Okay" she nods still sleepy

I want us to talk because for the past three weeks we haven't been nearly communicating as much as we used to. She still comes with me to every show, but she seems to be on her phone most of the time. She of course is like any teenager and has her phone with her at all times but she used to know how to put it down when asked and she would set her phone down when being talked to. Now it's like that thing is glued to her hand, and she rarely looks up from it, always texting her friends.

"Hey, are you okay?"

"I'm fine" she says not looking up from her phone

"You sure? You've been acting kind of weird lately"

"I'm sure" she says still not looking up from her phone

"It's just that you seem to not want to spend time with me lately"

"I'm here with you aren't I" she says as she continues to type something on her phone

"Well yeah, but you're not nearly as communicative, you're always on your phone lately, and Samu mentioned the same thing to me, we're just worried about you, we want you to know that we're here if you need anyone to talk to"

"Mom, I'm fine, I've just been texting my friends"

"Well you used to text friends and still managed to do stuff with us that weren't being on your phone all day. Even during meals, when you know you're not supposed to be on your phone you still take it out. Even on the last Sunday breakfast with Dad and Carla, you were on your phone when you knew that we hadn't had breakfast all together for the past two weekends and that we wouldn't be able to this past weekend because I had a Sunday show, you were still on your phone, and instead of staying downstairs with us watching a movie after like we usually do, you went upstairs to your bedroom. That's not like you baby" I sigh "we're just worried about you, and I'm here if you need to talk"

My daughter doesn't say a word, she hasn't even looked up from her phone but I'm still turned slighly side ways, facing her as I speak.

"If you don't feel comfortable talking to your dad, Carla or me, there's always your grandparents" I take a pause "or Austin and Clau" I say referring to my brother and Samuels sister Claudia. "And if you don't feel comfortable talking  to any of us that's fine but please let me know if something's wrong and I can take you to a professional" I say as tears well up in my eyes

"Mom it's okay, I'm fine" she says and looks up from her phone for the first time "are you crying?"

She looks at me as tears slowly run down my cheeks, phone still in hand