It's her

9

Taylor's POV

Lauren and I never ended up talking about happened yesterday. We just watched movies until dinner, and then hung out with the rest of her family, and that wasn't a problem with either of us. We weren't in a rush to figure things out. Knowing each other now for more than a few months, we were fine with going slow.

What I worried about most though was getting attached. I didn't want to build a relationship with anyone and trust them with my secrets just for them to decide that they couldn't handle them. It had hurt way too hard last time. I have to be careful with what to say because I don't want people who care to run away from me. It was stupid of me to tell Dani about my dad. She could tell anyone, she could want nothing to do with me now, she could be afraid of me. 

I've been in California for three days now, and I just realized how bad of an idea it was to come. I'm starting to trust them, and as soon as I do, that's when things go bad.  When you give people your trust, you're giving them the power to betray it and hurt you. I just needed to keep them at a distance. 

"Aye! Are ya'll ready to go to the beach today?" Amy half screamed as she came down the stairs to the kitchen. She sat down besides Lisa, who was the only other one down here besides me and Lauren.

"Oh you know it!" Lisa replied, just as enthused. I shot Lauren a timid glance, hoping she would get the message. I really didn't want to go to the beach. I was terrified of them finding my scars and bruises. She gave me a half questioning, half sympathetic look, and told her sisters that we were going to go upstairs and get ready. They smiled and nodded us off, and we bolted up the stairs. 

"Dani, you gotta get out," Lauren said as she entered her room, my following closely behind. 

"What? Why? This is my room too!" Dani argued, obviously not wanting to give up the comfortableness of her bed. 

"I have to talk to Taylor," she replied quickly and with no sign of anything but seriousness in her voice. Dani must of noticed how she meant and got out of her bed with her blanket in her hand. 

"Oh, okay then," Dani said slowly, and trying to meet my gaze. She gave me a worried look, and I almost started to wonder if she told Lauren. "I'm going to bring my warm blanket with me, because I won't have the comfort of my bed downstairs," she sassed at Lauren as she walked by, before stopping in front of me. She gave me a small smile and whispered, "Good luck. I'll be downstairs."

I nodded as she left the room, and then gave Lauren a confused face so that she wouldn't think anything was going on. She sat down on the bottom bunk, and motioned for me to sit across from her. I did as she asked, and gave a small smile. The girl I had kissed last night reciprocated the smile before beginning her interrogation. "Do you not want to go to the beach?"

"No," I replied softly. She looked at me wide eyes, questioning 'why?' When I didn't answer, she gave me a verbal question.

"What's wrong with the beach?"

"Nothing's wrong with the beach. I think it's beautiful."

"Then why don't you want to go?" She got increasingly confused with each answer I gave her.

"I'm just not feeling it," I answered, half truthfully, turning my gaze to my hands in my lap.

"Is there a reason?" she asked softly, reaching her hand out to grab mine; the action making me look up and meet her hazel orbs. The singer was being so gentle, and so caring. It was hard to hold my walls up. But I knew it was for the best. I shrugged my shoulders, before looking back down to her hand on top of mine. "You know you can tell me anything right? You and me are best friends." I nodded in response and looked back up at her. I had to give her a sort of excuse, or she would never let this go.