in my best dress [kaylor au]

t h r e e

Karlie looks up at the clock. It's about twenty minutes into study hall and she hasn't seen Taylor anywhere. This has happened before; sometimes Taylor gets caught up talking with Abigail, or sometimes she prefers to be alone, writing in her journal. But Karlie feels uneasy this time. She grabs her backpack, heads out of the library, and wanders down the hallway in the direction of the choir room, Taylor's usual writing space. Hearing angry voices inside, she pauses outside the door.

"Your songs are not welcome in the choir. And neither are you." Katy spits at Taylor.

"Both of us are the senior choir directors. If we're singing one of your songs, then we're singing one of mine," Taylor is trying to be reasonable and not raise her voice, but it's becoming increasingly impossible.

Katy rolls her eyes far back into her head. "Of course we're singing one of my songs, because it's actually GOOD."

What a way with words. Taylor knows for a fact that her songs are way better than Katy's in all elements, both musically and lyrically. Her lyrics are deeper, her chord choices flow nicer, and every tune of hers has a story. To her, Katy's music is simply loud and unnecessary. "Katy," Taylor's voice warns, "Let me play a song for you and then maybe--"

"I DON'T WANT YOU TO PLAY ONE OF YOUR SONGS. WE ARE SINGING MY SONG, THAT'S IT AND THAT IS A FINAL DECISION, YOU BITCH. WHY CAN'T YOU JUST LISTEN." Katy screeches, knocking Taylor's songwriting journal out of her hands.

Alright that's it. Karlie bursts into the room, fully prepared to punch Katy square in the face. That is no way to talk to my girl. Ahem--a girl. That is no way to talk to a girl. Any girl.

"Karlie?" Taylor's eyes go wide as her friend tumbles into the room, looking like an uncontrollable giraffe, "Karlie stop!"

But Karlie's adrenaline has the best of her. She sidechecks Katy into the piano, causing the girl to scream and fall to the floor, only to immediately get back up again, red faced and glaring. Karlie bounces around on her feet, fists in the air. "Is this how you want it to be? Huh? Is it? Is it?" She taunts.

Taylor gasps, running up to restrain Karlie from doing any more damage. "Karlie, stop. Now." Her voice is firm and assertive as she steps in between Karlie and Katy.

"I'm telling principal Olson," Katy huffs, crossing her arms over her chest.

"What are you going to do? Land me in detention? I can just as easily tell on you, you know. I can report you for bullying," Karlie retorts. She knows that she's acting like a child, but she can't stop herself. It's like all of her emotions kicked in the second she saw Taylor in trouble, and now they won't calm down.

"STOP!" Taylor yells, "Both of you are acting like children." She turns to Karlie, "There will be no more fighting or side checking, and neither of you will end up in detention."

Karlie nods, her adrenaline starting to calm down and her breathing starting to return to normal. She's never seen Taylor like this before. It's exhilarating, seeing Taylor take control.

Taylor then turns to face Katy, and says curtly with no emotion, "We don't have to sing one of my songs. It was just a suggestion. I'm sorry I brought up the idea."

"Apology accepted," Katy sticks her big nose into the air. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have more important places to be."

"Don't let the door hit you on the way out," Karlie mutters under her breath as Katy leaves the room in a hurried mix of anger and defeat.

As soon as the door closes, Karlie rushes over to Taylor, who is standing in the same position she was in minutes ago. "Are you okay?"

"I--" Taylor is stunned. For the first time in her life, she has absolutely nothing to say. A tear trickles slowly down her cheek and Karlie catches it with a delicate finger.

"Oh no, Tay, please don't cry. That Katy girl was horrible to you, truly truly awful. She doesn't deserve your precious tears. Just....I don't know...shake it off." Karlie tries her best to console the older girl.

"Oh, I'm sorry Karlie," Taylor sniffles, "I think I'm just crying from shock." She pushes her bangs out of her face, wipes her wet eyes, and laughs, "This is embarrassing."

Karlie hands Taylor some tissues and goes to pick up Taylor's journal from the floor. A few papers fall out and she bends down to pick them up, but Taylor gets there first, quickly collecting all the fallen pages. Curious green eyes meet frantic blue ones as both girls reach for a different object that has fallen--a round disc.

Karlie reads Taylor's calligraphy on the CD. "Tracks for Nashville?"

"I've been writing a lot of songs recently...I got a burst of inspiration. It's a CD of a few tracks that could possibly be on an album." Taylor says vaguely, not offering further information.

"Cool," Karlie figures it's probably not wise to ask for a copy, but she is incredibly intrigued. "Can you make me a copy or something?"

Taylor shakes her head softly, a silent way of apologizing, without looking at Karlie.

I wish I could.

I really wish I could.

"Oh, no problem." Karlie tries to hide the disappointment in her voice. She rocks back on her knees and sits cross cross applesauce on the floor, like a child.

Taylor sighs. It kills her to see such vibrant green eyes lose their spark. Time to let herself go. She opens her notebook to a page filled with her latest song lyrics, lays it across Karlie's lap, and begins to sing.

I don't know what I want, so don't ask me

'Cause I'm still trying to figure it out

Don't know what's down this road

I'm just walking

Trying to see through the rain coming down

Even though I'm not the only one, who feels

The way I do

Karlie closes her eyes and listens to Taylor's voice, which sounds absolutely angelic. When Taylor stops singing, Karlie pouts, "Is that all I get to hear? Taylor, you really are a gem. A true talent."

"That's all I have of that song so far." A soft pink spreads over Taylor's cheeks. Karlie's praise means a lot.

"I love it," Karlie gushes. Keep it lowkey, Kloss, keep it lowkey. Taking a deep breath, Karlie shyly asks, "May I ask what your inspiration was? If it's too personal, that's fine. I understand."

Taylor's heartbeat races. Sharing personal information is not something she tends to do often, unless she is extremely comfortable with the person. Calm down, Taylor. "It's about self discovery. That's why it's unfinished."

"I think that's beautiful," Karlie breathes.

"It's just so unfair. Everyone seems so sure of who they are, or who they want to be. People expect us high schoolers to decide our futures and be certain about our choices. But I'm not certain about myself yet. I don't know. Simple things...choices that on the surface appear 100% black or white...are difficult for me to process. It's like I'm getting lost in a gray area or something. Songs are the only way for me to express what I'm feeling. All I know is that I was made to sing. It makes me happy. Is this making any sense to you, or am I just spitting out mindless babble?" Taylor feels as though she's been holding in those words forever. She glances nervously at Karlie.

The younger girl stares at the older girl in complete admiration. Leaning forward on her hands and knees, Karlie bravely brushes her lips against Taylor's flushed cheek.

A/N: hey, something kind of happened in this chapter✌ thanks for reading!! it means a lot to me.

ALSO what are your thoughts on the klossy merch box?! any of you planning to purchase it? 💻