in my best dress [kaylor au]

e i g h t: p a r t t w o

"Where are we going?" Taylor asks. Not like she's opposed to the idea of leaving a party to spend quality private time with Karlie. In fact, she had hoped that this would happen.

Karlie doesn't answer, but instead moves her hand so it's holding Taylor's.

Taylor looks up at the stars, which are shining brightly in the night sky. They remind her of Karlie's vibrant green eyes.

The younger girl leads the older girl into the woods behind Toni's house. "There's a really beautiful creek back here."

Taylor realizes that maybe her choice of shoes wasn't the best for a trot through the woods in the snow, but that doesn't matter. She'll gladly freeze if it means time with Karlie.

Karlie notices Taylor is slightly shivering. She shrugs her leather jacket off and puts it around Taylor's shoulders.

"Oh! Thanks," the older girl says, looking at the ground.

"I don't really like parties that much," Karlie admits, to Taylor's relief. "But I always go to Toni's just to escape from everything for a while. Life can be a lot sometimes, you know?"

Taylor thinks about Tennessee. "Trust me, I know."

The girls reach the snow covered creek and Karlie sits down on a log, brushing off the snow next to her so that Taylor can sit too.

"This is nice," Taylor says after they pass a few minutes in silence.

Karlie nods, looking up at the sky. There are so many things to say. I have so many things to say. "How is your songwriting coming along? You ever finish that song about self-discovery?"

Taylor is surprised that Karlie even remembers that song, since it had been a couple of weeks. "Not yet. But I sent that CD to a record label in Nashville."

"Really?" Karlie's eyes light up in excitement, "Have they gotten back to you yet?"

Karlie's excitement should make Taylor feel happy, but it does the opposite. Now, it is impossible to tell her the news. She looks like a cute puppy, one that Taylor does not want to leave. So, she forces herself to lie, something she is not proud of. "No, I haven't heard back yet."

"They'll love you! I know it. You're so sweet and genuine and you have the voice of an angel. And you look like a princess, of course," Karlie gushes, boldly holding Taylor's hand in hers again.

"Thanks Sunshine," Taylor's voice cracks.

"Oh, Taylor, what's wrong? If it's this...." Karlie gestures to their hands, "...whatever is going on between us, don't worry. Everything will be okay."

"I'm not worried about that." I'm worried about what my parents will think. I'm worried about moving away. I'm worried about leaving you.

"Good, I'm not worried either." Karlie rests her head on Taylor's shoulder.

"I wish we could stay like this forever," Taylor whispers, "Away from everyone else, away from the world. Just us."

Karlie lifts her head from Taylor's shoulder and looks right into the girl's sparkling blue eyes. This is the moment. I should ask her to the dance. "Taylor, I have something to ask you."

Before Karlie can get another word out, Taylor leans forward to brush her lips against Karlie's. It's an impulsive action that even surprises Taylor herself.

The younger girl pulls away slowly, "You kiss like a princess."

Taylor smiles shyly, staring directly into Karlie's eyes. The moment seems magical, until everything hits her all at once, like a tidal wave in her brain. I held Karlie's hand. I kissed her. I kissed a girl. She's beautiful, absolutely beautiful. I'm leaving. I'm moving away. I'll never see her again. I want to stay. She feels herself slipping away until all she hears is the noise of nature: calm, serene, peaceful. I like nature. I like the woods. I like Karlie. Karlie Kloss... All thoughts leave her mind as her body gives out, collapsing in a heap of the ground, like a deflated balloon.

"Taylor! Taylor! Are you okay?" Karlie's face goes white as she watches the girl she just kissed crumple into the grass. She lightly shakes the older girl, whipping her phone out of her pocket and dialing with frozen fingers.

"911, what's your emergency?"

------------------------

Karlie sits in the hospital waiting room, leaning her head on her mom's shoulder. "Hand me another tissue, please."

Tracy hands her daughter a box of tissue. "Honey, I know you're upset, but Taylor is going to be absolutely fine. You heard the doctor. She's awake and healthy. Her fainting was caused by low blood pressure and anxiety. She was dehydrated and stressed out, that's all."

Karlie blows her nose and wipes the remaining tears off of her face. "I know, mom, but it was scary. She just like...collapsed and I-I felt completely helpless."

"Oh, sweetie--"

Scott and Andrea rush into the waiting room, both talking at the same time. "How is she? Is she okay? What happened?"

"Andrea, Scott. Over here," Tracy waves them over. Andrea takes a tissue from Karlie's box.

"Is my daughter okay?" Scott demands.

"She--she fainted due to--to, um, dehydration and--" Karlie once again turns into a blubbering mess. Andrea's eyes go wide and she turns to Tracy.

"Karlie is over-reacting. Taylor is completely fine, just a little dehydrated and stressed out. She is awake now and I'm sure you can go visit her." Tracy explains, quickly hugging both of Taylor's parents. Karlie apologizes for her inability to form a sentence and awkwardly follows her mother, embracing both Scott and Andrea.

Before Andrea pulls away from her hug from Karlie, she whispers, "Thank you for taking care of her." Karlie steps back, taken off guard. "Oh, it's no problem..."

A nurse interrupts, coming by to escort Scott and Andrea to Taylor's hospital room. The couple practically trips over each other, racing to see their only daughter.

"You'll get to see her next," Tracy reads her daughter's thoughts, rubbing her comfortingly on the back. Karlie almost asks why she can't go now, but reminds herself that she is not an impatient child. Taylor's parents are obviously more important than some random...friend. A friend who really really cares..

"Taylor is not the name of your school's quarterback." Tracy says softly.

Karlie squeezes her mom tightly, confessing her lie, "No."

A/N:

I take forever to write new chapters...so long that a year has passed since my last update...

ok I'm sorry for my attempt at a joke
I should stop trying, but thanks for reading!
Happy 2017 everyone! Let's make it better than 2016.