The Soldier's Girl (Under Editing)

Chapter 28

CAROLINE'S POV

A few days after Christmas Taylor and I flew to Los Angeles. Tonight was New Years Eve and Taylor was having a party here with her friends. I would most likely be hanging out upstairs. Taylor kept asking me if it was okay if she could have a party here since today was the anniversary of my moms death. I assured her that it would be okay and I would be fine.

Right now she was running errands. She asked me if I wanted to go, but I really didn't feel like being out and about today. Just as I was thinking that Taylor walked through the door with bags of groceries in her arms. I was sitting on a barstool at the counter and she sat the bags down in front of me and started unpacking them into the cupboards. She finally acknowledged me when she was finished.

"How are you?" She said as she came over and hugged me from the side because I was still sitting down.

"I don't know." I mumbled as I leaned into her hug. I heard her sigh and after that her arms held me tighter. My mind wouldn't stop reminding itself that nine years ago today a kindergarten version of me was watching my mom suffer and die.

"Come with me." She said softly in an inviting tone. I groaned a little because I didn't want to get up. Taylor waited until I got up to lead me, she grabbed my hand and took me up the stairs. It was a little weird because we were the only ones in our own house and we were holding hands, but then again it comforted me knowing that I was holding on to Taylor. She took me up to her bedroom and started going through her closet while I sat down on the bed.

"I have two outfit choices." She began.

"This one." She said while holding up a black pantsuit that I'm sure made her look like a million bucks.

"Or this one." She said while holding up a red dress.

"Definitely the dress." I told her after she showed it to me. I'd never done anything for New Years Eve, but I new that the dress would be better for it than the pantsuit.

"I'll have to try it on though." Taylor said before taking the dress off its hanger and going into the bathroom. While she was gone I pulled the covers down on her bed and curled up under them. The last time I layed in this spot I was faking like I had a stomach ache just so I could be with Taylor because I was alone all night.

"Does it look okay." She asked when she came out of the bathroom with the dress on.

"Yeah." I said in the middle of a yawn. I hadn't gotten much sleep lately, ever since Christmas I'd been getting nightmares every night. When we were in Nashville I went to go find Taylor after I woke up from them. The past few nights when we were in California she would come in my room and wake me up from the nightmares because she would wake up to the screaming before me. All of the times resulted in me sleeping in the same bed as her for the rest of the night.

A couple hours later Taylor's friends arrived. I was up in Taylor's room watching TV and eating the pizza she ordered. As the hours progressed and it got closer and closer to midnight everyone downstairs got louder and I got more upset. I was just ready for all this sadness to be done, I was ready to be happy for a long time. Just as I thought that I heard lots of laughter from downstairs. I assumed everyone was drinking and I wanted to avoid going down there at all costs.

Soon it was 11:45. 15 minutes until 2014. Nine years ago from then I remember bawling my eyes out and fighting my dad because I didn't want to be put to bed if my mom wasn't there to put me to bed. I sighed and laid down on Taylor's bed. I shut my eyes, but didn't go to sleep. Shortly I heard lots of screaming from downstairs. I opened my eyes and looked at the clock. Midnight.

I sat up and watched the celebrations that were going on in New York on TV. I wondered how long it would be until everyone went home. Every time I looked at the clock I thought I had to be soon, but every time I was wrong. I could've gone to sleep, but I wanted to see Taylor before I did.

Finally at 3am Taylor came walking through the door to her bedroom. I was sitting in her bed with only the TV lighting my face.

"You're not asleep?" She asked almost angrily. I was kind of startled when she said that, I was expecting a 'happy new years' or a 'hey girl' followed by a smile. She changed into pajamas and I laid down in bed facing the wall. When Taylor crawled into the bed she turned off the TV.

"What's wrong?" She asked gently touching my shoulder. I flipped around to face her and told her nothing was wrong. I must've misread her because now she didn't look mad. She just looked tired. I saw her close her eyes, but I was kind of scared to go to sleep. I didn't want to get a nightmare for the sixth night in a row. I also didn't want Taylor to have to deal with that, she does so much for me and sometimes I feel like a burden.

I ended up drifting off to sleep, only to be woken up by why I feared would happen. It was six in the morning and I came back to the real world with Taylor's hand on my face.

"Are you okay." She asked glancing at my hand, I noticed it shaking. I nodded while letting out a shaky breath. She put her arm out for a hug and I snuggled in to her. She gave me a squeeze with her arms while she kissed my face. I closed my eyes and tried to sleep because I didn't want to keep Taylor up, I could tell she was exhausted.

-a week later-

Now that Christmas break was over we were back in Nashville so I could be at school. I faintly remember Taylor waking me up for the first day back, but I vividly remember her waking me up again thirty minutes later.

"Caroline we have to leave in ten minutes and your still not out of bed!" I heard her call from the hallway. That got me up quick. I jumped out of bed and threw on sweatpants and a sweatshirt. I put my hair in a ponytail and grabbed a granola bar on my way out the door.

On the way to school Taylor was on the phone with somebody, I didn't know who it was but I assumed it was important. She finally said goodbye to the person and hung up the phone when we were pulling into the drop off lane in front of school.

"I'm about to go buy your birthday present." She told me. Those were the first words she'd said to me since I'd woken up this morning.

"Oh really?" I said while smiling and opening the car door to get out. My birthday was on the first of February, I'd almost forgotten about it until now.

"Bye Taylor." I said after I got my book bag on and was about to slam the car door shut.

"Seeya, love you." She told me before I headed into the building to start my day at school.