CAROLINE'S POV
"Are you kidding?" I asked frustratedly while sitting at the kitchen counter with my head in my hands.
"I'm not kidding. You can stay here with me. There are a people coming over and Karlie won't be here so you could probably ask one of your friends to come over. But you aren't going anywhere." Taylor said as she wiped the counter off with a damp rag.
It was New Years Eve and Taylor was still not letting me go anywhere with friends. I thought we had the whole drunken night situation worked out but I guess not. Now I had to stay at her adult party and ask my friends if they wanted to come hang out here.
I did kind of feel bad for Taylor though. The only reason I was allowed to ask my friends to come over was because apparently Karlie was stuck in New York with a work commitment and nobody can know about her and Karlie. When she talked about the fact that Karlie wouldn't be here I could have sworn I heard her voice crack but I brushed it off.
"My friends probably would rather go where we were planning on going than come here anyway." I grumbled.
"And where were you planning on going?" Taylor asked, rinsing the rag out in the sink.
"Some kid from school invited people over and we were going to go." I said.
"Well, doesn't sound like a good situation anyway." Taylor said sharply, turning around to face me and crossing her arms.
"Oh my God, it wasn't even going to be like that, his parents are home." I said, getting up off the barstool and moping up to my room. I could feel myself being an entitled brat, but at this point I didn't really care. I had learned my lesson, hadn't I? I guess Taylor didn't think so. She had been moody all day today anyway.
I got out my phone and asked my friends if they wanted to come over to my house instead and surprisingly, Grace and Kelsey said yes. They wouldn't be able to come until 9 but anything was okay with me because I hadn't seen them outside of school since the night of the party.
I was forced to spend most of my evening helping Taylor clean up around the house before the guests came over. This wouldn't usually bother me, but Taylor was in a weird mood today. One second she was moping around and the next she was snapping at me. I suspected it had something to do with Karlie not being here, but I didn't mention it.
If anything, I was the one who should be moody because today was the anniversary of my mom's passing. But again, I didn't say anything and I tried to think about my dad's letter and how he and my mom wouldn't want me to be sad today. So I've been staying strong.
Fortunately, Taylor lightened up a little when her friends started arriving. She still wasn't exactly herself though. All her close friends knew about her and Karlie, but some friends of friends were coming so nobody was allowed to discuss Karlie and Taylor. It was a little sad that Taylor had to be so secretive, but I guess it's what they want.
I spent two hours with Taylor and her friends before my friends arrived. I got my fill on petty celebrity gossip and the bowls of snacks on the counter became my best friends. Of course, Taylor didn't miss the chance to brag about me going to Vanderbilt and getting a scholarship. It felt nice that she was so proud of me, but I still couldn't wait until my friends got here and I got to hang out with people I felt more comfortable around.
When I answered the door for Kelsey and Grace that night Kelsey immediately pulled me out into the hallway of the apartment and shut the door behind me.
"Give it to me straight," Kelsey said before I could ask any questions, "is Blake Lively in there? Ryan Reynolds?" She asked, all out of breath.
