Analise

Chapter Twenty-three

"Ok, you ready?" Layla asks. Taylor nods her head and Layla begins to take the stitches out. "I'm apologizing right now, I am so sorry if I hurt you." She says and Taylor smiles.

"You won't hurt me more than I already am, plus it's healed really fast." She says and closes her eyes as she feels a slight pain.

"Ok, I'm done. Just gonna clean it and then bandage it back up." She says putting the stitches into a bag and then dropping the scissors and tweezers in as well. "Ok, sit up slowly, I'm gonna put the wrap all the way around your ribs." She says and begins wrapping her. Taylor takes in a breath as she feels it tighten.

"You trying to suffocate me?" She asks as she begins to pull her shirt down.

"You're fine you big baby." She says and stands up. She holds her hand out for Taylor. She takes it and moves to loosen the wrap.

"You guys done?" They hear Leland's voice.

"Yeah, you don't have to worry about puking," Layla says opening the bathroom door. He looks at her with a glare.

"I wouldn't have puked." He says and she raises her eyebrow.

"You wanna throw the stitches away?" She asks holding out the bag to him. He looks at the bag and pales.

"No..I'm good." He says turning around quickly. The two girls laugh and walk out of the bathroom.

"Everything all good?" Austin asks. Taylor smiles and nods her head.

"Ok, Jack and Analyze you guys are in the truck for the first fifteen hours, but then who are you guys switching with?" Leland asks looking over at the now couple.

Analyze looks over at the group and whispers to Jack. "Austin and Taylor, you guys fine with it?" Jack asks. Austin looks up at him with a strange look before nodding his head. He looks at Taylor and she shrugs.

"That's fine," Austin says and Leland looks at them confused.

"But Taylor you aren't driving." He says and she rolls her eyes.

"I can drive just fine."

"I'll only let her drive the last hour or so," Austin says and Taylor turns to glare at him.

"Alright, fine. Let's get going before we're late." He says shaking his head and grabbing a bag. The group exits the hotel and Leland returns the keys before walking out the doors.

Taylor smiles as she and Layla talk about random things. Austin goes into the passenger seat as Leland gets into the driver side. "Since when do you wanna sit up here?" He asks turning the car on.

"I wanna talk to you once everyone goes to sleep." He says quietly. Leland nods his head and pulls out.

Austin continues to look back at Taylor, she's quieter now and is keeping to herself. He frowns wishing she'd be comfortable being herself around everyone. He watches when she talks with Layla, a small smile on her face, but once Layla's not looking it's gone.

She grabs her headphones wanting to block everyone out, but when she finds her phone it's still dead. She lets it fall into her lap with a sigh. She looks over at Julia and Layla. They both have bright smiles on their faces, and Chloe and Carson are playing some board game. She looks up to the front of her car and sees Austin looking at her. She smiles towards him and he gives her a small one back. He lifts up his phone in offering. She gives him a real smile and nods her head.

Taylor leans over Layla to grab his phone and to give him hers to charge. "Thanks." She says and he nods his head. She puts her headphones in and listens to his playlists.