Taylor and Karlie walked home side by side, their shoulders brushing occasionally. Both girls blushed every time it happened. "I am dreading the day I have to use make up again," Karlie declared out of the blue.
"What?" Taylor laughed confused at the random statement.
"I'm just saying that I'm not using any make up while I'm here. But when I'm back at my job eventually I'll have to use it again. And I really don't want to," Karlie elaborated, "I think I'm getting too lazy."
"Well, I think that you look absolutely flawless without make up. You really don't need it." Taylor meant every word she was saying. She had never met a person more beautiful than Karlie. Why the model ever thought that she needed to use any make up was beyond her.
Karlie's face flushed a light shade of red as her eyes were locked on the ground in front of her. "Thank you."
"I'm just telling you the truth."
"If you say so," Karlie trailed off.
Neither Karlie nor Taylor wanted to address the underlying tension in Karlie's statement. Karlie had to go back to her job, back to New York City at some point. And so did Taylor. They couldn't hide forever. The way they were living in some small California beach town could not be compared to the life that was awaiting them back in the City.
"Where did your mind just go?" Taylor asked. She noticed Karlie falling quiet again.
"Nowhere," the model shrugged her shoulders.
"Karlie."
"Taylor," Karlie replied, imitating her girlfriend's tone.
"You can tell me."
Karlie looked at the girl next to her and found those deep blue eyes trained on her. The model sighed. "It's just that I still haven't told anyone anything. My family, my friends they all think that I'm still happily dating Josh and that's not true. They couldn't be farther from the truth. They don't even know where exactly I am. They don't know who I'm with. I'm gonna have a lot of explaining to do once I go back. And I don't even know how to explain all of this."
"Hey," Taylor said as she reached out for Karlie's hand. They had stopped walking long ago. "If you want to you can fly back to New York. You can talk to your family and come clean about everything that's been going on. We can figure out how to tell them. You can meet up with your friends and tell them, too if you want. I'll wait here for you."
"But I don't wanna leave. I want to stay here with you and not think about the consequences that might have," Karlie replied. Taylor could see a whirlwind of emotions in her favorite pair of green eyes. She could see how torn Karlie was between their little California bubble and real life back in New York.
"That's not healthy, baby."
"What you're doing isn't healthy either," Karlie pointed out and immediately wished she could take the words back. Taylor averted her gaze to the ground and let go of Karlie's hand.
"I know that, Karlie. I know that I'm a huge mess and I more than likely need professional help. But at least I'm trying to deal with my shit. I'm trying to get my life back together. You aren't. You're here hiding from all your responsibilities. You're not even trying to get your shit back together."
"And you're not hiding from your responsibilities? You ran away, Taylor. You left me and everyone else behind without a single word. How is that getting your life back together? How is that dealing with your shit?" All the anger and disappointment and sadness she had felt weeks ago bubbled up inside of Karlie again. She knew that it wasn't fair to hold these things against her girlfriend but she couldn't help herself. She was so torn and confused and utterly helpless.
