Stay - Taylor Swift

Chapter 71

I did touch on the sexual assault case, however I didn't want to go into too much detail because first of all, I do not know enough about it and second of all, I didn't want to upset anyone. You can skip the first two sections if it makes you uncomfortable as I know it may be a sensitive topic, however I try to keep the story as real as possible.

-

Denver, Colorado

Standing in the mirror of a hotel room in a city she was normally quite a fan of, Taylor nervously looked down at her fingernails and tried to distract herself.

"Taylor," Grace said softly from the chair a few feet away, "Whatever happens, you tried."

Taylor turned her head and forced a weak smile, "Trying sometimes isn't good enough."

"Let's not think that way, Just go in, be honest, listen to your lawyers. I'll be right behind you in the seating if you need a thumbs up or a hand squeeze or something, you're going to do great."

"Right now, I need a hug and shot," Taylor said as she walked over to the chair and stood with her arms open.

"How about just a hug?" Grace replied as she hugged the blonde, feeling Taylor linger much longer than usual.

It was obvious she was nervous, she hadn't slept very well and had been staring in the mirror for ten minutes straight when Grace finally broke the silence. Grace was trying to support her the best way she could but in the end, she was nervous too.

"Are you wearing your ring in court?" Grace asked as Taylor fidgeted with it on her finger in the car.

"I need to."

-

They sided with her.

They believed her, they believed her story and they didn't choose him. Somehow, after all the pain and worry and trauma, it was only slightly relieving for Taylor.

In the hotel room, after it all had sunk in and Taylor finally lost her speechlessness, she turned to Grace and said, "They believed me."

Grace turned and with a small nod and smile replied, "Yeah baby, they believed you."

And suddenly, Taylor was in tears.

"Tay, sweetheart, should I just let you cry or should I come hold you?" Grace asked nervously as she watched the blonde cry into the pillow on the bed.

"I don't care," Taylor answered softly, "I care that he didn't get away with it."

In response, the brunette shifted over in the bed and began to rub the singer's back in gentle, up and down motions.

"It's over now, you didn't let him win."

"He still grabbed by ass," Taylor replied in between cries.

Grace had spent a lot of time reading up on how to support Taylor through this, but what they never tell you is how to reply to that statement.

-

"You're actually taking down everything from your social media?" Grace asked as the couple sat in their Tribeca penthouse less than a week later.

"Everything. I'm unfollowing everyone, no posts, nothing. The old Taylor can't be dead if she's still tweeting about donuts at four in the morning."