This Love (Kaylor)

Chapter 7

It's the sunlight streaming out of the windows of Taylor's living room that finally wakes me up. My eyes flutter open gradually, and I take my time coming back to my senses. A blanket tossed over my body, the smell of breakfast cooking and- oh god that's a headache.

I sit up on the couch and cradle my aching head in one hand. Looking around, I see a tall glass of water and two pills sitting on the coffee table next to me. I eagerly take both pills and gulp down the glass.

I slowly rise up off the couch and make my way to the kitchen, where Taylor's frying eggs and humming a tune I don't quite recognize. It must be another one of her songs. She looks adorable with her bed head and sleepwear, lost in her own happy little world.

She looks up as I come in and flashes me on of her signature smiles. "Hey Kar, what's up? Did you sleep well?"

I slide up to the counter next to her and smile back. "Yeah, I did. Thanks for the ibuprofen. And for letting me stay here. I know it's not exactly... allowed."

"Don't worry about that. It's the least I could do, after..."

She trails off, and I nod my head, getting what's she's trying to say.

Taylor flips an egg and changes the subject. "Breakfast?"

Taylor has two breakfast sandwiches ready for us in 10 minutes, and we sit down at her small dining room table to eat. As Taylor pours me a glass of orange juice, I cant help but feel nervous. Taylor kinda brought it up earlier, but are we seriously just going to ignore everything that's happened between us? Shouldn't we... talk about it? What if I go back to school and she treats me in the same hostile way as before? Maybe it's just my nerves, but as we start eating in silence, I feel tension in the air rising.

I finally get the courage to open my mouth and speak when Taylor talks over me.

"Taylor, I-"

"Karlie, I'm sorry-"

We both cut off what we were going to say and I blush profusely.

"Sorry," I mumble. "You can go."

Taylor shakes her head. "No, you go ahead," she insists.

I wait another beat before tentatively speaking. "It's just, everything has been so... confusing."

Taylor lets out an audible sigh, staring at the sandwich on her plate in defeat. She stares at her food for several moments and I'm about to ask if she's okay when she looks up at me with an expression I'll never forget.

She's the saddest I've ever seen her, and I don't need to see the tears welling in her eyes to tell that she's in pain.

"I'm so sorry," she chokes, her voice cracking on the last word.

Immediately, against my own will, I'm on my feet and walking over to Taylor to hold her in my arms. She clutches on to me, and this time it's me who comforts her as a few silent tears escape her eyes.

"It's okay, Taylor," I murmur. "I understand."

She gently pushes me back to look me in the eye. "No, Karlie, you don't understand," she presses. "We're going to go back to school on Monday and I will teach my lessons and you will do your work, and nothing else will ever be able to happen between us."

Although this is all I ever expected to hear Taylor say, I still feel a stab to my chest. Her words. They hurt. A lot.

I feel a lump in my throat as I start getting emotional as well. "I like you, Taylor," I confess. "A lot."