Stories Based On Taylor Swift Songs

SPEAK NOW: 50. Innocent

50. Innocent (11/5/20)

Mia's words came out in breaths of fog. The night air around her chilled her to the bone. She wrapped her cardigan tighter around her body before opening her car door. The directions were typed into the GPS, and the automated voice led her to her location. Her head wouldn't stop spinning. She had made this arrangement for a reason, but had agreed before thinking about the consequences.

As she drove, memories danced in and out of her brain. They were foggy, since it was almost ten years since they happened. But the pain was just as vivid.

"God, look at you," the memories whispered. "You'll never accomplish anything in life looking like that."

Mia shook her head a few times, as if that would help in erasing the memories. The voice of her GPS told her to take a right turn, and that her destination was on the left. She drove through a small development, her eyes searching for the right house number. When her eyes landed on the right one, she pulled the car into the driveway.

Mia sat behind the wheel of her car for a few moments, taking heavy breaths. She recognized this house and this neighborhood. It belonged to an old classmate of hers. A part of her was surprised that Sydney still lived here, but the girl had ended up attending community college and living with her parents. Sometimes peaking in high school didn't have the best consequences.

Mia climbed out of the car and opened the gate into the backyard. Sydney had told her to meet in the yard, even though it was the middle of November. Mia wrapped herself in her cardigan before taking slow steps across the grassy yard. Near the patio was a string of lights hanging around a group of picnic tables and a grill. Sitting at the one picnic table was Sydney, her blond locks cut into a short bob with blunt bangs. She almost looked unrecognizable. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to confront her this way, but then Mia was reminded of her high school days, and everything started to back sense again. Even if Sydney wasn't in the right place in her life, Mia still deserved an apology for everything the girl had done to her ten years ago.

"Hey, Sydney." Mia's voice was soft as she stood in the yard.

The blond turned around; the bags under her eyes were dark and fairly noticeable. Mia tried not to feel a sense of accomplishment from seeing Sydney. It wasn't fair of her.

"Hey, Mia." The girl's voice was rough. "Wow, you look great."

Mia shrugged before moving closer to the patio and taking a seat across from Sydney at the picnic tables. "Thanks for inviting me over. My apartment isn't exactly the best place for hosting guests."

"It's alright." Sydney had trouble meeting her eyes. "Um, you said you wanted to talk to me? Why did you reach out to me, after all these years?"

Mia sighed. She was trying not to recite the words of her therapist. "Um...it appears as if my high school experience is still a bit traumatic for me, and I figured I would try to look for closure by meeting with you."

"Did your therapist tell you that?" Her tone was clipped, but then she sighed. "I see one too, don't worry. But mine's always like 'don't do drugs. Get a job.'"

"Sounds like she's more of a guidance counselor." Mia hadn't meant it as a joke, but the two girls smiled anyway. "Do you wanna talk about anything?"

Mia watched as Sydney thought over everything, as if she was flipping through a scrapbook of high school memories. "What was the worst thing I ever did to you?"

It took Mia a few moments to sift through the memories. Sydney's tormenting started off as light-hearted, middle school pranks: confusing taps on the shoulders, mean rumors and whispers, and thrown balls of paper. Then they morphed into more serious offenses. Sydney told every guy at school not to ask Mia out, and convinced everyone in the choir that Mia had a contagious disease that could only be spread by singing. Then there were the backhanded compliments and comments, which all led up to a few traumatic moments. Sydney and Mia had gym class together junior year, and after the showers, Sydney stole Mia's clothes from her locker and refused to return them. What resulted was Mia fumbling around the locker room in nothing but a thin, flimsy towel. Of course, the whole thing was caught on film.

Then, at the junior prom, one of the guys in Mia's chemistry class had asked her to dance with him. But when Mia returned from the bathroom to look for him, she saw Sydney in his arms. All the incidents caused a decline in Mia's self-worth, believing that she was never good enough for anyone. She worked through most of the emotional stuff with her therapist, but she felt it necessary to search for Sydney and an apology.

"It's between the shower incident and the thing you pulled at junior prom." Mia tried not to have an attitude as she talked, but she couldn't help it. Digging up the memories only made her more upset.

Sydney sighed, clearly remembering the moments. "I'm so sorry, Mia. Everything I did to you was so wrong. If I could take it back, I would."

"Why did you do it?" Mia swallowed the lump in her throat before glancing up at Sydney.

The blond blew her bangs out of her eyes before replying. "I was jealous."

"Of me?" Whatever Mia thought Sydney was going to say, it hadn't been that. "Why? You were the prettiest, most popular girl in school."

"Yeah, and dumb as a box of rocks," Sydney's deadpanned. "I almost had to retake tenth grade. I was also a nicotine addict, and almost became an alcoholic."

Mia processed the words. She hadn't realized what Sydney was going through, but that still didn't excuse her actions.

"You were so smart, Mia, not to mention gorgeous." Sydney's voice was cracked when she spoke again. "I wanted to be just like you. I knew you were hardworking, and would probably go to a nice college or something."

"I had no idea," Mia admitted. "I'm sorry."

Sydney leaned forward. "Do not apologize for anything. I was the jerk."

Mia watched as the girl sat back in her seat. Everything began to click into place, and it felt as if a weight was lifted off her shoulders.