Stories Based On Taylor Swift Songs

RED: 70. Everything Has Changed

70. Everything Has Changed (2/16/21)

"Class, may I have your attention please?" Miss. Little asked, clapping her hands a few times in a row to draw attention to herself. "We have a new classmate joining us today."

Fiona, who had picked out a simple white frock for the sunny Friday, peered up from her desk to meet both her teacher's and the new student's eye. With a single hand, she wiped her blond curls away from her face. She was all but ten (her birthday was March fourth, a fact she liked to remind many people about), and yet still enjoyed the idea of a new friend. As she entered high school, she wouldn't be able to keep up with the comings and goings of old classmates, leaving her at graduation wondering where her peers - and the time - had gone.

But for now, a mischievous Fiona smiled up at her teacher and took in the new boy. He was short compared to the other boys in her class, and she was sure if she were to stand next to him, she would be taller than him. His head was covered in wild red curls, and his face was sprinkled in light brown freckles. In the center of his face, his green eyes shone like newly discovered emeralds. Fiona found that she could not look away, but snapped out of her daydream when she heard someone calling her name.

"Fiona?" Miss. Little asked, smiling at the girl. "Would you mind showing our new friend around?"

So lost in her daydream, Fiona must have forgotten to listen for the boy's name. But by the time he had sat down, Miss. Little had gifted the redhead with a name tag reading "Richard Pennyfield." The name was better suited for an aged grandfather, not a spunky ten-year-old boy.

"Richard?" Fiona tested out the name and decided she did not like the taste of it on her lips. "Do you have a nickname or something?"

"My dad calls me Rich," he replied, with a small amount of bravado. He was not about to back down from a challenge. "It's my grandpa's name."

"I don't like that either." Fiona let out a dramatic sigh before glancing at her new friend. "Don't you have another nickname or something?"

When she looked over at him again, she saw that he was giggling. "What's so funny?"

"I don't have another nickname!" He sounded exasperated, as if he hadn't expected so many challenges on his first day of school. "What's wrong with Rich?"

"Well, are you rich?" Fiona asked, replacing the proper noun with an adjective.

Richard seemed to ponder the question for a moment. "I don't think so. But my dad has all these tattoos. He has to pay for them somehow."

Fiona's eyes grew to the size of saucers; she had never met anyone who had tattoos! "Your dad has tattoos?"

"Tons!" He replied, gesturing to his pale arm. "All over his arms!"

Before the conversation could continue, Miss. Little clapped a few more times, claiming the attention again. She spent the rest of the morning before lunch teaching the children simple fractions and the laws of gravity. Then, she handed out the lunch cards for those buying from the cafeteria, and allowed the students to search for their lunchboxes in their cubbies.

Fiona, who had a lunchbox that resembled an owl, led Richard to the cafeteria where they sat next to each other at the end of the table. He nearly forgot about the lunch card in his hand, so he hopped out of his seat and stood in line. Fiona could hardly wait for his return; she had spent the morning thinking about her new friend and his dad, who had tons of tattoos, according to Richard. Although she was only ten, Fiona liked to imagine that she was pretty smart, and had noticed that her new friend hadn't mentioned his mom. Surely if he had one, it would be an important fact to note? She had a mom, and a very pretty one at that. If she hadn't been so busy asking Richard about nicknames and tattoos, she would've mentioned her mom with the blonde hair and the impeccable fashion taste.

Before Richard could return to the table, a plan started forming in Fiona's mind. She could still see Richard from her seat. If his dad looked anything like his son, he would have red hair, the smattering of freckles, and the bright green eyes. She grinned, picturing her mom and her blonde hair again. Before biting into her peanut butter and jelly sandwich, Fiona giggled. Her plan wouldn't work unless her mom met Richard's dad. The possibility of that was small.

Richard returned with a plate of spaghetti and meatballs, and the two continued their conversation about their parents. The redhead mentioned his father's affiliation with tattoos, and how the black ink covered his pale arms. Fiona went on to talk about her mom, who designed clothes for fashion companies, and how she didn't have a dad. Much like she predicted, Richard said his mom lived somewhere else and that his parents weren't "in love" anymore. He told the story with as much honesty that you can expect from a ten-year-old.

Following lunch came recess, and Richard and Fiona sat under the line of maple trees, playing with the blades of grass and leaves beneath their feet. She and Richard continued to talk about their favorite television shows and movies. Richard loved Greek mythology and video games, while Fiona liked stories starring princesses and knights.

The afternoon flew by much too quickly for Fiona's liking, and before she knew what was happening, she and Richard were leaving the school building with their backpacks in tow. Fiona bit her lip; her mother always picked her up on Fridays so they could go out to dinner. She wondered if it would be a normal Friday, or if Richard's appearance would cause a switch in the plans.

The two walked out of the building and searched for their parents. A large group of students were waiting for the bus to take them home. Fiona watched as Richard located his father and ran off in the direction to meet him.

She let out a sigh. A part of her was still hopeful, but even she had to admit that the plan was foolish and hopeless. She could tell her mom was lonely, but had no idea how Richard's dad could help.

Fiona found her blonde mother standing on the sidewalk in a purple jumpsuit, her hair tied up in a ponytail. She wore a bright smile on her face, and wrapped her daughter in a hug as soon as she saw her.

"It's your pick for dinner this week, princess!" Her mother said once they had finished embracing.

"Mom! I made a new friend today!" Fiona explained, even though the idea of dinner was distracting.

She took her mother by the wrist and led her towards Richard and his father, who also had red hair but was covered in tattoos. When her mom saw Richard's dad, her jaw dropped to the floor.

"Jamie?" She asked, her eyes wide and her mouth agape.

"Hey. It's, uh, been a long time." He stuck his hands in his pockets and wore a coy smile on his face.

Fiona and Richard could hardly understand the levity of the situation, or how their parents knew each other by name. Their parents didn't even take the time to explain that they had dated in high school, had drifted apart, married different people, and were now single at the same exact time. Each puzzle piece fit together perfectly.