Learning To Love (Taylor's Version)

Walking Out & Welcomed In

(River's Version):

After I didn't hear any footsteps, I walked out the room and to the front door. Taylor was sitting on the couch watching Grey's Anatomy, wrapped up in a blanket next to Selena. Joe was in the kitchen making coffee, probably for Taylor. Tree and another man, with black curly hair, were sitting there talking. And there was Ed who was sitting on the other end of the couch, playing something on the guitar.

Everyone's attention shifted to me, as I walked to the living room. I walked towards the front door, and Sel got up trying to stop me, but Taylor just pulled her down before going back to what she was previously doing. I walked past the kitchen and Joe looked at me and then went to the living room with the coffee mugs. Everyone went back to doing whatever they were doing, giving me the sign that I could leave.

I walked out the door, the cold breeze made me shiver. I heard the door open and saw Taylor. She quietly put the package with the bandages the doctor gave to her and medicine to reduce pain on the ground before going inside and locking the door.

I quietly thanked her, even after she left. I picked them up before walking away. I had nowhere to go and it started to rain. I hid under a tree, which didn't help much, cause I was still dripping wet after the rain had passed. I usually avoided police officers, which was easy because I was either at my old place or at work, but its much more tough now. As I was walking, I heard a voice.

"Young lady, what are you doing out here, alone, dripping wet,"

I turn around and see a police officer. Fuck.

"Umm, going home,"

"Oh really?"

Why don't you show me where your house is?" he asks.

Not knowing what to do, I find myself walking back to where Taylor lives.

"Here," I say,

"Go ahead, let me talk to your parents or guardians," he says.

I tried to stall for a bit, but he was really stubborn.

I hesitantly knocked on the door, and Ed opened it up, his eyes widening.

"H-hello officer," he said.

"Are you her guardian or parent?" he asked.

"No, one minute," he said, walking away from the door.

He brought back Taylor and her eyes widened and he covered her mouth. Joe was right behind her and he looked at me, then Taylor, and then the police officer.

"How can we help?" Taylor asked the police officer.

I gave Joe a 'please help' look, and he stepped in.

"Why don't you come in, River," he said, and I ran over behind Taylor.

"We were all trying to hide a present inside that box, so it would look surprising, for her birthday. She saw it and then she umm ran away with it, and it started to rain, that's all officer,"

The police officer, looking tired from his job, just walked away. Everyone else left the living room, and Taylor and Joe looked at each other then at me.

"H-he saw me alone and and he-"

Taylor hugs me, and I gasp in surprise. She kind of felt like the old lady who used to sneak books for me for my birthday. Taylor's touches were gentle, almost as if I was glass about to break. And it was somewhat calming, everything disappeared and felt less overwhelming. As she pulled away, I came back to reality.

I was standing in front of Taylor Swift, dripping wet from head to toe, a pool of water under me. Crying because of the overwhelming feeling while my bruises burned.

Taylor looked at Joe and he left, leaving me and Taylor alone. I remember everything I said to her, and walk back against the wall, scared. Maybe she asked Joe to leave so she could do something to me after what I said to her?

But instead, she slid down the wall and sat right next to me. She scooted in a little closer as she started peeling off the cast and bandages from my leg. None of us talk, I just watch as she peels everything, revealing my dried-bloody leg.

She pulls me up, not really giving me a choice. I couldn't do anything because it hurt too much to move. She walked over to the closest bathroom.

"Go ahead and try to take a bath, there's a stool in there if you can't stand. There's the towel and I'll get you some clothes that I hope will fit," she explains.

Before I could talk, she went out and came back a minute later with clothes.

"These might be really huge for you, but these were the tiniest I have right now," she said, before walking out the room.

I turn on the shower and strip out my clothes. I step onto the shower and sit down on the stool. I wash up to the best I can before changing into the clothes Taylor gave me. The pants were okay but the shirt was so long it came down to my knees and you couldn't see my arms. I hop out and put my clothes in the washer before sitting down cause my leg started to ache.

I see Joe walking, and he looks over at me. He looked down at my leg and looked back at me.

"Do you need help going down, Taylor's there," he asks, and I nod.

He easily picks me up and walks down the stairs and puts me down on the couch and calls Taylor. Taylor walked over with Tree and Selena, she looked really worried, like she had been crying.

"Guys, leave them alone," Tree says, pulling Selena and Joe away.

Taylor looks at me and starts to whisper to me.

"We're going to Child Protective Services to see if you can get a foster family," she said, looking down.

I laughed at her joke, but she looked dead serious.

"T-taylor?"

She looked up at me.

"I'm sorry," she said.

I didn't know what to say. I worked so hard to be able to be by myself and I finally tried to let you in, and with in thirty minutes, you break my trust again, and now I can't even run anywhere cause of my leg,"

She just looked at me and started to cry, and I did too. She tried to hug me, but I pushed her off. I couldn't believe this.

I was picking at my fingernails until Taylor pulled my hand away and held it. Joe talked to me and convinced me that it might not be that bad to rely on someone and they could help me.

Apparently they had a mid-20-year-old couple looking for a teenager in the building, and so we went over to meet. They seemed really nice and it was going well.

"How about we talk with her alone," Beth, the woman, suggests.

Everyone leaves, so it's just me, Beth, and Josh. Their looks turned from sweet to devilish in less than a sec.

"How much do we get paid for you?" they ask.

"A-about 700 a month," I say, confused.

I didn't like their new attitude, they told me that I was just there to help them and they'd never see me as their kid. As soon as we went out, I didn't see Taylor, Joe, Tree, or Jack. There was only Ed and Selena standing there, I went and hid behind Selena. I didn't say anything until we drove back. Apparently I will move in with them next Monday... 4 days.

As I walk in, I hear Taylor say "I'm glad we found her a couple, you know we can't keep her here, we both move a lot."

I don't wanna tell them, they'll have to do more work for me, and they do enough. I know what I have to do.