Match Maker | T. Swift x OC

Chapitre Deux

She left bad for speaking to Taylor the way she did and then flashbacks of the conversation she had with August shot through her head. ('Oh, it looks like you drew out one of the lyrics from one of Taylor's new songs.' 'What?' 'Yeah, she says, 'I once was Poison Ivy, but now I'm your daisy.'' 'How- Why do you know that?' 'I went to the secret session in London.')

Betty cleared her throat as Mallory willed herself to stop thinking of her unfortunately coincidental tattoo and carried the baby into the dining room. She put Laila in the high chair that was between herself and Betty as the redhead put Taylor in the one that was between Inez and Nathaniel.

Inez smiled thankfully at her sister, bringing in a bowl of rice. James, Leo, and Anastasia all came in with their own dishes, putting them in the centre of the table.

"How's my favourite house husband?" Mallory nodded at Nathan, who chuckle and shook his head.

"He's great," The man answered laughing when his son yelled out, ''and!'

Once everything was on the table, Nathaniel stood and said Grace, blessing the food like their father used to do when they were kids every Sunday, and they dug in, plating their own food.

Natalie: 999.

Taylor groaned as she downed her umpteenth shot, wiping the corners of her mouth. Her eyes scanned the room of bar before turning back to the counter. She half expected to see Mallory watching her in concern, offering a bottle of water on the house, but it was just the guy who had been hired the week Mallory resigned.

Gigi, on her left, got up and went to the dance floor. She was left alone momentarily until a familiar person took the blonde model's place. Taylor said nothing and they just sat in a comfortable silence.

Then, when it became unbearable Taylor turned to Karlie, "What happened that night?" She asked for the first time, "As someone that was there and mostly sober... What happened?"

Karlie sighed, "Gigi and I came to your apartment and I think you had already had something to drink, but we went out anyway and met up with Martha. You brought us to a dive bar on the east side and drank, like, four old-fashioneds. When I told you to slow down, you got upset and pulled Gigi and Martha to the stage to do karaoke then sang Before He Cheats, using feminine pronouns."

Taylor winced as Karlie explained vaguely, yet surprisingly detailed.

"After that, we came back to your apartment. I made sure you were all safe and in bed then came back to your room, making sure you weren't doing anything else that was stupid. You said you didn't want to be alone and asked me to stay so I did, because we're friends and friends have sleepovers, right?

"You kissed my lips and said, 'Goodnight, Mal,' and when you fell asleep, I left your room and went back to mine. I would've gone to my own apartment, but I wasn't sober enough to drive and I don't trust your nighttime security guard. I texted Mallory to tell her what happened because it seemed like the right thing to do. And now you're miserable," Karlie muttered, "If I had just let you fall asleep alone, you two could've talked about the song and made up like you always do."

"It's not your fault," Taylor said pathetically. She still couldn't figure out why she had been avoiding Mallory.

All of it made sense now, all of it apart from that. She had no reason to shun her girlfriend, but she did and she didn't know why. It was all her fault and God. If Taylor could go back in time and knock some sense into herself because they should have celebrated their one year anniversary a few weeks ago.

Taylor should have been at August and James's birthday parties and she should have been there when Betty gave birth to Laila, but she wasn't. She should've held Mallory's hand as she mourned her grandmother and she should've been there when August got a role in A Quiet Place, but she wasn't.