Match Maker | T. Swift x OC

Chapter Four

The door opened, and there stood Natalie, looking surprised and slightly annoyed at the sight of Mallory. "Hey," Natalie said softly, "What- What are you doing here?"

Mallory fidgeted nervously, her words tumbling out in a rush, "I know we haven't spoken in a while, but I needed to see you, Nat. There's something I need to say, something I've been carrying with me."

Natalie's eyes softened a bit when she saw how uncomfortable Mallory was, and she motioned for her to come inside. The living room was filled with people laughing and chatting, making Mallory feel even more anxious. Natalie sensed her discomfort and gently took her hand, leading her through the crowd to the back garden.

Once outside, Mallory felt a little relief, but the guilt she had been carrying weighed heavily on her heart. "I'm sorry," Mallory choked out, tears welling up in her eyes. "I know I messed up, and I hate myself for it. I hurt you, and I can't forgive myself."

Natalie wrapped her arms around Mallory, holding her close. "I understand how hard it is for you to be here. But I want you to know that I forgive you. We all make mistakes, and I believe you regret what happened."

Mallory sobbed, feeling overwhelmed by Natalie's kindness and forgiveness. "But I don't deserve it. I don't deserve you."

Natalie tilted Mallory's chin up, making their eyes meet. "You deserve happiness, Mallory. And I want to give us another chance if you're willing. I want to start again."

"Really?" Mallory asked, looking down into Natalie's eyes. The blonde nodded and Mallory sighed, holding out her hand. "Hey, I'm Mallory. I think we have further maths together."

The blonde chuckled and shook her hand. "Hey, Mallory. I'm Natalie and I think you might be right."

"What are you thinking about?" Taylor asked as she sipped her drink.

Mallory bit her lip. "How I royally fucked up being a teenager."

"I don't think you fucked up being a teenager. Your dad was an ass, and you had a drug addiction, but you still managed to maintain friendships and get through college with four A stars in Maths, Physics, Computer Science and Chemistry. I don't know about you, but I think that that screams that you succeeded at being a teenager."

The brunette closed her eyes before smiling. "Thank you for that."

"Always," Taylor shrugged.

"Can I play you a song?"

"When have you ever needed to ask?"

They took their drinks and Mallory led her wife to their living room, sitting comfortably on the sofa.

Curious, Taylor looked at Mallory with a mix of concern and intrigue. She sat down beside her and took the laptop in her lap. Mallory opened a folder, revealing a song titled "For You."

"Not you... Uh, Lea. I never gave it a name," Mallory clarified sheepishly.

Taylor nodded so Mallory hit play, and a tender, raw melody filled the room, bringing forth emotions that Taylor couldn't quite put into words.

As the haunting lyrics of what would become illicit affairs echoed through the room, Taylor felt her heartache, knowing there was something deeper to this song. She noticed that the voice in the demo recording was fragile and vulnerable, sounding like an 18-year-old Mallory singing from her soul in a dorm's bathroom.

Tears welled up in Taylor's eyes as the realization hit her- this song was not just a random demo; it held a deeply personal story. Turning to Mallory, she gently held her hand, silently encouraging her to share the truth.