IVY

I

Don't be shy
Just let your feelings roll on by
Just lift your head
And let your feelings out instead
Cat Stevens - Don't be shy

Feeling not nearly as tipsy as she would like to be, Eva made her way up a set of stone steps that led to the address written on her paper. An uneasy feeling settled in her stomach as Eva took note of the lack of music emanating from the house, only a few of the rooms had lights on and there was no sign of other cars or any life at all.

The house itself felt both imposing and oddly cozy, the former for it's several stories, pristine paintwork and tall gates, and the latter for the quaint flowerbeds that surrounded it. Eva could only imagine the army of gardeners that Taylor had employed to care for the garden. 

It was hours past the time that she would typically go to sleep, leaving her with a slightly hazed feeling and a dull ache in her heels. Eva couldn't begin to rationalise how she had ended up here, nor did she want to.

Eventually, the actress reached the door, loosely grasping the knocker and pulling it back. Within a few seconds she could hear footsteps approaching, and soon the door was opened by Taylor herself, with a faint smile. The singer stepped back and allowed Eva to walk through into the hallway.

"I was beginning to worry you wouldn't show" The blonde retorted, her tone light.

Eva couldn't help but show her shock on her face, she had never agreed to come in the first place. "Well what made you so sure I would?" She questioned, finding the blonde too self-assured for her liking.

Taylor's expression fell ever so slightly, as she questioned whether this had been a horrible idea, and it was only then that Eva was able to fully take in her appearance . Taylor was no longer wearing the scandalous dress that she had been a few hours ago, but was dressed in a beige cashmere sweater and a pair of jeans. Her hair was now tied up with a few pieces having fallen loose, and her lipstick had been removed, leaving behind a faint red stain. Her jewellery was delicate but no doubt expensive, all in russian gold, complementing her bright engagement ring. She looked stunning.

"Well maybe I read you wrong, but I just thought-... Nevermind. I do actually have a confession to make." Taylor bit her lip and furrowed her brows slightly, aware that what she was about to say may sound crazier than it originally had in her head.

"There's no Party. I- umm... I actually just made us some dinner and was hoping for some company." Eva felt as though this may be her last chance to run, as the door was still open behind her, allowing the cool night air to seep in. But something in her gut told her to stay, besides, she had so many questions that needed answering.

"Alright. I'll stay, but if this is some crazy plan to murder me for talking to your husband, I swear I'm really not that interested in him."

Taylor chuckled and led Eva through the hallway into her Kitchen, where two places were set, accompanied by a bottle of wine. The walls were adorned with whimsical touches and personal photos with friends and family.

"Do you like pasta? I would usually ask what you like beforehand but I didn't have your number so I went with something safe... why are you looking at me like that?" 

Eva hadn't realised how obvious her staring was and rushed to cover herself before realising there was little point. "I'm just confused. That's all"

Taylor seemed to have been expecting as much as she turned to stir the pasta before looking back over at the actress and leaning against The counter. "Go ahead."

"I don't want to come off rude, but it's nearly 2am and you just tricked me into coming to your house for dinner. Is this something you usually do? And I can't understand why you even want me here, all you know about me is that I was chatting up your husband earlier."