In The Clear - Out Of The Woods Sequel - A Taylor Swift Fanfiction

Chapter 22: New Friendships

Madison shrugged, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "It's a talent."

Taylor returned, looking suspicious. "Mads, there's someone outside the gate called Sarah, saying she has homework for you," she announced, her tone suggesting she found the timing a bit unusual.

Madison's interest piqued at the mention of Sarah's name, the girl who had warned her about Jake's rumors. "Oh, Sarah? Yeah, let her in, please. She's cool," Madison assured her mom, curious about the unexpected visit.

As Sarah joined them in the living room, Madison immediately noticed how protective Travis and Taylor became. It was always like this whenever she had a friend over. When Chloe first came to the house, she had to answer a bunch of trivia questions, but was so starstruck by Taylor she ended up throwing up in Madison's room later. Taylor and Travis were on guard, naturally wary of Madison's friends given recent events.

"Hi, Mrs. Swift, Mr. Swift," she stammered, her gaze lingering a moment longer on Travis as she blushed. "I'm a huge fan, sir."

Travis, unable to hide his amusement at her evident admiration, responded warmly, "Please, just call me Travis."

Before the conversation could continue, Taylor, with a playful arch of her eyebrow, interjected, "Did I hear right? A fan of Travis? What about me!?" The teasing tone in her voice was unmistakable.
Sarah's cheeks flushed with a mix of embarrassment and surprise. "Oh! I, um, actually... I've never really listened to you, ma'am" she confessed, her voice shrinking under Taylor's feigned shock.

Taylor placed a hand over her heart, mock-offended. "I'm wounded, truly," she joked, eliciting a roll of the eyes from Madison, who was all too familiar with her mom's dramatics.

Now Travis's interest was piqued, "Never listened to Taylor Swift, huh? That means you probably have a good taste in music," he teased, which earned him a playful kick in the shin from Taylor.

The exchange broke the ice, drawing laughs and nods of approval from both Travis and Taylor. Madison, watching the scene unfold, couldn't help but appreciate how effortlessly Sarah had been woven into the fabric of their afternoon.

"Well, anyone brave enough to admit they haven't been influenced by the Swift cult yet in this house deserves a medal," Travis quipped, appreciating that Sarah seemed like she wasn't here just because she liked Taylor - this seemed to have been the norm for a lot of Madison's so-called friends.

"Or at least a pass to the music room," Taylor added, extending a welcoming hand towards Sarah.

Travis, meanwhile, eyed Sarah with a playful yet protective gaze. "We appreciate you bringing Madison her homework. Just making sure you're not part of the 'mean girls' squad," he said, his tone light but probing.

Sarah's eyes widened, taken aback by the directness. "Oh, no, Mr. Swift! I mean, Travis. I'm just... I'm more of the 'stay-in-the-background-and-hope-no-one-notices-me' type of girl," she admitted, managing to earn a laugh from both Travis and Taylor with her earnestness.

Madison watched the exchange, a smirk on her face at the familiar overprotective antics of her parents. "Guys, chill. Sarah's the one who warned me about Jake's nonsense. She's basically a hero," Madison interjected, coming to Sarah's defense.

"Well, in that case, we're grateful," Travis said, extending a hand towards Sarah. "Anyone who looks out for Madison is a friend of ours."

The room filled with a lighter, more comfortable atmosphere as the initial protective barriers fell away. Sarah, still slightly starstruck but beginning to relax, joined in the banter, her presence warmly accepted into the fold of Madison's supportive family circle.