. TAYLOR SWIFT AND BRITISH ACTRESS KAIA BROWNE SPOTTED ON AN EARLY MORNING RUN IN CENTRAL PARK!
. IS KAIA BROWNE THE NEW ADDITION TO TAYLOR SWIFT'S INFAMOUS SQUAD?
. HERE'S WHY WE THINK KAIA BROWNE AND TAYLOR SWIFT'S NEW FRIENDSHIP STARTED AT THE MET GALA!
. KAIA BROWNE SPORTS NEW BUZZCUT ON MORNING RUN WITH INFAMOUS STAR, TAYLOR SWIFT
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"AND CUT!"
Kaia pulled away from her co-star, Will, taking in a deep and shaky breath. That was one hell of a passionate kiss. And while Will was nice enough to slip a mint between each take, it still felt weird.
"Great job, everyone. That's it for today," Their director called out while the crew members already started turning off and putting their equipment away. "Try and get a lot of rest. It's going to be a long one tomorrow."
They had to film a pretty intense scene that was going to start bright and early. As in, 4 a.m. Kaia had nothing planned but an early dinner and sleep on her schedule. If she wasn't too tired, she thought maybe she might have done a quick, twenty-minute workout in her living room before showering.
She couldn't wait to get out of her costume and back home. Period dramas took way too much energy. No wonder life sucked so much in the 19th century. These dresses were way too uncomfortable.
"Hey, that was a fun one, right?" Will said, trailing after Kaia as she walked over to the snack table and grabbed a bottle of water.
"Yeah," Kaia chuckled, taking a long swig before adding, "I'm exhausted though, and this wig is so fucking itchy."
"Yep, me too," the blond man answered, leaning against the table. "I mean, I'm not wearing a wig but yeah, my legs are killing me. And all that hair product is annoying. I could definitely go for a drink."
Kaia hesitated a little, taking a quick glance at the man as she figured he was probably working up the courage to ask her to come along. With a little forced smile, she started walking away in the direction of her trailer.
"Yeah, that sounds like fun," she humoured him. "I think I might indulge myself and have some wine before bed."
Will cleared his throat awkwardly, running his fingers through his perfectly coiffed hair. "I thought maybe you'd want to hang out tonight? You know... we're gonna be pretty close for the next couple of months and, maybe we should try and get to know each other better? I mean, we've been doing this for about almost two years now and I feel like I barely know you."
There it was.
Kaia turned around and smiled at him sheepishly. "I agree. I'd love for us to be friends."
Will coughed awkwardly again, standing just outside Kaia's trailer, his own just across the lot.
"So... is that a yes?"
Kaia walked up the two steps to her door and turned around, her hand on the handle. "Like I said, Will. I'd love for us to be friends when I'm not so exhausted," she chuckled softly, finally opening the door to her tiny private quarters.
"Alright, how about this weekend then?" He suggested and Kaia actually gave him a genuine smile this time.
"Yeah, that sounds great. We could go to a pub, invite everyone else," Kaia responded softly only to see the smile on Will's face falter just a bit in disappointment.
"Right, yeah. Of course! That sounds great! Sounds like a great plan," he clicked his fingers and clasped his hands together, eyes shining at Kaia.
She felt bad. She had no idea how to tell him she rooted for the other team and the other team only.
"I was just thinking maybe—"
"Will, I'm gay," Kaia finally said it outright, a little laugh in her voice.
She watched as Will's expression slowly changed from one that was surprised to confused, to absolutely and completely lost. "Oh, oh! Wow, I— I had no idea. That's cool. That's really cool. Congrats! I mean— Not congrats. Like, that's— I mean, obviously, I wasn't suggesting anyth..."
He trailed off, his cheeks cherry red. Kaia laughed softly, placing her hand comfortingly on his shoulder.
"Barely anyone knows. Just my family and some close friends," she explained. "I'd really appreciate it if it stayed between us. But, the offer for the drinks this weekend still stands if you're up for it."
Will's smile returned, still a little embarrassed. "Yeah, yeah. 'Course," he laughed, rubbing his stubble awkwardly. "I— yeah, I'll tell Jack and Gemma and Jules and Sam."
"And John," Kaia added and Will smiled and nodded.
"And John. We should make a group chat with the rest of the cast. Makes things easier," he suggested and Kaia nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, totally. I'll do it tonight actually," she said and stepped inside her trailer, her hand already reaching up to remove the wig.
"Christ, I always forget you're bloody bald," Will said and Kaia burst out laughing, flipping him off with a grin which he returned before closing the door so she could get changed.
In her ripped jeans and band tee beneath a dark blue flannel, (wearing an Eagles 1977 Hotel California shirt she had stolen from her dad's closet) she grabbed her backpack and walked out to the parking lot to find her car. Back in London, she preferred driving a black Mini Cooper which was the car she had bought herself after saving up from all the jobs she had taken during school. Delilah was her baby.
Tossing her things in the back, she finally pulled out her phone to respond to all her messages which she hadn't checked in quite some time.
There were a few messages from her parents, most of which were meaningless.
The Mothership💞: Bonjour, ma puce. Je me sens mieux ce matin. Al Hamdulillah. Bonne chance aujourd'hui. Je t'aime de tout mon coeur ♥️
[Good morning, sweetheart. I feel much better this morning, thank God. Good luck today. I love you with all my heart]
The Mothership💞: Sweetheart, what was the recipe for that chicken thing you made last month? It was great, your dad's asking
It was chicken Alfredo take-out she had gotten from the Italian restaurant on her block.
The Mothership💞: [Picture]
The Mothership💞: That doesn't look right
The Mothership💞: [picture]
Kaia had to take a second to breathe in and out before bursting out in laughter. Her mum really loved going on Facebook and saving the cringiest inspirational quotes out there before sharing them with her and frankly, Kaia loved them. She got one every single day, and every single day she saved it and added it to a special album in her phone that currently contained over five hundred of them. Her mother was precious, as cringey as she could be at times.
Pops: honey, what's the wifi password? your sister's not being helpful, and your mother even less so. She's been swearing at me in Arabic for thirty minutes and while I understand most of what she's saying (I think she might have just called me a slipper) it's really not useful in getting me connected to the internet
Pops: never mind, darling, it was written in my notebook. I hope you have a lovely day at work! I love you!
Pops: [video]
Pops: your mother's gone bonkers again, thought you'd enjoy this!
Kaia smiled as she watched her mother try and convince her dad that they needed to get a dog. Her only good reason was that one of her friends from the chemotherapy sessions said she had finally gotten herself a cancer puppy and it was the best thing ever. This was all coming from the woman who threatened to move out when her daughters brought a sick stray cat back home when they were still in school.
With a little smile on her face, Kaia texted her parents back, telling them she loved them and missed them a lot before checking the rest of her messages. Her group chat with Mica and the rest of their friends, Anna, Andrew, Jules, and Emilia, had over a thousand messages since she had last checked it in the morning. Granted, the chat did have about ten people in it. She definitely was not going to read any of the messages. Thankfully, no one had tagged her which meant none of the convos included her specifically.
Her other chat with just Mica and Layla had about twenty messages, her two best friends discussing what TV show they were planning on binging next. Kaia texted back that the only acceptable answer being Castaways because she was in a couple of episodes. Mica immediately replied with a selfie, showing his disgust.
Rolling her eyes at him, she exited the app, finally about to leave the set and head home when her phone buzzed. She removed her hand from the gearshift and relaxed her foot over the brake pedal to check the message, her brow furrowing when she saw it was from a certain blonde she hadn't spoken to in a few weeks.
Taylor Swift: Hey! You still in London?
Chewing on the inside of her cheek, Kaia responded with a quick, "Hey! Yes, I am. What's up?" before hooking her phone up to the AUX cord and playing her driving playlist; a James Taylor song came first thing on shuffle.
Before she could even get out of her parking spot, her phone buzzed again.
Taylor Swift: Do you wanna hang out tonight?
Kaia frowned in confusion. Wasn't the singer supposed to be all the way back in the USA? Thankfully, the message was followed by an explanation.
Taylor Swift: I'm in town for the weekend and thought you would want to get drink, maybe. Kinda owe you an official hang-out ;)
Kaia smiled at her phone screen as she thought of a response. She really was exhausted, but somehow, a drink with Taylor seemed to brighten up her mood instantly.
Kaia Browne: Oh! Yeah, that sounds good actually. I just got off work and I was just on my way back home. But... I mean, after last time at that dive bar, should we really get drinks? HAHA
She was kidding, of course, but Taylor responded immediately, the alarm in her tone clear.
Taylor Swift: Oh no! We're definitely not getting drunk. I just really need a glass of wine right now. Preferably white. Preferably filled to the brim. You up for that?
Kaia Browne: I'd love to join you! I can pick you up if you like
That is... until Kaia remembered Taylor never went anywhere without good ol' Gregory.
Taylor Swift: Sure! I'll send you my location. How long do you need?
Taylor Swift: [Shared a location]
Kaia was genuinely surprised. She didn't think the singer would take her up on that offer. Kaia checked the location anyway, noting that she only needed about 20 minutes with traffic. She texted as much to Taylor before putting the car into drive and getting out of the film set.
Kaia knew where she was driving after having taken a good look at the map on her phone. The address was in a pretty high-end street in London that had pretty big homes, mostly owned by young people whose parents had loads of money. She knew a friend or two from drama school who lived there.
She found Taylor standing right outside the gate of the house she had told her about, a black hoodie covering her torso with the hood up to try and remain anonymous. The street was empty anyway, but the disguise seemed to have worked because Kaia had to look twice before she had recognised her.
She waved the singer over and unlocked the car to let her in.
"Cute," was the first thing Taylor said when she entered the vehicle, closing the door behind her and finally putting her hood down.
"Thanks, this is Delilah," Kaia said with a little chuckle, patting the dashboard fondly.
Taylor grinned at Kaia, her tongue poking out between her teeth just the slightest bit in a teasing manner. "Like I said. Cute."
"Mhm," Kaia said, stepping on the gas pedal and driving away. "Where's Greg?"
Taylor shrugged. "I kinda snuck out."
The brunette turned to look at her friend with her eyebrows raised. "Is that allowed?"
Taylor rolled her eyes but she was smiling amusedly, a glint of mischief in her blue eyes. "I'm twenty-six. I can make my own decisions about my own life."
Kaia smiled and nodded, turning her indicator on. She wasn't exactly sure where they were headed just yet but she figured getting as far away from this street as possible was Taylor's goal for the night. Her eyes were red-rimmed and she looked even more tired than Kaia who had been up on her feet since eight in the morning.
"So, what brings you to this place?" Kaia asked, trying to make small talk as Fleetwood Mac played quietly through the speakers.
"That was Adam's house," Taylor explained quickly. She reached over to the radio and turned the volume knob up. "I love this song! Landslide is iconic."
Kaia glanced at Taylor for a second, a small smile making its way onto her face. "Yeah, it's one of my favourites."
Taylor nodded, her smile widening as Stevie Nicks sang the chorus. "What's your favourite song?"
Kaia thought about it for a moment, stopping at a red light and glancing at Taylor as she got her answer. "Probably... You've Got a Friend, by Carole King."
Taylor's eyebrows raised in surprise. "Didn't think you'd be into the classics."
Kaia smirked as the light turned green and she continued driving. "What's your favourite song?" She shot back and Taylor turned to glance out the window before facing Kaia with a little grin.
"I'll play it for you," she said and Kaia nodded, grabbing her phone and putting in her password quick before handing the device over to the blonde in the passenger seat.
She waited in anticipation as Taylor queued it. When Stevie Nicks' raspy vocals came to an end, Kaia was definitely not expecting the Hip Hop song that played right after. Truth be told, those old speakers in her car had probably never even played a single Hip Hop song before. She feared they might malfunction.
Kaia glanced at Taylor in horror and surprise as the rapping began, exclaiming exactly how hot it was in Herre.
"Nelly? You're serious?" Kaia asked disbelievingly.
"You know Nelly?" Taylor laughed, bopping her head hard to the beat of the song.
"Yeah, I know that I'm not exactly into rap," she admitted making Taylor gasp dramatically. "Come on, I don't believe that's actually your favourite. Hot in Herre? Seriously?"
Taylor smiled, pressing pause on the music app. "Okay, maybe not my all-time favourite. But it is a fun song."
Kaia shrugged, fighting back a smile. "So, what is your all-time favourite song?" She asked, her interest peaking.
Taylor took a moment to respond. "James Taylor. Fire And Rain."
She smiled brightly at the blonde before returning her gaze to the dark night ahead. "Play it," she said softly. Taylor obliged, typing in the name of the song into the search bar and playing the song.
"So... where are we going?" Taylor asked after a while, leaning her head against the cool window. "I know I don't exactly have security on me right now but I still carry a mean punch, so, if you are kidnapping me... beware."
Kaia laughed, nodding her head. "Well noted. I was just driving around, actually. My house is not too far from here. Just a few streets that way," she pointed ahead, a little to the right. "Unless you want to sit in a pub or something. There's a pretty cool one right around the corner from here, though, if we are drinking, I'd rather leave my car at home first. Parking's a bitch and I don't wanna drive under the influence anyway."
Taylor thought it over for a moment before shrugging and saying, "we could hang out at your place. I'm not sure I'd be able to handle any pictures of myself in the tabloids tomorrow morning."
Kaia nodded in agreement, thinking it would probably be best to have a lowkey night at home, anyway. She needed to be up pretty early the following morning. She parked the car in the driveway right outside the London home and pulled the key out of the ignition.
Taylor was looking out the window at the three-story house and smiled a little. "That looks homey."
"Yeah," Kaia chuckled, turning to grab her bag and jacket from the backseat. "That's the house I grew up in. For the most part."
"For the most part?" Taylor inquired in interest, grabbing her bag from the ground to open the door.
"Mhm," Kaia hummed, getting out and locking the car once the blonde was standing next to her. "We travelled a lot while I was growing up. Dad's a journalist. Mum's an art collector. When Layla and I got too old for our parents to home-school us, we just moved here permanently. But we spent most summers travelling around Europe, The Mediterranean... a lot of places. It was cool, I guess."
Kaia had pulled out her keys and unlocked the door while Taylor listened to her, nodding her head enthusiastically.
"Dude, that sounds so cool," Taylor said, stepping into the foyer behind Kaia.
"Sure, until you realise your only friend ever was your older sister," Kaia chuckled. She loved Layla but she hadn't realised how deprived she had truly been until she had met Mica at school. They had instantly clicked, having a shared love for the arts and having French mothers.
"My brother was my only real friend for a long time too," Taylor admitted, following Kaia's actions and kicking off her shoes, stuffing them neatly in one of the many empty cubbies left by the door. "Only 'cause American schools fucking suck."
Kaia grimaced, placing a comforting hand on the singer's arm. "Yeah, pre-teens are a bloody menace, anyway," she laughed, hanging her jacket on the coat hanger and leading the way inside.
"Are you alone here?" Taylor asked as she followed Kaia inside tentatively, hands stuffed in the pockets of her hoodie.
"Yeah, mum and dad are still in New York. They kinda moved there about five years ago. Dad got tired of travelling around and settled down, writing a column for the Times," Kaia explained. "Layla's there too."
Taylor nodded, walking behind Kaia while looking at the various paintings and pictures hanging around the walls.
"Layla Browne..." Taylor said, remembering the familiar name. "I think she did my make-up for a show once."
Kaia chuckled and nodded, heading into the kitchen. "Yeah, I know," she replied softly, washing her hands quickly in the sink and drying them with a small towel. "Do you want something to drink?" Kaia asked, opening the fridge to check out its contents.
"A glass of wine, preferably white, preferably filled to the brim," Taylor recounted making Kaia grin and pull out a bottle of white wine.
"You're in luck!" She exclaimed as Taylor cheered playfully, clapping her hands.
She handed the bottle to the singer and went to grab two glasses and a corkscrew. With their wine glasses filled, they headed back to the living room and sat on the comfortable, worn-out leather couches.
"Okay, I'm gonna be honest," Kaia started, taking a small sip from her drink before leaving it on a coaster on the coffee table. "I'm starving and I really want pizza. What do you think?"
Taylor smiled and shrugged nonchalantly, holding her drink in both hands. "Yeah, why not? I've already had dinner, but some cheesy garlic bread does sound good."
Kaia nodded, already pulling out her phone to order the food.
"How's filming?" Taylor asked, tying her hair up in the tiniest ponytail possible.
Kaia raised an eyebrow, not a big fan of small talk. "Okay," she shrugged, brushing her finger over the bridge of her nose. "I think the guy I'm supposed to make out with for the next three months fancies me."
Taylor went for a soft laugh while swallowing her wine but it went down the wrong pipe and she fell into a half-laughing, half-choking fit. "Oh my god, I'm sorry," she breathed out, her face turning red.
"Shit, are you okay?" Kaia laughed, leaning over to pat the singer's back.
"Yeah, yeah," Taylor coughed out, her eyes tearing up from coughing so hard but grinning up amusedly at Kaia anyway. "I've choked on thin air before," she chuckled at herself. "Sorry about your co-star."
"He's sweet, but damn, I'm really not into him," Kaia huffed, shaking her head.
"You should let him down easy, poor guy," Taylor chuckled, taking another sip of wine to soothe her throat, her voice still raspy from her coughing fit. "I don't think it'd be all that easy getting over Kaia Browne," she added with a little playful wink.
Kaia couldn't help but blush.
"Trust me," she said anyway. "People have found it pretty easy in the past."
"Well, then, they're assholes!" Taylor said, holding her glass up.
"You are absolutely right!" Kaia agreed, clinking her glass with Taylor's and they both took a sip.
"I have to ask," Kaia said after a few silent moments. Taylor silently nodded for her to continue. "Did you come all the way to London to accidentally run into me again?" Kaia teased her, her beam slowly widening.
Taylor's cheeks turned pinker and she shook her head. "Honestly, I wasn't even planning on seeing anyone here besides Adam. I only came two days ago and I fly back out tomorrow night."
Kaia pouted jokingly. "Ouch! You didn't wanna hang out? Was Adam busy so I was your second choice?"
"Sixth choice actually," Taylor replied, making Kaia's eyes widen. How many people in London did she know? Taylor smirked, counting on her fingers. "There's Ed, Cara, Claire... Gigi's here on vacation... Tom."
"Well, damn! And they were all busy?"
Taylor laughed, leaning her head back against the couch pillows. "I'm kidding. I only texted you."
"Hmm, I don't trust you," Kaia narrowed her eyes playfully at the older girl. "Why are you hanging out with me, then?"
"'Cause men suck, don't they?" Taylor responded bitterly, taking a very big sip of her wine, her glass already half empty.
"Can't argue with you there," Kaia laughed, brushing her hand over her growing hair. It was oddly super soft.
"Honestly, I think we're breaking up soon," Taylor said so quietly, Kaia might have missed it if she hadn't been sitting so close.
"I'm sorry," Kaia said softly, sending Taylor a friendly smile. When Taylor returned it, it didn't quite reach her eyes.
"He was in a car accident a few days ago. I literally dropped everything to come and be there for him. And he's out clubbing right now..."
Kaia was about to apologise again but then she furrowed her eyebrows and sat up straighter in her seat. "On a Wednesday night?"
Taylor blinked at Kaia for a few moments before nodding slowly. "Yeah... he's out clubbing, on a Wednesday night."
"But, it's a weekday," Kaia said, which made Taylor laugh.
"It is, yeah."
"Only lame people go clubbing in the middle of the week," she huffed, which seemed to amuse Taylor a lot.
"Right?" Taylor sighed heavily, leaving her wine glass on the table and lying down on her back with her head against the armrest. "We had another fight, and I can't even remember why it started. Just the gist of it. I literally postponed so many meetings to be here for him and he had the audacity to say he doesn't trust me. Obviously, I called him an asshole and he stormed out. God..."
Kaia watched the singer's face, her eyes closing and her fingers rubbing her face in frustration. She placed her palm tentatively over her denim-clad knee and gave it a gentle squeeze. "He is an asshole. You deserve better."
Taylor only shrugged, dropping her arms back into her lap.
"I never liked his music, anyway," Kaia said making the singer smile and roll her eyes.
"I'm not sure that makes me feel better," she mumbled.
"I'm not sure it was supposed to."
Before Taylor could reply, the doorbell rang and Kaia went to pay for the pizza and the garlic bread. She came back and placed the boxes on the table before going to grab a few plates and condiments.
"Wanna watch something distracting while eating?" Kaia offered, knowing her go-to comfort activity was usually stuffing her face with carbs and watching her favourite movie.
Taylor nodded, finally sitting up straight. "Do you like romcoms?"
"They're only my favourite movie genre," Kaia said while grabbing a cheesy slice and placing it on her plate. "After musicals."
"You like musicals?" Taylor asked with a small chuckle, grabbing a slice of cheesy garlic bread.
"Duh! Mamma Mia might be my favourite movie ever," Kaia said making the blonde smile widely.
"I would have suggested watching it, but I kinda really wanna watch Notting Hill," Taylor said which Kaia instantly agreed to.
"I have the DVD!" she said, already up on her feet to go grab it. She came back a moment later and slid the CD into the DVD player before returning to the couch with the remote and flopping down a few inches away from Taylor.
"Is Notting Hill really that beautiful?" Taylor asked halfway through the movie, as the montage of a depressed Hugh Grant walked through the Portobello Road Market with the seasons changing around him.
Kaia glanced at the singer, their heads only inches away as they had relaxed while watching the film. "It's embellished for the movie, I'm sure. But, yeah, it's not that bad. I've only been a handful of times, but it's fun."
"I'd like to visit it one day," Taylor hummed softly.
Kaia smiled, turning to face the screen again. "I'll take you next time you're in London."
Taylor grinned, leaning her head against the actress's shoulder. "It's a date."
Right before the movie ended, the girls were pretty tipsy and pretty much already dozing off on the couch. It was too comfortable for its own good and Kaia was ashamed to admit that she had fallen asleep on it one too many times for her own good.
"Can I stay over?" Taylor asked, and before Kaia could respond, she added in a small voice, "I don't wanna go back to Adam's place tonight, and I don't wanna stay at a hotel by myself."
Kaia nodded immediately without a second thought. "'Course. You can stay in my room. I'll just sleep in either Layla's or my parents' room."
Taylor smiled softly before scrunching her nose at the actress. "I kinda don't wanna get up."
Kaia breathed out a laugh and rested her head on top of Taylor's which had already been laying on her shoulder.
"Come on, my mattress is even comfier!"
Taylor gasped sitting up immediately. "There's something more comfortable than this couch right here?"
Kaia shook her head, flopping back down. "No, I lied. This sofa is the single most comfortable piece of furniture ever built."
"Do you think I'd be able to find one for my place?" Taylor wondered, the end credits rolling. "I don't think I'd ever sleep in my own bed ever again."
Kaia shrugged, Taylor's head bopping up and down along with Kaia's shoulder. "I have no clue. My mum imported it from my grandparents' home in Baalbek."
"That's in—"
"Northern Lebanon—"
"... Lebanon?" Taylor said at the same time and Kaia chuckled, nodding in confirmation.
"Yup, you know your geography," she said, sounding genuinely impressed. Most people she met tended to be a little... well, unfamiliar, with these things. For lack of a better word.
"Pft, yeah! I'm like a fricken genius," Taylor exclaimed, sitting up to try and convince Kaia with a very serious face on.
Kaia grinned and poked her nose. "Okay, nerd."
Taylor rolled her eyes. "It was actually more of an educated guess. I had no idea," Taylor whispered pretty loudly, just like toddlers do.
Kaia laughed, bumping her shoulder with the singer's. "I knew it!"
"I just remembered your mom's from Lebanon and hey— that was a pretty good guess! Like, I'm pretty smart!"
Kaia had to admit, it was a pretty good guess. She was even surprised Taylor had remembered the small detail about her mother's birthplace.
"Yeah, like I said, nerd."
"Shut up," Taylor laughed, shoving Kaia away playfully.
"Won't Greg be worried by now?" Kaia asked after a moment, realising the bodyguard probably had no idea where his boss was.
"Uh... yeah, probably. What time is it anyway?" Taylor asked, too lazy to go grab her own phone from her purse, left on the farthest end of the coffee table.
"Uhhhmmmmmm just after nine," Kaia answered, checking her own phone. "I should probably head to bed soon."
"It's still so early! We should watch another movie!" Taylor exclaimed, looking right into Kaia's eyes.
"I have to be up at four," she explained with a little pout. She really didn't want to be up at four a.m.
"In the afternoon...?"
"In the morning."
"Fuck, why?" Taylor exclaimed, her eyes widening.
"Early shoot," Kaia explained briefly. "It sucks but, I love the job."
Neither one of them moved for quite some time.
"I thought your eyes were blue," Taylor murmured, her face still mere inches away from Kaia's.
"They are," the younger girl answered softly.
"There's— gold, in there. Your eyes have gold flecks in them, like all around," Taylor spoke softly, as though scared to spook Kaia. She sounded mesmerised.
"It's uh, it's a condition called heterochromia," Kaia explained, swallowing hard as Taylor looked into her eyes even deeper, trying to see the flecks of gold among the sea of blue.
"Heterochromia?" Taylor repeated, her voice far off and distracted.
"About the only thing hetero about me."
Taylor blinked, finally snapping out of it and sitting back. It took Kaia a few seconds to realise what she had just said, and suddenly both girls were bursting out laughing, Kaia having to hold her side.
"Oh my god, I can't believe that just slipped out of me," she giggled, covering her face with her hands in embarrassment.
"No, no, it was hilarious," Taylor laughed along, wiping a stray tear away. "So... you're into girls?"
Kaia smiled shyly and nodded. "Kinda, yeah."
"Kinda?"
"A hundred percent, yeah," Kaia confirmed before bursting out into laughter again.
"That's pretty cool," Taylor said, leaning her shoulder against Kaia's. "No one knows?"
"Not many people, no," Kaia admitted.
"Thanks for trusting me with this."
Kaia smiled and nodded, chewing on the inside of her cheek.
Kaia headed upstairs and brought Taylor a comfortable pair of clothes to sleep in before changing into her own sleeping attire. Taylor insisted on staying on the couch and as much as Kaia tried to argue with her, she didn't budge, so Kaia brought her a blanket and a better pillow for her neck. Just before the younger girl went to go upstairs, Taylor stopped her with a soft voice.
"Didn't you have a cat?"
Kaia chuckled and nodded, knowing exactly where her child was hiding. "Like I said, she hates strangers. She's hiding under my bed."
"Ah," Taylor hummed, pulling the comforter up to her chin. "Thank you again. I really owe you a big one."
"Mhm, it's okay," Kaia chuckled, finally heading upstairs.
When she woke up hours later, Taylor was still sleeping on the couch, looking pretty comfortable.
To her surprise, Katara jumped on the singer's chest and started sniffing her face, but Taylor didn't budge. Kaia figured with two cats, she was used to chaos ensuing around her at all times and had learned to sleep through it. Katara eventually curled up on Taylor's chest and started purring.
With a grin and while holding back an excited squeal, Kaia filmed the whole thing before she finally went to make some coffee and a quick sandwich to eat on the way to work.
She texted Taylor once she had reached her trailer and began changing into her costume.
Kaia Browne: Morning, sleepyhead. I hope you slept well! There's coffee in the kitchen and whatever else you want in the fridge. Make yourself at home! If I don't see you again before you travel, I hope you have a safe flight and hope to see you soon!!
Kaia Browne: PS: here's Katara warming up to you in your sleep x
Kaia Browne: [video]
"Kaia, they need you on set in ten!"
Kaia sighed and slipped her phone into her bag. "Coming!" She called back out, on her way outside. The sun wasn't even up yet. Well, shit. This was going to be a long-ass day.