Before you read this chapter I'm going to tell you that it revolves around the mention of stretch marks.
I know it doesn't need a warning so I'm not putting this author's note for that but rather to tell you that if you have stretch marks, remember that it's not a flaw or anything terrible, but rather something that makes you even more beautiful than you already are.
I have them myself and even though I have my moments of insecurity, I know that it's another thing that Taylor would tell me to love about myself and it gives me strength and confidence.
So here's your reminder that if you have them, you're GORGEOUS. If you don't, you're still GORGEOUS.
You're all gorgeous just the way you are, end of story.
Okay, enjoy!
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"Oh, no," You quietly spoke to yourself as you stared at your reflection in the mirror.
You were about to get changed out of your pajamas and into your sweats and one of Taylor's shirts when you saw your body in the mirror.
Recently, you began to grow frustrated with your stretch marks.
You seem to have them across most of your body and although you know deep down that it's okay, you have to admit that it's an insecurity of yours.
So, a couple of days ago, you went online and looked up different things to help with them and you stumbled across a couple of different homemade creams.
Yesterday, you went out and got all of the ingredients thinking it would help and your stretch marks would be gone in no time.
However, it seems that something went wrong along the way because you have a severe rash across your entire body.
It's so bad that you can't see an inch of your skin that isn't covered in the rash aside from your face.
It made you feel even worse and made you want to hide under the covers and never come out.
"What am I going to do?" You asked as you anxiously ran your fingers through your hair.
"Y/N, baby? Are you okay in there?" Taylor asked as she knocked on the door.
"Yeah, I'm fine, baby!" You called out in response.
"Okay. Well, come out here. I want to ask you something."
She walked away from the door after that and you cursed under your breath as you looked into the mirror once more.
You pulled on your sweats and Taylor's shirt before exiting the bathroom and hurrying to the bed.
You climbed under the covers and watched Taylor furrow her eyebrows in concern.
"Everything okay, baby?"
"Yeah." You lied.
"Okay. Well, I was thinking that it's such a beautiful day out. Perhaps you'd like to go for a swim."
Your heart sank at the question.
"I would but I don't feel like going out anywhere."
"Silly girl, we have a pool here." She reminded you. "We can just go sit outside, swim, maybe share a few kisses in the water." She said with a smile.
"Um," You said and caught the look of hope in her eyes as she hoped you'd say yes. "Okay."
You couldn't say no and figured you'd just cover up and dip your toes in the pool.
She got ready as you faked getting a text from a friend so you wouldn't have to get ready in front of her.
"I'll meet you out there." She smiled and kissed your lips softly before walking out of the room.
You got changed into one of your bathing suits and then grabbed a towel and wrapped it around your body.
It was long so it went down to your legs and covered basically everything.
The only part of your body that the rash was exposed seemed to be your feet.
But you figured you'd be able to stick them into the water and Taylor wouldn't even notice.
You reached the pool and saw that Taylor was just stepping into the water.
You sat down at the edge and kept the towel on as you put your toes in the water.
"Come on, baby. It's nice, get in." Taylor smiled.
"I will... later." You replied.
She frowned as she came over to you.
"Baby, what's going on? Are you feeling alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." You said.
"Do you want to take the towel off?"
You shook your head.
"Oh, come on, darling. Let me see you. You're beautiful."
You slowly took the towel off and Taylor's eyes went wide when she saw the rash across your body.
"What happened?" She asked as she took your hands into hers, her eyes roaming all over your skin.
"I tried a homemade cream."
"For what?"
"to help with my stretch marks." You confessed.
Her eyes became sad and she let out a sigh as she held your hands a little tighter.
"Baby, you don't need to do that."
"But I hate my stretch marks, Taylor."
"But I don't." She said. "They're sexy."
You scoffed and she shook her head as she gently hooked her fingers under your chin and made you look back in her eyes.
"Baby, I'm serious. They're beautiful. A lot of people have them. It's normal."
"I just don't like them."
"Well, then once this rash clears up I'm going to have to shower you with praise and love and kisses so you know just how beautiful you are."
You smiled a little and it warmed her heart.
"I'm serious. We will lay on that bed and I will give you an endless amount of kisses and tell you obsessively how insanely sexy you are. I will kiss and caress your stretch marks and tell you how much I love them and how attractive I find them."
You saw the genuine look in her bright blue eyes and watched her smile brightly at you.
"Because I love you so much; everything about you, especially your stretch marks. You don't need to do this to yourself. You just need some loving and to realize that stretch marks are a beautiful trait, not a flaw." She said as she kissed your cheek.
"Thank you." You smiled.
"So, no more homemade creams, okay? Don't put yourself through this."
"Okay. Never again, I promise."
"Now, get in the water with me." She said and you shook your head.
So she rolled her eyes at you and pulled you in by your feet, making you fall into the water.
She caught you in her arms and you fell against her thighs in the water as you both laughed.
"Have some fun and stop being so hard on yourself." She said. "You're still beautiful."
You put your arms around her neck and gave her a few sweet kisses, losing yourself in her as you began to make out in the pool.