Taylor had just finished tidying up her living room when the doorbell rang. She took one last look around her apartment, making sure everything was in order before making her way to the door. Reaching for the knob, Taylor put on a smile as she opened the door to greet her mother. "Hey mom."
Andrea extended her arms and pulled her daughter in for a warm hug. "Hi sweetheart."
Pulling back from the embrace, Andrea takes a chance to look at her daughter. She looks far more healthy than she did the last time Andrea had visited. Her eyes didn't look tired; no longer looking red, puffy, and sleep deprived. She was genuinely smiling, not faking one for the sake of her mother. Her posture was better, no longer slouchy and closed off. She didn't look like she was starving, or exhausted, or shut off from the world. Taylor looked happy and healthy, and that made Andrea ecstatic to see.
"Do you want something to drink? I can make you tea or coffee or something." Taylor says, closing the door behind them.
"No thank you. I'm good for right now honey." Andrea replies.
"Do you want to sit down? Are you hungry? I can start making lunch right now if you want." Taylor starts rambling, fussing over trying to please her mother.
"How about I help you?" Andrea reasons, attempting to ease her daughter's worries.
Taylor nods her head in acceptance, making her way into the kitchen, her mother following close behind.
The pair start preparing the meal, engaging in small talk as they work together. Taylor always loved cooking with her mom, it was something she had always done as a kid and she cherished these kinds of moments with her mom. It was their special thing.
"So what's new with you these days sweetie? How are things?" Andrea asks.
"Things are ok. They're pretty good." Taylor responds vaguely.
"That's good to hear. You seem to be doing much better. You look good." Andrea says, smiling at her daughter before returning to her preparations.
Taylor smiled at her mother, knowing she meant well and her words were coming from a concerned mother. She knows she hadn't been taking care of herself since her break up. She finally felt like she was getting her life back together.
Taylor is stirring the sauce in the pot on the stove while Andrea puts the salad and breadsticks on the table when her phone vibrates on the counter.
Taylor glances at the screen, checking to see if the message is important and needs to be returned right away or not when she immediately breaks into a smile seeing Karlie's name. Taylor picks up her phone, swiping her thumb across the screen to read the message.
"So, how do you feel about bowling?"
She read the text, slightly perplexed by the randomness of the question and the message itself. Taylor bit her lip, pausing briefly before typing out a response.
"Um, I'm not that great at it. But I enjoy it. Why?"
She put her phone back down, returning her attention to the sauce, unaware her mother had been watching her intently. Andrea began setting the table, Taylor finishing up with the meal and soon they were ready to eat.
Throughout the meal, Andrea began filling her daughter in on life at home while Taylor listens intently, laughing as she hears about some of her father's latest antics, smiling fondly as her mother talks about her relatives and all the latest family gossip, also her brother's latest attempts to convince them to let him move to the city.
Taylor couldn't help but think how much she's been missing out on the last few months. She honestly couldn't remember the last time she went back home for a visit. Hearing all the new things going on with her family, she realized just how disconnected she had become from the people she needed most.
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Taylor was sitting on the couch in her living room, her mother off in the kitchen doing the dishes from their lunch. She tried helping with the dishes but her mother simply waved her away and insisted she go relax. Taylor was searching through tv channels, trying to find something decent to put on when her phone vibrated next to her. She picked it up and read the new message.
"Ok. Well, my friends invited me out to go bowling with them on Friday and one of the girls can't make it, so we have an odd number of people. They told me to bring someone and you were honestly the first person I thought of."
Taylor blushed, her cheeks turning red at the mention of Karlie thinking of her. "I mean, I'm up for it. You might be embarrassed to be seen with me though :p"
Andrea made her way into the living room, sitting on the adjoining couch. This felt like the first time in months she had gotten to spend time alone with her daughter. Since the break-up, Taylor had buried herself in work, and the calls home to her mom had become less and less frequent.
She was surprised when Taylor called her the other day and invited her over. Andrea knew her daughter had been shutting her out, but she didn't know how to fix it. After having such a nice lunch, she was hoping to have a talk with her daughter.
"Nah, I'm sure you're fine. You're probably trying to psyche me out and trick me like when you said you'd never played pool before and then you totally hustled me :p"
Taylor smiled at the memory. She had honestly never played pool in her life, but Karlie wanted to teach her and she really wanted to impress the girl and not make a complete fool of herself.
"I never played before! Maybe you're just a really good teacher ;p"
"Who are you texting?" Andrea asks, breaking the silence. She couldn't remember the last time she saw her daughter smile and blush so much. Taylor looked up at her mother, unaware she had been watched this whole time.
"Just a friend." She replied simply, not revealing much about Karlie. Her phone went off again, drawing her eyes back to it and away from her mother's questioning stare.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah :p. Lily's going too, so you'll know some people there. She actually suggested I ask you, but I kind of already was planning on asking you anyway. So, I was thinking I'd pick you up around 6 and we can head there together. Is that ok?"
Taylor tried to hold in her smile know, knowing her mother was watching. "Sounds great!"
"Taylor." Andrea said knowingly.
"It's just my friend Karlie. She invited me out to go bowling." Taylor says, trying not to let her flushed cheeks give her away. Her phone went off once more.
"Awesome, I'll see you then : )"
Andrea just stared at her daughter, knowing that look all too well. She had seen that look many times before. Taylor was never good at hiding her emotions, and Andrea was suddenly very interested to know who it was her daughter was talking to.
"Karlie? I don't think you've ever mentioned her." Andrea says, although she recalls Austin mentioning Taylor walking home with some girl when he came to visit. He didn't say a name, but he kept talking about how beautiful she was and how when he asked Taylor, she wouldn't talk about it.
"We met not too long ago. We haven't known each other that long. But it's been really great. She's been a really great friend. She's really sweet."
Andrea smirks, sensing that this Karlie has something to do with the sudden change in her daughter's mood. She recalled Taylor's face lighting up earlier when they were making lunch, very similar to the look she has on her face right now.
"Well that's nice of her to invite you out. Is anyone else going?" She asks, fishing to see if maybe this is a date.
"Yeah. There's a whole group going. She said Lily's going too." Taylor becomes rather fascinated by the loose fringe on one of her pillows. She runs her fingers through the material, avoiding her mother's eyes.
"Oh, that's nice. How is Lily?" Andrea questions.
"She's good. We went out a few weeks ago and caught up and everything."
Andrea nods, wanting to lead the conversation back to her suspicions. "So, this Karlie. Tell me about her."
Taylor quickly looks up at her mother, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean? She's my friend."
Andrea nods her head acceptingly, glancing at her daughter before speaking again. "Is she pretty?"
Taylor blushes and can't hide her smile, thinking about the green eyed girl. "I mean, she's a model. So yeah, she's kind of gorgeous."
"A model? Wow, so how did you two meet?" Andrea questions.
"Um. That night I went out with Lily; the one I told you about? That was the same night I met Karlie. I was there with Lily, Emma, Sel, and Lena and Karlie was there with her friends. Lily works with them and they're all good friends, so when she saw them, she brought them over and introduced us all."
Andrea hums to herself. "I see." She keeps her gaze on her daughter. "And now you guys are friends?"
"Yea, I guess so." Taylor shrugs her shoulders. "She's so sweet and funny. Sometimes I swear she's like a 12 year old boy trapped in a 22 year old's body. She's so tall too. And she's got these green eyes and infectious smile. She's just, she's really great." Taylor can't help but smile, thinking how everything she just rattled off doesn't even begin to describe the perfection that is Karlie Kloss.
Andrea smiles at her daughter. "Well she sounds pretty amazing. I'm glad you met someone like that."
"Yea." Taylor sighs dreamily, lost in her own thoughts.
"Hopefully I'll get to meet her someday." Andrea says, smiling at her daughter's flushed cheeks.
Taylor can't help but smile at the thought of Karlie meeting her family. Even though they're just friends, she can already imagine how well Karlie would get along with everyone. Maybe she could come over for family dinners and holidays. Maybe she would end up in pictures in the family photo albums. Taylor let herself get carried away by her thoughts, hoping there was even a possibility those things could happen.
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Hearing the knock on the door, Taylor scrambled down the stairs, hopping on one foot as she tried to put her shoe on the other foot. Her phone vibrated in her hands, making her stop for a second to check the message.
"There's some weird girl standing outside your door."
Taylor threw her head back as she burst out laughing. Karlie's childish antics were something she still couldn't quite get used to. They made her smile every time.
She finished putting her foot in her shoe before making her way to the door. She reached for the knob, pulling the door open to find Karlie leaning slightly against the wall, her hands in her pockets.
Taylor can't help but smile at the sight. She grabs her keys and bag and closes the door behind her, meeting Karlie on the porch.
"Hi." Karlie says, that usual warm smile on her face.
"Hi." Taylor returns, smiling up at the girl. Her eyes quickly scanned over Karlie, taking in the girl's appearance. They both opted to wear plaid shirts and jeans, Taylor in red, Karlie in blue.
"We match." Karlie says with a smile, obviously noticing Taylor's clothing as well. "You ready?"
Taylor nods her head, smiling as she does it. Karlie lead them over to her car, walking quickly in front of Taylor to hold the door open for her. Karlie grinned at the shorter blonde, that adorable smile making Taylor's heart race. She returned the smile with one of her own. "Thank you." She said softly, sliding into the car, Karlie shutting the door behind her.
Karlie makes her way to the other side, getting in and smiling at Taylor once more before starting the car and driving off. They drove for a while in fairly comfortable silence, broken occasionally with bits of small talk and Karlie giving Taylor complete control over the radio.
After about 20 minutes, Taylor suddenly became nervous. She couldn't help but wonder if she would really fit in with all of Karlie's friends. Sure, Karlie said Lily would be there, and they were both nice and easy going, but what if Karlie's friends didn't like her? What if she ended up making a fool of herself? Would Karlie still want to hang out with her?
"Are you okay?" Karlie asks softly, her voice full of concern and worry. She had noticed Taylor had become incredibly quiet and she could tell the blonde was worried about something.
"Yeah. I'm just... never mind. It's nothing." Taylor mutters, losing her resolve to express what she's feeling.
Luckily they were stopped at a red light, so Karlie took the opportunity to turn and face Taylor, her bright green eyes staring concernedly into Taylor's blue ones. "It's not nothing. You've barely said two words to me since we got in the car. What's going on? Do you not want to go?" Karlie asked, her voice breaking slightly, showing obvious signs of disappointment.
"No! It's not that! It's just..." Taylor tries to think how she can describe what she's feeling. This kind of situation is starting to become too familiar with her and Karlie and Taylor can't help but wonder when Karlie will finally get sick of it.
Karlie sighs, her eyes returning back to the road, the light finally turning green. "I'm sorry for pushing. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I just want to help if I can. Did I do something?" Karlie questions, feeling like maybe she pushed Taylor a little too much and scared the girl.
Taylor looks over to Karlie, shaking her head softly with a sad smile. "No. You haven't done anything wrong Karlie. You've been so amazing with everything. I just... it's not you, it's me."
Karlie quickly glances over at Taylor and sees her looking at her. She can't help but laugh. "Really? The whole, 'it's not you, it's me' bit?"
Taylor cracks a small smile. "It is though. I'm just worried that maybe your friends won't like me. I don't want to embarrass you or anything."
Karlie can't help but shake her head. "I honestly don't know how you think you could ever embarrass me. And as for my friends, I'm sure they're going to love you. You've already met a few of the girls that are going. You'll know Lily and me. Plus the girls you met at the bar with me that night, they're all going too."
Taylor doesn't say much, she just nods her head in acceptance. She's not really sure what to say. It sounds like it's going to be her surrounded by a group of gorgeous super models. What could they possibly have in common?
"And if for whatever reason my friends are dumb enough to not like you, it doesn't really matter to me. I happen to like you a lot and their opinions of you won't change that. I think you just need to get used to the fact that you're stuck with me." Karlie says seriously, a quiet confidence behind her words..
Taylor could feel her cheeks turning red. She turned her face quickly, looking out the window as Karlie's words swirled in her head.
"Do you trust me?" Karlie's soft voice questioned. She glances over at Taylor and smiles, hoping to assure the girl she was being sincere and she had nothing to worry about.
The girl's soft tone forced Taylor to turn and look at her. She looked into those expressive green eyes and warm smile, knowing Karlie was sincere. Hearing that magical familiar phrase, Taylor nodded her head and returned the smile with a small one of her own.
She couldn't help but smile at the fact Karlie said she was stuck with her. Even though Taylor knew they had become friends, it still helped confirm it in her own mind just how real it was. Karlie genuinely wanted to be in her life. No matter how this night ended up, she could at least know she was going to have a good time simply because Karlie would be there. And that was more than enough for Taylor.