6 pm Saturday had come even faster than Taylor expected. She thought she had timed everything out perfectly. Yet here she was, body wrapped in a towel, no make-up on, and her hair still dripping water from her shower, beginning to panic. She glanced over to her clock and couldn't figure out how it was already 5:45.
She quickly moved to look at her outfits she had laid out on her bed. Unfortunately, nothing caught her eye. Even after looking at some of her favorite dresses and go to combination outfits, nothing seemed right. She had to look perfect tonight. She had to look perfect for Karlie.
The main source of her panic, other than wanting to impress Karlie, is that she had no idea what the other girl had in mind for their date. She wasn't sure if she should dress casual or formal. If they were just going to see a movie, she didn't want to overdress, but if Karlie had something extravagant planned, she didn't want to wear the wrong thing. Unfortunately, the model had been very tightlipped about the date, no matter how many pouty face emojis and pleading messages Taylor had sent her.
The blonde knew she had to get going. She was running out of time and she really didn't want to keep Karlie waiting. She finally settled on a simple white floral dress paired with nude heels, before rushing to the bathroom to work on her hair and makeup. She settles on light makeup, just a hint of eyeliner and a red lipstick to match her red nails.
Her hair on the other hand, had a mind of its own. She quickly grabbed the blow dryer and started brushing and drying her hair simultaneously, hoping to make it dry faster. After parting and styling it, she did a once over in the mirror, checking to see if she was missing anything. She grabbed a headband, hoping that might tame her wild hair. She wasn't quite happy with how her look came out, wishing she had more time to work on her hair and make-up.
Before she could stress any further, she heard a knock on her door. Throwing a glance to her alarm clock, Taylor let out a small chuckle as she saw the time; 6:00 on the dot. She knew Karlie was coming to get her at 6, but the girl's punctuality was quite impressive. Taylor made a mental note of that being another thing to add to the already long growing list of things she liked about Karlie.
Practically running down the stairs, Taylor stumbled when she missed the last step. She grabbed the railing to steady herself, cursing at her lack of coordination. She had to pull herself together. She stood up and shook her head, as if willing herself to shake off her nerves, before making her way to the door. Exhaling one last shaky breath, she turns the knob, slowly pulling the door open.
Karlie was leaning against the brick on Taylor's front steps, her back facing the door. She was looking down at the ground, seemingly not having heard Taylor open the door. Taylor can't help but notice how nervous Karlie looks, her head down and her hands stuffed in the pockets of her skirt.
Leaning against the door, she let her eyes wander for a moment, taking in the sight of the girl and her effortlessly flawless appearance. Karlie was wearing a fitted gray knit shirt, tucked into a dark blue skirt, putting her long toned legs on display, with white tennis shoes. Her hair was pulled up in a loose messy bun, each stray hair perfectly out of place.
Lifting her eyes, it felt like time had slowed down, almost like she was floating in a dream. Karlie finally turned, green eyes meeting blue in surprise. Karlie pushes herself off the wall, straightening her stance once seeing the blonde. Her deep green eyes are scanning the sight in front of her.
Karlie's green eyes found her again, her expression completely awestruck as she had never seen anyone look so beautiful. Feeling the intensity of her stare, Taylor finds herself looking away to hide her blush. She can feel her heart thumping wildly in her chest and she was silently praying Karlie couldn't hear it.
Karlie nervously cleared her throat, realizing they had yet to say a word to each other and had just been staring for who knows how long. "Hi there." She smiled, hoping her cheeks weren't too red at her embarrassment.
"Hi." Taylor retuned shyly, still leaning against the door with her hand.
"You um... I mean that dress is... wow." Karlie mumbles, her hands gesturing wildly in front of her. "I mean, you... very pretty." Karlie was internally smacking her head at tripping over her words.
Taylor blushes at the compliment, having trouble accepting it knowing the girl in front of her was a supermodel. It was her job to be perfect and flawless and she did it well. All Taylor could see when it came to herself was the awkward mess that she was and the outfit she had thrown together in the last 10 minutes.
"Oh. These are for you." Karlie says quietly, revealing a bouquet of flowers.
Taylor noticed Karlie's hands were shaking slightly. She quickly moves forward, however her brain is unable to communicate anything properly with her body at the moment, and she trips on the lip of the door frame.
Karlie quickly reacted and caught the blonde before she could stumble to the ground. "Are you okay?" She asked, concern evident on her face and in her voice. Helping the blonde back to her feet, Karlie moved her arm and slowly released her hold on the girl.
Once again, Taylor's poorly functioning brain decided to take over. She tried to talk, but her words came out in an unintelligible grumble. She nervously laughed at her own embarrassment. Taking a deep breath, she collects herself enough to talk and formulate actual words. "I'm sorry I'm like this. God I'm such a mess." She mumbles quietly to herself, but Karlie catches it.
"You're not a mess. You're perfect."
Taylor stares at Karlie with a stunned expression, only to see that sunshine smile and happiness in her green eyes. Taylor blushes, accepting the compliment as Karlie hands her the flowers again. "These are beautiful Karlie. Thank you."
Karlie's cheeks flush slightly as she nods her head. "You're welcome." She says quietly.
"I'll just put these in a vase really quick. Would you like to come in?" Taylor offers, leaving the door open and making her way to the kitchen to fill a vase with water before putting the flowers in. She cut a few of the stems to make the flowers even.
Once satisfied with the arrangement, Taylor threw the stems and wrapper away before returning to her door, only to find Karlie standing just inside the door way, as if she wasn't sure if she should even be in there.
She chuckled to herself, noticing Karlie appeared to be just as nervous about this date as she was. Once seeing the blonde reappear, Karlie's face lit up with a smile. "You ready?"
Taylor nods her head, matching Karlie's smile with a small one of her own, grabbing her purse and locking the door behind them. Turning around, Taylor notices Karlie on the step below, extending her hand out to her. She couldn't suppress her smile as she gratefully accepted the hand.
Karlie's hand gently closes over the top of Taylor's, leading her down the steps, hand in hand until they reach her car. The model walks in front of the shorter girl and pulls the door open, gesturing for Taylor to hop in.
"Thank you." Taylor says quietly, smiling genuinely into green eyes. Karlie nods and flashes a grin before shutting the door and making her way to the other side. Climbing into her seat, Karlie starts the engine, undeniable excitement in her eyes.
They drive in a fairly comfortable silence, both girls heads running wild with different emotions. After looking out the window for a while, Taylor turns her head to look over at the girl in the driver's seat.
There was just something about this girl that Taylor couldn't put her finger on. Everything she did just seemed so perfect and almost too good to be true. Karlie was putting in so much effort and she had been nothing but adorable. Taylor could see how sweet and how genuine she was with everything she did.
She got there right on time to pick her up, she didn't keep her waiting. She even brought that beautiful bouquet of flowers, which Taylor had always been a sucker for cliché romantic gestures. No matter how scarred her last relationship may have made her, Taylor was still a hopeless romantic at heart, and she loved the idea of an old fashioned romance.
There was something in those gorgeous green eyes that Taylor couldn't place just yet. Those familiar butterflies were fluttering around in her stomach, but it was just something about this girl that made her heart race.
"So..." Taylor says quietly, finally breaking the comfortable silence. "Are you going to tell me where we're going?"
A smirk crosses Karlie's face as she turns to look at the blonde next to her. "It's a surprise."
Taylor crosses her arms and slouches in her seat with a huff. "I don't like surprises."
"I'm aware." Karlie says coyly, her eyes focused back on the road.
Taylor turns to continue staring out the window, watching the scenery around her flash by. She had accepted the fact that Karlie wouldn't tell her where they were going. They finally pull up to a red light, the taller girl turning her head to look at the cute girl pouting in the passenger seat. "Do you trust me?"
Taylor smiles to herself, slowly turning to meet bright green eyes and a warm smile. Looking down, she notices Karlie's right hand resting on the console while her left is still gripping the wheel. Taylor looks back up, her eyes locking with Karlie's before nodding her head.
The model offers another small smile before returning her eyes to the road. As the light turns green, Karlie feels Taylor's hand nudging hers on the console. Her smile widened as she began rotating her palm upward, letting Taylor's hand slide into her own, their fingers slowly interlocking before she felt a familiar pulsing squeeze to her hand.
20 minutes later, they pulled up to a large field filled with cars. Taylor looked around in confusion, trying to figure out where they were. "Um..." She said quietly. "Is this the part where you bring me to an empty field to kill me and hide my body?"
Karlie chuckles from the driver's seat, unbuckling her seat belt. She rolls her eyes before fixating on the girl next to her. "If I killed you now, then I would never get to find out what it's like to be on a date with you, and that's just something I'm not willing to leave unanswered."
A comfortable silence settles between them as Taylor blushes. She knows Karlie's words were meant to be light and joking, but the sincerity with which she said it made her heart swoop in her chest.
"Besides..." Karlie speaks up suddenly. "There are way too many cars around right now. That's too many potential witnesses. I wouldn't want to leave a trail if I was going to commit murder." She adds drily, smirking at Taylor.
"So if you're not going to kill me, tell me Miss Kloss..." Taylor says softly, leaning across the console towards the taller girl. "What are you going to do with me?" She challenges with a smirk and a raised brow.
Taylor watches as Karlie struggles to remain calm. She can't help but smile at the audible gulp from Karlie as she tries to swallow whatever was building in her throat. Taylor stares at the model for a few seconds when suddenly, those soft green eyes turn a shade darker, and Karlie's penetrating stare is now locked on her.
Karlie is now the one leaning across the console, closing the space between the two women. She's close enough that Taylor can feel the soft exhales of breath on her skin as the model leans in and angles her head towards her ear, speaking in a sultry tone that sent chills down Taylor's spine. "I guess you'll have to come with me to find out." Karlie whispers seductively, pulling away to find an incredibly red faced Taylor.
Chuckling to herself, Karlie opens her door and gets out of the car, leaving a stunned and visibly flustered Taylor in the passenger seat. The girl is pulled out of her momentary trance when Karlie opens her door for her, extending her hand. Taylor gratefully accepts, letting Karlie's soft hands grip her own and help her out of the car.
She could immediately hear the unmistakable thumping of music, screaming kids, and ringing bells. Karlie lead them towards the clearing, pulling them closer to the sounds. "So... what do you think?" The model asks, turning to face Taylor to get a proper read on her expression.
Taking in the sight before her, she noticed rows and rows of bright colorful tents, thousands of people everywhere, food trucks and vendor stands, and she could even see a Ferris wheel in the background. She turned to look at the model, confusion and a little excitement in her eyes.
"It's the Suffolk County Fair." Karlie says sheepishly, suddenly feeling like this might not have been the best idea for a first date. She wanted a fun and easy environment so Taylor didn't feel pressured. She didn't want to be too formal and scare the girl off. But seeing the massive amount of people, Karlie was starting to second guess her idea.
"We don't have to stay here you know." She says nervously, gauging Taylor's vacant expression for any sort of reaction. "I just thought we could try something fun and different. If you're having second thoughts, I can take you home."
Taylor stood there, completely stunned. This is not what she was expecting for a first date. The last time she went to a fair, was probably with her family when she was a kid. "Karlie..." Taylor says quietly, a small smile on her face. Karlie was so cute and flustered when she got nervous and started rambling. The model's bright green eyes shot up to lock on hers.
Taylor couldn't find the words to describe what she was feeling. "It's fine. This is... this is perfect." Karlie obviously put a lot of thought into this date to make it different and special and Taylor wondered why she was even surprised. Everything Karlie had done with her so far had been amazing. Why did she think this would be any different? "You're perfect." Taylor says through a whisper.
Karlie finally breaks into a full smile, relief washing over her face. "Shall we?" She says, gesturing with her arm extended in front of her. Taylor nods in response, making their way to the fairgrounds.
"Okay, so what do you want to see first? We can do whatever you want." Karlie offers with a smile, her childlike excitement barely contained at this point. The model literally looked like a kid in a candy store as they got in line for the ticket booth.
"We could walk around for a bit, just check everything out." Taylor offers.
Karlie steps up to the window and buys a roll of tickets, handing the worker some money.
"What? No! What are you doing?!?" Taylor shouts.
"Getting us tickets." Karlie says drily, knowing full well what Taylor meant.
"Let me pay for them then." Taylor insists, her hands grasping her sides until she realizes she left her purse in Karlie's car.
The model laughs at the shorter girl's realization, but Karlie would never let Taylor pay anyway. She liked the idea of being old fashioned and she was the one who asked Taylor out on the date, so she was adamant about paying for everything. She looks over to see an adorable pout on Taylor's face.
"Oh come on, don't be like that." Karlie chides, nudging the shorter girl playfully. As much as Taylor tried to fight it, she soon broke into a smile, loving that Karlie was going to be a chivalrous pain in the ass on their date.
The pair start walking through the fairgrounds, passing games, rides, several vendors with various products ranging from t-shirts, scarves, hats, and sunglasses, to airbrush tattoos and face painting. The sweet smell of cinnamon and deep fried dough wafted through the air as they passed by a funnel cake and an elephant ear stand.
Taylor takes the time to steal a few glances at the model as they walk, taking in everything around them. She noticed Karlie seems to put her hands in her pockets or shuffle her feet whenever she gets nervous. Their shoulders had bumped several times as they walked, their hands and arms accidentally brushing against each other.
Taylor was hoping that Karlie was giving her some sort of signal, but every time it happened, Karlie would apologize and put a little more space between them.
Taylor wanted to be close to Karlie. She wanted to grab the girl's hand. She decided the next time it happened, she would grab Karlie's hand with her own, hoping the girl wouldn't let go. 'Just reach out and grab it, just like you did in the car. Go on, you can do it.'
Taylor's brain was urging her to reach out and grab her hand when Karlie's arm happened to brush hers again. Her nerves getting the better of her as she shakily extended her hand and ended up missing Karlie's hand, managing to sort of slide and hook Karlie's pinky and ring fingers with her own.
Before Taylor could internally berate herself for being so nervous and messing up something as simple as hand holding, she saw Karlie look down at their hands for a moment before looking back up and meeting her eyes.
Those green eyes were shining brightly as the girl smiled up at her, making Taylor's heart race. Karlie adjusted her hand so the palms of their hands were touching. She slipped her fingers through the cracks of Taylor's hand, slowly lacing their fingers together.
Taylor is suddenly filled with that familiar sensation of butterflies. She always feels that way when she's with Karlie. When they're in the moment, it's just them. Nothing else matters. But those moments come and go so fast, and Taylor has found herself wishing these moments with Karlie could last forever.
Karlie had been waiting for Taylor to make the first move. She wanted to go at whatever pace the shorter blonde was comfortable with. So when Taylor hooked their fingers together, Karlie was pleasantly surprised by the bold action.
She was filled with a sense of happiness and it was comforting, as if Taylor grabbing her hand was the shorter girl's way of silently saying she was happy to be there. Karlie felt like she was the luckiest girl in the world right now. Here she was: on a date, holding hands with a gorgeous girl; a girl with the most beautiful blue eyes and bright smile; a girl Karlie couldn't get out of her head.
The pair continued their stroll through the fairgrounds, and Taylor couldn't help but notice the immediate shift in Karlie's demeanor. The girl was suddenly standing even taller, straighter, her head held high with a smile on her face.
Seeing Karlie so happy made Taylor's heart soar to a whole new level. It's crazy to think she was so nervous about holding Karlie's hand. Of course, the girl was impossibly gorgeous all the times, but seeing this new smile on the model's face, Taylor found that happiness made Karlie even more beautiful. And she wanted to do everything she possibly could to keep that smile on Karlie's face.
The pair had covered most of the grounds and were in the back of the park where most of the rides were. "I think that's pretty much everything." Karlie says after a moment, the pair of them pausing by some fencing. "Did you see anything you wanted to do?"
Taylor bit her lip for a second, contemplating whether or not to tell Karlie. "Would you judge me if I said I wanted to go on the tilt a whirl?" She asked hesitantly, worried Karlie might think it was childish.
Karlie chuckled beside her as she shook her head. "Not at all. We're at a fair. I would actually judge you more if you didn't want to ride any of the rides." Karlie said playfully, smiling down at Taylor.
Taylor offered Karlie a small smile, relieved the model didn't think it was dumb. "Come on." Karlie said softly, pulling Taylor's hands to lead them over towards the line. The girls waited for their turn, knowing they would catch the next ride.
"Pick a cart." Karlie said with a smile, handing the worker their tickets. Taylor quickly looked at Karlie and flashed a smile, before heading towards the back of the ride, looking for the perfect cart.
"13 huh?" Karlie questions, noting the odd number choice since the number was considered 'unlucky' for most.
Taylor simply nodded her head before stepping in. "It's my favorite number."
Karlie followed and sat down on the bench seat. "Really? Can I ask why?" The model asked with genuine curiosity, wanting to get to know the girl better.
Taylor shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. It's always been good luck for me. Whenever I see the number, something good happens." She says sheepishly.
"That's pretty cool." Karlie says quietly, hoping that luck worked in her favor today as she looks around the ride at people piling in the other cars. "Hang on." She says suddenly. "Switch sides with me."
Taylor looked curiously at Karlie. "Why?" She pauses, thinking about the ride choice. Maybe Karlie is one of those people that can't do spinning rides because they make her sick. "Are you okay? We don't have to go on this if you don't like spinning rides." She says, beginning to stand up so they can get off the ride.
"No, no. It's not that. I swear." Karlie assures her. "Just switch sides with me." She pleads.
Taylor looked at the model hesitantly for a moment before getting up and sitting on the other side of Karlie. The worker soon came around to close their lap bar and lock everything in place. The ride started moving and the girl's cart slowly started spinning. About 10 seconds later, the ride sped up and the cart took a wicked spin and the force of the spin sent Taylor flying across the seat, crushing Karlie into the side of their car, the model wincing slightly at the impact.
"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" Taylor exclaims over the whirring of the ride, trying to move herself away from Karlie when the cart spun again and threw her right back into the model's side.
Karlie managed to get out a laugh, shaking her head at the shorter blonde. "It's ok. That's why I wanted you to switch sides with me."
Taylor looked up at Karlie in confusion, the ride continuing to spin them around, not allowing much distance between them. Suddenly, their cart spun the opposite way, nearly sending Taylor into the opposite wall. But Karlie was ready for the spin and stuck her long arm out to prevent their bodies from slamming into the wall.
"How did you know to switch sides with me?" Taylor asks, stunned by Karlie's arm strength to keep them in place.
"When we sat down, I saw the way our cart was spinning, and I knew it would spin more towards your side." The cart slowed slightly, spinning them again before suddenly picking up pace. "I didn't want to crush you, so that's why I asked you to switch." Karlie said quickly, bracing herself as the spinning cart sent Taylor her way.
"You're crazy." Taylor says in amazement. "You should've just let me get crushed. It was my idea to ride this dumb ride in the first place." Taylor cringed as her body slammed into Karlie again.
Karlie shook her head and gave Taylor a knowing look, a smile threatening to spread across her face.
The cart rolled into a half spin a few times, the ride seemingly slowing down. Taylor sighed in relief for a moment before she noticed the floor still moving. The cart started spinning backwards, throwing them back to the empty side of the cart. Karlie braced them for the impact again, but Taylor's head still managed to hit the side of the car.
"Oh my god! Are you okay?!?" Karlie asked, looking concernedly at Taylor. She saw the girl wince in pain as she rubbed her head lightly with her hand.
"Yea, I'm fine. Why did I like this ride as a kid? How do people even ride this and not end up with brain damage?" Taylor sighs, rubbing her head.
Karlie tried to hold in her laugh, but a small chuckle still escaped her mouth. "Well, these rides are designed more for kids, and we're not exactly kid sized anymore. As for the brain damage part, I will take it as a good sign that you said brain damage instead of dain bramage."
Taylor looked over at those bright green eyes and cracked a small smile. "Are you making fun of me?" She asked, scoffing in offense as she felt the ride slowing down again.
"Not at all." Karlie says with a smile, reaching her hand out move a strand of hair that had fallen out of Taylor's headband. The model tucked the hair behind the girl's ear before bringing her hand the rest lightly on the girl's face, her thumb gently brushing over the red mark where Taylor hit her head. "You sure you're okay?" Karlie asked again, her voice soft and caring.
Taylor felt her face heat up at Karlie's touch. She leaned her head into Karlie's hand, enjoying the tenderness of the moment. Taylor nodded her head, looking up at her favorite shade of green. "I'm ok." She whispered.
"Good." Karlie smiled, pulling her hand away as the ride came to a complete stop. Just like that, their little moment was over.
The girls got off the ride and made their way down the exit ramp. They decided to hit up the rides since the lines didn't seem to be too bad. They ended up going on everything. Taylor insisted on getting the white horse on the merry go round, so Karlie took the brown one.
Karlie was convinced Taylor managed to get all the little kids to gang up on her with the bumper cars. Karlie kept getting pinned in the corners while Taylor seemed to remain mostly untouched. Not that she minded really. She was still quite concerned with the bump on Taylor's head.
Karlie let Taylor hold her hand as they sat on the power tower. When the ride finally launched, shooting them up in the air, Karlie felt Taylor's hand squeeze hers in a tight grip. Their legs swayed off the seats, their feet dangling below them, waiting for the ride to suddenly drop. Karlie heard the hiss of the release, meaning the ride was about to drop.
Before she could lean over and tell Taylor to be ready, the shorter blonde let out an ear piercing scream as the ride began plummeting towards the ground. Karlie laughed as they shot back up again, Taylor's hand still clutching hers in a death grip. They went up and down a few more times before landing safely on the ground. "You okay?" Karlie asked, biting back a laugh.
"Thank god that's over." Taylor said shakily as she stood, her legs feeling like jello and her throat sore from screaming.
They navigated their way through the fun house. Taylor somehow managed to get through unharmed, while Karlie ended up walking face first into a mirror in the mirror maze.
Taylor fought the urge to make a joke about models and mirrors, but decided against it, seeing how red and obviously embarrassed Karlie was.
Karlie insisted they ride the kiddie coaster. They were by far the tallest people on the ride, even though some kids were accompanied by parents. The model insisted the only way to ride a roller coaster, no matter how small, was to treat it like it was the scariest and best coaster in the world.
So the whole way up the hill, the two girls were screaming and talking about how scary the hill was, causing some of the kids behind them to freak out, which only added to the amusement of the ride. The hill of course, was rather anti-climactic as it only dropped about 20 feet, but Karlie and Taylor screamed like it was the scariest ride of their life.
They kept their hands in the air the whole time, playing up their excitement so much they ended up laughing through most of the ride. Taylor never knew riding a kiddie coaster could be so much fun, but sitting next to Karlie, watching those green eyes light up and listening to that heart-warming laugh, Taylor couldn't think of anywhere else she'd rather be.
The model's child-like excitement made everything so much more fun. Karlie didn't care about being cool and looking unaffected. She was just having a good time being her carefree self. It was really cute and endearing to see this side of Karlie, to see the girl so open and happy.
"Are you hungry or thirsty or anything? We can stop and get something if you'd like." Karlie says as they walk down the exit ramp.
"I'm ok. I ate before we left, so I'm not too hungry. What about you? How are you doing?"
The model smiles at the shorter girl. "I'm okay for now. Did you want to try any games or anything? We still have a lot of tickets left."
"Sure." Taylor replies, meeting Karlie's eyes and matching the girl's smile.
The pair made their way down the rows of games. Taylor stopped by one of the stalls, pointing out a massive stuffed animal hanging in the top corner. "Oh my gosh Karlie, look how cute that one is!" Taylor gushes, pointing to one of the massive stuffed animals hanging in the corner.
Aside from being competitive, Karlie wanted to impress Taylor and win that prize for the girl, hoping it would make her smile.
She gave the guy her two tickets and was given 5 darts. If she hit 1, she got a small prize. If she hit 3 out of 5, she would get a medium prize. And if she hit all 5, she could pick from the massive prizes hanging in the corner.
Having the girl she was trying to impress right beside her, cheering her on, Karlie knew she had this in the bag. After hitting 5 balloons, mostly in the same area, the worker looked at her with wide eyes, clearly not expecting the model to win.
Karlie pointed to the prize she wanted, the worker gesturing to it before taking it down, making sure it was the right one. She nodded her head in confirmation and was handed her prize. Karlie turned to face Taylor with a beaming smile on her face. "For you." Karlie said shyly, handing Taylor the massive stuffed dolphin.
"What? No. Karlie, this is yours." Taylor responds, pushing the stuffed animal back towards Karlie.
The model's smile widened and her cheeks turned a light shade of pink. She turned her attention to the ground, shuffling her feet. "I won it for you." She says quietly, looking up into surprised blue eyes.
"You-" Taylor began, her cheeks reddening. "You got this for me?" She asked.
Karlie nodded her head, her deep green eyes and bright smile melting Taylor on the spot. She just stared at the girl in front of her, constantly finding herself in awe over this person. Karlie's smile was brighter than all the flashing lights around them, brighter than the sun still shining in the distance. It was out of this world. This girl was like an angel sent from heaven. She couldn't possibly be human.
Taylor just couldn't help herself. She took a few steps toward the model, placing a hand on her shoulder and reaching up to plant a light kiss on Karlie's cheek. She pulled away, completely overwhelmed with adoration for this girl that always managed to take her breath away. "Thank you."
Karlie couldn't help but smile at the girl's reaction. She reached out for Taylor's hand, gently holding it for a moment before slowly lacing their fingers together. "You're welcome." She says softly, giving their hands a light squeeze.
They end up playing a few more games before Karlie suggested they grab something to eat. Taylor wasn't really doing too well with the games. Karlie seemed to have a knack for everything, but Taylor was completely terrible uncoordinated at everything and Karlie found it adorable.
Taylor's mind wanders to her past, and the mess of a person she's become. She was never like this before. She wasn't usually insecure and unsure of everything. But her scarred heart made it hard for her to lower those walls she built to protect herself.
But then there was Karlie. This amazing girl that came out of nowhere and absolutely swept Taylor off her feet. Karlie was literally like her knight in shining armor. Everything she had done so far was perfect and she was trying so hard for Taylor. But Taylor was used to people not trying. She would lock herself in her apartment, lock herself away from anyone who could hurt her.
But Karlie was still here, still trying to break down those walls, trying so hard to make Taylor happy. And she was. Taylor was the happiest she had been in a long time. And that's exactly what was so terrifying. Because this kind of happiness doesn't last, at least not for Taylor.
"Um, Taylor?"
Karlie's soft voice pulled Taylor out of her thoughts. "Hm? Did you say something?" Taylor asked.
Karlie looked at the girl across from her for a moment, as she nervously bit her lip, contemplating something. The model slowly got up, leaning over the picnic table, using her thumb to gently wipe at the ice cream left on Taylor's lip.
Taylor's eyes widened in embarrassment, wondering how long she was sitting there with ice cream on her face. Her cheeks turned bright red as her entire face flushed with embarrassment.
Karlie smiled softly at her, before sitting back down in her seat, chuckling softly to herself. "Where were you just now?" she questioned innocently, wondering where the girl's head was.
Taylor felt her heart starting to pound in her chest. She just shrugged her shoulders, looking down at her ice cream. "It's nothing." She said softly, avoiding those green eyes that seemed to always see right through her. Taylor could still feel Karlie's intense gaze on her.
Karlie exhaled a deep breath before suddenly standing up. "Come on. I wanna try something." She says softly, gently pulling Taylor with her.
"Wow." Taylor breathes out, completely captivated by the view.
The fairgrounds were all lit up, bright lights flashing as they ran along the rides, lighting up the night. They were sitting atop the ferris wheel, the sun setting below the trees creating a vivid array of colors. The clouds gave a dark grey shadow, contrasted by the brightness of the sunset. The sky was filled with yellows, pinks, oranges, and even a shade of purple. It was absolutely breathtaking.
Karlie was too busy admiring the beauty of the girl next to her to fully take in the view around them. She knew they would have an amazing view of the sunset from here. But she was far more interested in the colors she had right in front of her.
Wide open ocean blue eyes, taking everything in. Blonde hair blowing slightly in the wind, only being tamed by the headband fighting to keep it in place. Rosy pink cheeks from the slight chill in the air. Bright red lips agape in awe. Soft pale skin that Karlie could see goosebumps starting to form.
Taylor shivers as the breeze blows by them. Neither of them have jackets since it was nice when they left. Karlie debates with herself for a moment what to do when she decides to just be forward and go for it. She stretches her arm a little and rests it on the back of the seat.
Taylor notices the gesture and fights a smile, recognizing that Karlie is trying to pull 'the move.' The model's arm stays resting on the seat for a bit, but Taylor takes the chance to slide a little closer to Karlie's body, giving her a subtle sign she can touch her.
Karlie slips her arm around Taylor's shoulders, pulling her body closer, running her hands lightly up and down Taylor's arm,
Taylor leans into the model's side a little more, leaning back and resting her head on Karlie's chest, feeling the warmth emanating from the close contact. Both girls sit in silence as they take in the moment. Taylor knew her own heart was pounding, but she couldn't help but notice a similar thumping in the model's chest.
Sitting in that ferris wheel, with Karlie's arm protectively wrapped around her shoulder, keeping her close, Taylor felt like if she could freeze one moment in time and play it on a loop forever, this would be it.
"Karlie, do you have your phone on you?"
"Yea. Why?" The model asked quietly.
"Can I borrow it for a second?"
Karlie pulled her phone out of her pocket and handed it over to Taylor. She watched as Taylor thumbed across the screen, opening up the camera.
"Can I take a picture of us?" She asked hopefully. Karlie nodded, looking into the phone with a smile as Taylor snapped the photo.
They took a few more pictures, smiling and laughing, making all sorts of different faces. Everything about this night was so perfect. She was here with this wonderful person, having by far the best first date she's ever had, and she was honestly having the time of her life. This girl was absolutely perfect and everything felt so right when she was with Karlie.
The ride back was mostly spent in comfortable silence. Taylor couldn't stop replaying every moment of the date in her mind, trying her best to commit everything that happened to memory. Karlie drove with a smile, their hands linked together on the console the whole way.
They pulled up to Taylor's apartment. Both girls stayed in their seats, neither one quite ready to admit the night was now over. They both had so many things they wanted to say, but they just couldn't seem to find the right words.
Karlie exhaled a deep sigh, turning to look at the girl across from her. Taylor heard the sigh and turned her head, knowing the night truly was over. She wanted to do something to extend the night as much as she could, she wasn't sure what though. Should she invite Karlie in? Should she kiss her cheek and leave her in the car? Her mind was made up for her when Karlie spoke.
"Come on, I'll walk you to your door." Karlie said quietly, offering a sad smile. The songwriter nodded her head and managed a small smile back. Karlie quickly made her way around the car, opening the door for Taylor and extending her hand to help the girl out of the car.
"Thank you." Taylor gratefully accepted the hand and stepped onto the sidewalk in front of her apartment. Karlie's held Taylor's hand as they make their way up the steps, finally releasing her hand as they get the front door. Taylor dug through her purse, pulling her keys out of her bag. "I'm just gonna set this stuff down first." She says quickly, Karlie nodding in response.
She unlocked the door and threw her purse and keys on the table and set the dolphin on the floor before shutting the door again. She turned back to face Karlie and noticed the model had her hands stuffed in her pockets again.
"Did you have a good time tonight?" Karlie asked quietly, looking down at the ground as she shuffled her feet.
Taylor smiled at the nervous habit, finding it completely endearing. Karlie had taken her on the most amazing date ever, and yet she was still nervous around her. "I did. Thank you." She says quietly, trying not to smile too big at the sight of the model being nervous.
Karlie pulls her hands out of her pockets and brings a hand up to rub the back of her neck. "Good." She sighed. "If not, this would be a little awkward." Karlie nervously chuckled, shrugging her shoulders.
Taylor's smile widened as she laughed. "Well, you have nothing to worry about. Honestly. Everything was amazing." Taylor said sincerely. "You set the bar pretty high though. It will be interesting to see how you try and top that next time."
Karlie glances up at the shorter blonde, a small smile on her face. "Next time huh?" She says cautiously.
Taylor nods her head, taking a step closer.
"So... there's gonna be a next time?" Karlie asks, eyeing the girl unsurely.
"I mean..." Taylor reaches out for Karlie's hands, sliding her palm along the side of the model's hand, hooking the space between their thumbs and index fingers. Taylor raises their hands slightly, bringing them up between their chests, palms pressing lightly together as their fingers ghost over each other. "If you want there to be."
The model intensely watches the movement of Taylor's hands on her own. She can't help but notice how small Taylor's hands look in comparison to her own, but what strikes her the most is the small buzzing current she feels pulsing between them when the tips of their fingers finally touched. "O-of course I do..." She stammers, torn between expressing what she wants and not wanting to pressure the girl into something. "Do you want there to be?"
Taylor tentatively slips her fingers into the spaces of Karlie's hand, sliding her fingers down until their hands are locked together. "I do."
Karlie was relieved to hear that answer, feeling so blissfully happy; the date really couldn't have gone any better. She was still incredibly nervous about rushing and messing everything up. The model inched herself closer, tilting her head down slightly so there was barely any space separating them. "Can I..." She tries to ask, but ends up looking away as she trails off, her nerves getting the best of her.
Taylor observes the girl for a moment. She can feel the model's hands shaking slightly, but still softly gripping her own. She can see the nervousness and uncertainty swimming in her eyes. When Karlie begins biting her lip, Taylor finds herself looking down, fighting a smile. She's pretty sure she knows what Karlie's trying to ask, and she feels her own cheeks heating up in anticipation, surely matching Karlie's in color.
"How's your head?"
That's not quite what Taylor was expecting to hear. She looks up at Karlie and see's the model looking at her forehead. "It's okay." She shrugs before adding, "A little sore. No headache or anything."
Karlie pulls one of her hands away from Taylor's grip, reaching up to lightly brush her thumb over the mark. "You might want to put ice on it and take some aspirin or something before bed. Just to be safe."
The soft and caring tone Karlie spoke with was making Taylor's heart melt. Karlie removed her hand, Taylor instantly missing the girl's gentle touch. Before she could say anything, Karlie leaned forward, her forehead lightly resting on Taylor's.
Karlie inhaled a shaky breath, moving her hands so they were hovering over Taylor's hips, before finally resting them there. Taylor jumped slightly, not expecting the contact. She could see the flicker of panic in Karlie's eyes, but before the girl could react or pull away, Taylor wrapped her arms around Karlie's neck, keeping her there.
The model swallowed the lump in her throat, her voice coming out a little strained. Green eyes locked onto blue as Karlie worked up the nerves to confess what she's known since she first met the girl.
"I really like you Taylor. I like you a lot."
Taylor tried to suppress her giggle at the sudden confession. She wasn't laughing at Karlie by any means. She had been dying to hear those words ever since they met. But she just found herself so completely happy. It's like Karlie's confession was a key. As soon as the model said those words, it unlocked the door and the butterflies in her chest flew out. She could feel happiness bursting through her and it came out in a fit of giggles.
"I like you too Karlie."
Karlie was slightly taken aback at first, but she could see the happiness in Taylor's eyes. She looked so light and free, like she was finally lowering her walls. Karlie was completely awestruck, the blonde in front of her looking more beautiful than ever, and Karlie had already thought that was impossible.
Keeping a hand on the girl's waist, Karlie brought the other hand up, brushing aside the loose bangs that had fallen in a curtain over Taylor's face. Her free hand trailed to the side, tucking the strands behind the girl's ear, before moving it down to rest on the back of Taylor's neck. Karlie stroked the blonde's cheek with her thumb, losing herself in the deep swirling blue of Taylor's eyes before deciding to give in.
Taylor felt Karlie's hand pulling her towards her, ready to close the minimal space between them. She closed her eyes, ready to lose herself completely in the moment. Everything felt like a dream; one she never wanted to wake up from. When Taylor felt Karlie's lips on hers, she knew this was way better than a dream.The world around them faded away, time seeming to come to a stop.
The kiss was everything a first kiss should be. It was shy and timid, filled with uncertainty, but it still ignited a spark between them. Karlie's lips were soft and careful, pressing gently to her own, as if she was afraid to hurt Taylor by pressing too hard. It was meaningful and tender; everything about it was perfect and magical to Taylor, just like the girl kissing her.
She could feel her heart pounding in her chest; each beat reminding her that this was real. She was really here with Karlie. This girl had just come into her life and took her completely by surprise by opening her heart and her eyes. This was easily the best kiss she's ever had, and it was only their first kiss.
They pulled away at the same time, Karlie resting her forehead back against Taylor's. Taylor opened her eyes, looking up to find Karlie looking completely dazed from the kiss. She thought it was the cutest thing ever.
"Wow." Karlie gasps, her mind clouded in a daze from that mind blowing kiss.
Taylor nudged her head against Karlie's, causing their noses to brush. "God you're adorable." She whispers in response, smiling up at the model.
Karlie cracks a shy smile, her cheeks resuming their familiar rosy tint. She sighs in relief, sliding her hands up and down Taylor's sides comfortingly. "You're so beautiful." Karlie whispers, looking down at the bright blue eyes shining back at her that still manage to take her breath away. She then pulls the girl closer, resting her chin on top of her head.
Taylor tucked her head into Karlie's chest, her cheek feeling incredibly warm where it was pressed into the model's shoulder. The warmth and the steady thumping of Karlie's heart instantly grounds her. It gives her a sense of comfort and safety, just like Karlie does.
After standing on the front porch, wrapped up in the model's arms, Taylor hears Karlie sigh. She realizes they've been standing on her porch for quite a while. Almost all the porch lights were off, her whole street was dark, indicating that it was pretty late at night. "It's getting pretty late. I should get going."
When Taylor looks up, she notices that Karlie's eyes are saying something very different. She can tell the model doesn't want to go, but she nods her head anyway. "So... I'll see you soon?"
Karlie can't help the feeling she gets when she hears the hope in Taylor's voice. She leans back, making sure to lock eyes with Taylor before pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "You can count on it."
"Let me know you got home safe, okay?" Taylor asks, slowly pulling herself away from the model's embrace.
Karlie nods her head. "I will. I promise."
Taylor stared at the model, in awe that this amazing person had just given her the most perfect date ever. She stepped forward, rising up slightly to place a kiss on Karlie's cheek. "Good night Karlie." She steps back, looking up at the model's flushed cheeks with a smile. "Thank you again, for everything."
Karlie might not know the full meaning behind Taylor's thank you, but she knows the girl well enough to know there was a much deeper meaning to it than a simple thank you. "It was my pleasure." Karlie reached over to grab Taylor's hand and kissed the top of it, keeping her eyes on Taylor.
Now Taylor was the one with the bright red cheeks. Karlie lowered her hand to the side, leaning over to press one last kiss to Taylor's lips. It was much too short of a kiss for Taylor's liking, but she had nothing to complain about as she still felt her lips tingling after Karlie pulled away.
"Good night Taylor." Karlie said with a warm smile, slowly releasing their hands before she made her way back to her car.
Taylor watched her go, making sure she got to her car safely. Karlie made it to the driver's side door and looked up at Taylor once more. Her face lit up in a smile as she waved shyly up at the blonde.
Taylor waved back, matching Karlie's smile as she watched the girl get in her car and drive away. Taylor shut and locked the door behind her. She turned around and leaned her back against the door, still smiling. She slowly slid down the door, completely giddy. She shot up from her crouched position, running a hand through her hair, completely overwhelmed with happiness.
Olivia came wobbling out to greet her owner, Meredith still nowhere to be found. Taylor picked up the cat and held her up over her head, cooing with delight. "Olivia! Oh my gosh, I have so much to tell you." She put the cat back on the ground before making her way into the kitchen to feed her cats.
Taylor started humming to herself as she floated around the kitchen. Meredith finally came wandering over once she heard the sound of food filling the bowls.
After feeding the cats, she went into her room to take off her makeup and change into her pajamas. Before she laid down, she got up to grab her phone from her purse, wanting to have it by her when Karlie messaged her. She saw the giant dolphin sitting by the door and she couldn't stop smiling.
'Karlie actually won that for me. What did I ever do to deserve that girl?'
She looked down at her phone and saw a missed call, a voicemail, and a text; all from Karlie. Taylor sat down on the couch, pressing her phone to her ear, playing Karlie's voicemail.
"Hey you. I made it back safe and sound. I miss you already. I know that's kind of sad and pathetic, but I can't seem to get you out of my head. Anyway, I know it's late, and you might already be in bed. But I just wanted to tell you that I had a really great time with you tonight, and I really hope you did too. I can't wait to see you again. I guess I'll talk to you soon? Crap, my phone battery is dying. I should probably go charge my phone. Sorry... I'm rambling. Okay, get it together Kloss. Oh god, I just referred to myself in third person. I really need to stop now. So... hopefully this message didn't completely creep you out and scare you away. Oh! Don't forget to take some aspirin and ice your head! I hope you have sweet dreams. Good night, Taylor! "
Taylor had an earsplitting grin after hearing the voicemail. She missed Karlie so much already, and the voicemail she left was so cute, so she decided to listen to the message once more. After replaying the message, Taylor called back, but the call went straight to voicemail.
"I'm glad you made it home safe! I miss you already too, and I don't think it's sad and pathetic, but if it is, then I'm just as guilty because I can't stop thinking about you either. I really did have an amazing time with you Karlie. Everything you did was so amazing and wonderful and perfect. We will definitely talk soon. I think it's cute that you get all nervous and ramble around me. It nice to see that side of you. Anyway, I hope you have sweet dreams too. Good night Karlie."
Taylor hung up the phone with a smile still on her face. How was it that this world famous supermodel was also the world's biggest dork? Karlie was just so adorable and she loved it. She had never felt so comfortable on a first date. At first she was worried about doing or saying the wrong thing. But when she was with Karlie, all her worries just faded away. She didn't have to be anyone but herself. Remembering Karlie had also sent a text, she went back to click on it.
Karlie had sent her one of the pictures they had taken on top of the ferris wheel. The colorful sunset made a beautiful backdrop. Taylor was smiling shyly at the camera, Karlie's arm wrapped around her shoulders. But in this photo, Karlie wasn't looking at the camera, she was looking at Taylor. She had that look in her eyes that Taylor had been trying to figure out for months now.
It was that look she had when they were finally alone the first night they met, the same look she had when she got back from her trip to California, the same look she had when she went bowling with Karlie's friends, the same one she had tonight, and that's when something clicked; everything finally made sense. Karlie really did like her; even when they first met.
And that's when Taylor ran to her music room with an idea.
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HEEEEEYYYYYY YOOOOOOUUUUUU GUUUUUYYYYYSSSSS!!!!
Any way, I just wanted to apologize for it taking so long to update. Work got really busy for me.. and my computer crashed, so I lost all the stuff I had written out for this story, except for what was already written because that was all saved on Wattpad. So I had to go back and rewrite this. So yea, that took awhile. But this chapter is ridiculously long... like more than two normal chapters.. so I hope that sort of makes up for it!
So.. let me know what you guys think. There's lots more coming up... especially now that we're at the good stuff. Thank you guys so much for reading! :)