"My heart flipped and I couldn't help, but think how cunning deceit can be. It can be right there, under your nose, at the edge of your fingertips and yet you couldn't see. It changed faces every time. Into your mother. Into your father. Into your sibling. Into your loved one. And, into your friend."
~Taylor
Taylor's POV
I'm sorry. -Taylor
It's okay. You can buy me a drink :) -Sam
I chuckled, shaking my head at Sam's ridiculous reply. That was definitely something Ky would kill us for. Well, most likely Sam, because I was currently carrying a precious cargo of his and he would just kill me after I give birth.
I rubbed my hand over my stomach and smiled.
Although I had no bump whatsoever and I was probably only 3 months pregnant. I couldn't help but feel so overwhelmed by the fact that I was carrying something that would be so beautiful.
"I can't believe that you're going to be a mother. My baby is having a baby" my dad said as he leaned over the car. I laughed and rubbed his cheek.
"Don't worry, you can still spoil me" I smiled.
"Oh no, the grandbaby gets the spoiling now. You get anything left over" he joked and I pouted. He patted my cheek and straightened out. I looked behind him at Kodan, who was smiling ear to ear at me.
I was shocked that he was taking this news so well considering that he lost his child and it was a very touchy subject to him, but he promised that it wasn't like that. He even asked to have my baby named after him, which I told him I would seriously think about.
"You be good now," my dad said as he pulled back and take a step away from the car. "I don't want to have to come back here and beat the hell out of your boyfriend again" he squinted.
In other words, Daddy came here and literally held Ky by the collar near the wall threatening of removing everything that makes him man and shoving it into his mouth, all the while Kodan stood beside him with a bat. It would have been comical if Kodan didn't actually hit Kysnor with the bat afterward for good measures. After that everything got serious and I demanded that everyone sit down and apologize to one another or else I would not let them see their grandkids and niece or nephew ever again.
It was a horrible way to tell them the great news, however, it was the only way they would stop hurting my baby's father.
"I'll do my best" I promised. I wouldn't be doing anything exotic to cause any harm to me or my kid.
"Planes leaving, Dad" Kodan shouted as he walked into the doors.
"Love you," My dad said before leaving.
I sighed as I watched them enter the building and placed my car into drive, my eyes set on the direction of the business.
****
Earlier I got a text from Kim. It had a link that lead to a tabloid. A tabloid that is only known to spread false news about me or half truth ones.
Bottom line, I hated the tabloid with all my soul, however, it was the one that my 'source' kept going to.
I figured that they were paying whoever it was beautiful.
I pulled up to the building and got out with my thick jacket and scarf. My head was covered as I walked into the building remembering the walls I saw for weeks upon weeks.
When I walked into the mirrored room, I smiled as I saw Max dancing. Eliza was beside him as well as Jill and most of the dance crew.
I waited until the music stopped and Max recognized me.
"Why the disguise?" he shouted out. Everyone looked at me and I waved at them.
I took off my hat and looked around smiling. When Jill saw me she smiled and made her way over to me.
My heart flipped and I couldn't help, but think how cunning deceit can be.
It can be right there, under your nose, at the edge of your fingertips and yet you couldn't see.
It changed faces every time.
Into your mother.
Into your father.
Into your sibling.
Into your loved one.
And, into your friend.
I waited until Jill was standing in front of me and was about to hug me before I leaned back and showed her my phone.
She smiled and looked at it. Her smile moved as she read. She replaced her smiling face with one of worry and sadness. One, I would have believed if I didn't know that deceit operates like that.
"Oh my, who did this to you?" she gasped and I looked at her in her eyes.
Why did she pick dancing when acting was her forte?
"I don't know. Considering, only one person knew this story" I told her tilting my head. Eliza stepped out from behind Max.
"You're smart after all," she said and I nodded to her.
"What?" Jill said looking between Eliza and me. Completely lost in her unfolding. I saw Max move closer to us as I lose my scarf.
"Only one person knew about my dad coming into town" I stated watching Jill's eyes widen. "However, I like how they added on the fact that I was accident prone and could not take care of myself and needed 'daddy's' supervision".
Jill licked her lips, her eyes flitting everywhere. "I don't get what you are saying, Tay" she still tried to act.
"I am saying that only you knew this about me. Only you knew about the previous things that coincidentally ended up in this tabloid only. How much are they paying you exactly?" I asked her.
In the corner of my eyes, I saw Max figure out what exactly was happening as his eyes hardened toward Jill. He stepped forward and I had no doubt in my mind that he was going to help settle this, but Eliza held him back. I guess she figured this was something that I needed to resolve myself.
The other dance crew members looked a bit frantic. It was like they were waiting for a fight to break out even though their faces were masked with shock.
"Taylor, you have your facts wrong" Jill scoffed and turned her back on me. She was preparing to run out of there. I laughed.
She stopped in her tracks. Maybe it was because of my grueling laughter, I am not sure, but she stopped.
"You should be an actress. You were the one that was leaking all of that valuable information and at the same time, you were the one pretending to be a friend. You're an excellent actress. I will personally recommend you" I spat. I watched as Jill tensed up. Her face morphed into a scowl, but she quickly tried to school it with some fake smile.
However, it was too late for that. She forgot that this room was filled with mirrors and I could have seen her reflection from the back of her. Her eyes wandered up from the floor and met mines. Shocked that I saw that part of her she was trying to hide.
Too late.
Jill spun around, her face converted to a scowl again. I guess it wouldn't make sense to pretend anymore since everyone had witnessed her red-handed putting on her mask.
"You know what, Taylor?" she spat. "You think everything is about you, huh?" she looked at me from top to bottom. "Ever since you f**ked Chance to the top, you've become such a bi*ch" she throw and I recoiled.
Wow.
"So, what I spill a bit of information on you. I got paid for it, because unlike you who f**ked her way into fame some of us have to still work for it" she finished, seething.
"Why pretend to be my friend, if you were so envious of me?" I asked calmly. One of my goals in this pregnancy was to remain calm in any and every situation considering my past record.
She scoffed again, "Envious of you?" she paused looking at me. "That's your problem, you think so highly of yourself when in all honesty you are nothing but a slut made famous!"
"Jill" Max warned as he stepped forward. "Watch it"
"Watch what?" she span around to him. "Are you mad I am not sucking her ass like you are?" she asked. She looked at Eliza who had a firm hand placed on Max's shoulder.
"You should have finished your job" she spat her way.
"Sorry, evil doesn't run in my blood satan" Eliza answered firmly. Her face was unbothered and she look awfully calm. I hoped I looked like her.
I hoped that I wasn't showing the hurt that was coursing through my vein watching a friend insult me like this. Someone who I held close, betraying me with no sort of remorse.
I wanted to glide my eyes over to the mirror to see my face, but my eyes couldn't move from Jill who was seething in front of me.
I licked my lips and nodded my head. Her words ran through my head and twisted painfully.
"I do not think I am higher than any of you and if you were a true friend, you would have recognized that. I have gone through hell and back to get where I am and if your heart wasn't so filled with hate, you would know that that is true. You also know that I never f**ked myself to get where I am" I stared her deep into her eyes daring her to argue that fact.
"But, for you" I continued since she didn't say anything, "You're going to pay forever crossing me" I stepped towards her. She didn't budge, but I liked that. I don't want her to flinch. "You're not going to make it anywhere," I said, slowly. "You're going to apply and you're going to rehearse, but you will not make it anywhere"
"Are you going to blackball me?" she asked, eyebrow raised as she challenge me. I scoffed.
"Heaven's no. I just know that people like you always reap what you sow." I laughed. I brushed passed her and walked over to Max. "I need to talk to you guys when you're done here"
I started walking towards the door when I heard Jill's voice. "That's all? That's your threat?" she mocked and I shrugged. I turned around and smiled at her.
"I mean, I can tell you that since being the girlfriend to Chance I have met quite a few influential people that can make sure that you don't make it out here in this world as whatever you are aspiring to be. Matter of fact, I can completely tarnish your whole career with one phone call" I chuckled and watch Jill's face morph into worry.
"But, I would rather let Karma do her job, she is so much better than me" I stepped outside into the warm breeze and looked around.
It was weird that New York streets were always crawling with people, but on this street, there were only stragglers. Just a handful of people wandering around here. My eyes strolled over to the spot where I first met Chance and a giddy smile spread on my face.
It was a year and a half ago and never thought I would be now pregnant with his baby.
***
Chance's POV
7 minutes had passed and I was still sitting in my car across from the location Cara sent me.
I had all the strength mustered up when driving here, believe me, but as soon as I pulled up, it left.
Throwing my head back on the seat, I looked over to the house.
I had no idea why I was so nervous.
Maybe because speaking to her put everything in reality and I wasn't really an expert in that area.
I have accomplished so many things, but a somewhat custody battle wasn't it. I have never been in a situation like this.
'C'mon Chance today!' I whispered to myself and looked at the house again.
It was a fully wooden house with a wooden porch to complement it. It was also located in a very dangerous neighborhood. The streets were loitered with children of all ages and there was some peculiar set of guys leaning along their cars.
"Aye, why are you here?" I jumped, looking over to the side where there was an old lady with a metal spoon hitting on my window. Her head was tied up in a red bandanna and she had the meanest mug face.
"I-I came to see someone who lives there" I pointed to the house where Cara was and the old lady looked up.
If possible, her face soften, "Ahh, little Cara" she whispered and then stared back at me. "I have never seen you visit before, what's your name?" she squinted her eyes wondering over me.
I opened my car door, " Uh, yeah I am new and late" I said, purposely ignoring her question. I practically ran to Cara's door, pounding on it excessively.
"Ah, you that singing boy" the old lady shouted across the street. Then she proceeded to sing one of my songs. Before she can hit the high note, the door swings open and I silently thank Jesus for still answering short-notice prayers.
"She has been expecting you" the lady smiled widely at me. Automatically I knew what type of girl she was. I saw them all the time.
Around my studio, around my tour buses, and bombarding my direct messages.
"Follow me" she smiled and walked in front of me, leading me to a door. I ignored the way she intentionally tried to sway her hips and looked at the pictures mounted on the wall.
There weren't a lot of pictures, but there was one of Cara by herself and the other with her son.
He had just been born and she was holding him close to her chest. Her hair hang behind her as she looked towards the son, showing an amazing profile. The picture looked as if those in it weren't even real.
"Before you enter, please sanitize your hand and the door is here, "the girl said before just standing there. I took the option to just ignore her and enter the room she pointed to and wash my hands to my elbows.
I felt like a doctor.
Even when I was done she was still standing there.
"Can I help you?" I asked her. Her face became so red, it was funny how it turned so quickly. She ducked her head and scattered. I chuckled before entering the room.
My chuckles stopped.
Cara was laying on a bed, a special one. It looked like those in the hospital, but a bit bigger.
She had an IV in her arms and there was a machine beside her, but it wasn't on.
The first thing I noticed was that her hair wasn't there.
I mean, it wasn't. I can't really explain, but she had a bandanna on her head, one as the old lady had on, and I knew that she had no hair underneath.
The second thing was that her skin looked too pale. Her cheeks were shallow and her nose was red.
I paused by the door, thinking maybe I had the wrong person, but I was certain this was the place. Everyone had confirmed this was Cara, but this person just didn't fit the description.
"Shock" the voice, however, did.
I looked at her eyes which seems so dark, shaking my head. She smiled, "It's okay, I know" she glanced at her book before putting it up. She coughed before laying further in her bed and resting her eyes a bit.
"I didn't know--" I started.
"I have cancer and am in my very last stage. I am used to seeing this kind of look from people" she gestured to me and I closed my mouth.
"Sorry, I just didn't know it was this. You just looked so-"
"Healthy?" she finished and I gathered my lips into my mouth. I was trying not to say anything stupid. "Make-up can do anything" she sighed, but let out a cough.
"Are you okay?" I looked around for water hastily. A laugh made me stop.
"I'm fine. It comes with it" She shrugged and I couldn't help but stare at her. How was she like this, but yet looked so, so different out there?
She looked so strong. So impenetrable, but in here.
She looked so fragile, broken even. It looked as if someone was to tap her she would shatter.
But, that was just her physical appearance, because it seems as if she still held that strength. However, only mentally.
"Why are you here, Chance?" she asked, I figured I was staring too long and rather looked out of the window.
"I came here to tell you that a DNA test is being performed and we'll have the results soon," I told her and she got quiet.
"If the boy is not my own, I will need all of these allegations to be wiped from my name," I told her sternly. She still hadn't replied. When I looked over at her, she was laying flat on her back with her eyes closed.
I stepped closer in fear of her not breathing when she opened her mouth to speak.
"If he's not yours, I'll do what you ask of me," she said. Her face remains neutral and her eyes are closed.
"Thank you," I said. There was a moment of silence between us and I took it as a sign that this conversation was over and was making my way to the door.
"I don't have much time to live," she said, I span around to her who was now looking at me. She smiled and reached for a picture frame that was beside her bed. "The doctors told me that I won't even make it out of this year. And mi hijo is so young" she stared at the picture.
"So innocent" she whispered. "When I became a mom I vowed to protect him, you know? To be there for him and I can't do that" tears were streaming down her face now. " I thought that I would find his father and make sure he is straight before I --" she choked and then let out a series of coughs.
The young girl came dashing in, but Cara stuck out her hand indicating that she is fine. The girl's eyes were saddened as she watched Cara make herself a bit presentable.
My heart was beating uncontrollably because although my child wasn't born yet, that was the promise I had already made for them. To protect them and guide them along in this cruel world.
"Chance, if he-he's not yours, can you just make sure that he is safe? That he-he's not put into the system, please. Please"
"I am so sorry, but I will do anything to protect mi amor. Please, don't let him be taken into the system" Cara's eyes were red and pleading. Her words and requests were tugging on me so strongly that I had no words to say.
I just nodded and walked out of the room. Out of the house. Into my car.
With too much on my chest and too much to fit into my heart.
~~~~~~~~~~
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