you'll go on with the show || kaylor

2. this place is the same as it ever was but you don't like it that way

Dear Dorothea,

I've walked to the park this morning, the one that's sacredly kept our secrets throughout time.

It's not like I haven't been there in a while, because I actually love going there on a regular basis, sitting on our bench and being reminded of lovely memories.

Just so you know, the swing's still rusty and it's impossible to play on it. Oh, and the slide is dimming more and more every day.

I remember when you used to comment on this park's waning brightness, saying that you only loved this place because it was our place.

I could really use your words to describe how I feel about it right now. Can I steal them?

The older I grow, the better I understand how you felt about this town in your teens.
I was naive back then, I didn't have the foresight you had. I didn't understand why you were always complaining about feeling trapped in this motionless, paralyzed town.

I suppose you were so intuitive and smart, and your critical thinking was great.
I'm sorry I sometimes joked about that; I was completely blind and I couldn't notice it.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I am — and I was — really proud of you — and I must confess that I'm feeling overly nostalgic, too; I grieve us.

Anyway, I hope you're doing well.

Love,

Juliet.

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Taylor's heart seemed to fight for a strong, steady beat. Instead, placing her hand on her chest, all she could feel was an irregular rhythm.

She lurched, waking up the Scottish Fold that was now sleeping next to her on the couch; the sobbing singer didn't mean to awake her. She couldn't stop her body from shaking and her tears from caressing her cheeks, though.

Suddenly and inevitably, she was brought back to that bittersweet afternoon of fourteen years ago.

Taylor didn't see her for the last time that afternoon, but she did lock eyes with her for the last time then. Nobody else knew either of these things.

The singer had knocked on her ex's front door and waited there shaking; she still remembers it all too well.

She had sneaked out of her house hoping that nobody saw her, that's because they'd been apart for several months and the reason why it had happened wasn't their fault, let alone their will.

Their Maths teacher had caught them making out in the schoolyard during recess and, as she told their parents, they had had a pretty long conversation with their children afterwards.

They had suggested the young girls stop seeing each other, deciding what happened was just a teenage mistake. This decision was unbelievably made unanimously.

If only she had objected, if only she had stood up for their relationship, if only she had acknowledged her feelings; instead, she had neglected them.

It wasn't like Taylor's hands were tied.
She could've spoken up, she could've at least acknowledged her girlfriend when her parents had asked her "Is it real? Are you actually in love with this girl, sweetheart?" and she'd had the nerve to shamelessly reply "No. It was just a fling. You said it yourselves, it's a teenage mistake".

And Taylor had those words of hers on repeat in her mind while she was standing on her porch, her palms sweating.

"I'm not supposed to be here, but I have something important to tell you," Taylor said, breaking the awkward silence that there's been between them since the rejected girl opened the door.

"I know I've deserted you and gave up on you, but I thought you'd rather hear it from me," she took a deep breath, "I'm leaving in the morning"

"Leaving as in you're moving away?"
For some reason, her voice didn't sound surprised. Sure, it was definitely sad, but not surprised.

"Yeah," Taylor mumbled, "Listen, I'm well aware that we haven't talked in months, and me being here isn't exactly what we need to recover from what we used to have, what we used to be and... coming here was probably inappropriate, I'm sorry, I just figured you'd appreciate it better if I went crystal clear about that, I-"

"Just stop it, will you?" she interrupted Taylor's paranoid hocus-pocus, "I do appreciate you coming here and telling me yourself. Do what you gotta do. Stay safe and be careful, though"

"You too!"

You could tell they were smiling. It wasn't the widest smile they'd ever had on their faces, but they were smiling for the first time in a very, very long time.

"So... it's a goodbye, huh?" said the one who was about to be left, for the second time.

"I guess it is"

"It's been cool... knowing you, being your friend and your- whatever"
Her hands were moving too nervously and Taylor couldn't help but notice it, so she placed her hands on the other girl's to make her stop.

"Yeah, it was really cool," Taylor agreed, before pulling her close for an unexpected hug.

"Goodbye Taylor," she breathed, drawing away.

"Goodbye Karlie."

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it's all maths teachers' fault. never trust em, guys. believe me!!

jk, i like maths and sometimes i like maths teachers too. sending love to all maths teachers out there, except for taylor and karlie's!