𝐇𝐀𝐔𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐃: 𝐭𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐰𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧𝐞

══ ⋆ TAYLOR'S POV ⋆ ══

Tick tock, the rusted and versed grandfather clock across the hall unrelentlessly nagged at me, rolling his eyes everytime I procrastinated. He kept on constantly reminding me that the bus would arrive at 10:20, which was only fifteen minutes from now.

Everytime I yearned to retrieve my suitcase and step downstairs he'd furiously fume in a mad energy. He'd purposely make the seconds chime faster than before, causing my head to frantically spin round and round like a carousel.

Instead of hunching myself up in a motivated manner, I instantly laid my head back against my lavender sheets. I snuggled, sniffing the toasty scent of Meridith's hair situated and twisted all over my bed sheets.

I gently ran my fingers through her tender fur and watched the lights go wild. For a feeling so peculiar, I'm captivated by her like a fireworks show. She obnoxiously hissed. I should've kept my hands to myself. I mean I could but why would I want to if she's so soft and silky like a rag doll I once had as a child. As a matter afact I still have the rag doll stored somewhere in here. My draped drawers I think?

Stop it Taylor. Focus.

I hazily rose up from my bed, tensely wobbling around my room in dumbfounded circles. I had previously completed packing my clothing a day prior so there wasn't really any remaining tasks to fulfill. 

" Taylor, are you ready yet? " My mother agitatedly called from the kitchen, where she spends most of her mornings baking abundant loafs of banana bread and purifying orange juice marinated from scratch.

" Totally! " I fibbed.

Totally is wrong, like a false God. I wasn't ready for it at all, especially during delirious times like these. This year it seems as summer's a knife.

Be fearless Taylor, you can do this. It's only eight days. Just eight small, measly days. 

" Taylor, it's ten-twenty eight! You're bound to miss the bus if you don't come down this instant. "

I huffed once more before erratically rushing down the perplexing stairs, grabbing a pre-packed breakfast  Mom had handed me and jaggedly latched the door slowly open.

Just step into the daylight and let it go. It'll be alright. Right?

I lightly shut the door closed and shifted outside. I walked fast through the traffic lights crammed and brimming of busy streets followed by busy lights of my village so aglow. I took one last glance before hesitantly stepping into the abstract vehicle that would abruptly take me far from my beloved town in Los Angeles.

It wasn't that I wasn't looking forward to staying in the folklorian woods.  It was merely the certitude of Kim's barging presence throughout the trip that was unpleasant about it. I don't know if I can't handle or even tolerate ten days spent with her stuck up attitude mocking every action of mine or calling my lyrics lame.

Then there's Joe. He's not a dilemma necessarily, but more of a romantic conviction that'll never be written. Everytime he's near I feel the urge to unleash all my cool and blurt tensive words that would recklessly recruit awkwardness. Ten days spent with him and I'm sure to damage my already reckoned reputation. 

The slurs still played on constant repeat in the rear of my mind.

  "Snake"

" Sss Swift "

Even that awful hashtag that once trended over Twitter.

I've been thinking of embracing the snake nickname, maybe even convert it into some future album concept and call it 'reputation'. Who knows.