Girls Never Go Out of Style - A Kaylor Fanfic

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

"Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"Yes, Mom."

"You have the number of our hotel?"

"Yes."

"I went grocery shopping yesterday, so you should have enough to eat... Don't open the door for anyone you don't know... Call us if you need anything."

"I know, Mom."

"Anything at all. Are you sure you don't want to come with us?"

"On a golf trip with Dad's work friends?"

"It's not just a golf trip, Taylor. It's a retreat for the wives, too. It's not too late for you to come with us!"

Scott came down the stairs, lugging a heavy suitcase in each hand."We were supposed to leave ten minutes ago, Andrea. It's too late."

"I'll be fine, Mom."

"She'll be fine, Andrea. It's just three days."

"And I'm eighteen now. I'm a grown-up."

Taylor's parents hugged and kissed her goodbye. She watched them drive off into the cool, late March afternoon, heaing off to the company retreat, where they would share cocktails, golf games, and gossip with Scott's coworkers and their wives. Tag along? No thanks.

Taylor had other plans. Monday was a school inservice day, so she was looking at a Friday night and three full days of independence. And she knew exactly how she wanted to spend them.

She was just pulling a sheet of chocolate chip cookies out of the oven when someone knocked on the door. She turned the oven off and untied her apron hurriedly, bouncing to answer her guest.

When she opened the door, a familiar tall, lanky girl that she had seen far too little of lately stood on the front door.

"Hi, Princess," Karlie said. "Miss me?"

"Have I ever." Taylor reached grabbed Karlie's hand and pulled her inside. As soon as the door was closed, Taylor leaned forward and planted a kiss on Karlie's lips.

It was the first time they had kissed since December. Hell, it was the first time they had spoken to each other in person since December.

Karlie pulled back and laughed. "Let me put my stuff down, at least."

Taylor grabbed the canvas duffel bag from Karlie, dropped it carelessly on the floor, and pulled the taller girl against her again.

"I don't know how you pulled this off," Karlie said after several minutes of non-verbal catching up.

Taylor grinned and waggled her eyebrows mischievously. "Now, why wouldn't they trust me?"

"What about Charles? He's not going to show up and surprise us, is he?"

"No. He's at the retreat, too."

"Can't pass up the opportunity to get in on the ladder-climbing early?"

"Exactly. Want to unpack?"

Karlie followed Taylor up the stairs, duffel bag in hand. She found herself feeling a little nervous. How many times had she wondered what Taylor's bedroom looked like? And now she was going to be sleeping in it. In her bed.

"Here we go," Taylor said. Was there a little tremor in her voice? Karlie wondered. Was she nervous to have Karlie there, just as Karlie was nervous to be there?

The room was just as pink and girly as Karlie had imagined.

"The bathroom's through there," Taylor said, hovering as Karlie unzipped her bag. "I've got an extra toothbrush for you. And towels. And--"

Karlie turned and took both of Taylor's hands in hers. "Everything's perfect." She kissed Taylor's forehead. "I'm so happy to be here with you."

Taylor felt herself calming down. "Hungry?"

"Starving."

__

"Oh! I almost forgot!" Karlie said later. She reached into the back pocket of her jeans and pulled out an envelope, folded over once. She passed it across the table to Taylor. "Here."

Taylor blotted a dab of pasta sauce from the corner of her mouth, set her napkin aside, and grabbed for the envelope.

"Is this what I think it is?" she asked.

"Just read it!"

"'Dear Ms. Kloss,'" Taylor read aloud, her voice official. "'We are pleased to accept your application to New York Uni--' Oh my God! Karlie!"

"Keep reading!"

Taylor skimmed through the letter silently. "They're giving you a scholarship!"

"Yep." Karlie laughed. "I might be a little bit of a delinquent, but I'm a delinquent with good grades."

"Karlie." Taylor's eyes brimmed with proud tears. "Congratulations. You're getting out."

Karlie nodded and beamed. "I can't believe it's finally real."

"I can't believe you didn't tell me before now! That should have been the first thing you said when I opened the door!"

"I didn't have a chance before you kissed me!"

Taylor laughed, then turned somber. "I haven't gotten a letter from them yet. I wonder... I hope I got in."

"Of course you got in," Karlie said. "How could they turn you away? You're perfect."

Taylor tried to push the worry away, but it nagged at the back of her mind, even when she and Karlie snuggled into her bed to sleep.

The next morning, Taylor was up and waiting when the mail carrier came by. He wasn't even able to put the mail in the box before Taylor snatched it from his hand with a sunny--if overenthusiastic--"Thank you!"

"Bills, bills, junk..." Taylor muttered, flipping through the envelopes. "And... NYU!"

Karlie was still asleep in Taylor's bed when a shriek from downstairs woke her up. She bolted out of bed and raced, wearing only her underwear and a white tank top, out to the landing, sure that Taylor was hurt.

But when she leaned over the railing and peeered down into the foyer, she found Taylor flailing around in possibly the least rhythmic but most joyous dance she had ever seen.

"Karlie!" Taylor crowed. "I got in!"

--

The rest of the weekend passed so pleasantly that Karlie could almost ignore that she and Taylor were in hiding. Watching Taylor bustle aroudn the kitchen, lying in bed reading books together, even going for long rides like they used to, knowing that no one who cared would be around to see them, as long as they were careful. They stayed away from places that friends of Charles were likely to be, like the theater and the diner downtown. Mostly they stayed in.

On Saturday night Taylor took out her guitar and, at Karlie's request, played some of the songs that she had written. It was the first time that Karlie had ever heard Taylor play.

At first Taylor had been self-conscious, reluctant to play, but she warmed up with each song. Karlie could see something real there, something special. She could easily imagine Taylor on stage.

"Can you believe that we're going to get to do this every day soon?" she asked. She was lying on Taylor's bed, her head propped up on a pile of pillows as she watched Taylor play.

"Well, not every day," Taylor teased. "We'll have to study sometimes, you know."

"Sometimes," Karlie conceded. "But seriously. We're going to college. Together. We can be roommates. We won't have to hide or pretend anymore. It won't matter who sees us."

Taylor finished her thought. "We're going to be free."