After All These Years

Chapter eight

It's now been a month and a half since the pandemic started and now you are starting to struggle with the loneliness a little bit. You talk to your friends every single day on the phone however it's not the same as seeing them in person. Everyone is struggling you can see it when you talk to each other. Nobody really knows how long this will last, COVID keeps spreading more and more, panic is starting to take the best of people and even though you are privileged to have this big house and financial security you can't help but feel lonely.

Taylor has been constantly asking you to help her with the album. You go over to her house for hours and hours and play guitar while she sings. You have heard some of the songs Taylor hasn't recorded and they are beautiful. The way she is creating these beautiful and complex characters and stories is astonishing. She asks for your opinions and not just to be polite but she actually listens to what you say and has ended up using some of your ideas. She has been the only person you have seen since the pandemic started and you weren't right about your feelings coming back for her but you weren't exactly wrong either.

You realized that some feelings are definitely still there but what you realized the most is that even though it's been years since you two were together and you both have changed so much you feel like no time has passed and you realized that talking to her and being in her presence still feels the same as it did all those years ago. Taylor has matured so much and gained so much confidence but for you she is still the same girl you dated all those years ago. She is so easy to talk to and you discovered that being in her presence still brings you the same comfort it did years ago. You know Taylor still finds comfort in your presence because you know she sometimes asks you to come even though she doesn't really need your help. She just makes you play some guitar riffs and that's something she can do herself and that is not essential help for her to be able to record her voice. Do you care? No. Are you complaining? No. You are actually glad to have this excuse to hang out with her.

You see her almost everyday and the routine is pretty basic. You arrive at Taylor's house work for a bit, have lunch, work some more and then you have dinner. Most days you finish early because of the time difference but other days you keep recording until late hours of the night. On the days you don't see her you clean around your house, read a book, call your family and friends, chill by the pool or bake pastries. You haven't told anyone about Taylor or the album, you don't want people to ask you questions about the two of you or about your feelings you won't be able to answer because you are not sure yourself of the answers to all those questions.

You found yourself yet again walking towards Taylor's house. You don't ring the doorbell anymore you just let yourself in. You look for Taylor around the house and finally find her in the kitchen making some coffee.

"HI y/n I made you some coffee." she says giving you a hug and of course you hug her back.

"Thanks Tay." you say taking the coffee cup.

You walk towards the Kitty Committee studio and start working. You finish early today and Taylor suggests you drive to the beach and watch the sunset. Tired of being locked up in either your house or Taylor's you agree and get in her car. The streets of LA are almost empty, there is no traffic and neither of you say anything the whole drive to the beach, the both of you being too shocked to see this lousy city almost empty.

Taylor parks at the empty parking lot and you two get out of the car, she pulls out a blanket out of the back seat and you two walk towards the ocean. You take your shoes and walked towards the water followed by Taylor. The two of you walk until the water reaches your knees and stand there for a few minutes without saying anything, just enjoying being out of the house and being in nature and feeling the ocean breeze on your face.

After about 40 minutes you and Tyalor are sitting on the blanket waiting for the sun to go down. You sit there enjoying Taylor's company and feeling the most peace you have felt since the pandemic started.