Nothing in Between

16

After eating breakfast, Taylor immediately tries to drag Clyde away from the dining room, but Taylor's mother asks where they are going. Taylor bravely answers the question, and once they get the confirmation that they can leave, they run to the front door.

Within a few brief moments, they are standing outside, by a car. Clyde is slightly frozen in shock and confusion, and Taylor is frantically pacing beside her. She rapidly turns to face her slightly-panicking girlfriend, humming as she arches an eyebrow in question.

"You know how to drive?"

"Yeah, but my mom's coming with us," Taylor says, "Get in."

Clyde nods in response, following Taylor's instructions. She gets into the front passenger seat, patiently waiting for Taylor to sit inside. Her gaze instantly scans the interior as she watches Taylor practically jump into her seat, rushing to start the engine.

"Calm down, Baby. My parents know that I know how to keep myself safe."

And Clyde doesn't even notice the pet name she has used until Taylor raises an eyebrow, slightly tilting her head to the side. In an instant, Clyde's cool, fully nonchalant demeanor changes, briefly overtaken by slight embarrassment, as her face flushes.

Her eyes search for the air conditioner button, quickly pressing it before burying her face into her hands. Clyde groans in shame, turning towards the vents so the cool air instantly hits her warm skin. She doesn't move, causing Taylor to playfully hit her shoulder.

"Why are you embarrassed? I didn't say anything!"

"I didn't mean to say that!" Clyde stammers, voice muffled.

"Oh—"

"Are you all right with me calling you... that?"

"We're girlfriends? Why would I not be okay with that?"

Clyde slowly lifts her head up from her palms and sits back in her seat. She quietly clears her throat as she absentmindedly buckles her seatbelt, silently looking straight out of the windshield. She releases a deep breath before finally facing Taylor again.

"Okay. I'm all right now."

"What?" Taylor laughs, "Why'd you need a minute to just calm down?"

"That was really embarrassing."

"It was cute." Taylor grins.

A playfully-annoyed grumble escapes Clyde's chest before Taylor's mother carefully gets inside the car. Clyde tries to ignore the faint shame that still remains from earlier, and she glances at Taylor's mother in the backseat, flashing her a polite yet anxious smile.

"I can sit in the back if you want to sit here."

"Oh, it's fine, Clyde."

"Well, alright," Clyde shyly says, nearly mumbling.

Momentarily, Taylor starts driving. Clyde stays silent for most of the ride, still trying to get used to being around Taylor's parents. She doesn't exactly know how long it will take, but Clyde hopes it doesn't take her months, since she finds that embarrassing.

Getting to Clyde's house is an easy feat, because Taylor has walked there so many times before. Honestly, Clyde is surprised that Taylor has managed to memorize the paths they take, since it seems like Taylor prefers to look at her rather than those routes.

Clyde will never complain about that, though. She isn't that stupid.

The drive continues, and they arrive at Clyde's house within the hour. Clyde quickly wipes her palms on her dress pants, nervously toying with the buttons on her shirt. Her suit coat is on her arm, and she shakily unbuckles her seatbelt before getting out of the car.