Love, Taylor | TS

Fifteen

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"I'm still not onboard with this whole thing," Cas says as I pull up at the address Taylor sent me this morning.

"It's fine, Cas, it's just a party," I tell them, parking my car in the one empty spot I find across the street.

"Yeah! At Taylor's house," Cas points out, staring up at the building we're supposed to go inside. There's really nothing special about it but I know that there's a doorman in the lobby to make sure no one uninvited and unwanted comes in. Three floors up, the windows are open and there's loud music coming out. "Jeez, I thought you said it was a chill thing."

I shrug and pull the keys out of the ignition. "That's what she told me."

"Okay, here's another thing I'm not totally onboard with! You're actually texting her?" Cas turns to me, eyebrows raised expectantly.

"Yeah, Cas. I'm actually texting her!" I reply, unbuckling my seatbelt and grabbing my denim jacket from the backseat. "It's really not that big of a deal. We agreed to be friends. Start over."

"Huh..." They look up at the third floor again and let out a quiet chuckle. "Okay, just... be careful."

"It's fine! Seriously, dude. It's been over a decade. I'm over it," I reassure them, slipping my jacket on and stepping out of the car. "Come on."

"I'm just saying, Rory," Cas continues as we cross the street once I've locked the car. "I know you still have that box with all those cards. I know you don't throw them away. So, maybe you say you're over it but also maybe you're not completely over it. I mean, I totally get it. It makes sense. She was your first real friend and like your gay awakening all in one—"

"Oh my god, Cas, will you shut up? Please?" I exclaim right before we climb up the steps. "I am over it. The whole fight we had was stupid, anyway. We're starting over as friends. We're both adults now so, you don't have to play the protective best friend role. It's fine."

"Fine!" They respond, holding their palms up in defence. "Fine. I'll let it go."

"Thank you!"

I press the intercom button and a moment later, the doors open automatically. The security guard downstairs scribbles down our names before telling us to go up to the third floor and wishing us a good night.

"So... how many famous people do you think are gonna be up there?" Cas asks, playing with one of their rings.

"Probably everyone in there," I respond with a shrug.

"Do you think Phoebe Bridgers is gonna be there? I heard they're friends."

I can't help but snort and shrug my shoulders right as the elevator doors opened.

There are a bunch of people out in the hallway with two double doors wide open that lead straight into an entry hall. There's a staircase at the end that leads up to a second floor but it's closed off by a barrier, the kind you get to pet-proof your apartment. The rest of the floor is just a massive main room and a kitchen, both of which are filled with people. Some faces I recognise, some I don't.