getaway car - Taylor Swift

happy place

Despite the tiredness of the previous day, I woke up earlier than I expected.

It was 8am when I woke up to the first rays of sunlight coming through a small gap in the window. I rubbed my eyes and looked around, I wasn't in my room. I hoped it was all just a dream but it was real. My life had changed abruptly and there was nothing I could do about it.

Kate was still sleeping so I tried to get out of the room quietly. If she heard me she would want to drag me everywhere with her and I needed to be alone for a while.

I got dressed and left the house. I went to Starbucks across the street and then decided to stop at a nearby garden. I didn't want to stray too far from home because I was afraid of getting lost in the early morning crowds of NYC, but I wanted to explore the city on my own and so, I decided that from then on, until the roller coaster of emotions I felt calmed down, I would walk around, with no one, just me and my memories and thoughts.

I'm used to being alone, I never had a very large group of friends (not that it really mattered), but I find it very hard to trust people, as I suffered from threats and insults from my schoolmates in my childhood.

Few people know the details of my personal life, as I could not show my feelings easily. Some even thought I was an unfriendly and cold person. I was not. I just couldn't show it when I loved someone.

That's what trauma and insecurities do to people. They make you want to be away from everything and everyone and when you get significantly closer to someone, your mind is already anticipating the fact that sooner or later, you will lose the ones you love for a totally stupid reason.

That's how I felt, that's how I thought, and I knew it was wrong, but if my family here was really willing to help me, they would have to work hard to gain my trust. So far the only person who had managed to make me fully trust them, had been Alec.

It had been 12 years of always being by my side, and no one could take that away from me anymore, but until I found that kind of friendship here, I was going to make my way on my own.

On my way back home my aunt and cousin were having breakfast. They were surprised to see me.

"Oh you're back! You scared me, when I didn't see you in the bedroom I thought  something happened to you!" - Kate said

"there's no need to worry, I just went for a walk" - I said looking at my aunt too.

"We need to get you a card with a phone number from here" - my aunt said - so you can be reached, Kate can go with you and she can show you the stores in the area".

"yes, after the lunch I'll go with you!" - Kate said

"there's no need for you to bother about that, I can go on my own thanks anyway! - I said.

" you don't bother me, I'll go, it is settled"

Even though I didn't feel like going out with my cousin, I accepted. She took me to a mall called Fulton Center, we walked  because it was close to our house and on the way she said:

"did you know that we are on Broadway street? Here, a lot of young people our age are recruited by photographers to be their models and it's easy after that, to enter the world of music or acting if you want to".

Up until then we hadn't really spoken a single word, yet she managed to capture my attention.

"Really? They stop people like that in the middle of the street to recruit them?"

"Yes. Isn't it amazing? Imagine being on your way to a completely normal school day, and suddenly someone asks you if you want to belong to an agency. my god what a dream. But a lot of the time these recruiters end up making dodgy deals that are nothing more than an illusion. That's why I want to go to drama school, so I can acquire knowledge in a safe way."

"I understand, I've always wanted to study theater too but my mother never supported me much because we don't have many financial conditions and she also believed that this artistic environment was very dangerous"

"it's true! But what made her change her mind so quickly? Oh wait, now I understand, maybe she wanted to find you a distraction because.... You know... Your girlfriend..."

"Don't talk about my girlfriend!" I said in a more aggressive tone than I really wanted. I immediately regretted it - I'm sorry I didn't mean to be rude. It's just that it's still a very recent and sensitive subject for me. It really happened just a few days ago and I still find it very hard to believe that I lost her"

"I understand, if you want to talk about it you can trust me"

"thank you" - I replied with a forced smile. I didn't want to tell her more than the strictly necessary, I didn't know in what extent my mom would have told my aunt about Sam's supposed cheating with Max and if she, in turn, would have told Kate everything. I didn't feel like finding out either. I didn't want to have to talk about my love life with her. She looked at me like she expected me to tell her something else, but I let the conversation stop there.

When we arrived at the mall we went to buy my new sim card and my cousin and I exchanged our contacts. She even added me to a group with her friends, even though I said it wasn't necessary, and said she would meet them in two days to introduce us.

I didn't feel like socializing or answering questions, but I thanked her and accepted her invitation. We also passed by some clothing stores and I took the opportunity to buy some. I had brought a few things from home but obviously they wouldn't be enough for long. I had to manage my money, and as soon as possible, I would start working part time while studying so I could pay my college expenses, and contribute at home, since my aunt was letting me live here as a favor.

When we got back home it was already almost 5 pm.

we ended up having a snack at a coffee shop inside the mall, and talked a lot about our tastes. We even had some things in common. She likes the neighborhood and artic monkeys, I loved them too.

I had recently become obsessed with Taylor Swift, not just for her music, but for the kind and humble person she is, and apparently, Kate felt the same way and dreamed of seeing the eras tuor with her friends. She said she was trying to save money to go, and if she could get tickets I would go with her too.

"Can you imagine? - she said excitedly - seeing taylor live? Or better than that, studying theater, becoming well known and maybe having the opportunity to work with her in a music video or something? That would be awesome!".

She was right. After we both entered AMDA (American Musical and Dramatic Academy) in the fall, and completed our first year, the final semester project was to make a short film that included partnering with other well-known actors and singers, as it was a musical.

And that's when we saw her for the first time. It was in the backstage improvised by our drama teacher that I met Taylor.

She said hello to me and my cousin, and from then on, my life changed. Those blue eyes changed my life. This is the story of how NYC, where I didn't want to be before, became my happy place.

flashback off

hey guys! I'm sorry for taking so long to write a new chapter but, as promised, here it is, the long-awaited moment, where taylor is entering the story. don't forget to vote :)