dream maker ✧

006. summer lovin'

the summer went by quicker than i could've imagined. taylor spent ninety-nine percent of the summer at our house, whether it was spending time with me or belly.

every time jere and belly were together around the house, tay tay would just look at me a certain way because "jellyfisher" was official. i was beyond sure she would never let it go.

the hardest part of the summer was saying goodbye. taylor and belly went back to school two weeks before i had to leave for princeton, so i didn't even get to spend a lot of time with tay before i had to leave.

i did get to go to their first volleyball game of the season, though. i normally wouldn't have, but since it was their senior season and i had nothing better to do, i decided to go cheer my girl on. jere was there cheering for belly too.

but before i knew it, i was leaving for princeton, and it was hard. really hard at first. 

taylor and i rode together and belly rode with my parents. princeton is about four hours from home, a little more with gas and convenience store stops. 

tay tay and i listened to an excruciatingly long playlist of female artists. some of them were okay, but the only one i really enjoyed was doja cat. but it was worth it to laugh with tay as she sang along to every single one of the songs. 

well... at least most of them. after a phoebe bridgers song played, one of milo's dumbass songs from his album about me came on, and it was like hearing a billion nails being scratched on the same chalk board. i have no idea how that guy got put on a female artists playlist, but i can't say i'm surprised.

"oh my god," taylor said with an eye roll, "i swear he's haunting me or something."

i chuckled a little. "actually, he's probably haunting me. i'm the one he's pissed at anyways."

"i don't know how he hasn't gotten canceled yet," taylor said with a facial expression of disgust. "he's the most common senseless person i know."

i shrugged. "that's fair. when you guys were dating, he was the most annoying person i had to be around."

"you don't have to tell me twice," taylor said with a bitter laugh. "i'm just glad you came and saved me from his dumbass. seriously, who tries to stick a soaking wet wire into a decade-old outlet?"

i shrugged once more. "well, at least you can say for sure that i'd never do something that stupid."

"yeah," taylor said with a soft laugh. "you've made some pretty big mistakes, but that's definitely not one of them."

i nodded. "that's fair. heyyy, have you heard miley's new song?" i asked with a smirk.

"nope, but it can't beat party in the usa anyways," she said with a shoulder roll.

i smiled and nodded. "that's true. that's very true."

when we got to princeton, my parents and belly were still about thirty minutes behind us, so we went and started exploring campus. i'd been the summer before, but taylor hadn't, and i wanted to show her everything. 

my parents ended up being even later than we thought they would be, and by the time we made it to the third library, tay tay was not going to walk anymore. "okay, steven, i'm really happy for you, and this place is amazing, but i'm exhausted. can we go back to your dorm or car now?"

i nodded, took her hand, and twirled her around. "come on, tay tay. lighten up. i know it's kinda a sad day, but we still have now."

she smiled and leaned into a hug as she said, "you're right. i'm just not ready to say goodbye yet."

"it's not goodbyeee," i said. "it's just a temporary time physically apart. but you know i'm coming back for holidays and a few weekends anyways. plus i'll be home for the entire month of december. it'll be here before you know it."

we walked back to the dorm together, and mom, dad, and belly had just pulled in. mom sighed when she got out. "i can't believe you're actually leaving this time."

"i can't believe he's leaving either," taylor agreed. "we haven't had enough time together."

belly gave her a look. "come on, taylor, you guys have been together all summer."

"okay, but so have you and jeremy, and i'm sure you'll be moping around when he leaves for finch next week too," taylor replied.

i nodded in agreement. "yeah, she's right, sis. jere's been around all summer, and so has tay tay. so don't ruin our last moments together, pleeeeaaaase."

after everything was moved in, we all went and got dinner together off campus before they dropped me back off at my dorm. mom and dad said goodbye first before waiting out in the car. then belly... and then it was time to say goodbye to tay.

"i can't believe this is really goodbye," taylor said with a frown as she leaned into my chest.

i sighed. "i know, i know. i don't wanna say goodbye yet either. i feel like summer just started. but i'll see you in two weeks, okay? and we're gonna spend the entire time together."

"i know, but i'll still miss you," she said, looking up at me with the world's smallest, saddest smile.

i leaned down and kissed her before saying, "you're my everything, taylor. remember that. i'll see you in two weeks."

"i'm gonna miss you like hell," she said before pulling me into another kiss. "goodbye, steven."

i felt a crack in my heart as i watched her leave. even though we would be apart, we would always still be together. together in my heart. "goodbye, tay tay," i whispered.