The Story of Us - Taylor Swift

6

trigger warning: mention of eating disorders. also not proofread <3

"Hello again dear", Betty said, seating herself next to Quinn on the same park bench they had met at the day before. Quinn smiled at Betty, who was rubbing her palms together in an attempt to warm up. It was chilly outside, but Quinn had sat at the park bench for 2 long hours hoping to run into Betty; their chat yesterday still reserved a special place in her heart.

Taylor had long left for the studio and after spending about half an hour lounging around the house, she decided to go for another run. This time however, she did have a route planned out. A route that led straight to this park bench.

"You alright? You've got a faraway look in your eyes", Betty spoke up from beside her. Quinn turned to face the older woman, nodding her head slightly.

"Yeah, i've just got a very chaotic life at the moment", she replied, sighing deeply. She placed her hands in the pockets of her puffer jacket, otherwise she was sure they'd drop off in the coldness.

"Hmm is it your home life?" Betty asked with a serious face. Quinn's breath hitched at the forward question but she found herself being able to trust Betty, wanting to tell her everything.

"Well... yeah... me and my wife have been married for three and a half years, and we've been together for about seventeen. But... now we've kinda hit a rocky patch. We keep arguing, and we sleep in separate beds, and i'm scared it's going to end in divorce", Quinn blurted out, talking faster than her usual rate.

Betty nodded her head thoughtfully. "So you've gone seventeen years without so much as a hiccup in your relationship?"

Quinn thought about her question for a moment, her mind replaying the relationship from the very start until now. "Well yeah kinda. I mean we had a small little hiccup when she released her 1989 album, she was unwell but she was still  going on tour and i didn't handle it well, so we had a small break whilst she did her tour but that was nothing compared to this". Quinn looked over at Betty, suddenly realising that she had just revealed her wife's identity.

But Betty just looked up at the trees, without any follow up questions.

"Seventeen years together, without any kind of troubles, you're bound to have a rocky patch like this. Me and my husband went about eight years before we hit a low, but we built each other back up and when we did come back together we were stronger than ever. I'm sure that's what will happen with you and your wife". Betty smiled at Quinn, who just swallowed nervously.

"You still love her don't you?" Betty asked, watching Quinn expectantly.

"I don't know...I... yeah I do. I still love her". She hadn't admitted that out loud for a few months now but it felt amazing.

"And do you think she still loves you?" Quinn thought back to the events of the previous night and nodded her head with certainty.

"Then what are you waiting for? Your marriage won't be repaired if you sit around hoping the universe will do it for you. You have to get off your arse and do it yourself", Betty declared. Quinn raised her eyebrows, slightly shocked at Betty's words.

"Show her you still love her, tell her you still love her, do whatever you can to make sure she knows".

Quinn nodded her head, smiling before she leaned forward and hugged Betty.

"Thank you. I'll be here tomorrow same time", she said quickly before jumping to her feet, waving at Betty and running the rest of her route.

*Flashback - six years ago*

"Tay I really don't think it's healthy".

Taylor sighed, holding her head in her hands as Quinn rubbed her back gently. "I know but I can't disappoint my fans like that, the show must go on".

Quinn closed her eyes and bit her lip to stop herself from crying. Taylor had stopped eating a few months ago. It started out as her not finishing full meals, and then she dropped one meal and would only eat breakfast and dinner. And then she dropped all meals.

"Baby, I don't want you to hurt anymore", Quinn whispered, her voice laced with pain. Taylor heard the pain in Quinn's voice and pulled her head out of her hands, facing her girlfriend.

"Honey, don't cry, i'll be okay", Taylor reassured her, pulling her in for a hug. Quinn cried softly onto Taylor's shoulder and Taylor hugged her tighter. Quinn worried deeply for Taylor's health and she knew that her going on a world tour, in her condition would impact her negatively.

Quinn sniffed and wiped away the tears beneath her eyes as she pulled back from the hug. "I don't want you to do the tour".

Taylor sighed again, dropping her hands in her lap. "Quinn... you know I have to do the tour. We've had it planned for two years now, I can't just back out of it because of a minor health issue".

Quinn frowned at Taylor. "What? Minor? Taylor this isn't minor? Performing to thousands of people everyday for hours on end, whilst travelling to all four corners of the planet will have a huge impact on you. Especially if you're not eating". Quinn's voice started to grow in volume as her frustration increased.

"Quinn it's my body, I know myself better than anyone, and I know that i'll be okay", Taylor said, her voice also growing more stern. Deep down she knew that doing this tour was the wrong choice, but as a pathological people pleaser she couldn't let her fans down like that.

Quinn faltered slightly, not wanting to upset Taylor anymore.

"If you don't like it then don't come on tour with me", Taylor said, a serious expression on her face but inside her heart was shattering.

Quinn faced Taylor in shock, tears welling in her eyes but she kept a strong and steady voice. "Okay.. maybe I won't".

"Okay"

"Okay"