reputation

Make Up

May 26, 2018.

Fourteen - Emma

"This is weird, right?" Tree pointed at Emma on the stage and turned her head towards Andrea so fast that her ponytail swung to the side. "No, I know it's weird."

Emma laughed but otherwise ignored the conversation between Tree and Andrea. She picked her head up from Taylor's lap and turned towards her as much as she could without sitting up completely. "Kiss?"

Taylor put the microphone she was messing with down and complied with her request. Emma laid back down and crossed her ankles, enjoying the way the snakes on her black cowboy boots sparkled in the sunlight. Taylor was wearing a matching pair, but with the way she was sitting criss-crossed and Emma was laying with her head in her lap, they weren't as sparkly.

"I don't know what's happening right now." Tree waved towards the two girls again.

Emma lifted her hand off the stage floor and held her middle finger in the air. She expected Taylor to do something to stop the gesture, but all she did was fake a scowl and lean down to kiss Emma again. "Be nice," Taylor murmured against her lips.

Andrea, the only one who hadn't said anything about the exchange, shrugged. "This seems about right, actually."

"I still think it's weird. When did you start wearing cowboy boots?"

"Since we went to a boot store in Glendale and I thought making these could be fun," Emma replied. The night before the tour started, she and Taylor had gone for a walk after dinner and passed a Boot Barn. Emma hadn't wanted to go inside, but Taylor had played the nostalgia card and insisted.

"You made those?" Tree pointed at her shoes.

Taylor pulled one of her legs out from under Emma and stuck it out so they could all see her shoes. "She made me a pair too."

"Don't be jealous. I can make you some for the concert next week and we can all match and say yeehaw. I think it'd be funny to hear you say yeehaw."

"No, thank you." Tree made a disgusted face and shook her head. The phone in her hand chirped and she focused on whatever was on her screen. "Hearing you say yeehaw in your accent was funny enough."

Emma tried, and failed, not to laugh when Tree inadvertently said it. "You saying that just made my day."

"Taylor, I don't like your girlfriend."

"Fiancée," Taylor corrected.

"I don't like your fiancée. She's mean and annoying."

"Awe, thanks," Emma laughed. "I live to be insufferable."

Taylor sat the microphone down on the stage and moved Emma off her so she could lay down. She rested her head against Emma's chest and laid a long arm over her stomach. She leaned up and kissed below Emma's ear. "I think your boots and accent are adorable, babe."

"Okay! You have five more minutes before they need you backstage to get ready. We're going to meet you back there." Tree motioned between Andrea and herself. "Please remember this stage is for singing and not anything else that may or may not begin with the same letter."

Emma raked her fingers through Taylor's hair while the two women walked away, talking animatedly about something she couldn't hear. The midday sun was beating down on her exposed skin. It wasn't unbearably hot, but she wasn't going to complain when it got cooler later that afternoon. People moved around them, adjusting lights and doing various other necessary preparations that she couldn't see.

After what felt like ten seconds but was likely ten minutes, someone started to call Taylor's name. Taylor rolled off her and kissed her gently before disappearing behind the large backdrop of the stage. A few more minutes passed and the sound of people working around her got louder so she sat up and scooted off the side of the stage. It wouldn't be too much longer before the stadium opened the doors, anyway.