a/n: reader's the redhead. let's pretend that taylor is a designer 🫶🏻
the start
it all started with the first day of middle school. i was a new student, i didn't know anybody. i didn't talk to anyone for the first few days, but then i saw her in english class. it's a weird thing, feeling like you've fallen through the rabbit hole but didn't end up in wonderland. i ended up in loveland instead. it's a cringe thing to say, but that's what i felt when i first saw her.
she had this thing that just pulled me right to her desk... maybe it was her red fiery hair, or her emerald green eyes, or the way her eyes light up when she smiles- i don't know. all i knew is that i ended up being friends with her. best friends, even.
the love story
it was the last day of our junior year in high school. everyone was excited to go home, to spend the summer in the maldives or the bahamas, but i wasn't. because i knew that i'd be gone by the end of summer. i hadn't told her anything. not about my feelings for her, or about leaving, either. i didn't want to hurt her. why would i? she was my best friend. my person.
...
i was at my locker, cleaning it and bringing the things inside home. she walked out of her spanish class, approaching me with a question i knew i couldn't answer without lying.
"so, what do you think we should do this summer break?" she asked me with that stupid smile of hers. "oh.. i don't know.. a trip to the maldives?" i laughed at my own stupid idea. she scoffed and said, "as if we had the money."
"yep." i sighed. "any other ideas?" she asked me. "nah, not really. i don't have anything to do this summer." lie. i did. i had to pack my things and move out. "uh.. guess we'll do the every summer tradition?" she closed her locker and faced me. "guess so. it's a tradition, after all." i smiled.
y/n and i created this one tradition during the summer break back in middle school. every first day of summer break, we'd go to the beach and have a picnic there. we'd talk about the things that has happened and laugh ourselves to tears. after that, we'd either go back to her house or mine and have a sleepover. the next morning, we'd go back to our own houses and wait until the last day of summer break to do the same thing.
we promised to never break the tradition.
...
first day of summer break, i was awaken up by the sound of y/n's voice mimicking shakespeare.
"riseth and shineth, mine own lief tayl'r. t is me, y/n. i has't cometh to bid thee yond t is the first day of summ'r breaketh!" she lounged herself at me. "you bitch!" i screamed as i felt her weight on top of my lap, straddling me while tickling my stomach. "y/n- i swear to god if you don't stop-" my words were cut off by my own laugh. "y/n- stop!", "alright, alright-" she finally stopped tickling me.
just as we stopped laughing, esther seemed to be holding something back. not long after, she burst out laughing. "i- i can't! i'm so sorry-" she kept on laughing, and i couldn't help myself but to laugh along with her. this is what made me fall in love with her. her precious laugh is the best sound i have ever heard.
"okay- okay- if you don't stop laughing, we're never getting to that beach." i pushed her away from me, getting up to the bathroom. "hey, are you gonna shower?" she asked me. "yeah...? why?" i scrunched my eyebrows, confused. "oh well, i need to shit first. my stomach hurts from all the laughing." she said unseriously. "y/n! just use the guest bathroom, i need to shower.", "i don't want to, your bathroom's better. it smells nicer and the lighting isn't creepy." she shrugged her shoulders. "fine! be quick or i'll kick your ass 'til you can't even shit anymore."
