The Start Of An Age - Taylor Swift

chapter 13: questions, questions

~Karma~
My whole body was pounding. It felt like someone had run me over with an aeroplane. I didn't know what time it was when I woke up, and honestly I didn't really care. I was just glad to be back in this house. I missed it.

"Oh hey, you're awake again," said my sisters voice as I sat up on the bed, groaning. I looked around the dark room as my eyes slowly adjusted to the dim light. "Sleep well?" continued rep.

"Hmm.." I simply answered, still too tired to focus on conversation. rep chuckled quietly and looked at me.

"You want me to get you anything?" she asked and stood up from the chair she'd been sitting in. She smiled at me as she walked towards the door. 

"Uh.. I don't know, some water maybe?" I answered, and with a nod she left the room. 

She opened the door and was greeted by folklore who was standing there, her hand mid-knock. "Oh hey," said rep, "I was just going to get some stuff in the kitchen," she continued as she stepped out of the room.

"Oh alright, you mind if I talk to Karma for a bit?" answered folklore and I looked up at the mention of my name. Me and rep exchanged a short look before both encouragingly looking to folklore who came into the room. rep closed the door behind her and I was left alone with folklore.

"So, how are you feeling," she asked as she approached the bed.

"Like I was the only survivor of a plane crash and my whole body was burnt to a crisp," I answered with a sarcastic smile. She gave me a sympathetic look.

"I'm sorry, dear," she said. Something about that girl gave me the weirdest Little Women vibes. She was like something straight out of a 1800s based movie, it was actually freaky. She also seemed to know everything about everyone -including me even if I only met her once or twice- which was making me really uncomfortable for some reason. "Can I get you anything?" she continued, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"No thanks, rep is getting me some water," I answered, trying to be as polite as possible because this woman probably had the power to destroy my life in 3.2 seconds. I bet she knew all my secrets, I actually feared her, for real.

folklore nodded as she sat down at the foot of the bed. "So have you had the energy to leave the room at all?" she asked, looking around the room.

"Well I would..." I started, "but I'm really scared of 1989 seeing me..." folklore turned to look at me as I looked down. 1989 would hate me, more than she already did, if she found out what I did. I promised I would never do anything like it again, and the one time I'm in her house I do it. "I hate myself, why wouldn't she hate me too." I thought.

"Oh right, she told me about the promise," she said. She spoke slowly, carefully. "I'm really sorry you couldn't keep it any longer, but she is so proud of you, I know it."

I nodded slowly, smiling lazily. I hoped more than anything she was right. All I wanted was for my best friend to be happy, I never meant for it to go like this. If 1989 was proud of me I'd finally be happy again.

"So uh, you haven't left the room at all?" she continued. I looked at her again, more suspicious this time. "Please don't make this harder for me, I feel bad for asking already," she said, sounding genuinely upset about it.

"No, I haven't left the room," I answered, "Why, what happened?"

"You promise you haven't set a foot outside this room since I left?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Well..." I started, folklore giving me an encouraging look. "I did go out into the corridor, but only to kinda sneak into 1989s room...?" I said trying to make it sound better. folklore sighed and gave me an annoyed look. "I just wanted to make sure she didn't still have... something," I said. "Please, God, let this be over" I prayed as folklores eyes on me thinned.