Broken Records | Tayley

Chapter 27: September 16, 2015

*Flasback to 2 years prior*

Taylor's POV

The air was crisp as I walked into Frothy Monkey, the familiar warmth of the café wrapping around me like an old friend. It had been a while since I'd seen Hayley in person, and the anticipation of catching up brought a small smile to my face.

I spotted her almost instantly, tucked away in the corner by the window. Her bright orange hair was impossible to miss, even in the dim light filtering through the overcast sky. She looked up as I approached, and for a moment, the weight of the past few weeks seemed to lift.

"Hey," I said, sliding into the seat across from her. "It's good to see you."

"You too, Tay," she replied, her smile soft but not quite reaching her eyes.

For a while, we just talked like we always did—about music, life, and the usual stuff. It was easy, comfortable. But I could sense something underneath it all, something she wasn't saying. It was in the way her eyes kept drifting toward the window, her thoughts clearly elsewhere.

"How's L.A. treating you?" I asked, hoping to pull her back into the conversation.

"It's okay," she said with a shrug. "But things have been... a lot lately. The band, Chad... it's all just kind of overwhelming."

I nodded, waiting for her to elaborate, but she seemed hesitant to dive deeper. Instead, she turned the conversation back to me. "What about you? How are things with Baylie?"

The question caught me off guard, and I felt myself tense slightly. "It's complicated," I admitted. "We've been hanging out more lately. It's not serious, though. Just... I don't know. It's not like it used to be."

Hayley gave me a knowing look, the kind only a best friend could give. "Taylor, you're not the type to mess around. Are you sure you're okay with that?"

I sighed, leaning back in my chair. "I don't know, Hales. It's just easier, I guess. No expectations, no pressure. But you're right—it's not really me. I'm just trying to figure things out."

She reached across the table, her hand warm and comforting. "You'll figure it out. Just don't settle, okay? You deserve the real thing."

Her words hit deeper than she probably realized, and I found myself wondering what exactly that 'real thing' was for me.

The conversation shifted back to her, and slowly, she began to open up more. She talked about Chad, about the fights that seemed to be happening more often than not, and how drained she felt from it all. "It's like I'm always trying to hold everything together, and I'm just so tired, Tay. Sometimes, I wonder if it's all worth it."

Hearing her like this—it was hard. Hayley was one of the strongest people I knew, but even she had her limits. I leaned forward, trying to catch her eye. "What do you mean?"

She sighed, her gaze dropping to her coffee cup. "I've been thinking about quitting the band. Maybe just... starting over. I don't know. Maybe I should start a family, focus on that instead."

The words felt like a punch to the gut, and I had to remind myself to breathe. "You really think you could walk away from everything you've built?"

She shrugged, but it was more of a defeated gesture than anything else. "I don't know. Chad's been pushing for us to start a family, and maybe that's the right move. I just... I'm tired of fighting. With him, with Jeremy, with myself."

I could hear the doubt in her voice, the uncertainty. It didn't sit right with me—none of it did. Hayley was only 26, still so young, and it felt like she was being cornered into making decisions she wasn't ready for yet.

"Listen," I began, choosing my words carefully. "Whatever you decide to do, I'll always support you, despite my objections. If you want to leave the band, I'll stand by you. If you want to go solo, I'll be there every step of the way. And if you decide you just want to write music for yourself, not even release it to the public—then that's what we'll do. We'll write together. Whatever makes you happy, Hales. That's what matters."

She looked at me then, her eyes searching mine, and I could see the gratitude in them. "You really mean that?"

"Of course I do," I said, my voice steady. "Your happiness comes first, Hayley. Always."

For a moment, the weight between us seemed to lift, and she smiled—a real smile this time, one that brought some of the light back into her eyes. But even as we moved on to lighter topics, talking and laughing like we used to, I couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted.

And that's when it hit me. As I sat there, watching her laugh at some stupid joke I made, the realization crept in. I was in love with her. I didn't plan for it, didn't expect it, but it was there, as clear as day.

But one thing was certain: no matter what, I'd be there for her. I'd support her in whatever she chose to do, even if it meant keeping my feelings to myself. Because Hayley's happiness mattered more than anything, even if it meant I had to let her go.

As the afternoon wore on, we wrapped up our conversation, neither of us wanting to leave but knowing we had to. We hugged as we always did, but this time, there was something more in it—something unspoken.

And as she walked away, disappearing into the bustling streets of Nashville, I knew that this day would be etched into my memory forever.

It was the day that I realized I was in love with my best friend.