Sweet Tea and Gods Graces

3

Taylor's favorite time of year has always been fall, she was about to start 5th grade, but before school started she was soaking as much time with Annie as possible, they were going to different schools now, Annie starting middle school and Taylor still in elementary. She couldn't lie, she was nervous. Taylor wasn't exactly popular, she was quite the opposite actually. Annie, Austin and her mom were her only true friends.

With just a week left until school started, the two young girls had another one of their sleepovers. Taylor has noticed that Annie was being a little weird lately, she was being super shy around Taylor and being extra nice. Annie was always nice to Taylor, always, but lately she's been a weird kind of nice.

Earlier in the day the kids played a round of uno with Elenor and Mike.

"Uno!" Taylor shouted excitedly.

As the game circled the table, Mike having no cards had to pick up, once it moved on to Elenor, she placed a +4 card on top of the deck, making it Annie's turn. Annie had plenty of cards, in fact there were plenty of opportunities where should could have put cards down, especially some that would cause Taylor to lose. She didn't play those cards, even now knowing Taylor had uno, she didn't stack her +4, because she knew Taylor would have to pick up 8. Instead, she simply pretended she had no options and she picked up 4.

Taylor was lucky enough to have the color that Elenor had picked, and she placed it down before yelling "I win!"

"Good job Taylor!" Annie congratulated. "Do you guys want to play again?" After a mutual agreement for another round, Mike dealt the cards.

"I'm sorry you lost." Taylor leaned close to Annie. "Maybe this time you'll win."

"I didn't lose." Annie responded.

"Uh yes you did." Young Taylor look at Annie like she was crazy.

"No, if you're happy I never lose." Annabelle clarified. Taylor felt a blush come to her cheeks, unsure of how to respond she decided not to. That was just one example of Annie's weird niceness.

Now, the girls were sat on the bed, staring out the window, the leaves were just beginning to change, they always enjoyed watching that. Taylor was telling Annie about some songs she's written, and Annie was telling Taylor about her piano lessons and how Taylor should try learning.

"It's so pretty." Annie said as she watched the orange leaves on the tree in the front yard. Taylor was looking at Annie. Taylor had noticed something strange about Annie over the last couple of years, and that's that her best friend was prettier than every star in the sky, every orange leaf on the tree, every cloud they'd watch. Taylor has always thought that Annie was the most beautiful thing.

And Taylor has thought that for as long as she can remember.

As she's less than month from 24, she's sat on the couch in the Millers house watching the Thanksgiving parade. She comes every year since it's the family tradition, and every year she's hoping for Annie to walk through the door. She hates what she did to the brunette girl. Annie never comes though, and maybe one year Taylor will understand that, but until then, she sits in the home she spent half her childhood in, bouncing her leg, checking the door, biting her nails.

Everyone else is there, Jude and Austin are in the living room with her, the parents are in the kitchen. And just as she's about to text Annie, to wish her a Happy Holiday, she hears the front door open. She stands up faster than ever, and just stares.

"Hello?" Annie's voice travels through the room, Taylor hears the footsteps, her palms are sweaty and she's raking her brain for any sentence. She just needs to form one.