yours sincerely, daisy. - taylor swift

10

The moment Daisy's name was called, it felt like time froze. She was aware of her castmates cheering beside her, of the applause swelling around the room, but everything sounded muffled, like she was underwater. The words Best Actress in a Leading Role hung in the air, but she couldn't quite believe they had been directed at her.

Her breath caught in her throat. This was what every actor dreamed of, right? The recognition, the validation. But as she stood, her legs shaky beneath her, she didn't feel the rush of euphoria she'd always imagined. Instead, there was a strange mixture of pride, disbelief, and nerves that made her stomach twist.

As she made her way to the stage, the spotlight followed her, blinding and hot. The room stretched out before her, a sea of famous faces watching her every move. But in the middle of that crowd, her gaze found Taylor's.

Taylor wasn't clapping wildly like everyone else. She was calm, composed, offering Daisy a small, almost imperceptible nod. There was something steady about Taylor's expression, like she had known this was coming all along. The sight of her, her confidence, her quiet acknowledgment, gave Daisy the grounding she needed.

By the time she reached the podium, Daisy's heart was pounding, but she managed to keep her hands from shaking as she accepted the golden statue. The applause eventually died down, leaving only the weight of expectation in the room.

She looked down at the award in her hands, its surface reflecting the lights overhead, before lifting her gaze to the microphone. This was her moment to say something profound, something memorable, but her mind was blank. All she could think about was how surreal it felt to be standing there, Taylor's eyes still on her, steadying her from a distance.

She inhaled deeply. "I—I didn't expect this," she began, her voice soft but carrying through the room. "I want to thank my incredible cast and crew, especially Wes Ball for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to grow in this role. Working on The Scorch Trials changed my life, in more ways than I can count."

There was a murmur of agreement from the crowd, and Daisy felt a little more at ease. She continued with her speech, thanking her family, her friends, and those who had supported her career from the beginning. But as she wrapped up, her voice faltered, and for a brief moment, she let herself acknowledge the unspoken truth that lingered between her and Taylor.

"And," she paused, her fingers tightening around the statue, "I want to thank everyone who's reminded me, even when things seem impossible, to keep going. To keep fighting. You know who you are."

She didn't look at Taylor directly, but the words were for her. Daisy stepped back from the podium, smiling tightly as the crowd erupted in applause again. It felt like a whirlwind as she made her way off the stage, trying to process everything at once.

Taylor had seen it coming. From the moment Daisy's name was announced as a nominee, she had known Daisy would win. She could see it in the way the room held its breath as the envelope was opened. And yet, watching Daisy up there, golden statue in hand, it stirred something in her.

Pride, yes. But also something else, something deeper and more complicated.

As the applause surged around her, Taylor remained calm, her hands coming together in a measured clap. She'd been through this before—award after award, speech after speech—but this felt different. It wasn't her moment, but it didn't feel like anyone else's either. It felt like Daisy's moment, but in a way, it also felt like theirs.

There was something unspoken between them, something that had been growing since the beach house, and Taylor wasn't ready to face it yet. She had always taken the upper hand, kept things on her terms, and she wasn't about to lose that control now. Not with so many eyes watching them.