the stars in your eyes | t.s. one shots

first dates suck

oh hiiiii! this is me asking you to send me requests for one shots because i have a long haul flight next week and want something to write <3 that's all, now here's a cutie one shot for you all x 

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Taylor's hand is clutching the stem of her wine glass. She's hoping that the Sauvignon blanc will act as some sort of liquid courage. She needs that tonight, as she looks at her phone, propped up against a vase of flowers on the table. Right now, it feels like the walls of her apartment are closing in on her. And conversely, Keleigh's face lights up the screen, a massive smile on her face.

"I'm so excited for you," she says. "I can't wait to hear all about it."

Taylor's face is not smiling. And it's quite red, as the matter of fact. Her stomach is all twisted in knots as she thinks about the imminent evening plans that are marked in her calendar. "I don't think I can do this," she says. "He really likes me, Kel. I'm going to ruin him."

The other girl rolls her eyes. "God, you're ridiculous. You aren't going to ruin him."

Taylor looks down, suddenly inspecting her cuticles. "I ruin all of them." Her voice is so muffled that Keleigh can barely hear the words. 

"Tay. Seriously. You're not going to ruin him. He knows what he's getting into. He pined after you with the cutest grand gesture, and you should hear what he was saying about you to Miles the other day. He is so excited to finally see you in-person."

"I think this is a bad idea," Taylor blurts. "I mean, I've got enough people in my life. I've got so many people who are so special to me. I just... I have the best friends in the world. You've all shown me that over the last couple of months, and it's just gone and made us even closer. I feel like... when I was with Joe, I felt so distant from all of my girlfriends because I was so isolated, and I don't ever want that to happen again. I don't think I'll ever be able to let him become my favorite person when my friends are so great, and it's not fair to him to know that from the beginning and still let him try."

Keleigh sighs, and then there's a silence. There's a steady buzz of the city in the background, the honking of car horns and the humming of the air conditioner. It's a sound that usually comforts Taylor, reminding her that she's in the big city living out her wildest dreams. Today, though, the noises seem taunt her.

Keleigh doesn't want to say the wrong thing, so she takes a moment to formulate her words. "Tay... being in a relationship is not a replacement for your friends. It never will be. That was the problem with you and Joe. He was trying to make it into that, wanted to be your whole world. But you know that we've all got your back, whether or not you have a guy in your life. If it goes well, it could be an addition into this brilliant new world you're creating, mending those wounds from the last few months, but the right guy will never be a replacement to all of that. Right now, though, it's just a first date. You deserve to go on a really great first date with a guy who really likes you and has put all of the effort that Travis has into planning it. No matter what happens next, I know it's going to be a great date." 

Taylor takes another sip of wine. She feels the sensation as the liquid moves through her mouth and down her throat. The woman licks her lips and revels in the burning in her throat from the alcohol for a moment. "First dates suck."

"This guy is all you've been talking about for the last few weeks. You like him. He likes you. You know you can keep a conversation, so you've got nothing to lose."

She knows that Keleigh is right, but Taylor's stomach is in knots. Part of her wishes, more than anything, that he'd text her up right now and cancel. Say that his presence has been requested at an emergency football practice in Kansas City or something. But of course, that's not going to happen. Travis is too great of a guy for that. He's already in New York and he'll be on her front doorstep this evening, come hell or high water.