A Place in This World - A Taylor Swift Adoption Story

Am I Dreaming?

May 26, 2023

Rose's POV

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After the chaos that was surprise songs, Taylor and I dived in together. We zoomed under the stage to the changing rooms, where Taylor quickly changed into her bodysuit, boots, and the t-shirt dress. "Hey, I know this was just a trial run, but you did great. There's a bodysuit if you wanna come up during Bejeweled," she told me, smiling as she walked towards her entrance spot. "Don't forget what we practiced for Mastermind either!" My in-ears still had the metronome (AKA Kam's counting) as I walked over to the dressing room. Miss Andrea was there now. She smiled at me.

"You going onstage again, sweetie?" I took a deep breath. I wasn't really sure if I was up for more time onstage. What if people started saying stuff about me again? And what if the Mastermind stunt didn't go well? I guess Miss Andrea saw my worry, because she immediately started comforting me. "Oh, no sweetie, don't worry about it if you don't want to."

When I met Miss Andrea, it was in Tennessee. She had been told by Taylor abut me being backstage, and volunteered to stay with me instead of being out in the public.

"Rose, kid, this is my mom," Taylor said, moving aside so I could see her. "She's going to stay with you. I know you said you didn't like staying at Cardi's place, so I thought you could stay here and watch the show." I smiled and waved, looking down at my book and marking my place.

"Hi, I'm Andrea," her mom said, walking over and extending her arms for a hug. I shyly got up from my chair and extended my hand instead, and I saw her eyes show a flash of hurt, then understanding. She seemed like a great mom, because she put her arms down and her hand in mine for a crisp handshake. I changed my mind and hugged her after that.

Also, the reason I didn't like Cardi's place is 'cause of her husband or whatever he was. He was really weird.

Anyways, Miss Andrea stayed with me for the most part, leaving a couple of times for the bathroom, and once to go collect bracelets. She got me a couple, and I was smiling ear to ear, watching the show from a TV in the room.

Back in New Jersey/York, I decided I would go onstage. I shed off the 1989 two-piece and Andrea helped me step into a bodysuit. It fit perfectly, and was a little wider for more modesty. I didn't wear a garter, but the boots were still high, and the tights covered some of the scars I had. Andrea touched up my makeup and smiled. "You look amazing. Are you ready? She's about to start Vigilante." She didn't finish the song name. I'm guessing she doesn't like cursing. I nodded, adjusting the boots.

She walked me down to where I would be rising up from. "Rose rising," I heard the MD (that's what Andrea told me Taylor called him) say in my in-ears, and Taylor hummed an "mhm" into the mic during an instrumental break. Again, I could hear the stadium go crazy as I rose up. I made sure my in-ears were in, and I could see Taylor light up as I walked next to her for Bejeweled. The dancers walked past me with their chairs, and I stood next to Kam and was dancing my heart out. When the freestyle time came, Kam shoved me out, and I just boogied my heart out, ending with a split. All the nervousness I had faded away when Taylor and I strutted to the beginning spot of Mastermind. In the darkness, Taylor hugged me, and the lights stayed off for a bit. "Rose, you're singing the bridge, per Taylor's request." I took a deep breath, making sure to remember the lyrics, then got in position with Kam. The song started and as the seconds and beats passed, the metronome switched to clicking, and the bridge was coming up. When Taylor did the falling dominoes thing, I stepped towards her, terrified of what I was about to do. Taylor smoothly handed off the mic to me as the MD's cue for the bridge clicked, and I started. The lyrics flowed out as I let out my shy voice into the mic. As the words spilled out, my voice rose and the shyness went away, being overcome with confidence. Not only that, I did my own little twists to the lyrics.