Kaylor: The Timeline

Chapter 14.2

August 4, 2014

"I feel like shit," Karlie mumbles, shielding her eyes from the sun as she stretches out on a lounge chair by the pool.

"That's what you get for drinking so much," Kimby replies easily, flipping through a magazine beside her in a similar chair.

"It's not that. I didn't have that much to drink. I swear it's the food I've been eating," Karlie replies.

"It probably is," Kariann says, sitting on the edge of the pool and swishing her feet in the water. "Bodies are sensitive. A sudden change in diet can make people feel really sick. Also, after a while of not eating something your body stops making the enzymes and bacteria it needs to break down the food you don't eat anymore. You've basically been eating a bunch of different foods you never eat anymore, and your body doesn't know how to process it."

Karlie closes her eyes, doing her best to ignore her headache as she tries processing what Kariann has said.

"Nerd," Kimby says to fill Karlie's silence.

Karlie sighs, not having her usual energy right now to defend Kariann.

"Where's Taylor?" Kariann asks, ignoring Kimby's comment.

"She said she'll be down soon, she was just getting changed. She takes forever," Karlie replies, just as there are sounds of whooping and arguing from her younger cousins, making their way down to the pool for day two.

Kimby and Kariann quickly get up and retreat closer towards the fence surrounding the pool, and before Karlie can even wonder as to why they did this, two consecutive splashes of water soak her legs as the two older boys jump into the pool. Karlie flinches, the water colder than the temperature she has gotten used to while sunbathing, and before being able to shield herself, Matty begins unloading a squirt gun on her from the safety of the pool.

"HA HA!" he laughs, sounding smugly triumphant.

Karlie sighs and drops her hand to her sides, saying, "I guess I'm going swimming today, then." Shaking her head, she tells them all, "I'll be right back," as she leaves to get changed.

As she climbs the stairs to the porch and enters the house, she smiles to her mom and Kristine as she walks through the kitchen. She twirls her damp hair as she climbs the steps to the second floor, thinking she will have to wipe up the trail of water she has most likely left behind her.

"Hello," Karlie says, walking into her bedroom and spotting Taylor sitting on the bed. Before she closes the door behind her, she does a double take, realizing Taylor is wiping at her face in a panic. "What's wrong?" Karlie asks immediately, quickly walking to the bed side in long strides. Her heart froze in her chest on realizing that Taylor was crying, and it just about crumbled to a million pieces realizing she's been up here alone crying.

"Nothing, I'm sorry," Taylor replies quickly, shaking her head, unable to meet Karlie's stare as she continues to wipe at her face.

"What's wrong?" Karlie asks again, as she sits beside her and puts an arm around Taylor.

"Nothing, seriously. It's nothing," Taylor insists, taking a deep steadying breath, doing her absolute best to compose herself.

"Did Tree call?" Karlie asks, knowing with her track record it's sure to be her best guess.

"No," Taylor says, along with a small, dark laugh.

The contracts. "Did I do something?" Karlie asks cautiously.

"No, Karlie," Taylor assures her, meeting her eyes for the first time. "You're...no."

"Then what's wrong?" Karlie asks softly, ignoring the slight flood of relief she experiences.