Butterflies

Waking Up

I was startled awake by the ringing of my doorbell.

"Who the heck could that be?" I wondered aloud.

I looked at the clock and noticed that it was 11:35am. I hadn't meant for us to sleep the morning away, but we had stayed up so late. Selena was sound asleep on my leg. I slowly pulled my leg out from under her head, trying to not disturb her, but my efforts failed. She quickly sat up and looked around, and when she realized where she was, she calmed down and turned to look at me.

"Why did you wake me up?"

"Someone's at the door. Sorry," I walked out of my room to the stairs. I could hear Selena following me.

As I got to the door, my curiosity grew as to who it could be. I didn't remember ordering anything recently, so it couldn't be a delivery guy. I opened the door and saw Ed standing there. Suddenly I felt rather self- conscience standing there in my pajamas with my hair all messy.

"Ed! Hello. What are you doing here?"

He looked surprised and slightly embarrassed at the sight of me in my pajamas. Selena walked up behind me and looked at Ed.

"What, do you have some date you didn't tell me about?" she whispered in my ear.

"Shut up," I replied, lightly punching her. I could feel my cheeks flush.

"I... uhh... sorry is it a bad time? I just thought maybe we could write again today. I'm sorry I should've called. I can leave," Ed stammered and he turned to leave.

"No, Ed!" I called when he was half way to his car. "You can stay. We needed to wake up anyway. You can come in and eat with us."

How lame did that sound. Wow, Taylor. Real nonchalant.

He turned around and said, "Are you sure? I wouldn't want to impose on your whole..." He gestured at Selena and me.

"Oh, no. It's totally fine."

He walked back up to the house and I let him in.

"Hi Selena," he said, taking in her messy hair, smudged makeup, cami, and baggy pants.

"Hey. Sorry for looking like a mess," she laughed.

"Well, you can just make yourself at home," I said to Ed. "Selena and I are just gonna run upstairs and change and whatnot."

"Uhm... okay," he sat down on the couch.

Selena and I turned and went up the stairs to my room.

"What the hell are we supposed to do now? Chill with Ed? Way to make me the third wheel," Selena said when we got to my room.

"Oh come on, Sel. He can eat with us. I know we were having our

girl time and all but come can he please just stay?" I pleaded.

"I hope you know how much I live you," she laughed. "Of course he can stay. Just don't forget about your friends when you're in a happy relationship next month," she said, joking about that one relationship I had where I fell head over heels without thinking and shut out everyone but him for about a month and a half. That was bad, I will admit.

"Oh shut up. You know I would never do that again. And this is Ed we're talking about. I'm not even one-hundred percent sure how I feel about him yet."

"Whatever you say. I was kidding anyway. I need to leave. Can I just steal some clothes and a shower? I have to be to the studio in an hour and a half."

I glared at her. "You mean you just let me invite Ed in knowing that you were going to be leaving me all alone?"

"Taylor, what are you talking about? You'll be perfectly fine. This is Ed."

"You're totally right. This is only going to be an awkward afternoon if I make it to be."

"Exactly. So, I'll be in the shower, 'kay?"

"Yeah, whatever."

She walked into my master bathroom and closed the door, leaving me alone. I opened my closet and looked around for something casual to wear. I settled on a pair of jeans and a light Coca Cola t-shirt. I turned to the mirror and I was momentarily blinded by the sight of my own terrifying face. I had let Ed see me like that? I did my makeup and finished just as Selena walked out of my bathroom in a towel.

"Just need to get some clothes. Don't mind me." She walked across the room to my closet.

"Selena," I paused and sniffed, "Do you smell that? It smells like something's burning."

She walked out of my closet in a bra and some jeans.

"Yeah. What is that?"

"I don't know. The smoke detectors aren't going off. That's a good sign anyway. I'm going downstairs to check it out and make sure Ed is okay."

As I jogged down the stairs the smell got stronger.