Shirtsleeves

Chapt. 13

A lame elevator like tune plays repeatedly overhead. While Karlie skims through an ELLE magazine and taps her foot repeatedly on the generic tile floor beneath her.

Just as she's about to get deep in though about how weird this place smells, she feels a light familiar hand rest on her knee, asking her silently to stop. She looks up softly from her magazine and at the side of Taylor's emotionless face.

"You're tapping Kar, it's making me more anxious." Taylor comments dryly, still not removing her hand from Karlie's knee. The younger girl sighs and sets down the magazine, determined to focus all of her attention on the blonde next to her.

They've been sitting here for at least twenty minutes. It's been a few days since Taylor spent the night at Karlie's and she's seemingly been sorting things out on her end. Although they've spoken on the phone, Karlie hasn't been able to help the longing feeling she's felt since she's last seen Taylor. So when the older girl called yesterday to ask if Karlie would accompany to the doctors, she was quick to accept.

"Hey," Karlie comments softly, taking Taylor's hand in hers to get the blondes attention. Taylor slowly turns to fully face Karlie, something the younger girl wished she hadn't done, because the completely terrified look on her ex's face was one that could break her heart. "I'm right here, okay? You're not doing this alone Tay. This is the easy part." Karlie states strongly, in hopes to calm Taylor down.

It doesn't exactly work.

Taylor sighs heavily, "no, this is the part where all my fears and troubles get confirmed. This is the part where my sick brain becomes real, where it becomes documented and I become some patient that-"

Her rambling is shut down by a firm hug from Karlie. She squints her eyes closed hard, taking in Karlie's hug and finally allowing herself to relax into it. Taylor feels tears pricking, wanting to come alive but she holds them in well.

She's been holding them in for a long time, with the rest of her emotions.

Carefully Karlie slowly rubs Taylor's back, before parting to face her. She offers a small smile in some attempt of reassurance towards her ex. Even leaning forward to place a small kiss to Taylor's forehead, but that just being because she couldn't help herself. When she sees Taylor smile she leans forward again, this time placing small and quick kisses all over Taylor's face, causing her to laugh genuinely and push Karlie away.

"See chipmunk, you were ranting too much." Karlie begins as she smirks knowingly and leans back to her seat. "You're going to be just fine. This doesn't define you. You're depression or any form of mental illness will never define you. Only you can decide who you are."

Taylor smiles hard and blushes slightly. Inside her heart pounds hard, having Karlie around again made her feel some kind of wonderful. She hadn't realized how much they equally distanced themselves in the past year. Now being together with some months apart felt new again. She liked the experience, and adored the unconditional support and advice from the one person she can always trust.

"I feel like chipmunk is the new princess for me. Too bad for you I kind of like it." Taylor giggles and rubs her thumb lightly on Karlie's hand. Unfortunately as soon as her smile appears, it fades yet again. "I'm just really scared. I know I'll have a lot to go through trying to get better. It's not going to be easy." Taylor adds sadly.

Karlie tilts her head and seems to study Taylor. The older girl can tell that this was her way of studying Taylor, it's what she's always done. And it never fails to make her blush and feel nervous. She knows how deeply she's messed up, and now all she wants to do it better herself, and eventually make them better again.