Protecting Taylor

Chapter 11

I was frantically putting the finishing touches on my apartment since Taylor is coming over today. She'll think it's crappy, but she won't admit it. I understand since she's used to living a life of luxury.
The other bodyguards said they could handle getting Taylor to the car and I should meet them out front. It made me nervous that I wasn't there to make sure she gets out if her apartment okay. I've seen suspicious things, but there haven't been anymore attacks since the night Taylor and Adam left the restaurant. My phone buzzed,
"We are a block away," Sam, Taylor's head bodyguard texted me.
I hurried down the fire escape. It's not my choice of living, but it still embarrassed me. I walked down the alley and not even a minute later I saw the black SUVs pulling up. After glancing at the license plate I approached the car. I knocked on the tinted window and Taylor knocked back signaling that she was ready.
I opened the car door and a few passerbys stopped to check out what the commotion was about.
"Hey girly!" Taylor said.
"Hey."
"That's Taylor Swift!" Some guy said and held his phone up to take pictures.
Taylor smiled and waved to the people and followed me.
I lead her into the alley. She grabbed my arm.
"Is there another entrance?" She asked. The discomfort was obvious in her voice.
"No. Sorry." I said.
"It's okay." Taylor said and kept ahold of my arm.
I gave her a small smile and she mustered one back. Her heels clicked against the pavement as we reached the stairs. As we climbed the stairs Taylor kept a hand wrapped around my arm and the other tightly wrapped around the rail. I unlocked the door and opened it, allowing Taylor to go in first.
"Do you want some water?" I asked Taylor, trying to be a good host. I locked the door.
"No thanks." She said placing her sunglasses on the counter top.
Taylor took her heels off and left them by the door.
"Are you ready to pack?" She asked trying to sound excited about being in my apartment. I kind of felt bad for her.
"Sure." I laughed.
I lead her into my room.
"Ow." Taylor said softly and she tripped over a piece of peeled up flooring.
"Oh god. I'm so sorry about that!" I said.
"It's okay."
"Is your foot okay? Sorry, I forgot to tell you there's a few places like that to watch out for."
"Yeah, I'm okay. Don't worry about it." She reassured me.
I flipped on my bedroom light.
"I've got the suitcases set out already." I said.
"Okay. Lets start with pajamas." Taylor said.
I opened the drawer I kept them in and pulled some out.
"Bring, like, 3 pairs." She said.
I pulled out three sets of the pajamas.
"Okay, do you want to bring a robe?"
"Nah." I said.
"Alright. Now lets get you some clothes picked out. We will want to wear comfy clothes on the plane and we can change before we land in Tokyo."
"Alright, so like leggings and a sweat shirt?"
"Yeah." Taylor opened my closet door and looked through the clothes. She pulled out a black and white striped dress.
"This will look cute for the arrival at the airport." She said and laid it on the creaky bed.
She pulled out all sorts of clothes before she moved onto shoes.
"We will do some site seeing the first day and then some sound checking. The show is going to be huge."
"That sounds good." I said.
"The hotels been booked and I'm staying in the biggest room there. It will be a couple rooms actually. I was thinking you could stay with me since there will be two bedrooms. Is that okay?" She asked.
"Yeah, that's fine."
"Great!" She said and began to pack my makeup.
"You've probably stayed in lots of hotels, right?"
"I usually camp out or stay in motels." I said.
"Oh, well hotels are nicer than motels. You'll love staying in a suite! Well have room service and all the works."
"What's your favorite place to visit on tour?"
"Probably Australia. The fans are so intense there. I love it! What about you? Do you have a favorite place to visit?"
"Not really. It's always just business."
"I can't wait to take you to all these different places. You'll love it."
"Yeah." I said and folded clothes up.
We sat in a comfortable silence for a while before Taylor spoke up.
"My parents are super excited to meet you. So is my brother."
"Really?" I was honestly shocked.
"Yes." she laughed before continuing.
"They will be flying with us. Sorry I never mentioned it before. It kind of slipped my mind since having you around is so natural now."
"Don't worry about it! It's your family after all."
"Thanks. They are going to be around a lot. My mom is usually at every show. I think you'll like her. The fans do."
"I think they like anyone that has anything to do with you." I joked.
"True, so what about your family?"
How was I supposed to answer this? My dad was an abusive drunk, my mom died of cancer, and my sister is dead because of me.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked that." Taylor said guiltily.
"No, no it okay. They aren't around." I said quietly.
"I'm sorry." She said and pulled me to her for a hug.
I awkwardly patted her back and she finally pulled away.
"You know if you ever want to talk about it, or anything really, you can always come to me."
"That's very sweet of you, but I'm okay." I gave her a small smile.
She pushed a stand of hair behind my ear and gave a a sad smile.
"Tell me about your family." I broke the silence.
"Well, my mom is really supportive and she like my best friend. I mean all my family is supportive, but my mom will do anything for me. My dad is protective and he likes to joke. Then there's Austin who's got my dads humor and mom's compassion. I couldn't be happier." Taylor said.
"Is Austin older or younger than you?" I already knew, but I was trying to make conversation.
"He's younger. A lot of people think he's older, but he's not."
"Your family sounds really great, Taylor." I said.
"Thank you. They will truly love you."
"Maybe." I said.
"What's not to like?" She asked.
"I don't know. Everything I guess."
"What do you mean? Alex, you are a hero. You've got a beautiful heart."
That's the nicest thing anyone has ever said about me.
"Wow, that's nice of you to say." I said.
"It's true. Don't cut yourself short."
Taylor started telling me a story about the cats this morning as we finished our packing.
"Do you want to go to lunch? Or I can make you something at my place." Taylor said.
"It's up to you." I said.
"We'll there's this new place that's like a bread and soup thing. Do you want to try that?"
"That's fine." I said.
"Great! Lets get the bags to the car now. I'll get the other bodyguards to help out."
"I can get them." I said.
"There a lot here and they are heavy and you're going to have to carry them down the fire escape. I don't want you to fall or anything" She worried.
"They can fall too." I laughed.
She laughed with me and texted the other bodyguards. They met us at the door and each of them took two bags (there were 10 bags). I locked the door and we made our way down the stairs a few minutes later to give the others time to get everything put in the back of the SUVs and hands free incase people got too rowdy.
I glanced at a group of three guys standing near the backside of the fire escape. They were in the midst of a drug deal. I didn't want to say anything about it and scare Taylor though.
However a few seconds later she seen it.
"Oh my god, is that a drug deal?" She asked with wide eyes.
"Yeah, don't worry about it. Just don't say anything about it and they'll leave you alone."
"Okay, that's crazy!"
I laughed at how innocent she looked witnessing the minor crime.
When we climbed into the car that's when I saw Taylor relax. I felt bad that she didn't feel safe at my house. That was a strange feeling for me. I think I'm starting to really care about Taylor as a person instead of a job.

Taylor's POV
I was laying in bed watching some TV when Adam called from California.
"Hello." I said.
"Hey babe. How was your day?" He asked.
"It was good how was yours?"
"Great. I got a lot done today and I worked with a good group of people."
"That's great!"
"How's Alex and the cats?"
"Good. Everyone is good. I went to Alex's place and helped her pack, it was interesting."
"A good interesting or a bag interesting?"
"I mean Alex was still herself, but it's the apartment. I don't think she's safe in that neighborhood."
"Why?"
"Okay for starters the only way to get into her apartment is by using the fire escape. The windows have boards on them, and I watched a drug deal happen!"
"Woah! Where does she live?"
"Just a few blocks from me."
"Have you ever seen that part?"
"No. Adam, I'm really worried about her."
"I think she'd be able to take care of herself." Adam said.
"I know she's trained and stuff, but she should be able to sleep easy at night and not have to worry about her place getting broken into."
"What should we do?"
"I don't know. Maybe I can convince her to move in with me. I'll tell her it will be easier with touring."
"Good idea. Is she excited about Tokyo?"
"I think so. She's never been on a vacation."
"Does she not have a family? "
"I asked her what they were like and she got really quiet. I told her I was sorry for prying, but she was like, 'it's okay they just aren't around.'"
"That's sad."
"I know. I just wish I could help her."
"I know baby, but there is only so much we can do."
"Yeah, I know, but I just can't let this go."
"I love you so much."
"I love you too."
"I'll talk to you tomorrow. Sweet dreams."
"Good night."
I have to help her. Some how I will help her.