Shirtsleeves

Chapt. 20

Flashback

A young Taylor hustles around her bedroom in loose pajamas. Her long hair had only one side partially curled as she raced around in search of something. "Found it!" She exclaimed, as she walks over to her vanity set and sits down.

Her friend Lily appears behind her once again and laughs. "You're seriously a spaz sometimes." She comments, shaking her head. She takes the eyeliner Taylor just destroyed her own room for from her friends hand and sets it down. "Now sit still and let me do you're hair or else you're going to be late."

Taylor sighs heavily and sits up, looking straight into the vanity mirror as Lily now continues to finish her curls. "I'm nervous.." Taylor says shyly after a few minutes pass by. Lily offers a sympathetic smile and gently squeezes her friends shoulders.

"Stop that. Tonight is your first homecoming dance. You should be completely excited!" Lily comments and Taylor sighs hard. Another moment of silence passes between the two friends before Lily decides to speak again, "are you afraid because Karlie is going to be there and you finally told her how you felt?"

The blonde gulps hard. Tears could almost prick into her eyes but she doesn't allow them. She can't really speak, only nods. Karlie and Taylor have been inseparable best friends for three years now. And Taylor has always had feelings for her friend. Finally Taylor took the plunge and told Karlie a few days ago that she liked her, and that she wanted to be with her. Yet to Taylor's surprise, Karlie backed away. She didn't say anything, she only shook her head with sadness and left. And now Taylor hasn't heard from her since.

It's been three whole days.

And they've never gone this long without speaking. So now here Taylor was, doing all she could to keep her mind off of her blonde friend and trying to get ready for this homecoming dance. Except Karlie was supposed to be going with her, but she had a feeling that wouldn't be happening now.

"She hasn't spoken to me." Taylor says quietly as her eyes meet Lily's in the vanity mirror.

"Well, she's spoken to me," Lily says dryly, "but not about that."

Taylor shrugs that off. As much as it kind of hurt knowing Karlie was actually avoiding her she couldn't let it bother her anymore. After knowing each other so long, does Karlie think she's a freak? That their friendship has been some weird lie? Or that maybe she couldn't even trust Taylor anymore?

The last thought broke her heart the most.

An hour later, Taylor's hair is properly completed. Her hair reaches her mid back, and Lily curled it just right. So that it was still a bit straight. As her friend finally put the last touches on her makeup a ping of nervousness floated within her stomach. What till tonight hold?

"Okay hot stuff, go slip on that dress you haven't showed me! I'll be downstairs." Lily laughs as she gives a friendly squeeze to Taylor's shoulders. The younger girl sighs as her friend slips out of the room. Admittedly, she looks beautiful and Lily really did an amazing job with her hair and makeup.

She just wishes Karlie could see her.

She sighs and stands from her vanity set, only to mindlessly check her cell phone. And just like it has been, it hasn't changed at all. Taylor's phone was practically dry. She skims over Karlie's contact, considering calling again and probably leaving another voicemail, but what was the point? She made it clear that their friendship was pretty much over and that she didn't feel the same about Taylor.

Which made Taylor mad at herself. Why would she even risk that plunge? Did she really think that Karlie would say "oh okay, I like you too!" It was all wishful thinking and now Taylor was lost. Her best friend ignoring her and gone, and lily never went to these dances. So Taylor would be braving a school function alone for the first time in three years.