Shirtsleeves

Chapt.30

3 days later.

Taylor sips at her hot coffee as the busy sounds of traffic and light music flood Karlie's apartment.

She has the windows opened to shed some light on their situation. It's been a rough few days and she needs all the positivity she can get. She sifts calmly through the morning paper and hums along with the tune before she's interrupted by a knock on the front door.

"Come in." She smiles shortly as she turns her head to see the door open and Kendall coming through. "Hey Ken." She greets, as the younger girl returns a smile and joins her at Karlie's kitchen island.

"How are you doing?" Kendall asks immediately as takes a seat across from the blonde. Her face is riddled with worry and she's very obviously and openly studying Taylor for any sign of sadness.

"You don't have to look at me like that, I'm okay." Taylor says softly with a small smile.

"Your face doesn't look it."

"I know." Taylor sighs, setting her coffee down and putting her full attention on the girl in front of her. "I meet with Mr. Johnson in four days and I absolutely cannot fuck it up, this meeting is huge. Although I don't even know what it's about. Which is why I asked you to stop today."

Kendall looks Taylor over once more and nods, encouraging her to continue. "I'll do anything I can."

Another smile from Taylor, "do you think you can cover this up?" She asks with a short laugh as she points to the massive bruise on her face.

Kendall cringes at Taylor's open acknowledgement of her injury but tentatively reaches up to touch her face. She gently holds Taylor's jaw with two fingers and lightly turns her head side to side to evaluate the mark.

Finally she lets Taylor go and gives her an encouraging smile. "I'll try my best."

And so she did. Because two hours later Kendall had put the finishing touches on Taylor's face, and you almost couldn't tell any damage had been done.

"Maybe I should've gone into makeup." Kendall mumbles sarcastically as she sets away her blenders and products.

"Never too late. Get away from all of this craziness." Taylor comments in a small voice as she looks into the hand held mirror at Kendall's work.

Kendall pauses and turns slightly, looking Taylor over before returning to putting her stuff away. "I wouldn't want to be anywhere else if I'm honest with you." She comments lightly, her lips purse as she feels Taylor next to her turning to face the younger brunette.

"What do you mean?" She asks.

Kendall sighs, "I mean, Karlie is my absolute best friend. The one person I can't believe I didn't get to meet sooner. I don't like being away from her. And you haven't let anyone see her in three days. Yet I also very much appreciate you as well, as a boss and friend. I've come to admire you."

Taylor nods neutrally. "You haven't seen her because she's been going through withdraw. One of the worst withdraws she's ever gone through. Drinking and consuming so much in such little time, and then quitting cold turkey is awful. She's having a hell of a time. But if you want to see her like that, go right ahead." She responds smoothly.

Nobody moves for a moment, Kendall hadn't even realized exactly what's been going on here. She just knows Karlie is having a hell of a time physically, and Taylor's having one emotionally. However, she accepts the offer. And after she puts away all of her products, she moves past Taylor and heads directly into Karlie's bedroom.

It was a mess.

The room was pretty much grey, no light seeping through like it had been throughout the rest of the apartment. Karlie was propped up by her pillows but she was completely out of it. Kendall could tell just by looking at her that these past few days have been awful.