Are We Out Of The Woods Yet?(A Taylor Swift Adoption Story)

Oh my! what a marvelous tune

Amara's POV
It's been twenty two hours and fifty eight minutes exactly since Taylor left for New York. On a much less serious scale, Adam also left for L.A this morning.

I miss Taylor.. I really do, and I'm trying my best to adjust to this situation. Andrea has been watching me very closely as if she thinks I'm going to break down and sob or something. Sure I'm upset, but it hasn't gotten to that point. I'm trying not to give her any reason to call Taylor, and so far it's working.

I guess I really haven't been able to think about Taylor leaving because I've been so busy. The cool part about this tutoring thing is that it's mostly independent work. I do most of the learning on a laptop and Yvette swings around everyday for three hours to answer questions. This is awesome because it means that there is no limit on how much I'm able to learn in a day. In an attempt to distract myself yesterday, I kept on working even after Yvette left and I managed to get a good ten hours in before I was stopped by Andrea.

Needless to say, this is pretty awesome. Yvette just left about an hour ago and I've decided to not do any more schoolwork today.. No. I'm going to focus on something else.

Yesterday I was exploring the house when I stumbled on Taylor's music room. In New York I was never really allowed to go in, so imagine my surprise when I find out that there's one in Nashville!!

There are an assortment of instruments here and songbooks and notepads litter the floor. I discovered this room yesterday and I fully plan to use it.

On a whim, I've decided that I'm going to learn to play the guitar in the time Taylor is gone, but I don't want anyone to know about it. I have two weeks to become at least proficient, and I want it to be a nice surprise for Taylor when she gets home.

My only obstacles to this plan are three people: Scott, Austin, and most importantly Andrea who as I've already stated, watches me like a hawk.

But..I think that problem may have been solved. I'm supposed to be watched by Austin as Andrea and Scott have to work from 6am to 6pm, but after discussing this with Austin yesterday, we've both secretly decided to throw that rule out the window.

This means that I'm home alone from 6am to 6pm which gives me a good amount of time to practice. Austin didn't exactly want to be burdened with babysitting a six year old, so it literally took no persuasion whatsoever.. I just had to promise him that I wouldn't leave the house or use the stove.

As I turn the hallway to the music room I can't help but squeal in excitement. Of course I could've simply asked to be let into this room, but there's something about sneaking around which makes everything a lot more fun. It's like an extra little challenge.

I finally reach the door at the end of the hallway and I quietly twist the knob, gasping at the sight before me. I have to admit, Taylor really knows her instruments. Directly in front of me sits a bedazzled sparkly guitar and a plain wooden one which I immediately grab. Towards the corner of the room sits a beautiful glossy piano and some songbooks and notebooks are littered across the floor; precisely in the way I left them yesterday. The whole room is perfectly soundproofed which means no one will be able to hear me practice.

This is simply incredible. I frown at the instrument I've picked up and pluck one of the strings. The guitar responds with a "twang" and I have to laugh.

Amara.. Focus.

I grab the laptop I brought along with me and place it on the floor. Setting the guitar down, I head to google for instructions on what to do. After about an hour I'm exhausted. There is so so so much to learn!! Today I've decided to focus on just learning the basics and there are a lot of them. The guitar has to be held a certain way, there are different parts to the guitar, the notes have names, etc.

This is way harder than I originally thought. I had wanted to maybe learn a complete song today, but there is no way that I'm going to be able to learn the notes and memorize a song. Switching tracks, I head to YouTube and punch in "playing the guitar for beginners". Time to start learning..

YouTube doesn't disappoint and I end up just playing and figuring things out until I decide to pack up at 5:30pm. As I clean up the mess I've created, I notice a persistent throbbing pain in my right hand, and looking down I wince.

My finger pads are bright red and obviously calloused. They also hurt so so bad. Did I do something wrong? Is that why this happened?

After a quick Google search I figure out that normally, guitarists use these things called guitar picks to minimize the callouses. I can't help but groan. Ugh.. That would've been great to know four hours ago.

Putting the wooden guitar back on the stand, I grab my laptop and walk out of the music room. I need to get back to the kitchen asap and set everything back up so it looks like I've been studying this whole time. I have to say, recreating a scene is way easier when your fingers don't hurt every time you pick up something. I need to do something to fix my aching fingers..and fast.

As per usual, a quick google search answers my question and I set off to find a bowl and some Aloe Vera cream. Filling the bowl with ice and water, I stir in a little cream and dip my hand into the frigid creamy mess.

The pain goes away almost instantly.

I'm so wrapped up in my thoughts that I don't hear the door opening or heavy footsteps leading to the kitchen until a voice startles me out of my reverie. As I open my eyes I gasp at the figure in front of me, anxiously trying to figure out a good excuse as to why my hand is in a cold bowl of water. To my utmost surprise, Austin decides to talk first.

"So Amara do you wanna explain why you have your hand in a bowl of water and aloe vera? Orrr why the door to Taylor's music room is wide open?"

Austin smirks at me as if he already knows the answer, but how can he? He must see my expression get more defensive because he hurries on to say his last sentence,beaming as if he's just solved some great mystery:

"Teffy(Taylor) did that when she first started too.. so do you maybe want to explain what you were doing playing the guitar in her music room? AHA!!That's why you wanted me out of the house isn't it?"

I nervously smile at him as I process what just happened.

It can be summed up in two words;

I'm busted.