Renegade Revival

Chapter 4: Illusions

Taylor's POV

"Let's go to that coffee shop by your place," Veronica suggested as she, literally, dragged me out of the house. I heaved a sigh, knowing she was a caffeine addict.

"What's up with you and that damned cafe?" I chuckled as I gave up on resisting Veronica's pulls.

"They have good food, the best coffee and teas, and they have free wi-fi," she explained for the billionth time. I rolled my eyes as I caught up to her to walk next to her.

"Sorry, all I heard you say was Starbucks, Starbucks, and more Starbucks," I teased. Veronica nudged me playfully.

"It's a cheaper Starbucks," she giggled. I snickered at her as she pulled me into the cafe.

"You are something else," I chuckled, taking a seat at a table.

"You've got your journal, so you shouldn't be bored," she vexed, sticking her tongue out at me.

"Yeah," I sighed, looking down at the blue notebook Hayley told me to write in. I haven't written anything in it since I last found it, which was about a week ago.

"What do you want, Taylor?" Veronica asked. I looked up at her for a moment with a half smile. Veronica smirked and shook her head. "Out is not an option," she giggled, reading my mind. I gave a playful pout.

"Fine," I huffed. "The usual. Coffee and a muffin." Veronica nodded, then disappeared into the crowd by the counter, leaving me alone at our table. I opened the blue journal as I pulled out a pen, thinking about what to write.

"Hey," a familiar voice said. The voice poured chills down my spine. I hesitated, then looked up, finding someone standing in front of me. She wore a fitted band shirt of The Cure with a leather jacket and black jeans.... Just like Hayley. Her eyes were a hazel that could easily be mistaken as emereld. They sparkled with interest; her lips were painted red and formed into that half smile.... Just like Hayley. But Hayley was dead. Hayley is dead.

"Uhm, hi," I managed to choke out through a dry throat. The familar woman smirked just the same way as Hayley once did.

"Oh, don't pretend like you don't know me," she scoffed. I studied her, confused, shoked, but most of all... unsure. She couldn't be Hayley. Hayley is dead.

"I... uhh--"

"Taaaylooor," I heard Veronica sing. The familiar stranger and I looked over at her, finding Veronica balancing a cup of coffee, a cup of tea, and two muffins. I looked back at the stanger, finding many questions in her tear-coated, hazel eyes.

"Taylor?" she tried, studying me. "Taylor, it's me." Even her voice shattered the same way Hayley's did when she was about to cry.

"I-I don't know you," I forced myself to say, though something in me told me I did. I wasn't sure what it was or who she was. The stranger bit her lip, trying to keep herself from crying.

"Taylor, you do know me," she whimpered. "It's me. I'm okay."

"I don't know you," I repeated. "I'm sorry, but I don't know you." The stranger studied me, tears swelling in her hazel eyes. She finally did break as tears started to fall down her familiar face. Without anymore words, she ran off, sobbing into her hands.

      Veronica sat across from me as she passed me my coffee and muffin, her face a picture of confusion.

"Who's she?" she asked. I shrugged as I took a sip of my coffee. I felt a cold pang in my stomach. Maybe I did know her. Maybe that stranger wasn't a stranger.