All We Know Is Falling - A Tayley Fanfiction

Chapter 6: crushcrushcrush

The realisation floods over me. Everything that my life has been for the past year has been a complete lie. I realise now all the times I've tried to hide it, all the times I've tried to tell myself that Chad is the one for me, but he knows that he doesn't love me, and I don't really love him. He's been a good friend, but for so long I've needed something more.

My mind takes me back to a moment that has stood out for me for a while...

I sigh. "You guys...? Chad can't come today...again..."

This situation has happened so many times before, but this time it's one too many. I was so looking forward to going out for dinner with my favourite people in the world - my husband, and my band.

Jeremy and Taylor turn to look at me, the latter with genuine sorrow for me in his eyes.

"Hayles, it'll be ok. I'm sure he's just got some band stuff to clear up, and he'll be with us next time. Cheer up, it's not the end of the world!" Jeremy smiles weakly, and Taylor shifts a touch closer to me.

After a second, a blush on his face, T looks at me again. I notice his bashfulness, of course, but pass it off as natural shyness. Slowly, his smile widens, and he pulls my curled-up frame closer to himself, and then onto his lap.

"After all," he says, almost whispering, "You've got us, and we're all you need."

With that, he lifts me up in his strong, strong arms and spins me around, with Jeremy laughing nearby. I'm laughing too - it only ever takes a couple of words from Taylor to make me laugh. He stops eventually, his eyes shining, and I'm a little out of breath from giggling.

In the moment, there's only one thing I can do.

I nestle my head into his neck, snuggling into him, happy and content. Normally if I'd done this he would sit down again and remove me from him, but today there's something different in the air. Cautiously, he rests his chin on top of my head and pulls me into him. Jeremy's bored, and is sat texting Kat, his wife, in the corner. We both smile contentedly, and when we break away and he sets me down, it's reluctant on both ends.

We spent the rest of the afternoon rehearsing songs, adding new twists and different effects. For some reason, I was creative than I had been in a long time that day. We joked around for all of it, but I caught Taylor looking at me many, many times. He had that same shine in his eyes, and his smile was so sincere and perfect. I could tell instantly that he loved me. I just always thought it was as a friend.

Of course, my evening was perfect. Jeremy brought Kat along, and it was absolute heaven spending time with three of my favourite people in the world. The second I met each one of them all those years ago, I knew that we would just click, and that was exactly what happened. Jeremy told stories from when the band had just begun and I was barely out of diapers, and Taylor reminded me of all the times I'd ever done anything wrong on tour. It was so casual and normal, and yet it made me feel incredible. It made me feel like I was worth something. I miss that feeling.

I smile at the thought of such a joy-filled day, but my eyes well up once again when I remember that all that and more is now burned to the ground. Looking up at Taylor, I see that he's plucking a beautiful melody on his guitar - one that I've never heard before - but when he sees me beginning to cry, he stops and turns to look at me.

"Taylor..." I whisper, "We've got no one now. It's just us against the world."

"Well, wasn't it you that said that nothing compares to a quiet evening alone?"

I smile half-heartedly.

"So...is us being alone together...really such a bad thing?"