Saving Swift

Chapter Three

I stared at the sky, watching as fluffy white clouds drifted through the blue sky. They had no worries, no hurt. When they had things built up, they just let it out... in rain... and everyone loved it. Why couldn't I do that? Why, when I had things that had built up, I couldn't just let it out like rain without everyone criticizing me? Taylor, stop comparing your life to the life of a cloud. A cloud... is that even living? I thought to myself as I shook my head, moving away from the window. 

Brrriiinnnngggg. My phone rang and I walked over to the counter and picked it up. 

"Hello?" I answered, setting my coffe cup down. 

"Good morning, Tay," my mom's voice came through the speaker, "Meeting in an hour, remember?" 

Crap. I forgot. "Yeah, Mom, I'll be there," I said before hanging up. 

I ran upstairs to get ready, dressing myself in a bright sundress and heels before slipping on a cardigan and grabbing a bag. I headed back downstairs, Meredith getting up and following me. 

My phone beeped with a text from Aria.

Aria: starbucks?

Taylor: later, I have a meeting. How about 2 PM?

Aria: see you then, Tay, have fun at your meeting!

I smiled, it was nice to finally have someone. Someone to talk to. Granted, it wasn't exactly voluntary on how this whole thing came about but it was the best thing that seemed to happen. Aria was amazing. So kind, nice, amazing, beautiful, I wondered how a girl like her could be so sad when she was so beautiful. 

I stopped in front of a mirror and looked at myself. I saw a tall, lanky, awkward girl who seemed to know where she was going but actually had no idea. She had blonde hair and blue eyes, nothing special. Her clothes didn't look like they fit right and her hair was slightly out of place. There was a slight pudge of fat.... Taylor, stop. I told myself, You will not think about those things now, not now. You have a meeting you have to go to. 

I took a deep breath and turned on my heel, grabbing my car keys and exiting my apartment, locking Meredith in behind me. I took the elevator down to the lobby and stepped out onto the tile floor, heels click-clacking on the tile. 

"Have a good day, Taylor!" the person sitting at the desk (I wasn't quite sure of their official profession since they seemed to do an odd arrangement of things) waved, smiling. 

"Thanks, Sarah," I replied, grinning back at her. 

I stepped out into the warm Nashville air, suddenly dark clouds had appeared overhead, providing an ominous looking sky which threatened rain. I made my way to my black Toyota and got into the driver's seat, turning on the radio. 

"And now, number one on the top forty, Taylor Swift's We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," I smiled and turned the volume up as my recorded voice began the first verse. 

"I remember when we broke up, the first time," I sang along in perfect unison as I drove to Big Machine. 

I pulled to a stop in my reserved parking spot (Yes, I have a reserved parking lot, it makes me feel special okay?) and went inside to the meeting room. Everyone seemed to be waiting for me. I laughed, thinking of the picture my fans would always tweet when I was late to an award show (which was every time). It was from the Princess Diaries movies and had the quote "A queen is never late, everyone else is simply early." 

I sat down in my seat and opened a bottle of smart water--I was addicted to the stuff. 

"So, what's up?" I broke the silence, resisting the urge to spin around in my spinny chair (swivel chair if you want to be more professional). 

"We think you should have more security," my mom told me and I almost spit out my smart water. 

"What? Why?" I asked, looking at her. 

"People seem to be getting more... obnoxious," my new publicist, Tree Paine, told me, sighing. 

I took a deep breath, I didn't like security. I understood I had to have some but a lot seemed unnecessary and security often stopped fans from meeting me, which I hated. Like, calm down, do you really think a sixteen year old girl with glitter in her hair is going to kidnap me? 

"Obnoxious how?" I asked, carefully choosing my words. 

"Aggressive," my mom said, "Taylor, we've seen your Twitter notifications, it's not pretty. And the people that have been running up on stage lately? What if people start to think it's okay to do that? What if someone who really wants to hurt you believes they can get away with it?" 

I sighed, she was right of course, I just hated to have such an... an entourage traveling with me, it made me seem stuck up. And they were mean to the fans. The fans always came first. 

"You're right, but, can't we just get new security? Better security? Not increase the numbers?" I asked, taking a sip of my smart water. 

Everyone in the room regarded me carefully, as if they were talking to a child. 

"All right," my mom finally said, "We will get you new security. Just... be careful, okay?" 

I nodded, "Will do! Love you!" I kissed her on the cheek and ran out of the room. 

I drove to Starbucks and as I was getting out of the car, a huge crack of thunder echoed through the sky, sending shivers down my back. I entered the warm cafe and ordered my usual skinny vanilla latte before settling down in a chair. 

A few minutes later Aria sat down across from me, holding a cookie. 

"How did your meeting go?" she asked. 

"We're getting new security," I told her, sighing. 

"That makes sense," she said, popping a piece of cookie into her mouth. 

"I don't like it, security is so mean to fans," I said. 

"They're just trying to keep you safe," she countered. 

"Yeah, yeah, you're right." 

"How are you otherwise?" she asked. 

"I'm doing better, now that I have you," I told her truthfully. 

She smiled, "Good." 

"How are you?" 

"Over the moon," she told me, smiling slightly. 

Outside, it started pouring down rain, thunder accompanying the raindrops that fell to the ground. 

"Crap. I didn't bring an umbrella," Aria muttered, sighing. 

"I can take you home," I told her, "I don't mind." 

"Really? Thank you!" she leaned back into her chair, relaxing. 

"Don't need you getting wet, now do we." 

We sat in silence for a few minutes, but not that uncomfortable-what-should-I-say silence. The nice, easy, comfortable one. The one we were both content with. 

"Let's go," I said after a while, "Don't want your parents to worry." 

She nodded, standing up and throwing what was left of her cookie away. We ran through about five seconds of rain before diving into my car. I drove her home, the car ride being mostly silent. 

"See you later," I said as we stopped in front of her house. 

"You can call me anytime, talk to me about anything, just remember that," she told me before turning and running into her house. 

I smiled, watching her disappear. She was so nice. I drove home, lost in my thoughts. Suddenly, headlights appeared. Bright, white, lights that suddenly came closer and closer. I screamed, obnoxiously turning the steering wheel until I luckily got out of the way. I heard several honks before I drifted onto the side of the road, shaken up. 

A/N: FINALLY UPDATED. So sorry I've been MIA, I just haven't had any time to really write. Um, I hope this chapter is a little longer... I don't really know where I'm going with this... haha. Thanks for reading!