Make You Smile

Down Under.

June 24th.

Taylor's P.O.V

Steph and I were lying on her bed escaping from the midsummer heat. It was just like old times.

Steph was chatting incessantly and telling me how very much in love with her boyfriend she was. She seemed really happy and that made me happy too. I was glad that after so long apart everything between us was just as it was before. I guess that was what having a real friend meant. Time and distance had no meaning.

"So I hear you and Mark are hooking up again."

I blushed.

I'd forgotten how innocently blunt Steph could be at times.

"Yeah...a little."

Steph laughed.

"Yeah right! Anne told me allllll about it. You've been um...making up for lost time...so I hear." She said with a raised brow.

I laughed and shoved her lightly.

"Well ok yeah. So we're sleeping together. A lot. What's the big deal?"

Steph raised her hands in surrender.

"Nothing at all. Just you know-"

"Be careful. I know. It isn't like last time. They're thinking of touring Australia soon if they can get the money together. So I guess I'm just trying to see as much of him as I can until then." I said with a sad but proud smile.

"Australia?! Wow. How soon?" She asked her eyes wide in surprise.

I sighed.

"Like a few weeks. But it's really expensive to get there. This other band offered to pay their tickets...But you know how they are about owing money and stuff... Mark isn't even excited about it like he normally would be. He won't even let me talk about it with him. I don't get it. I mean Australia. It'll be so exciting! They'll have so much fun-"

"But you won't be there and by the time they get back you'll be back in England again. Just like last time." She said.

I frowned.

"What about it?" I asked in confusion.

Steph laughed at shook her head.

"Oh God you really are still so innocent. The reason Mark is acting like that is obvious. It's cause he doesn't want to leave you again."

I sighed. I'd feared that but I'd hoped it was just nerves on Mark's part about going so far away.

"You really think that's it?" I asked.

Steph nodded.

"Positive. He's still in love with you. You're still in love with him. Its obvious. This is why you should have been careful." She said patting my arm sympathetically.

I put my head in my hands swallowing down the lump of emotion in my throat. Would saying goodbye to Mark ever not suck? Would there ever be a time where I didn't have to say goodbye?

"Being careful isn't an option with him. No matter how hard we try it's like impossible."

"So what are you going to do?" She asked.

"I need to talk to him. And make him see how amazing Australia is going to be. Without me."

Steph pulled me in for a hug.

"You can't just find a nice British boy to fall in love with? That'd be a lot easier than doing this all the time."

I laughed and shook my head as I held her tight.