An Enchanted Night

25*The Conversation

Abigail is steering Taylor away from the stage, the two intertwined by their elbows. Taylor tries to crane her neck to glance back, spotting Adam still on stage, tangled in Benji's arms. Taylor brings her focus back to Abigail as she continues to gush about her performance.

"That was so good, so good, so good!" Abigail shouts, twirling her and Taylor.

"Thank you," Taylor whispers, overcome with disbelief. She'd really gone up there and sung. And not only that, but she'd sung an original. That she'd just wrote in her head. That basically confessed her crush on Adam. To Adam.

"And don't think I've forgotten," Abigail teases with a grin, "I plan on having a serious conversation about that thing that happened on the stairs."

Mention of having a serious conversation triggers Taylor's own plans for driving topics. "Okay," Taylor promises Abigail and herself, determined to speak up for herself like Adam suggested.

Their shoes pound against the gravel as they speed-walk to the purple sedan. Taylor vaguely recalls they said their goodbyes to Selena and crew, but she's still in too much shock to really remember it. Abigail was set on getting out of the parking lot before it got jammed, talking about not wanting to waste gas sitting idle with the car running.

They reach the car and Abigail releases Taylor, quickly fishing the keys out of her bag and punching the unlock button. She's opening the door and sliding in before Taylor even makes first contact with the door handle. Taylor ducks into the passenger seat, amazed at Abigail's swiftness.

"Wow, you really mean business, huh?" Taylor chuckles as Abigail begins to back out, already buckled.

"Oh yes," Abigail giggles back, "now buckle up before we hit the highway."

Taylor does as she's told and sneaks a quick peak out of her window, searching for a particular set of green eyes. There are a ton, none belonging to Adam.

"Looking for someone?" Abigail wiggles her eyebrows, getting her car positioned in the steadily growing line.

"I guess you're ready to talk now, huh?" Taylor laughs, a genuine, loud laugh.

"Hey, I've got nothing but time," Abigail gestures ahead, to the waiting line of cars blocked by pedestrians.

"I met motorcycle guy tonight," Taylor admits.

"Really, hmm, is that what you were up to when you disappeared?"

Taylor turns in shock to look at Abigail, "You noticed?"

"I'm not dumb, of course I noticed," Abigail says, offended. "You're my friend."

"I didn't mean to imply that, I swear," Taylor rushes out. "I just thought I'd snuck off pretty quietly."

"Why did you sneak off, anyway?" The car moves forward a little, and Abigail turns to face Taylor once the car is stopped again.

"I'm going to be honest, okay?" Taylor tests the waters. Abigail nods, a little confused, and waits for Taylor to continue. "I needed a break."

"A break?" Abigail panics, "from me?" Taylor notices her friend is gripping the steering wheel tightly.

"Sort of," Taylor answers honestly, causing Abigail more panic. She hurries to avoid any unnecessary trauma on Abigail's behalf. "But it's my own fault, for not being an honest friend."

"I'm confused," Abigail draws her brows together. "What did I do?"

"Nothing, nothing, I swear," Taylor brings her hand to her forehead, rubbing it. She's stressing, because this isn't going smoothly. "What I mean to say is, that I never told you how sometimes I get anxiety, and by sometimes, I mean a lot. Especially when talking about myself, or tons of people are around."

"Like tonight," Abigail realizes, shame filling her eyes.

"Yes, yes!" Taylor confirms, turning in her seat and softly touching Abigail's tense arm. "But I never told you. I never mentioned how sometimes I need the conversation to be directed away from me. That I like to listen, in large groups. And I really hate talking about myself."

"I'm so sorry," Abigail instantly blurts, tapping her thumb against the wheel to ease her nerves.

"It's my fault, really, for assuming you'd get it without me saying anything. And then getting upset when you didn't," Taylor removes her hand and brings it back to rest on her lap. "Because you couldn't have known, obviously," Taylor attempts humor.

"And then I basically forced you onto that stage," she says in horror.

"I needed to do that, and I'm glad I did. Sometimes I need a little nudge. I'm just saying that other times, I don't. And from now own I'll do my best at helping to inform you about which I need," Taylor smiles softly.

"I'll do better to ask you how you're feeling," Abigail agrees, the two of them sharing a nod.

Neither of them say anything more for a bit, listening to the near-silent hum of the radio. Taylor returns her gaze to out her window, searching again. Just as she remembers that Abigail never got to hear the rest of her story with Adam, she spots him, taking brief glances at the faces he passes. The purple sedan is seconds from turning onto the highway when he looks back at her, too. Taylor sees him grin, then wink. 

He disappears as Abigail asks, "Do you smell chocolate?"