I am your summer

Part I - TAYLOR - Chapter 1

Author's Note:

Hello friends! I am back with another story. I hope you like this one. No actual knowledge of basketball is required to understand it. I tried non-linear storytelling for the first time, so please give feedback! Thank you for reading.

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Hindsight is 20/20. Taylor has always known that saying, but now she understands it. No, she really gets it now. She looks back at last summer, and at all the little things that connect it to this summer.

Really, it had all been Cara's fault. Had Cara not gone home early, Taylor would have known what she was getting herself into. Or she would have stayed out of it. In any way, she wouldn't be about to face the probably most embarrassing moment of her life. It had all started with one night, one summer ago.

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"Cara is taking so long ..." Taylor said and glanced over her shoulders to the general direction of the restroom.

She looked back at Todrick when she couldn't see her friend in the crowded bar. "I hope she's okay? She didn't drink too much, right?"

Todrick heaved a sigh and drank a sip of his beer. "She will be fine. Don't worry so much, Taylor. She's probably making out with a hot woman right now and not even thinking about us." He chuckled.

Taylor groaned. She wanted to say something when she saw Todrick's eyes go wide and hastily glanced over her shoulder again. Sure enough, Cara was approaching their booth in a fast pace. She was holding her hand to her chest.

"What-" Taylor jumped up and met Cara halfway.

Cara chuckled, but couldn't hide the pained expression on her face.

"I knew something was wrong, I should have come looking for you" Taylor mumbled and inspected her friend's hand.

Her index finger was blue and swollen, and there was a little bit of blood coming from a superficial scratch.

"What did you do this time, Cara?" Todrick asked, having gotten up as well. His tone was not nearly as worried as Taylor's. He could see that his friend and colleague was still standing and breathing alright, and had only gotten into one of her far too regular minor accidents.

Cara winced. "Long story. I was in the restroom, and there was the hottie I danced with earlier, remember her? Anyways. We ended up making out but we didn't lock the door to the stall so someone came in and then slammed it shut and my hand was in the way."

Taylor let out a long breath. Of course. How Cara. "You need to ice this ASAP."

Todrick didn't say anything, but the way he was obviously trying to hold back his laughter said enough.

"I'm going to ask for some ice at the bar, then I'll take you to the ER." Taylor was already moving when Cara held her back at the hem of her shirt with her good hand.

"Taylor. I would love some ice from the bar, and maybe a glass of tap water. But I don't need to go to the ER. I'll just go home. I kind of have a headache right now anyways. The girl practically ran out as soon as we got caught and left me there with my throbbing hand, and I've had enough of people for tonight." She said it with a grin, but there was also a hint of exhaustion in her voice.

"I don't want to ruin your night. You never go out. Stay here with Todrick, please. We can get lunch together on Monday and catch up."

Taylor looked her friend up and down, then sighed. "Fine. But you promise to call me and go to the ER if it gets worse?" She furrowed her brows.