Chasing Shadows (Jaylor Fanfiction)

Wolves

January 26th
Two Weeks Later
Taylor Swift's Point of View
I walk inside the front door and toss my purse on top of a piano as I walk into the studio. I disregard the fact it shouldn't be there and sit down on the bench. My fingers move across the keys as I sing quietly to myself.

Remember when you hit the brakes too soon?
20 stitches in a hospital room
When you started crying baby, I did too
But when the sun came up I was looking at you
Remember when we couldn't take the heat?
I walked out, I said, I'm setting you free
But the monsters turned out to be just trees
When the some came up you were looking at me

You were looking a me. Ohhh

My voice cracks as I feel my throat suddenly tighten and become short. I lose control of my breath and I stop to breathe. You would think after doing this for 20 years, things like this would no longer occur but it has been happening a lot the past couple months. I'm not sure if it's just age or all the stress that's been pulling on all my body, maybe it's cause I didn't warm up. Yeah, I didn't warm up properly...or at all.
I sigh and leave the studio, bringing my purse with me. I grab a cup of tea and just sit down at the kitchen table trying to rid myself of my thoughts and everyday stressors. One of my stressors walks into the room and sits across from me. I don't exactly know if he's a stressor or a life saver.

"Hey." Joe says to me with a small grin.

"Hey. Do you need something?" I ask. We haven't been on the best of terms lately so I don't understand why he would just sit down with me.

"I just wanted to check up on you. How did the doctor visit go?" He asks.

I went to the doctor today. I have this cough that just won't go away and I've had a hard time with breath control while singing which is unusual for me. I've always had good breath control. "He said it was just hay fever and I have nothing to worry about. He just prescribed me a heavy antihistamine to hopefully help me feel better."

"So nothing serious?"

"Nope. Just allergies. It doesn't explain the weight loss though."

"Olivia has been pretty stressful to deal with. The stress is probably making you lose weight. Everything is a little chaotic."

"A little? More like never ending painful chaos. You're probably right though. I have nothing to worry about. It's always just a little scary you know? You google your symptoms and suddenly you're gonna die in a month."

Joe laughs a bit before speaking. "That's why they tell you to not google your symptoms."

"I know. So, how are you doing?" I ask him.

"I don't know. I want to be a good dad and I'm trying to make Olivia happy, but I feel like I'm failing her still."

"Sometimes you have to play the bad-cop. I can't be the bad-cop 24/7. She needs more discipline."

"I know but I'm technically her stepdad. Kids tend to not like stepdads so I feel like I have to treat her well 24/7 or she'll hate me."

"You're not her stepdad. You've been her real dad for a decade. She called you her dad when we weren't even dating. You would have to work hard for her to hate you." I smile slightly and look up at him.

"Thank you. To be honest, I think the reason she hates you so much is because you guys are so similar. You both are teenage moms, you take a lot of risks, you guys can be a little controlling. You aren't afraid to express who you are. You know she listens to your music in secret and she also has a little diary like you had growing up. It's like you two try and fight to be alpha male but it'll never work. You left which makes her angry, it makes her feel like she should be head of the household and you're undeserving. You think that even if you were gone, it doesn't matter because you're still older and the parent. It's your house and she should follow your rules."