Karlie was beyond tired from New York’s fashion week alone. Although she’s used to it, it doesn’t make it any less tiring. She walked in at least two shows everyday for the past five days. She gradually walks less as each year goes by. Before she would walk at least seven shows everyday for the whole week, but now that she’s created a name for herself she does not have to walk every show that would cast her.
Today is her first day off and then tomorrow she’s off to London to settle in for the night because the shows start the following day. Coincidentally today is also the Grammy Awards. She knows Taylor will be attending, obviously, and she planned to catch the show via television at night.
Karlie actually really wants to see Taylor because once she departs for London; she’ll be over there for the next three weeks for Milan and Paris too. It’d be useless to fly back to America for a day and then fly back.
Karlie looked at her clock and it read 7:34AM. It was a Sunday so she doesn’t have work, but she suppose she could go get a facial and then go to the gym.
Just as she was about to get up her phone rang indicating that she got a text; it was Derek.
Hey hun, any plans for today? – Derek
No. I was just going to relax today then watch the grammys. – Karlie
How about we one up that and you come to an after-party with me? – Derek
Karlie guffawed. She can’t even deem the lack of planning ridiculous. With the lifestyle she’s been living since high school, improvise is more than natural for her now.
Maybe I’ll run into Taylor… Karlie scoffed at her own thought. She couldn’t help, but to feel rather pathetic with how much she wants to see Taylor again.
What would I even wear?” – Karlie
I got you a Donna Karan LBD. It’s fun and flirty. Make-up artists and hairstylists ready to work the minute you land. – Derek
Karlie laughed. Derek had this all planned out.
On my way – Karlie
Karlie booked a flight at 9:00AM so she’d get there around 3:00PM and thanks to time zones, it’ll be 12:00PST when she arrives. She didn’t need to pack since she already has a carry-on ready at any given time. She got up, washed up, dressed, and out the door by 7:50AM and she’d just have to rush through check-in and hop onto her flight on time.
***
“Hey Karls,” Derek greeted her sweetly at the entrance of LAX.
“Oh hush, you put me through a damn headache today and it’s barely started.”
Derek chuckled, “You act like this is out of the ordinary.”
“Touché, but you owe me breakfast.”
“Fair enough! Off we go.” Derek said and offered her his arm.
***
At 5:00, Karlie’s hair was done and her make-up was halfway done. The after-party wasn’t till 9:00 so she has plenty of time.
She turned on the TV and watched the award show as the make-up artists applied her foundation.
***
Karlie walked the after-party carpet with her arms wrapped around Derek’s. She knows that Taylor would be attending this after party too because the singer was texting her throughout the day, but somehow still clueless to the fact that Karlie’s in LA and attending the same after-party as her.
Karlie associated with a few familiar faces and when she saw Behati with Adam, they talked for a longer while. But after an hour, she grew bored at not running into Taylor yet and the singer just stopped texting her around the start of this after-party too because she can’t be caught on her phone while walking the carpet.
Karlie was standing at the bar, waiting for her fourth martini when she received a phone call from Taylor.
“Hey babe, how’s your after-party?” Karlie asked sweetly.
“Karlie…” Taylor let out shakily. Upon hearing the shakiness of Taylor’s voice, Karlie immediately felt a knot forming at the pit of her stomach, “I’m sorry, you sound busy.” Taylor continued upon hearing the booming music on Karlie’s side.
“No, not at all! Baby, what’s wrong? Are you okay? Where are you?” Karlie began bombarding her with questions as she left the bar to a quieter area.
“It’s kind of stupid…” Karlie could hear her trying to hold her tears in.
“You can tell me whatever you feel comfortable with, okay?”
“It’s just that all these jokes made to ridicule me is adding up and they’re starting to get to me. I’ve been doing so well at ignoring the media, but all the interviewers that interviewed me tonight wasted no time to take a jab at me in anyway they can and I’m just so over it. I wanted to just have fun tonight with the amazing artists there, but I couldn’t take it anymore so I left. ”
At this point, Karlie was already in a cab on her way to Taylor’s LA home.
“Sweetie, I know it’s so difficult to maintain a tough exterior and not let them get to you and believe me when I say, it’s okay to break down. I’m here for you. I will listen. I’m sorry there’s nothing more I can do, but trust me if I can sucker punch those interviewers, I would.”
Taylor chuckled at that. Karle’s warming her heart up like a ray of sunshine and is already helping her take her mind away from the nasty rubbish the media put out.
“Karls, I wish you were here… I know it’s only been a week, but I miss you already.”
Karlie’s lips immediately curled up at Taylor’s confession, “I miss you too, Taylor.”
“Hey, I’ll call you back in like two seconds.” Karlie said then hung up. She’s arrived at Taylor’s house now and she paid the cab and made her way toward Taylor’s house.
She knocked a few times before she heard some rustling in the house and assuming Taylor looked through her security system and saw Karlie there, the locks were frantically opened and a confused Taylor greeted her.
“Karls… How are you here…” Taylor asked slowly, trying to process how in the world Karlie went from New York to LA during a short phone call. Karlie couldn’t help, but to notice Taylor’s tear-stained cheeks.
“You said you wish I was here so your wish is my command.” Cheesy. Hella cheesy, but Karlie couldn’t think of anything else.
Taylor immediately rushed into Karlie’s arms and placed her face on Karlie’s chest. Since Taylor was barefoot and Karlie was wearing heels, their height difference was more evident. Karlie had her arms wrapped around Taylor when she heard muffles coming from the shorter girl.
Karlie let go of Taylor before moving her hands to cup Taylor’s cheeks to wipe her tears away. “Babe, why are you still crying? They’re not worth all these tears.”
Taylor shook her head. “No, it’s not – I’m not -,” Taylor was struggling to make coherent sentences. Karlie was unreal. She’s like a prince(ss) charming straight out of a fairytale. No one has cared about her like this; no one has gone out of their way this much just to make her feel better about herself.
“Hey, hey. Say what? We can make some of those life hack, ridiculously unhealthy snacks that BuzzFeed’s always making videos of, then we can eat them, watch some movies, and completely put behind all these jackasses that are nowhere near worth your time.” Karlie finished with a peck to Taylor’s lips.
Taylor cupped Karlie’s face to deepen the kiss. Karlie kicked off her heels and leaned in with just as much force.
“You” kiss “are” kiss “seriously” kiss “unreal.”