It's a love story?
Chapter 1 Taylor crazy!
I felt so free! So liberated! I never knew I could feel like this. So carefree! And without even trying! I was just thinking that I was going to have to do this more often when my world came crashing down around me. Well…more like the front door crashing open.
"Please tell me you are not dancing around the apartment like a lunatic to Taylor Swift again" my roommate Alice said as she walked in the door. "It's just not healthy. I realize that you think you can relate to her song lyrics, but trust me Bella, you are not 'fifteen'" she told me as she shut the door behind her and threw her purse (designer of course) and jacket (also designer) to the ground and threw herself onto the couch and threw her face into her hands.
Well there goes my good mood. I realized that something was wrong with her and quickly came down from my Taylor Swift high and sat down next to her on the couch. Alice was my best friend and we had been together through thick and thin. Usually it was me that always needed comforting, so I was shocked to say the least.
"Alice what's wrong?" I asked as I gently rubbed circles on her back. I didn't really know what else to do so I was just doing what she always did for me.
"I found out today that I lost the auction on ebay for that beautiful cashmere sweater!" she cried. "I was going to wear that to my date on Friday night! I can't believe this happened to me!"
I could not believe what I was hearing. Was she really sobbing over a sweater? On ebay? Really? And she makes fun of me for listening to Taylor Swift.
"Alice" I said, "I don't really know what to say right now".
"I know! It's so horrible! I can't believe this is happening to me!" she exclaimed again.
I knew she was completely serious as she was crying in frustration, but it was an absolute joke to me. She never ceased to amaze me when it came to fashion. I knew only one thing would put her in a good mood right now and it was something that I dreaded. But I was a good friend. So I said it.
"What if we went shopping and found you something else to wear on your date?" I asked cautiously. She slowly moved her hands from her face and looked at me, her smile growing wider by the second. The next thing I knew I had small arms squeezing me tighter than a fat person in spandex.
"Bella I love you! That is such a great idea! You are the best friend I have ever had!"
"Yeah and you're buying your best friend lunch and that new Taylor Swift CD" I said.
"I'll buy you lunch, but you're on your own for the new CD" she told me with a big grin on her face. "Now go get out of those fugly sweatpants so we can go shopping!" Alice said as she got up and started pushing me into my bedroom and shut the door after me.
Ten minutes later we were zooming down the freeway in my ancient truck. Ok, we weren't exactly zooming, but we were definitely moving at a steady pace towards Alice's favorite destination. The mall.
And just then something happened. Something that I knew would happen that would make this trip totally worth it. I heard that familiar beat coming from my stereo speakers. You're on the phone with your girlfriend, she's upset…
I laughed hysterically and cranked up the volume while looking over at Alice with a huge smile on my face.
"Come on Alice, you know you want to!" I said as I started singing at the top of my lungs. "Can't you see that I'm the one who understands you, been here all along so why can't you see you belong with me"
Before she knew it we were both laughing and singing at the top of our lungs together as we pulled in to the parking garage.
"Ok Bella, I will admit that her music is catchy and fun, but I still think you are a little too obsessed with Taylor Swift. More than a normal twenty one year should be" Alice said as we started walking into the mall.
"Alice, that doesn't even make sense. You know she is like twenty years old herself" I argued back.
"She may be twenty years old, but she writes like a fifteen year old and all of her songs are the exact same. They are either 'oh this boy did me wrong and he's going to pay for it' or 'I love you, let's run away together and get married'. Now, I am tired of this conversation and I think we should move along to the task at hand….shopping!" she exclaimed as she grabbed my hand and drug me into Victoria's Secret.
Victoria's Secret was one of the few stores that I actually enjoyed shopping in. There was just something powerful about knowing what sexy lingerie is covered up by the not so sexy clothes that I usually tend to wear. It's not that anyone ever saw the sexy lingerie that I liked to wear except for me and occasionally Alice when she barges into my bedroom while I'm getting dressed, but it just made me feel a little sexier. Not that I was ugly or anything, because I was far from it. I was blessed with incredibly clear skin and thick brown hair. Contrary to popular belief, guys dig brunettes. I just never really dress to get attention. I've noticed that when I do dress kind of cute, the guys that approach me are only interested in my appearance and not really interested in my personality and who I am.
While I was caught up in my thoughts Alice had already picked out everything she wanted and was at the register paying with her favorite gold card. One good thing about shopping with Alice was that she usually knew what she wanted and was able to get it and get out fairly quickly. I finished picking out the few things I wanted and moved over to the cash register to purchase my items.
Shopping with Alice that day was actually pretty painless. She managed to get everything she wanted in less than an hour. Before I knew it, we were ordering appetizers at Applebee's. And then something horrible happened.
"So what are you going to wear on Friday night?" Alice asked me with a knowing smirk on her beautiful little face.
"Uh what are you talking about? You're the one going out and I have a date with my textbooks" I responded. And it was completely true. I had a big Psychology exam coming up that I had yet to study for. Alice and I were both juniors at Washington State University. I was doing a double major in English and Journalism while Alice was majoring in Fashion Design.
"Bella, I told you that it was a double date". I vaguely remembered something like that, but I didn't actually think that she was serious! She knew my thoughts about dating right now. "Come one Bella, I already told Jasper to invite his friend James and they are both really excited about it! And I really want you to meet Jasper" Alice whined.
Alice met Jasper at Starbucks a week ago and apparently it was love at first sight. Their first date was later that night and they went out again a few days later. Alice was constantly going on and on about this guy since the day she met him… a whole six days ago. So I was very curious to meet the guy, but not under these circumstances.
"I'll buy you the new Taylor Swift CD" she sang with a smile. She knew I was going to. I was such a pushover for her.
"Oh fine," I said. "At least I will get a free meal out of it. I mean, I better get a free meal. What kind of guy doesn't pay on the first double date?"
"Thank you Bella! You will not regret this, I promise!" Alice cried.
She was wrong. I regretted it. And Saturday morning she was online buying me tickets to see Taylor Swift in Seattle for the following month.