"Taylor, sweetheart, wake up." I stir awake when I feel soft lips on my cheek.
I smile and try to open my eyes. The light in the room makes that task a bit challenging but after a couple of minutes I was able to, at least appear fully awake.
"What's going on?" I look at Laura's face and know immediately that something is up.
She's not upset or anything, but it is a change from the usual glow that she inhibits in the morning.
"You need to read this." She hands over her phone.
My eyes go wide as I start to look over the article that she has pulled up for me to scan over. I start to read it out loud.
Kissing Costars
Former That 70s beauty Laura Prepon, seems to have mended that broken heart pretty quickly. This time finding love with her new blonde costar Taylor Schilling. Prepon and the equally as beautiful Schilling seem to have hit it off quite nicely, as they cozy up together at a private area of Long Beach in California. Could our eyes be deceiving us or could the on screen loves become a reality?
After reading it over I lock eyes with Laura, who is smiling. I can't help but return it back. We both knew that our relationship would get out sooner or later. I just thought more along the lines of later rather than the sooner.
"Are you okay with this?" Laura asks me as she moves her hand over so that our fingers can tangle together.
"Yes, of course. Why wouldn't I be…I mean I didn't think it would all happen this soon. But I am not ashamed of the fact that I am with you." Her smiles grows wider upon hearing me say that.
"I have to admit it kind of freaked me out at first. I just wasn't prepared you know." I nod my head at Laura's words and lean over so that I can kiss her softly.
"Well, you know there is nothing saying that we have to actually confirm the "rumors" to the press. But I don't necessarily want to hide the fact that I am with you either." I say and then bring my hand up to stare at my new ring.
"I meant all of it you know, everything that I told you, all of the promises." Laura says leaning her head on my shoulder.
"I know." I lean my head over to sit on top of hers.
"It's perfect." I whisper before letting out a deep sigh.
"I wish you didn't have to go." I say as I feel a rush of sadness start to take over.
"I don't want to go."
I dropped Laura off at the airport later that day. We both cried in each other's arms among the flashes and calls of the photographers and paparazzi that recognized us. We didn't kiss in public though, which we both decided that would be a detail that we keep to ourselves until we are ready for people to full on know that we are in fact together. We did hold hands from the time that we got to the airport, until the time that she had to board her flight. I have never seen Laura cry before, it literally broke my fucking heart that I couldn't just jump on that plane and go with her.
But I couldn't.
Laura's been in Los Angeles for a week now. I miss her so much. I spent most of the first couple of days in one of Laura's dirty t-shirts just so I could have her scent on me. Lambert has pretty much taken up Laura's side of the bed, which is comforting, considering he is her dog. She was going to take him with her but I really wanted him to stay with me. I know how bad this sounds, but I didn't want to lose them both.
For months, I woke up with her right beside me, legs tangled with mine and warm arms holding me tight. Now for the past week, I wake up to Lamberts nose on my arm or his tongue licking up the entire side of my face. It's quite funny how attached I have gotten to Laura's dog. I mean I have always wanted one but I just never lived in the same place for long enough. I absolutely adore Lambert though. He is a great companion and already very protective of me. I have noticed when I take him out on walks, he stays very close to my side. Kind of like Laura, but I am in no way saying that she is a dog.
Speaking of my love, Laura has been bombarded with work since she left. She is directing and producing a small indie film in Los Angeles. She was really passionate about the project and just couldn't pass up the chance, so she jumped at it. She did tell me that if she would have known that we were going to be picked up for a second season that she would have worked the schedule around our new show and not the other way around. We are set to start filming again next month, which is a little bit ahead of schedule. Jenji really wants to get the new installment out to the fans in the beginning of June of next year instead of July. I am all for it. I really need something to keep me busy.
I miss you (Tay)
I send her a text just to let her know that I am thinking about her. I went to the store a couple of hours ago and I forgot my phone at home. I was in tears when I got back and had a missed call from Laura. I tried to return it but she didn't answer. She texts or calls me every chance that she gets. I am so lucky to have someone that cares about me as much as I care about her. I love her so much.
I miss you too baby. I'll call you back as soon as I can (L)
It was a couple hours before the screen of my phone lit up with her gorgeous face.
"Hey."
"Hey yourself." I answer back.
"How is my favorite girlfriend?" She says with a laugh.
"What do you mean favorite, I better be your only girlfriend." She continues to laugh as I join in as well at her teasing.
"I miss you." I say softly after our fits of laughter have begun to cease.
"I miss you too Tay." I sense the sadness in her voice.
I decide to change the subject from the fact that Laura is not with me to something more upbeat.
"How is your project going?" I try to sound chipper.
"It's going great babe. We got the first three scenes filmed already. I don't want to jinx it, but maybe this project won't last as long as expected." I can't help the hopefulness that spreads across my face at her mention of that.
"How do you like the directing aspect?"
"It's cool. I mean, I have done it before. It's challenging but it's a good challenge. I am enjoying calling all of the shots and being on the other side of the camera."
"Enough to not come back." It slipped out before I could catch myself.
"Never…" I hear her sigh as she pauses for a moment and then continues.
"As much as this project is pretty awesome and a very rewarding experience, it is not enough to keep me away from the best thing that has ever happened to me." I feel this childish grin tug at my lips.
"And what or rather who is that?"
"Playing a drug smuggling lesbian." She starts to laugh really loud in the phone as I start to pout.
"I know you are pouting Taylor, I am pretty sure I can feel it from all the way over here, and I was just kidding. The best thing that has ever happened to me is Lambert." She cracks up again, as my pout has yet to leave my lips.
"Seriously, I lose to the dog." I playfully try to sound unimpressed.
"Taylor." She still can't contain her laughter but she does manage to finish her sentence.
"It's hands down you." I take in the sounds of her voice before I remember that I have some good news to share with her.
"I have three interviews lined up for this week."
"Yeah…Taylor that is great." She says upbeat.
"I am excited." I say giddily.
"You should be. You deserve it." We stay silent for a moment.
"I love you Laura." I tell her, my voice cracking, and starting to lose momentum.
"I love you too Tay." She says with a long sigh.
I can hear her crew calling to her in the background that they are ready. We kiss each other through the phone, repeat the I love yous and then promise to speak again when we can. As soon as I set my phone on my bed, the tears started to trickle down. I mean I knew being away from Laura was going to be hard but I guess I didn't actually realize how hard it was going to be.
Two more days have gone by since our last call. She texts me every chance she gets though. This project of hers is really taking up a lot of her time. As much as I miss her though, I am so proud of her for jumping at the chance to direct again. I know that is something that she is really passionate about.
In her last text she was excited to report that she is being interviewed by Esquire magazine in the morning. She says she is pretty sure that the questions will probably more than likely be centered on getting the juice on our relationship.
There was a couple more articles that came out this week with the same photo of us on the beach together. I thought that I would freak out when the "story" broke, but I found that I am actually more than okay with everything being out in the open…well as much as Laura and I want it to be anyway.
I have an interviewer that is supposed to be calling me at any moment now. I really don't know much about who the interviewer is except for the fact that his name is J. Halterman and he works for Ellen Degeneres.
Moments later my phone went off, but it was not Mr. Halterman.
Wishing you the best of luck on your interview. I love you Tay (L)
I smile at the text and attempt to type one back to the love of my life. I jumped though when my phone started to ring and an unfamiliar number came across the lit screen. I pushed talk quickly, knowing it was the call I had been waiting for.
"Hello."
"Hi, my name is J. Halterman. Is this Ms. Schilling."
"This is. Please call me Taylor."
After the initial introductions and the little time it spent for us to get comfortable talking to each other, he went right into the interview.
AfterEllen: Piper and Alex are the core of the show in a lot of ways. What do we see throughout the season? Is there a chance they can be close again, if not romantically, just friends?
TS:I think that the evolution of that relationship is an important plot point throughout the season and it's important to Piper as she becomes more of who she is and discovering who she is and deciding who she wants to be in the world.
AE: When you first read the script, what had you connect with Piper?
TS:I think there's always some detective work with this kind of work. The writing was so great I did not have to do very much.
AE: Outside of Alex, who does Piper connect with? I'm guessing it's not Crazy Eyes.
TS:I think developing relationships especially with a community of women in a prison setting is survival. It's really what you have to do in order to survive and Piper does that.
AE: A lot of the dialogue is that Piper is no longer interested in women and Jenji has created this world where sexuality isn't a clear thing. Does Piper's sexuality change as the season progresses?
TS:Just like every other part of who she is in undergoing shifts and everything comes into question when all the externals of her life are taken away.
AE: Healy tells her in the pilot for Piper to stay away from the lesbians. What did you think of that attitude in the prison and even in our world?
TS:Not every aspect of our culture is catching up, you know? There are people lagging behind and I see that in the world today and I think this show speaks to that. It speaks to the people and places I don't think have really caught up to where we are.
AE: What was it like working withLaura Prepon? Does Piper still love Alex somewhere deep in her heart?
TS:Laura is amazing. I can't imagine having done this with anyone else. She's such a talented woman and just a wonderful human being. But definitely I think Piper was deeply in love with Alex and I don't know if that ever really goes away when you fall for somebody.
AE: Lastly, I am sure you knew this one was coming. Is there any truth to the recent rumors that have surfaced about you and Ms. Prepon?
TS: Sure there is some truth to it. We went to a private part of the beach with some fellow cast members and friends. We held hands, we talked. We had an amazing time.
AE: So just a very close friendship.
TS: I never kiss and tell.
Author Notes.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter.
I have almost completed the chapter…YAY
I am thinking Taylor and Lambert need to pay a surprise visit to Laura…should she take Natasha too…LOL
Thanks for all of the great feedback on this story.
Over 400 Reviews…never would have imagined.
Please keep them coming…I love them