taylorcline

[taylorcline]

sometimes her heart ached about how her life turned out. in a good way, of course. she had always wanted a family. marriage, kids, the whole nine yards. for a long time, she didn't know that was possible. for a long time, it just seemed like her career was it for her. that she was too big for anything else. then she had that hope again and then it was lost again just like that. i wouldn't marry me either. taylor was a handful, too much, a burden, she was certainly treated as much. but taylor abbott never made her feel that way even for a second. no, he was the most amazing person she had ever met. patient, loving, thoughtful, never once intimidated by her, her biggest fan. and she was his. he was the one she had been waiting for her entire life. taylor didn't think she could be in any more love with him. then she watched him become a dad, how he calmed her down mid break down when it was just the two of them in the room. there was no one else she'd rather be doing this than with him. "no, don't say that, she needs to stay our little baby forever," she sighed, looking at their daughter, still not believing that they made her. half cline, half abbott. what a force to be reckoned with. "okay. i'm just tired of feeling like crap, you know?" that was the understatement of the century. "i'm ready to be productive again and help you out," there's that mom guilt again. even before she was a mom, taylor cline was not good at not being productive. everyone and their mothers knew that.

it was a pleasantly cool night in the hills of a new york city town. a welcomed reprieve from the dry, arid heat of the summer season. julys were record breaking, a time in which was quickly becoming his least favourite season. however, at the brink of time, a tiny newborn girl with all ten fingers and all ten toes influenced his mind to change. it was by happenstance that brooke aurora entered the world at just the right time. her birthday month had gone and passed, and now into august, the blonde found himself perched at her bedside, casually landing an arm over her pleated dusty pink cot, his cheek pressed against the plush blanket covering his opposing side on the pleather couch. a contented smile appeared across the indented wrinkles of tiresome features, a warm simple sensation blanketing his chest like a hug. forest green eyes doted on the tiny human, as his thick index finger brushed ever so lightly along the rouged skin of their newborn’s cheeks. however dazed and confused the pair was, abbott could have described this moment in time of life as heaven.

it was a game of guessing that kept the household on their toes, with a bundle to take care of alongside their hole of fur babies scampering around. the act of balancing both wasn’t an easy one, and still taylor was learning to keep one step ahead. a couplet of grunted coos howled him out of his near slumber, as his stature toppled upright before arching his back over toward the baby’s cot. “aw, come here, angel, daddy’s here,” he reassured, sweeping her tiny swaddled body into his arms before carefully swaying her from side to side along his knees. finally resting his top half against the couch, he cradled brooke into his chest for comfort. the silhouette of his wife and cat padding behind her filled his view as the man cured a grin, teeth visible from beneath his lips. his rotund free arm wrapped around the shoulders of the performer, peppering a brisk kiss to the top of her golden head. “she’s doing good right now, mom. just making sure nobody forgets about her,” taylor nodded toward the newborn as her delicate hands clamped the hem of the blanket she was swaddled in. “although you may want to sit tight because she may be walking soon. i’d say she’s already an overachiever, and that seems to run in the family,” he mused, his focus divided from mother to baby. “how’re you feeling, babe?” he inquired, his fingertips smoothing over her shoulder as he soothed circles into her skin.

[taylorcline]

taylor cline had swore she never been so tired in her life, but she had never been so happy either. all she ever wanted to do was be with brooke. her brooke. the girl she protected for nine months, the girl she loved before she knew she existed, the girl who was half the love of her life, half her. the girl who put her through thirteen hours of labor because of course she did, she wouldn't be her kid if she didn't. thirteen hours of many, many tears, swearing that she couldn't do it, kicking everyone out of the room. months of preparing, all the anxieties, hiding away from the world and concealing her baby bump in oversized clothing, sparking divorce rumors all led up to july thirty first, twelve thirteen am. twelve thirteen, her mother's birthday. oh, how sweet it was. their little harry potter baby. almost august. almost. through all the years of heartache, the most perfect girl in the world was somehow all theirs. their brooke.

everything hurt. every inch of her body. thankful that they had such a good village to show up for them because truthfully, her energy was just not there. there was a pang of guilt that she couldn't help but feel. mom guilt. she's heard all about it. the blazing summer sun of the day had dipped down into pink and oranges hues by the time she rose from her slumber. benji at her feet, taylor reached over to pet him, soft purrs radiating off from the cat. "let's go find your step dad and sister, hm?" the blonde grinned as she got up, the ragdoll cat immediately following her to the nursey then down the stairs to find her husband and their almost week old daughter in their living room. "hi, daddy, how's our girl doing?" the singer spoke up as she sat down, curling into his side. "i didn't miss her first word, did i?"

[taylorcline]

cline: it's a priceless artifact, abbott. besides, it's at my mom's house in nashville atm and katherine would never.

cline: is this your official application to join my bodyguard team, tay? i know, who knew we'd still be dealing with this shit, huh. at least it'd make for some good music.

cline: if this is your way of buttering me up so you can get vip tickets to the next tour, if there ever is one, then mayhaps we'll consider it because as you know, my ego is huge.

abbott: you know what, go ahead and torch it. i give you permission.

abbott: they better not show their face in broad daylight if i'm around, is all i'm saying. the absolute nerve. it truly shows their character and the fact that this has been going on seven years. i can't believe that night even was real.

abbott: as they should. they're quite the powerhouse of defenders if i must say. i can only imagine how proud they are of you, no matter what.

[taylorcline]

cline: oh, yeah, new moon abbott in the flesh.

cline: it's violating and if it was anyone else, the public would be mortified, but because it's me, no one bats an eye. it's ridiculous.

cline: oh, you know kate and rich, divorced icons and threatening to sue anyone and everyone.

cline: well damn, if you wanted me to burn my vintage team jacob shirt, you just could've said that.

cline: yeah, yeah, i know i shouldn't care about what a reality star with no talent and a an egotistic maniac say, but you know me, always very sensitive.

cline: thanks, t. my friend group is definitely taking hits, so it's nice to know i still have some people in my corner that aren't just momma and papa cline.

[taylorcline]

cline: well damn, if you wanted me to burn my vintage team jacob shirt, you just could've said that.

cline: yeah, yeah, i know i shouldn't care about what a reality star with no talent and a an egotistic maniac say, but you know me, always very sensitive.

cline: thanks, t. my friend group is definitely taking hits, so it's nice to know i still have some people in my corner that aren't just momma and papa cline.

[taylorcline]

imessage ↹ lucky 13

CLINE: hey, you. oh, you sure you want to associate with a dirty snake? bold.

CLINE: well, i had to turn off my comments and i can't really go out in public anymore so, you know, trying to.

CLINE: no, no, i definitely don't want to get you fired. thanks for reaching out though, tay, i really appreciate it. i know it's been awhile.

[taylorcline]

CLINE: hey, you. oh, you sure you want to associate with a dirty snake? bold.

CLINE: well, i had to turn off my comments and i can't really go out in public anymore so, you know, trying to.

CLINE: no, no, i definitely don't want to get you fired. thanks for reaching out though, tay, i really appreciate it. i know it's been awhile.

imessage ↹ lucky 13

ABBOTT: hey, taylor. you need some reinforcements on team cline?? ABBOTT: you know, since these enthusiasts online know so much about your life i thought maybe i could test their knowledge on saying nothing if they can't say anything nice at all. ABBOTT: on the other hand i think i would get fired if i tried. you hanging in there?

[taylorcline]

speak now was her magical album. whimsical, fairytale, coming of age. she always knew she wanted to re-release it close to july ninth. however, she never could've guessed how much it would've been the album to change everything. taylor wants to go back in time and tell her heart broken twenty year old self that one day, they do indeed up together and it's okay. that the boy she once believed hated her for breaking his heart just as the ball dropped on new years eve, never did, in fact, he loves you and will never let you go a day without telling you or showing you how much he does. it'll take about fourteen years, you'll fall in love with other people, mature a little bit, well a lot, but it was well worth the wait. baby taylor wouldn't have believed it, hell, adult taylor can barely believe it sometimes. all she ever wanted was someone who truly knew her, loved all sides of her. the pop star, the person, not just one or the other. that was the problem last time. but taylor knew every inch of her, the good, the bad, and loved it and her all the same. she's certainly not as petty as when she was younger and her ex should be grateful for that much. because she could say a lot worse than he didn't try at all, or show up. her heart fluttered at his kiss, perking up at the mention of coffee. "hm, lots of caramel creamer. if i can taste the coffee, it's simply not sweet enough," the blonde teased as she got up and leaned against the bed frame. taylor cline, not a black coffee drinker by any means.

sunlight bursted through the weak silhouette of the pair’s curtains in the temporary new york city abode. truthfully, the sandy blonde’s body had psychologically been awake for hours, however physically, his emerald orbs hadn’t yet fluttered open. there was an unspoken peace that fell upon his shoulders ever since that beautiful august day. and each day following it never seemed to falter or stall. his heart thrummed in a quickened pace each moment he found himself drifting and focused on his girlfriend. there was a certain sensation of euphoria that intoxicated him, lingering still. more than his friend, but the love of his life. with thirteen years of nothing but distance, taylor abbott wished to never experience one more year of grueling distance from his girlfriend. with stipulations, of course. the two had juxtaposed careers that required a certain setlist of rigid rules. rules that hindered the two from spending time together. for now, the dirty blonde was more than happily willing to portray the role of groupie. the girl was on top of the metaphoric music world, smashing every sort of climbing record each week, it seemed. it was truly an aforementioned prophecy that he himself was sure she would achieve. despite the time they spent apart, he was always a silent fan in the background — unless publicly questioned on the subject. the media had an affection for drama and surely thrived on the notion of potential fallouts. but the taylors? it was all mutual respect. so, it was possible when abbott made cameo appearances in what he assumed were tight lipped spaces, the shock of being plucked out of a crowd of thousands was next to nothing. coached in the downfall of media perception, it was his sole priority to divulge all attention on him. it wasn’t ever his events nor did he want to be showcased as it being such. the accomplishments of taylor cline couldn’t and shouldn’t be overshadowed by the appearance of him. it brought him the upmost joy to be by her side to be a cheerleader in her journey of the success she had knitted before the two had ever met.

what a sad, troublesome world it would be if the two had never been in each others presence. one movie shared together had flourished into a flowering, blossoming love that was finally true to show just a few months ago. but it had always been there. a seed of deepening strengthened each second that dwindled by. the curl of her body rolling into him rustled him awake, despite his body having already awakened on his own. a secure arm instinctively cooled around the shoulders of the woman beside him, his gaze now lovingly admiring her presence that he was so thankful to be in full attention of now. it was mornings like this he waited for a decade and a half. “good morning, taylor,” he mused, dulcet voice hushed as to not impede on the delicate nature of the bliss of the bright morning ahead. pressing his borders to the blonde’s forehead, he peppered her with a gentle kiss, those eyes he never grew tired of gazing into. “how do you like your coffee? i can make a pot and be back in five minutes,” he offered genuinely, wanting to soak in as much personal one on one time with no others infringing on their quality time together. the corners of his lips curled into a cheeky grin he couldn’t seem to hide no matter how hard the actor tried.

[taylorcline]

lovesick. lovesick. lovesick. since august that's all she felt. love was the greatest thing in the god damn world. you glow, her friends and family never failed to mentioned. she simply couldn't remember the last time she had been so happy. the blonde was the happiest she had ever been and it showed. she was so miserable that spring and summer, trying her best not to let it show on stage, her heart so heavy. but then it was so... light. taylor abbott, daylight in a human being. he was a breath of fresh air. everything she had always needed and wanted. for awhile it was kept to themselves. something they could enjoy without the world butting in. then she got tipsy at the vmas and was seen leaving with him, his jacket around her shoulders. but hey, that didn't mean they were dating, right? no, abbott was just being a good friend. then he sat next to her at her movie premiere and everyone recorded how they sang her songs to each other. cute. wearing a couple's halloween costume? okay well, that was a little suspicious. and if you didn't know they were dating by then, the video of her running straight into his arms right after her show sealed that. suddenly, all the love songs were about him. the surprise songs that she carefully picked out every night. finding him in the crowd because it was that easy. the age old classic of if he wanted to, he would. and he does. every. single. time.

new york city might've been the city that never sleeps, but the same could be said about taylor cline. whether that be up writing or out with her friends, if anything, she was a night owl at her core. but no matter what the city she loved most held, at the end of night, she just wanted to come home to him. always. she had slipped into bed hours ago, ditching the skirt and tights, donning an oversized detriot lions shirt. in a few weeks her tour would be starting all over again. tokoyo. australia. then a summer parading all over europe before bringing the tour back to the home land in the fall. she's excited, of course she is, but that doesn't mean she's wishing time would hurry up. she loves their slow mornings, where they could just be, pretending that just for a moment the entire world was just the two of them. the vibration of her phone is the first thing she hears when her eyes open, reaching over to her bed side to see the notification, a few texts from her mom, the blonde made a mental note to reply when she was more awake. setting it back down, taylor curled back into her boyfriend with a content sigh. something about a home not being a place, but a person. swear to be overdramatic and true to her lover, after all.

[taylorcline]

taylor will be the first one to tell you, she's fucked up. the cause? years of years of torture from the media, the world. years of being the butt of the joke. taylor cline can't keep a man. don't date her, she'll write a song about you. she's a slut. god, will she ever stop playing the victim? even before 2016, her loved ones knew much she was struggling behind closed doors. she very seldomly went anywhere without her mother, the older woman was her safe place. hell, even now she hates being apart from her from too long. then 2016 happened and she swore it was the apocalypse. she was getting the hell out. why would she stick around to a world that clearly hated her? she was so tired that she couldn't be upset about things without 'playing the victim.' the blonde wanted to live in peace. somewhere where no one could find her. she could become an urban legend, a myth. but no. that scum of the earth narcissist and his talentless wife didn't get to win. fuck that. if they were painting her as the villain? fine, then she was the villain. their worst nightmare. america's sweetheart turned into a villainess in a year.. but taylor was who she had always been deep down at the end of the day. the blonde never forgot the people who were kind to her in her time of distress. when it was so easy to hate on her, there were people who stood firmly by her. abbott included. it kept her going. knowing with even the darkest night, the sun always rose. always. in many ways, she had healed. the millions of hours she had checked off in therapy making her feel like a person again, not just a brand. she wants him, but she's starting to unravel again. as if she's seen this film before. she has. not to think about about her ex, but the two had this conversation so many years ago. then he got sick of her. abbott really wanted to follow her all over the world next year? god, joe didn't even want to attend a single show in general. but abbott wasn't him. she knew he wasn't. he would never treat her so poorly. so why was she still so scared? the blonde took a deep breath, eyes closed for a moment against him. she's speechless. home. home. home. he feels like home. all taylor wants to do is come home to him, for him to come home to her, make a home with him. to run off stage after a three hour performance and straight into his arms, the dream. taylor could laugh at how many versions of herself he knew her as. the girl with big curly hair, a permanent thirteen on her hand written in sharpie with a very obvious fake country accent, the girl who got bangs and chemically straightened her hair and forever ruined her curls by doing so because she wanted to look more grown up, then he knew her when she chopped off all her hair and moved to new york. oh, and when she bleached her hair and once again fried her hair? yep, he knew her then too. so many transformations in fourteen years later and yet, she's still just a girl that is scared of her feelings for taylor abbott. she's scared that she'll find a way to ruin it just like last time. her mind can't always be trusted. or that he'll get tired of her eventually and she'll once again be stuck with a broken heart. ""abbott, i'm just —," if she could rest against him forever, that'd be ideal, but the woman pulls away reluctantly. wow cline ever the romantic. there's his last name again. it just slipped out. "i'm terrified of getting my heart broken again so soon. and i know you're not —," him, she wants to say. the person who threw pathological people pleaser right in her face. but she doesn't. "i know you would never do it on purpose because you're the sweetest guy i've ever known, but... how do you know? how do you know you won't get tired of me eventually? hell, i get tired of me," god, she feels so stupid and ridiculous right now. yes, she's working on being kinder to herself, but sometimes she just can't help it. "god, i probably sound like a stupid, broken record right now. i'm sorry," ugh, she can't believe her hungover self is trying to ruin her life.

“taylor, i…” stammering, the haze of emotion pulsing through him like a tidal wave. it was impossible to continue without a brush of tears as they threatened to stream down pale cheekbones. love, loved, every tense of the word. the terrified young adult had attempted to evade the notion, to express his truth to a woman now whom should’ve known. quivering lips bevy with his forest green orbs settling on the airport floor. baby. the petname caused a hitch to form a golfball sized lump in his throat. it had devoured him, for thirteen years. as difficult as it was to admit, it was even harder to selfishly doubt that he had ever bristled past those irreconcilable feelings while dating someone else. did that paint him as the villain? to the outside voices, sure. and possibly to himself. but in this moment, it was his own cross to bare. “of course i did — i do. i loved you then and i am even more in love with you now. i know i never said it but i was just so scared that it was always too soon. and i don’t blame you for having to step away, hell, you’ve got even more on your plate than you did back then. i have always admired you and the way you’ve kept yourself so grounded and despite everyone’s eyes on you, you haven’t changed,” the sensation of her thumb sweeping across his cheek caused internal shivers to ricochet down his spine. how he melted into her touch. returning the favour, he stroked underneath her own tears with the pad of his thumb, delicately caressing beneath her ear. then inserted the hesitancy. immediately he shook his head at each word that fell from her lips as she spoke, automatically shutting down the insinuation. he had already made the same mistake twice, a third time was not about to be in the books. especially now. “taylor, i want you. and everything that comes with you. i’ve never been more sure of anything than i am of this. i want to be there for you and if that means going on tour to cheer you on and be in your corner, i want to be there every single second. not just for the good, but for the bad and everything in between. i know we could make this work, you’re worth so much more than you give yourself credit for. i think you forget i’ve been in the business for a little bit, and i know its different now than it was then but we can navigate it. together,” his forehead resting against hers, their proximity dissolving as his nose carefully grazed hers. the ball now in the honey blonde’s court, taylor was prepared to trial all morning long if that was what it took to convince her of his confidence.

[taylorcline]

oh, thank you. she's about to open her mouth to say. the tour was her livelihood for the past five months. her baby. she was so unbelievably proud of it. but before she can, the air is instantly sucked out of her lungs in record time. oh my god. oh my fucking god. it takes a moment to register what's actually going on and what he's actually saying to her. it's like she was transported into a dream like sequence. where nothing felt real, where everything felt super hazy instead. taylor's adamant on steadying herself though and focusing on everything he has to say because she could so easily drop to her knees in this airport. he misses her. he thinks of her as his north star. he's a mess without her. oh, her fragile heart that had been through hell and back aches. his hand, his touch, the one thing that makes it known that this moment is very much real. his touch bringing her back down to reality, earth. i love you. i'm in love with you. and i've been in love with you since we met. since they met. since they met? if she would've known that at the time... everything would've been different. the era of her life where she deemed herself unlovable. of course she wasn't unlovable, she was just a kid. and when you're a kid, you think something's seriously wrong with you. but it wasn't. she was just a teenage girl who had the entire world's expectations on her shoulders and took everything to heart. it didn't make her a bad person, it just made her a teenage girl. but at the time, it was so easy to convince herself that of course he didn't love her. that revelation would've changed everything. but they can't go back and change the past. no matter how much time she's spent wishing she could. "you — loved me?" it's a soft question, still trying to find her voice in the midst of it all. because no matter how she thought this day was gonna go, it definitely wasn't this. "baby..." the blonde's free hand comes up to cup his cheek, her thumb swiping his tears away gently, her own pooling in crystal blue eyes. the name falls from her lips so easily, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. it was. "i love you. so much." there was something so sacred about looking into those emerald eyes that often dominiated her early songwriting and telling him those three little words and knowing they were wholeheartedly reciprocated. no matter how good it felt to hear those words from him after all this time, to say those words to him face to face and not through a song, fear was creeping in. fast. taylor was fully aware how insane her life was and how no one in the world could handle it. she's terrified that he'll change his mind when he gets fully immersed into her world. they always do. it wasn't like the last two times, no, fourteen and nine years ago, her fame was hardly scratching the surface on what it could be. right now it felt other worldly. the tallest mountain in the world, that's where taylor cline stood. "but taylor, i'm —," nothing you want. the first thing that comes to mind. too much. a handful. was that too harsh to speak about herself in front of the guy who was here confessing his love to her? probably. "not sure i can give you what you need. i'll be all over the world next year. i won't be home for nine months and i just — don't want you to have any regrets, okay? i know my life and i are a lot and it's not exactly mayberry," giving him an out. out of habit. maybe he doesn't want it, but it's there. it has to be. the white picket fence fantasy in her head was thrown out a long, long time ago. it's simply not possible anymore.

maybe his exacerbated state of mind post engagement — disregarded as dead on arrival as of the night before — was a perfect reason to blame for his impulsive tendency. alarm bells resounded in the confines of his dirty blonde headed skull. his former girlfriend was hours out of the last night of her us leg of tour, should he be at the foot of the airport doors, briskly trotting as if he were skating to beat the inevitability of the short window of time? absolutely not. not even a day before, his fiancée of five full years — together for seven — has ended the relationship on account of irreconcilable differences. however, deep within his soul he knew. those feelings that he bubbles up to the surface that he was certain were tucked away in the far off distance soon were banging on the metaphorical door of what was once shut off. maybe the past relationship was a sheer distraction from what he couldn’t seemingly run away from. to be rejected not once, twice but thrice? there was only so much tolerance the man could withhold. taylor abbott shouldn’t be this selfish. as long as taylor brooke cline was thriving and in a successful roll, why should he assume that he could disrupt it with his open wounds that were unable to be covered by the sleeves of his heart. his broken organ was still cracked at every weakness. that was just par for the course when the honey blonde entertainer crossed his mind.

palm clutching his upper left shoulder, the painful thuds of his ribcage ricocheting again glass bones that were at the wits end of wear and tear. he had placed all of his abundant time into a woman who simply wasn’t his match. and it was possible he would end these morning hours as the same way he did the night before: alone. if he could say his piece without regret, that was more than enough redemption to at least fall in with aligning himself with that sinking weight that constantly burrowed itself into crush his lungs. many nights were spent imagining the fantasy of what could be while dangerously outliving the complete opposite with taylor cohen goldsmith. of course, the media was eminent in framing him as a self involved hinderance to someday allow a potential pair of taylor abbotts in the world. as if fate were to have it, he had fallen for two women, both sharing his same name as a complete and utter coincidence. most often times, abbott steered clear of the eye-catching storylines that were simply created for fake clicks and petty jokes. in his true heart of hearts, the ingenuity was always there.

cut to today, his impulsivity landed him at the gate of the airport, searching for what he could finally lay to rest. at least at the feet of the one person he missed so immensely, it caused him discomfort to be away from her. forest green eyes bounced from one aisle of the building to the other, nearly stumbling over onlookers carry on luggage and strung electronic cords at charging bases. that was until, at long last, he spotted the deep midnight green t shirt that hopefully was filled by the only girl in the world he was tentatively finding. “hi, taylor,” the interjection filled with a voice crack that wavered so emotionally that he felt the brigade faltering as tears warmed at the corners of both hues. how confident he should feel right now and yet he felt the measure of about two inches tall.

it was her beauty, at any point — especially in that moment unceremoniously where it drew his breath away. his hand stayed placed at the beat of his chest, quickening in pace as each step he carefully pointed toward his costar. tay tay. the nickname ring like a melodic tune of pure euphoria. no one else in the entire world ever dared to call him so, as that was reserved for one girl and one girl only: taylor cline. “i — i wanted to congratulate you on your tour, and catch you before you had a chance to leave…” his words slurred in pace, collecting himself before inhaling a deep, syncopated breath that would last him. “i miss you, taylor. and i hurt when you’re not around. my heart ph-physically hurts knowing i’m not with you. this is so incredibly selfish of me, but i just can’t go on pretending that after all these years that i feel any different than i have for thirteen years. you’re my guiding light, my north star and without you i’m a mess. i’m just a fucking tragic mess. you have will always mean the world to me. and i felt like i had to get this off my chest so that you know. and i don’t want you to say anything if you don’t want to, i just need you to listen to me say these words and i’ll leave you alone if that’s what you want me to do,” tears began to shimmer in streams down his cheeks, softening at the sharp edge of his jaw, plummeting to the floor. carefully reaching out to take gentle hold of her hand, his unbearable shaking as his digits caressed the backside of her palm. “i love you. i’m in love with you. and i’ve been in love with you since we met. and i know that sounds so convoluted and cliche, but i think of our time on set as being the most natural and fun times i’ve ever had. you make me happy to be alive and i just you to know that…you’ve never left my heart. not on new year’s eve, not nine years ago, or any time in between then and now. you’ve captured my heart like it’s no one else’s. you’ve changed me for the better and i just had to let you know that i love you, taylor brooke cline. with all my heart, mind, body and soul. you have me,” he paused, choked on the words that were colliding from his brain to his mouth in record speed. no filter could satisfy this confession, laying all vulnerability on the line for better or worse.

[taylorcline]

52 shows. two albums announcements. one album release party. march to august. it was the summer of her life. however, it was also the summer of everyone walking on eggshells around her. she knew it was coming the second her relationship news broke. oh, poor thing. is she gonna be okay? are you okay, taylor? yes, maybe it was touching that so many people cared about her, but it was exhausting being treated as if she would collapse at any second. she was fine. maybe because she spent so much time mourning their relationship before it ended that when it actually did end, there was a sigh of relief. a giant weight lifted off her chest. years ago she was sure splitting from him would've killed her. but no, she was just annoyed how he and team portrayed her as satan herself. how she broke his poor little heart. as if he hadn't called her a pathological people pleaser who would just die if she didn't get attention from people and was so mad she wouldn't settle down and have a white picket fence with him. their relationship was private for a reason, but if he wanted to throw it all out there? fine. then here's a song so everyone so can hear just much she wanted him to care. all gloves were off. there was no one in the world who was allowed to talk to her like that. especially the so called love of her life, the man who supposed to be her end all. it wasn't enough for him just to love taylor cline the person, maybe at point it was, but now? no way. she was a performer. to her core. there was no if, ands, or buts about it. there was something so cathartic about seventy something thousand people singing your lyrics to back to you, twirling around in pretty dresses night after night, healing. the summer was healing her. she needed this more than she knew. maybe one day she'd find someone who loved her as a person and a performer and not one or the other, but if not, that was cool too. no one needed to save taylor cline. at the end of the day, she's okay. one thing's for sure though, her soulmate is not someone else's future husband. ugh, taylor fucking abbott.

it was never supposed to be this complicated. the whole point of re-recording was not only taking back her art, but taking the pain she felt at a specific time in her life and turning it into something fun. your thirty year old boyfriend not showing up to your twenty first birthday? put it in a short film with a ten minute song about him and the relationship that boderlined traumatized you, then release a song poking fun at his outrageous nepotism lifestyle. now it was time to yet again open pandora's box. speak now edition. there was no speak now era without taylor abbott, or the infamous vmas incident that apparently would follow her for the rest of her career. those two went hand in hand. suddenly, she was nineteen and twenty again. she was nineteen crying in her dressing room after being embarrassed on national tv while her boyfriend held her. then she was twenty in new york, on new years eve, standing in front of her boyfriend, breaking his heart just as the clock struck midnight because he deserved better. she was twenty writing the first apology song she's ever written, not even knowing if he'd ever listen to it, but putting it out that october anyways because it was full of words he deserved to hear. september 13, 2009 changed the trajectory of her life. it didn't help that it's all people wanted to talk about a long time or speculated that's why their relationship ended. why didn't he defend her? he just let her get embarrassed! some boyfriend. no wonder she dumped him. everyone had a say in their relationship. she never blamed him. not for a second. she hoped he knew that. turning her pain into fun: spy heist music video. and who else to bust her out out of the vault than the actor himself? it was all so clean cut. something that wasn't so clean cut? her apparent feelings for him.

she never saw it coming. how could she? they were friends. any romantic feelings she had for him were thrown out the window years ago. they weren't just meant to be. she made her peace with it a long time ago. it happened so slowly. the electric shock that shot through her heart when she saw him again for the first time in years? whatever, not a big deal. surely that happens all the time when seeing old friends, right? little did she know that little spark would light her and her entire world on fire in the coming months. had his eyes always been that green? with gold in them? as breathtaking as the aurora borealis itself? had he always looked like he was sculpted from the greek gods themselves? there was just so much... warmth she felt around him. he was the sun, that's what she always associated him with. pure light. someone you couldn't help but be drawn to. soon the actor dominated her every waking thought, much to her dismay, fighting against tooth and nail against it. because? he was already spoken for. by another taylor, because well, of course her name was taylor. the only accurate way cline felt like she could describe taylor cohen goldsmith was that she was a real life disney princess. sweet, wonderful, kind. his perfect match. so all she could do repress, repress, and ignore the growing aching in her chest for how much she wanted him. and no, the go have a hot girl summer advice from her friends, did not help. not that they knew anything about what she's been going through, she's quite literally taking this shit to the grave. but she tried. she tried and he was still on her mind. taylor cline didn't need a boyfriend, she needed a freaking lobotomy. it wasn't real. it couldn't be real. she refused to let it be. but as she stood on the stage in kansas city, on the night of the re-release of her third album, and listened to all the wonderful words he had for her, it hit her like an oncoming train. just how in love she was with him. the final nail in the coffin. her heart broke on that stage. the ache in her chest that occurred whenever she looked at him or thought about him, turning into full blown physical pain. taylor cline's life wasn't a fairytale, nor was it an excellent rom com where despite all the trails and tribulations, everything turned out okay in the end. he wasn't going to leave his perfectly sweet fiancée for her. no, he was going to marry cohen goldsmith and live happily ever after and taylor wasn't going to get in the way of that. she wouldn't. he was going to marry her, she was going to be the most beautiful bride and cline was going to be just fine. oh, realizations in freaking missouri of all damn places.

fourteen years. she had known taylor abbott for fourteen years. and through all the mess of growing up and growing into their own as adults, one thing had never changed. how she thought of him. the entire world. maybe they weren't right for each other, god knows they've tried twice, but she thought the world of him. his friendship meant everything to her. because... he's always known her. in a world that wasn't always so kind to her, he was one of the few she trusted. a genuine, kind, person to his core. losing his friendship is unfathomable. nevertheless, she just couldn't deal. so if that means cutting the ties and putting a world's worth of space between her and the future mr. and mrs. abbott then so be it. it's for the better. it's for the better, but that doesn't mean it hurts any less. sometimes she wishes she was in a rom com. timing, timing was everything. it was also something they could never quite get right.

current mood: hungover in an airport, running on advil and pedialyte, maybe a little sleepy also. full blame on the little after party and crashing at her best friend's house. she loves LA, loves it, but new york is her home and all she wants to do right now is go home. go home and try to recover from an absolute insane summer. apparently spending a summer where you're healing, but also driving yourself insane at the same time is very taxing. but as about thirty seconds ago, she's stuck, as the pilot informed her. the sky was simply not clear enough to fly. of course the one time she doesn't fly out of a city the very same night, a storm comes in over night. in august, in los angeles. out of all places. her luck is truly astonishing. so naturally she's already on the phone with her mother, who left last night and was in nashville because one thing about kate cline? if she wants to leave, that woman's gonna leave. honey, be safe, okay? i love you. i will, i love you, i'll call you later. ending the phone call, that's when she hears it.

hi taylor. the voice and the name turn her blood cold. she thinks she imagined it. she must've, right? something in her tells her to turn around. her heart dropping right into her stomach as blue eyes settled on a pair of green ones. green eyes that she often found herself dreaming of. there's that aching in her chest again. they don't call each other taylor. every time they did over the course of fourteen years, there's always something wrong and once again, taylor fears the worst. cline. abbott. abbott. cline. the way to distinguish them, the way they've always referred to each other. poker face, cline, poker face. ignore the pain in your chest and the fact that your favorite eagles crewneck feels increasingly suffocating right now. "hi, tay tay," the blonde spoke, a small smile etching on her lips, before turning her head slightly as if to look over him, study him. "hm? you feeling okay?"

[taylorcline]

the last seventy two hours had been nothing short of a whirlwind. she had went from finishing up the first leg of her tour in london, then jetting off on a plane to get to california to do press. so how much caffeine has taylor cline consumed to combat all the jet lag? the limit simply does not exist. she's pretty sure the only thing coursing through her veins right now is straight starbucks. as much as she loved touring and seeing the world, she was grateful for a break until february. she had been so go go throughout the entire year, it was time for a bit of a recharge and time to start thinking towards valentine's day. all the red, all the pink, all the heart shaped things. love, love, love. a holiday that makes her think of nothing but a certain twilight heartthrob. it was insane how much her heart ached when they were apart. which lately, that was a lot. different timezones, different cities, different countries, it was to be expected when dating in the industry. there would always be something going on. and after a long day of dealing with people, all she wanted to do was be alone with him. no offense to their respected costars or anything, taylor just missed her other half. her better half. the blonde pulls the jacket tighter around her, a content sigh escaping past her lips. his clothing always felt like home. it brought a certain comfort to her when she was on tour. that no matter how far apart they were, she always carried a piece of him with her. entering the hotel room, taylor makes a mental note to take off her makeup before she falls asleep and forgets. a giggle then falling from her lips at his words. just straight delusion coming from the tiredness. "i get it," the blonde nods, "i mean you probably shouldn't that say to anyone else ever, but i get it."

the enveloping serenity of the hotel room was a welcomed comparison to the jet black thin coated chairs that the cast of valentine’s day was told to perch themselves in. a day of chaos that entailed question after burning question that each actor was tailored to answer in tediously tandem ways. there were only few ways to express the metaphorical hype of the movie that didn’t quite leave too much on the table, while also leaving the suspense of what could be. with hands full of a rectangular pizza box, his other peeled the light jacket that once covered his shoulders. carefully shimmying it over the beach blonde’s shoulders, taylor abbott brushed a reassuring palm over her bicep. yes, the two had spent hours in the same vicinity, however it lacked thorough privacy despite the company he had along the interview journey. she was right by his side, and for that he was lucky. time had melted on into long into the night, not a vision of the sun peeking through the california clouds. the crisp variety of white, yellow and strategically asymatrical stars scattered along the sable sky. a brisk breeze flowed through the usually oppressive, thick heat of the golden state. sweat was surprisingly swapped for a fitting autumn chill. his forest hues settled on his opposite’s doe-like bright pair, her features so fair and delicate — as if she hadn’t been cramped in a close encountered room all day long. his gaze turned tender as they made way into the hotel hallway, his hand grappling for the room key card in his pocket. carefully he slid it up to the door knob light, until it flickered a neon green. opening the doorway, he waited patiently for his girlfriend to usher in, before closing the frame behind him. “i don’t know about you, but i’m about to fuck up this pizza,” words huskily emitted, slurring into a clatter of dissonance as his orbs soon widened with embarrassment. quietly, he placed the box on the nearby high top table, lips pursed together as if he were in deep thought. “that’s…that’s not what i meant,” cheeks flushed with an absence of colour, teeth sunken into the flesh of his bottom lip. it had been a day, nonetheless. and it was clear he showed the exhaustion. it was evident that his filter had expired the moment the couple had left the building. yet no matter the meticulous tasks of the day, ending the day with taylor cline was made the highlight. it seemingly always did.

[taylorcline]

this relationship was unlike any other she had ever been in. which was a very, very good thing. it wasn't like she could date a normal person, not anymore, any shot of a somewhat normal relationship flew out of the window ages ago. dating in the industry was another tricky thing. you just truly never knew anyone's intentions. not to mention, the constant different schedules, her being on tour on for most of the year. however, she just felt like taylor got her. in a way no one else did. it was a strange thing. falling for someone so fast, so hard. it was like taylor abbott was the only person she wanted to see. no one else even piqued her interest. everything dulled into comparison to taylor abbott. there was a part of her that was terrified that she would find a way to ruin it one way or another. the blonde wanted it to work so bad. save herself from any impending heartache. maybe taylor was worried that she was too much. not that he ever made her feel like that. no way. if anything, it was the environment she found herself in. how others made her feel, but those people didn't matter. the only thing that mattered at this moment was her and him. as long as he wanted her in his life, she would be. oh, the tale of two taylors. "mhm, that's right. that means you have three months to find me something that'll knock my socks off. i'll even draw a thirteen on your hand, so you don't forget," the blonde nodded with a small smile. though his words immediately make her want to start crying all over again. he's being sweet and her emotions are already out of wack as it is. ugh, is he the sweetest. her heart simply can't take it. she might also start crying because everything is starting to hit her again. no matter how hard the girl tried not to think about it. "taylor... you don't think they were booing me, right?" suddenly, there was a new fear unlocked: them booing her from now on. oh my god. using his first name was a rare occurrence. it was always abbott and cline. how they were distinguished by many when they were together. cline and abbott. yet, using it just felt right in the moment. it felt more personable, if anything. taylor, taylor, taylor.

she glowed, simply put. there was a certain incandescence that radiated off of the blonde that magnetically forged others toward her. taylor cline was the sun, some would call her his northern star. and when the moon eclipsed it’s cycle, the stars appeared and the night was seemingly just so. and that particular night, despite all eyes that were glued to the television could tell, her glow hadn’t dimmed. he pleaded that she was incapable of hearing the rugged beats of his heart that thudded boastfully against his rib cage. he was tranquil, yes, but the adrenaline that coursed through his veins were residuals of the moment at hand. his ears pulsed with thuds of matching succession, while fingers combed through golden blonde locks, his chin finding rest atop of her head. time had slowed, it seemed, the entire population of new york — hell, the entire world — ceased to exist. and in those moments, he found it to be a reposed atmosphere. a defying difference to the vma stage. her melodic tone, even without background music to back her up, charmed sweetly between both his ears. “she speaks,” taylor infused, his musing of tone softening as a mirror to every square inch of his body began to settle. if even for a moment in time. “why thank you,” a subtle hue of pink flushed to his cheeks, lips tightly pursed together as a nod closer out his reaction to her sentiment. this night wasn’t about him in the slightest, and yet here she was, petaling him with a compliment he in fact wasn’t aware that he yearned for until now. an amused, cozy hum emitted from his lips, viridescent orbs enveloped completely on the blonde’s cerulean pair. “is that so? my sources tell me thirteen is a common theme with you. december thirteenth, in particular. i happen to think that’s a very nice day, spoiler alert. i hope it’s the first and the last. i don’t think i could take it if i saw tears in those gorgeous eyes ever again,” as the words melted into the air, the pad of his thumb scrolled gently over the sensitive crest under both her eyes, evading the distress from her skin. he was securely honest, every word he uttered nothing short of the truth. if the future had any indication of tonight, he would fall apart at the mere mention of her cry.

[taylorcline]

she's dreading going back into the outside world. in here it's a little fortress of solitude. she could already hear the badgering of questions by interviewers. and how did that make you feel when he did that? well, how the hell would you feel? or the jokes from the public about she's so dramatic, it was a joke, she can't take a joke? she's too sensitive. the whole reason she didn't let herself show too much emotion on stage. because she knew they would absolutely rip her apart. always playing the victim in one way or the other. taylor couldn't win. there's a wave of peace that washes over her as soon as she's in his arms. everything becomes quiet and once again it just becomes the two of them. it's as if the rest of the world doesn't exist and right now she wished it didn't. his ability to slow down the world when it felt like it was spinning out out of control was something to be studied. she never experienced anything like it. oh, was she in trouble. her feelings for the person with the exact same name as her growing deeper by the second. "i don't know how you do it, make the world stop spinning so much," the blonde sighed against him. "but i love it, you know." and you. i love you. the very words at the tip of her tongue, but taylor can't bring herself to say them to her other half. it's too soon, even if her motto the past year was head first, fearless. she'll know when the right time is, she always does and she's planning on keeping him around for a little while longer. there's time. "i guess we should mark this on the calendar, huh? september 13, 2009. the first time you ever saw me cry. lucky thirteen." cline's totally joking, well for the most part. something tells her that she'll be remembering this night for years and years to come. thirteen's her lucky number, after all.

the events of the night had vastly turned on its head to a dark and somber evening. one he was sure the tow-headed blonde wanted to end as quickly as possible. thankfully. there was no soul lurking about in the corridors of the sector of the dressing rooms, but that didn’t guarantee they were alone. despite the analytics, wherever his girlfriend resided, that was where taylor yearned to be. if she needed any sort of moral support, he aches for it to be given by him. it was a joke gone too far, almost as if it borderlined high school esque behaviour. a grown adult patronizing a young adult still. and yet, that was the way of the industry. it was sickening. his trance is broken from the rhythmic click of the door frame, exacting his body to slump toward the opening as his weight was leaned on it. arching his chin up to assess her, dulcet hues aligned from one angle of her silhouette to the other. the troubled waters that ran wild in the pits of his stomach soon were calmed to a tepid halt. once jagged, impassive breaths collected into equal sound inhales. her teasing implored a chuckle to escape pursed borders. his tongue scrolled over his bottom one before easing himself to a stand position. “i’m shocked more people aren’t,” rotund hands meeting the curve of her shoulder, fingertips stroking the delicate porcelain skin that wasn’t covered in the silver fabric. his ring cladded hand found its way to her smaller, dainty one, intertwining their fingers as one, his thumb rubbing careful circles over the dip of her thumb and index finger. her words, despite how sweet, felt as though daggers were plunged into his chest. her hurt was syndicated to him, and all he wanted was to embrace her. maybe that was a subconscious path he could take. protection. that was the sole word flooding his thoughts at that moment in time. if only he had acted on his desire to keep the blonde safe from harm, maybe this situation would be more managed. but now, all he could do was nod in agreement, a strong arm curling its way around the bones of her shoulders. accompanying taylor in her time of need was his simple request. he would sit there all night, so long as she wanted him in her presence. “of course, i’m right here. i’m not going anywhere,” chapped borders bridged the top of her tow head, embracing her intricate, elegant frame that was currently crumpled like a piece of paper. paving their way into the room, taylor briskly closed the door behind them, the risk of onlookers — at least for the time being — shut down. “i’ve got you,” tough hands scaled up and down the vicinity of her back, in soothing rounds. if they woke up the next morning it could have been all a dream. a twisted, sick dream. but one with no sense of reality. that was what he had naively hoped.

[taylorcline]

her soul feels absolutely crushed. she can't remember a time where her chest felt this heavy and it wasn't related to a breakup. not that she expected everyone to like her or her music. it was impossible to please everyone, but god, she was so proud of the video. and to think she could go up against some of the power houses of the industry, women she looked up to and win? well, that was just everything. but no, like everything a man has to ruin it. her moment. her first ever vma. now forever tainted by kanye west. it's sickening. the award thrown on a seat in the room, the red dress that was meant for her performance hanging up. she had to perform in the next hour or so. how excited she was thinking about it earlier. now the blonde doesn't know how she's going to do it. millions of people just watched her get humiliated on national television. her publicist and her mother pissed and probably off yelling at whoever let that happen. "who the hell does that jackass think he is?" but she wanted to be alone for a moment. to cry, to scream into a pillow, just get it all off her chest. a knock at the door interrupted her racing thoughts and she's about to wave the person off until she hears who it is. taylor. taylor. taylor. the voice of an angel. she gets up from her spot to open the dressing room door, the sight of him on his knee almost enough make her crack a tiny smile. "don't tell me i've got you on your knees, abbott," taylor spoke up, opening it up further so the male could come in. making sure no one else would follow suit because honestly, she didn't want to deal with anyone else right now. "can you just... hold me for awhile?" her voice is soft as her gaze meets his again. emerald eyes enough to calm her down. something she needs more than air right now. "i don't really want to be around anyone else right now. just you. is that okay?"

the name he had practiced. the name that dominated his every waking thought. the name he conveniently shared with her. of course she had won. the doubt of any other opposition had dissolved from his mind the moment he was ushered to announce the nominees. the exalted high that arose as a billowing cloud of sunshine began beaming from him as he stood aside of shakira, envelope plucked between vibrating hands. the combustion of varied cheers, gasps, and claps illuminated the room like the building were bottomless. to allow himself to keep said composure at bay while internally reflective of the success she all but was laudable of. that was, until the moment was severed short by a distilling outrage. one made by another artist, no less. was this supposed to bring comedy to the stage as a stimulating bit to cater to the crowd? taylor was left at a standstill of bewildering confusion. had he not studied the script enough to realize that he was indeed not in tune to the bit? frozen. every muscle in his body tensed up, unaware of the next move to make. his apprehensive hues peeled to search for his girlfriend’s pair, a stricken, ill sensation set tone in every bone in his body. his face soon fallen with a sullen expression. his presumptive train of thought had been proven wrong. cautiously, as the pair of presenters were informed to take leave of their duties, taylor quickened his leisure pace, now desperate to find the once thrilled entertainer who was absconded of her accolade. finally appearing at the dressing room with her name etched into the frame, the dirty blonde rapped a tightened fist at the door, breathing wavered and tantalized as if he had just fallen from the high of competing in a marathon. or twilight training, no less. "t — taylor? it's me.." it crept from the bottom of his chest, each syllable directing his next move. "please let me know if you're okay or not. you don't have to open the door —" he assured, carefully kneeling to the floor below in his suit pants, one knee propped in front of his chest. his head full of short gelled tuffs rest alongside the heavy weighted door frame. "just let me know that you're here and you're safe," it was a puzzle navigating situations that were all uncharted territory. never had he come in contact with an individual who could administer advice on how to approve being made a mockery of on nation wide television, while accepting an award, included. but, given the unforeseen circumstances, there he would sit, until otherwise told to leave well enough alone.

[taylorcline]

she left feeling like she was floating on air. that even if she didn't win female music video of the year the night wouldn't be a bust. truthfully, she's just happy to be there in such elite company. the vmas were well, the vmas. the iconic award show with all iconic moments over the years. something you watched growing up, just dreaming about being there someday. the night was spent mingling, enjoying the performances, and cheering on the winners from the various categories. then she thought about taylor. the actor never straying too far from her mind. lastly, her performance. which would take her from the new york city subway, all the way to the radio city music hall and on top of a taxi in a sea of people. she's hoping and praying that she doesn't a) fall when she's running through the subway with a crowd chasing her and b) fall off the taxi. how mortifying. as the categories came and went, the blonde could feel her anxiety returning. she's fine, she's fine. besides, she was up against beyonce. freaking beyonce. there was no way the woman wasn't winning. finally, it was time for the best female music video award. she felt like she was in a daze until she heard the words taylor cline, you belong with me! fell from her boyfriend's lips. a complete and utter look of surprise appears across her features, immediately getting up and hugging the friends around her before she made her way up to the stage to hug taylor and shakira. the moon man award feeling unreal in her hand as the other one held the mic. "oh my god, you guys, thank you, thank you, thank you," taylor gushed, her excitement through the roof. "this is just a dream, i've never won one of these before!" however, she spoke too soon about it being a dream because as soon as she said it, a rapper jumped on stage and instantly took the mic from her. what the hell-- her expression turns from happy to very confused in a second flat. "yo taylor, i'm really happy for you, i'll let you finish, but beyoncé has one of the best videos of all time. one of the best videos of all time!" the rapper exclaimed in an obnoxious manner as he pointed to the woman in red. her heart falls, it feels as if she was punched in the stomach and got the wind fully knocked out of her. the man shrugs his shoulders in a careless manner as a chorus of boos rains down from the crowd. they couldn't be booing her right? no, no. could they? oh my god, was she getting booed? he returns the microphone to her and she feels stuck. daggers in her eyes as she looks at the man who didn't even care what he had done. how the fuck is she supposed to finish now? god, she should throw the microphone at his fucking bald ass head. it's taking all her willpower to not do exactly that. that wouldn't be very america's sweetheart of her. it's okay, tay, just compose yourself. you're okay. do not let a room full of people see you cry. poker face. the blonde takes a deep breath as she looks back into the crowd of people just looking at her, dissecting her. "well, live tv, i guess," taylor grinned, obviously uncomfortable, her throat burning with the sensation of wanting to burst into tears. she turned around to lock eyes with her boyfriend, one of the girls behind her taking the mic from her hand. the lights in the building dimming as she hauls her ass off the stage into the back. good time for a commercial break, wish they would've done that when she was getting embarrassed. dressing room, her next destination. the only place she wants to be right now.

in the stillness of their sequestered moment, there was an inkling that taylor had the earth shattering realization that he would always find himself in immense awe of her. not simply because of her fame, but the pure grace she carried herself with. she was the subject of every wondering eye that night for an obvious reason, all who tuned in saw her exactly in the same way he did. “so what you’re telling is you want me to lie? i may be an actor but i’m not too sure i can pull that one off,” his words if nothing were more flirtatious and amiable to boot. his expression feigned surprise, eyebrows raised to his forehead before cutting into his act with a wistful smile ticking up both corners of his mouth. “wouldn’t that be a sight,” he charmed, orbs now diverting to the cupid’s bow of her lips that were in question. cherry red, and bright. easily traceable. without even a second’s chance to react, his face cupped between two porcelain, delicate hands that flamed a stitch of fire onto his skin, singing himself with a bright, bulby tightness echoing in his chest. each cheek flared with her touch, those same lips he had admired now connected to the apple of his cheek, and then another. the tethered giggle couldn’t be contained from him as both palms coiled around her wrists, inching himself forward to press his forehead in equal proximity to hers. “taylor cline, what ever will i do with you?” he finally broke, injecting the laughter filled air with his question. eyes playfully rolled into the back of his head, nearly crossing themselves with the sarcasm it invoked. an aimless hand found its way to center himself as it bridged her side, the silver sparkle of her dress palpable under his fingertips. how she shimmered, it was anyone’s guess as to how he got ever so lucky to be the one she was with. “hopefully i can say your name without messing up, that would be pretty hard. go knock them dead, cline. i’ll be cheering you on,” he concluded, hesitantly melting away from their contact to assess his mark, the clatter of booming voices from the audience already dominating the four walls they were about to embark into.