forever and always - taylor swift

13

"My childhood best friend, Ella," Daisy said, still smiling. "She wants to have a small high school reunion with our old friend group. I told her I'd go."

Taylor raised an eyebrow, sensing where this was going.

"And," Daisy continued, scooting closer to Taylor, "I may have said I'd bring someone with me. What do you think? Are you up for it, or is your schedule too tight?"

Taylor paused, chewing on her bottom lip as she considered her upcoming rehearsals. Her schedule was packed, and every hour leading up to the tour was critical. But the thought of Daisy going without her—or worse, Daisy asking someone else—was enough to sway her.

"When is it?" Taylor asked, pulling out her phone to check her calendar.

Daisy rattled off the date and time. Taylor's fingers tapped the screen as she looked at her itinerary. There were rehearsals penciled in, tight time slots with little wiggle room. But her gaze flicked to Daisy, her hopeful expression impossible to ignore.

Taylor sighed, a small smile tugging at her lips. "I can make it work. It'll be tight, but I'll come."

Daisy's face lit up, her excitement palpable. "Really? You sure?"

Taylor nodded, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "Yeah. I can't say no to you, can I?"

Daisy beamed, leaning in to press a quick kiss to Taylor's cheek. "You're the best."

Taylor shrugged, trying to play it cool despite the blush creeping up her neck. "I know."

Daisy couldn't help but grin as she texted Ella back, her heart swelling with gratitude. Taylor might have a hectic schedule, but she was still making time—for her.

-

The reunion was set at a cozy little restaurant Daisy and her friends used to frequent during their high school days. The place hadn't changed much, with its warm brick walls, dim lighting, and the familiar smell of freshly baked bread wafting through the air. It was comforting in a nostalgic way, even if Daisy's nerves about the evening were starting to creep in.

She smoothed out the silk green dress she had chosen, its rich hue making her ginger hair pop even more vividly than usual. Throwing on a coat, she glanced at her phone one last time, hoping for a reply to the text she had sent Taylor earlier. Still coming? The message sat unread, leaving a small pang of worry in her chest. But she brushed it off—Taylor was likely caught up in rehearsals.

With a deep breath, Daisy headed to the restaurant.

As soon as she walked through the door, a chorus of squeals and cheers erupted. Her high school friends—Ella, Grace, Nate, and a few others—swarmed her, wrapping her in tight hugs and tugging her toward their table.

"Daisy! You look amazing!" Ella gushed, eyeing her dress. "Seriously, you've always been stunning, but this? Wow."

"Stop," Daisy laughed, her cheeks flushing.

As they settled in, the table quickly filled with chatter and laughter, the group diving into their favorite high school memories.

"Remember the time Daisy climbed up the flagpole to save that dumb balloon?" Nate grinned, leaning back in his chair.

Daisy groaned, burying her face in her hands. "It wasn't dumb! It was for the school charity event."

"Sure, but you got stuck halfway up and had to be rescued by the janitor," Grace added, laughing so hard tears formed in her eyes.

"I was trying to help," Daisy muttered, cheeks burning.

"And let's not forget your 'super discreet' crush on Mrs. Smith," Ella teased, wiggling her eyebrows.