Chapter 16

                                    

                                          


                          
"... because of Taylor." 
                          
That last part didn't process at first. Her eyebrows furrowed as she looks out in space as she tries to process what she's been told, but still can't so she asked him again. "What?" She gave him a confused face. "What did she have to do with it?"
                          
He knows that only him and Taylor knows how Karlie and her developed their feelings for each other. Right now Derek doesn't know how to say it right to Karlie without her stressing out. Should Taylor  tell her this or should I? He thinks.
                          
"Well?" Karlie snapped him out of his thoughts, waiting for him to speak. Karlie looks lost and anxious that he has to get her to calm down. I guess the cat's out of the bag. He holds on to both of her hands with his, and calls her attention."Karlie. I'm going to explain it to you in a clearly. BUT only ask me until I finish what I'm going to say, okay?" 
                          
Karlie nods.
                          
"Okay.. Based on what you told me.. you started when you joined Tumblr."
                          
"Whu- Tumblr???" Karlie was baffled.
                          
Derek gave her a 'what-did-I-say-look'
                          
"Sorry sorry. Go on."
                          
So Derek told him what Karlie told her before; the time when Taylor introduced her to Tumblr; when Karlie so these Kaylor posts which got her thinking, and starting to have feelings for the singer; when she struggled with her feelings; when Taylor wasn't able to exchange her feelings for her but eventually remained friends, but struggled not able to move on; till to the point that she told him to look for someone who she can meet to forget her feelings, which answers the Josh thing; during the day of the accident Taylor told him about how she developed her feelings for her, which is just like Karlie's.
                          
So far that's all he knows, except that night.
                          
It's already 5 pm. Having everything laid out to her, Derek waited for Karlie to reply or even react. His best friend is not moving an inch on her stool, trying to absorb everything and tring to sort the puzzles pieces out. 
                          
"I..." Karlie tries to form her words.
                          
"I think.. I need some time to think." She stands not even looking at her best friend. "Alone. If it's okay" She adds.
                          
"Okay." He whispered. "If you want to talk, I'm just a phone call away." 
                          
"Thank you." Karlie finally looks at him, but her mind is not completely present.
                          
She escorted him out, and returned inside of her apartment in silence. She curled up on her couch and started to think. 
                          
Is this why I'm having these familiar feelings ?.. I-I don't get it... Why can't I get it?? Karlie started to get frustrated. 
                          
Why can't I understand them? I want to remember them! I can feel it in my heart that there's something, but why can't I process it in my head?!
                          
Karlie grunts and started to punch the couch. Her jaw and hands are all clenched, for her mind is making her all anxious. She suddenly felt pain in her body. She still hasn't completely recovered from her injuries. She remembers that Taylor has been telling her to take things slow physically and mentally every time she gets frustrated back in the hospital. Suddenly, she pauses as she realized something.
                          
"Taylor knows.." She softly said. She just realized that all this time...She's is in pain because of me.. not knowing.. not remembering our.. That thought broke Karlie down into tears. 
                          
"Sh-she's in pai-hain. W-what the fuck?!" her voice wheeze as she's having a hard time breathing because of the tears that's rushing down on her face. Why didn't she tell me she's in pain?? Her head drops down while she cries herself in the next hours.
                          
(8 pm)
                          
She curled up on her couch while hugging a pillow, she just stares at the window of her living room. Thinking back when they're in the hospital. Her eyes are puffy and heavy, slowly she's starting to feel tired from what happened a few hours ago. 
                          
Suddenly her phone vibrated and lit up. She checks it and sees Taylor's message. 
                          
Hey don't forget to drink your meds! :) And don't drink it with an empty stomach! :O
                          
Karlie grips her phone tighter. Why would she do this to herself? She places her head on the pillow as her chest aches again. She stayed in that position for a while. Until she thought, I don't want her to suffer anymore. She decided to stand up and do what Taylor reminded her to do. I'm going to do this for her. She thought. She doesn't want Taylor to have a hard time anymore since the damage is done. SHe's going to do what she can as genuine as possible. She doesn't want to force things. Just like what Taylor kept of reminding her.
                          
Even though she still doesn't understand everything, she decides to do her best to get well and understand more about Taylor, hoping that things will fall to its rightful place again.
                          
She goes to the kitchen and grabs some snack, and while she eats, she replies to Taylor's message.
                          
A few moments later. Taylor gets a message from Karlie. 
                          
(thumbs up emoticon) Don't worry about me, but thank you :)
                          
That gave Taylor some relief since she's been reminding her to take her meds since she's not around her this weekend because she's in Nashville in her parent's house.
                          
"Taylor!" Austin calls her attention. "It's time to sing mama happy birthday."
                          
"Right I'm coming!" 
                          
I can't wait to see Karlie again.
                          
***
                          
Hi guys! I just came from my sister's bday so I was gone for the day. As I got home, I just realized that I have a meeting that I have to attend tomorrow so I decided to update this right now. So there! I hope you guys like this chapter. I can't wait to update this. >.<
                          
I have to be honest, I felt so emotional when I wrote Karlie's realization. 
                          
Thank you for reading!