almost | taylor swift au

chapter 14

A few days come and go without Taylor really speaking much to Jett. She knows that it's not a healthy way of dealing with conflict, to just completely ignore him, but she's hurt. She feels betrayed and confused. She doesn't want to confront him, and it's clear that he isn't going to confront her.

So she decides to push it off until after Vegas. After she meets Gracie.

There's a little voice in the back of her head, saying that if something happens, then Jett will just be more upset, he'll just get to say, "I told you so." But she tries to shake that thought away. She knows that everything is going to be fine, and she's really excited to get to meet and spend some time with Gracie.

So an hour before the show starts, she finds herself in her room, searching through her suitcase for the right outfit. She eventually decides to pair a black corset tank top with a pair of ripped jeans and Doc Martens. She straightens her hair and leaves it to fall down around her shoulders, and finishes off the look with some winged eyeliner and red lipstick. She likes how she looks tonight. She can't help but think that, if she would've looked like this a week ago, she would've sent a mirror selfie to Jett, and he would've responded calling her beautiful.

But tonight, she doesn't need his validation. She knows that she looks good, and she's going to go out and have fun. That's what's important tonight.

So she grabs her purse and heads over to the venue. It isn't a very long walk, and everyone's out on the Strip tonight. It's a fun adventure. She gets there quickly enough. They check her ID and ticket, then let her into the little club where the concert is set to be taking place. Upon entering, she's in a bar with a set of double doors at the back, leading to the space for the music.

She picks up a cider at the bar before heading in. By the time that she's all settled, there's only fifteen minutes until the show starts.

She knows it's going to be a good night- these little tiny venues are so intimate, and she loves going to shows that feel personal. She thinks that a truly great artist can make you feel like you are the only person in the room.

Almost as soon as Gracie walks onstage, Taylor makes eye contact with the girl. She can't help but immediately notice how effortlessly cool Gracie is. She's wearing white wide-leg pants and a black blazer, which is unbuttoned to reveal a white bralette underneath. Her hair is hanging down, but the front pieces are pulled back into a black bow.

As Taylor looks around, she notices that a lot of girls in the audience are wearing a similar bow in their hair. She can't help but feel like she came out of dress code.

Gracie smiles at her and gives her a little wink, telling Taylor that Gracie knows exactly who she is. Then, she takes the microphone and begins to sing. 

Instantly, Taylor finds herself captivated by the girl's lyricism, just like in her Instagram videos. As she takes in the song, absorbing the moment and letting the vibrations of sound run through her bones, she feels like it's over before she knows it.

"Hey guys," Gracie says when the cheering dies down. "My name is Gracie. That was a new song called 'Minor,' it's the title track of my EP that's coming out on March 12th. I'm going to be playing some stuff from that EP tonight, as well as some stuff that didn't make the cut."

Everyone cheers again.

"Wow," Gracie lets out a little giggle. "That was so nice of you. Thank you so much for all coming out tonight, I know that there's a lot going on in Vegas and you could be anywhere, but you decided to come here and that really means so much to me."

She grips the microphone nervously. Taylor can tell that she really wants to please everyone. It's a small crowd, but it's an enthusiastic one. Lots of girls, just like her and Gracie, are here and very excited to be. Taylor can't help but think that she could probably be friends with any one of them. They're all here for one reason- they're united by a shared love of music.