Chapter 53: 52

till forever falls apart | Taylor SwiftWords: 6933

yall the difference in the amount of comments on the last update is hilarious 😭 i love yall, im so glad ur enjoying this story so far!!!

———

FaceTime

bitchass

would like to FaceTime

[Decline]                              [Accept]

Niko

Gooood morning, baby!

August

Hey, lover! How are you?

Niko

Oh, I'm doing great, thank you. You?

August

Pretty great actually—

Niko

Wait, why am I staring at a ceiling fan? What're you doing?

August

Getting dressed, just a second!

Niko

Huh, where are you going? It's like, ten in the morning.

August

Breakfast, then something called Centennial park, I think. I don't know. It's up to Taylor.

Niko

Oh, cute! Have fun, then!

August

Thanks, babes . What do you think?

[August picked up her phone and leaned it against the wall so Niko could see her whole outfit]

Niko

Oh! I love the pants, when did you get those?

August

I stole 'em from Zoë, obviously

Niko

She's never getting those back, is she?

August

Nope!

[August laughed, popping the P at the end]

Niko

You look good, Auggie. You sound cheery today.

August

I'm a whole year older today, baby! I have... matured.

[She pronounced the word matured as 'mah—tour-ed". Niko chuckled, shaking his head]

Niko

Sure, you've been 26 for over 24 hours officially. But I don't buy it. What's got you in such a good mood?

[August grinned excitedly and flopped on the still unmade bed]

August

I forgive you, by the way.

Niko

What? What did I do?

August

You told Taylor my deepest darkest secret.

Niko

The day you were born on?

August

Yes!

Niko

Well, darn! I'm sorry! Thank you for forgiving me!

August

Yeah, you're welcome!

Niko

Right... what did she get you?

[Niko caught on, slowly smirking and raising his eyebrows questioningly]

August

Hold on a second, I'll play it for you.

Niko

Huh?

[Niko waited as August pulled her laptop out and opened the saved mp3 file Taylor had given her last night]

August

Listen to this...

Niko

Oh my fucking gosh, August, is that you singing? That's you— oh my shit, this is fucking insane! It's so well produced too— I'm losing my mind. Wait, are you releasing this? OH MY GOD YOU LITTLE SHIT, ARE YOU RELEASING YOUR FIRST SINGLE?

August

No, I don't think so. But, yeah, I am thinking of writing an album. I already have the whole, big idea. I just need to find someone to work w—

Niko

SHUT UP, THAT'S TAYLOR SINGING, ISN'T IT? BITCH, YOU RECORDED A WHOLE ASS DUET WITH TAYLOR AND DIDN'T TELL ME?

August

... I'm sorry?

Niko

NO, APOLOGY NOT ACCEPTED. AUGUST! THIS IS INSANE! I'M SO FUCKING PROUD OF YOU!

August

Thank you!

[August laughed hard in joy as Niko bopped his head excitedly to the beat of the song]

Niko

This is amazing. You need to release this, I swear it's gonna be such a banger.

August

Taylor seems to think so too. I want to, just not yet. You know?

Niko

Sure, but as long as I get a signed copy of the CD.

August

I'll even sign your ass, if you shave it

Niko

Deal!

August

Do you really like it?

Niko

I love it, August. It's a fricken masterpiece. What's it about?

August

Uh, friendship. Falling in love platonically with your friends. With you, my bestie!

[Niko smiled brightly, his gaze softening intensely]

Niko

I love you too, Auggie. But, was it also maybe inspired by a certain, uh, blonde, blue-eyed girl?

August

I don't know. Maybe. It just kinda wrote itself, but I know that I was definitely thinking of you when I did. You, and Zoë, and Taylor. And Tom and Maia and Conan. God, I miss them so much.

Niko

Yeah, same. I haven't seen them since March!

August

Right... we need to have a big ass karaoke night when this whole thing's over.

Niko

Absolutely! Let me revive that group chat tonight. Anyway. How are things in Nashville?

August

It's pretty great. Honestly, being out of... there. It's been helpful. I've been pretty calm and well-rested all week. And I think, I slept pretty great last night. Not a single dream.

Niko

The Taylor effect?

August

What the hell's that?

Niko

Nothing, I'm just teasing you!

August

I don't get how...?

Niko

I'm saying it's cuz of her, you idiot!

August

Oh! Eh, I don't know. Maybe! She is pretty awesome, I won't deny it.

Niko

Yeah, but you're totally in love with her! And she's obviously in love with you! I saw those pics that a bunch of fans took when you two went hiking!

August

They were just pictures of us walking in a park, dude.

Niko

Yeah, but you looked in love.

August

How?!

Niko

You just did. So, when are you gonna fucking make-out with her already?

[When August hesitated to respond, Niko's eyes widened and his face was suddenly right in front of the camera]

August

It's not what—

Niko

YOU KISSED HER?

August

NO! Well, I— well, she kinda— she kissed me... last night.

Niko

OH MY GOSH, SPILL! RIGHT NOW. SPARE NO DETAILS.

August

God, Niko...

Niko

RIGHT NOW.

August

Look, it's not that hot or anything. I'd just told her everything that happened with Justin and — and Ryne and it was nice to get it all out. And then she asked to hear a few of the ideas I had for the album. And I played her one of the songs— no, before you ask, you don't get to hear it until it's out! And, well it's in French—

Niko

Wait, you wrote a song in French? When?

August

Like, a few weeks ago! I was talking to grandma back in Quebec and for the rest of the day my brain was just working in Quebecois and the song just kinda came out.

Niko

I always forget you're French-Canadian.

August

Right, because I'm also such a Valley Girl!

[August attempted a very obnoxious Valley Girl accent which made Niko laugh]

Niko

Exactly, with your collection of oversized sweatshirts and vans. So, continue the story!

August

That's it. I just sang the song and she kissed me. It wasn't that big of a deal!

Niko

Wait, so you guys didn't fuck after that?

August

Dude! No! What the fuck? I'm pretty sure she's not like, really into that—

Niko

Fucking hell, she stuck her tongue down your throat, August. She's into you. Can you just stop overthinking things for once?

August

She did kiss me after I sang 'embrasse moi'

Niko

Which translates to kiss me! I'm pretty sure she understood that, took her chance, and did something she's obviously wanted to do for months now.

August

Niko...

Niko

Dude, she'd be crazy not to have been into you this whole time! I mean, now that we know she's not completely straight, she's obviously been flirting with you for months! And not so innocently!

August

How do you know?

Niko

I just do. So what happened after you kissed?

August

Nothing, we just went to bed. I woke up like an hour ago, took Phoebe for a walk and then she said she wanted to show me this park and that's about it.

Niko

Ugh, you're useless! Ask her out.

August

No.

Niko

WHY NOT?

August

I— what if she says no?

Niko

AUGUST

August

WHAT?

Niko

Nothing. Go back to your girlfriend! And remember! I wanna see HD pap pics of you two making out over breakfast!

August

I hate you!

Niko

You love me!

August

Not right now!

[August hung up the phone]