After hanging up the phone on Niko, August couldn't fight off her smile as she slipped on a pair of black Converses. She grabbed her phone and her face mask before opening the door and slipping out into the hall.

She met Taylor waiting outside, typing away on her phone. Taylor looked up when the door opened and beamed at August.

"Hey! You ready to go?" Taylor asked, slipping her colourful face-mask out of her pocket and hanging the loops behind her ears.

"Yeah! We're good," August replied, smiling back before hiding her own face behind her all-black mask.

"No Phoebe?" Taylor wondered, adjusting her tote bag over her shoulder and started walking down the street.

"Nah," August chuckled softly, closing the small metal gate behind them. "She's having the time of her life with Kitty. She hasn't spent time with another dog in a while."

"Aw, yeah. You know, I was surprised at how gentle Kitty's being with Pheebs. She's usually just so aggressively loving, but not with her," Taylor mentioned, her arms swinging by her side. She walked just a few steps ahead of August, which wasn't exactly unusual but August wondered if perhaps the blonde was trying to put some distance between them, maybe on purpose.

"I noticed. She just knows that Phoebe's a special dog," August said and winked playfully when Taylor looked around for a moment.

They walked a little further in silence until August spotted a young woman across the street with her phone out, very obviously pointed in their direction. Taylor kept looking ahead but August knew she had definitely noticed the camera. She was probably hyperaware of them at all times in public. Was that why she had been walking at a safe distance ahead?

August's pace slowed down just a little until there was a whole ten feet between her and Taylor and it was only then that the singer stopped and turned around with an eyebrow raised. "What are you doing?"

August ran her hands through her hair, bouncing her curls between her fingers. "Just making sure I look extra good for those pictures."

Taylor rolled her eyes but August could tell she was smiling, even with her face hidden behind the mask.

"You look beautiful," Taylor chuckled softly, "Twitter's gonna rave about those pants."

August laughed, glancing down at the green high-waisted trousers she had worn. "Zoë's gonna have a field day trying to make sure everyone knows I stole those from her," she explained and then looking up at Taylor, she smiled softly and added, "you don't look too bad yourself, Tay."

"Thanks," Taylor chuckled and held her hand out, wiggling her fingers for August. She stepped closer and grabbed Taylor's hand, immediately feeling her stomach churn but she ignored it.

August smirked to herself and made a show of looking at Taylor's endless legs. In the denim shorts she was wearing, August couldn't even deny the fact they were just drop dead gorgeous. She was looking. respectfully.

[

"I mean, those legs," August said and let a low whistle which made Taylor laugh and smack her arm playfully.

"Will you stop? This interaction is still being documented," Taylor exclaimed, though her voice was still light.

August shrugged and dropped Taylor's hand once she was standing next to her. "I don't think they'll be surprised to find out that I enjoy looking at your legs. Respectfully. Of course."

"Right, respectfully," Taylor teased. "Yeah, thank you. I work out a lot," she winked lightly and started walking again as they both burst out laughing.

"Does it even get tiring?" August asked once they had walked a good distance away from that other girl.

"Working out?" Taylor asked, stopping at a crosswalk. August stood next to her, hands in the back pockets of her pants, chuckling softly and shaking her head. She leaned back on her heels, her crop-top riding just above her belly button and she was pretty sure Taylor's eyes traced over the bare skin for a moment. She stood up straight again, leaning against a lamppost.

"You know, the cameras, everywhere you go," August explained and then she clicked her tongue, shaking her head. "Of course it does. Sorry, I'm an idiot for even asking."

"No, it's okay," Taylor answered softly. "You get used to it eventually. Although, sometimes, it just... it gets the best of you."

August recalled that one year Niko kept telling her about how there had been absolutely no news about Taylor Swift for months, maybe longer. She knew all about how the media perceived her as a celebrity, and even as a human, August could only imagine how hard it must have been.

"I feel like I should be apologising, though," Taylor mentioned, glancing sideways at August. The light had turned green and Taylor grabbed August's hand, giving it a small squeeze as they crossed to the other side. She only let go when they had reached the other sidewalk.

"What do you have to apologise for?" August asked with a small scoff at the notion. As far as she was concerned, Taylor never had to apologise to her.

"The past few months have been so easy because we've been completely out of the public's eye," Taylor explained, crossing her arms over her chest.

"A few pictures taken by a bunch of fans won't change that," August reassured her. It was kind of weird, she had to admit that, but she didn't mind it. She didn't care if a bunch of teenagers on the internet talked about her for hanging out with a celebrity like Taylor.

"The fans are mostly easy to deal with, at least on days like today. When it's pretty calm. But, the photographers and the people stopping me every few feet, and just constantly being under the scrutiny of the public's eyes..." Taylor sighed heavily and stopped dead in her tracks, turning to face August completely. "It gets too overwhelming. Especially when—"

She cut herself off so abruptly that August hesitated to ask her to continue. But she wanted to know, though she wouldn't pressure her.

"Especially when what?" She asked softly.

Taylor shrugged and started walking again. August could finally see the green hedges and the large trees of a park. Taylor started walking in the direction of a large entrance gate.

"Nothing, they're just always in your face. They never leave you alone. It's too much sometimes," Taylor said.

August knew that wasn't what she initially wanted to say but she didn't press on. She grabbed Taylor's hand instead and laced their fingers together.

"It's what I'm signing up for, anyway, isn't it?" August said, giving Taylor's hand a small squeeze. "Might as well get some practice."

Taylor laughed softly and ran her thumb over the back of August's hand. This time, she didn't let go.

"I guess so," she answered as they finally stepped into the park. It was quite large and beautiful. And pretty empty due to COVID, with only a few people with children milling about. "At least, it's a good thing they don't know I'm not entirely straight, so, this won't raise any eyebrows."

She held their hands up in the air for a moment and started swinging their arms between them at a steady rate.

"Wait, so, you're not straight?"

Taylor actually stopped, turned very slowly, and blinked at August in shock before letting out a chuckle in disbelief. "You're not serious right now, are you?"

August shrugged, digging the front of her shoes into the gravel.

"We were literally making out last night," Taylor deadpanned and August's cheeks blushed furiously at the memory. It was pretty great. "I've been shamelessly flirting with you for months. And you thought I was straight? Even after I kissed you?"

August was blushing even more and she refused to meet Taylor's gaze. This was too embarrassing. She cleared her throat and thought it would be best to play it as a joke.

"So, just to be clear, you're really not straight, right?"

Taylor rolled her eyes and shoved August playfully. "You're an idiot, you know that?"

"Yeah... I get that a lot," August chuckled and leaned her cheek against Taylor's shoulder for a moment before standing back straight and they continued walking around the park. She couldn't stop smiling and she was glad that her mask could hide her face.

They settled down at a spot away from everyone else, near a small lake. Taylor pulled out a blanket from her tote bag and spread it out on the grass. When they had both sat down, she brought out a few items of food and something to drink and August, though enjoying it, was still pleasantly surprised.

"So... is this like, a date?" August asked hesitantly, accepting a glass of lemonade from Taylor.

"Yup, just, you, me, and Paul sitting on that bench over there," Taylor joked, nodding with her head toward her bodyguard that usually stayed out of the way. Honestly, August had rarely ever even felt his presence, but she knew he was always there, a few feet behind them.

"He makes the whole thing pretty special if you ask me," August chuckled softly.

"Do you want it to be a date?" Taylor countered, leaning back on her palms.

August wasn't sure how she wanted to answer her. She didn't know what her answer was, really. She was still barely processing what had happened the night before.

"It... feels like one," August said tentatively.

"Is that a good thing?" Taylor asked, carefully pulling a puff pastry out from a paper bag and placing it on a napkin.

August nodded, beaming at Taylor. It really was. "Yes, it is."

She could tell Taylor visibly relaxed by how her shoulders slackened. "Good. I think so too."

August smiled widely at Taylor and pulled out her phone. "I should document this," she said and opened her camera app. She snapped a quick picture of the spread and one of Taylor grinning widely when she got a notification on twitter.

She opened it, only to find that it was Niko sharing a post from an update account. It was a video of Taylor and August walking side by side literally just minutes ago, hand in hand before they had let go. August chuckled and shook her head as she showed it to Taylor.

"Historians will call them best friends," she laughed lightly and Taylor snorted, returning the phone over to August.

"Are we not?" Taylor countered jokingly, raising her plastic cup up to her mouth.

"I should hope not," August mumbled, smirking as her finger hovered over the "like" button. Finally, she decided to press down and she tossed her phone next to her.

"What do you mean— wait... Did you like that video?" Taylor asked, her eyes widening. "August, you are playing with fire. Did you even read that caption?"

August laughed softly and shook her head. "It doesn't matter. It literally just called us besties."

"Right..." Taylor cleared her throat. "I don't usually tend to acknowledge these."

"It's okay, Tay. You need to relax a little."

"I'm not worried about me. I don't care anymore about what people will say," Taylor said and then she looked pointedly at August.

"You're worried about how it'll affect me?" August asked and when Taylor nodded she sighed and sat up, scooting closer to the blonde singer. "Tay. I'm a grown up. I'm fine. I can handle a few internet trolls and some attention."

"I know you can. It's just..."

"Is this all because of what you found out yesterday?"

August watched as Taylor shifted in her seat and looked down at her lap.

"I know you're not weak and you definitely don't need me to look after you. In fact, you're the strongest person I've ever met. I just feel the need to make sure you're okay and to protect you," Taylor explained. She looked up to meet August's eyes, her own wide and vulnerable and August wanted to hug her and reassure her that she really was okay. "I guess it's because I care a lot. About you, I mean."

August smiled softly and held out her hand which Taylor took it instantly. "Thank you, but I promise, I'm really fine. So, tell me. What's so special about this park?"

Taylor looked around at the scenery as she answered, sipping slowly at her drink. "I grew up around here. And I used to come out here a lot to read. My favourite spot was that bench over there, by the lake. I'd sit there and... I mean, it's a little silly but, teenage Taylor thought she would meet someone here. And it would be a whole romantic adventure, we'd fall in love, get married, the whole thing."

She chuckled at her younger self and shook her head at the silliness of it all, but August found it adorable. She did have the same ridiculous thoughts as a teenager. Except her ideal spouse would have been at a My Chemical Romance concert or something.

"Did you ever meet that prince charming?" She asked and Taylor narrowed her eyes at August who was smirking amusedly.

"You're mocking me, but no. I never did meet anyone here," Taylor indulged her and August continued laughing softly. She grabbed a piece of fruit and ate it quietly as Taylor continued watching a family of birds in the trees above them.

"Did you ever bring anyone here?" August asked, a half-eaten strawberry halfway up to her parted lips.

Taylor looked at August, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "I brought you."

August felt flustered. She looked down, biting off the rest the fruit.

"No one else?"

"No one else seemed worthy enough to appreciate it," Taylor answered and then after a moment of thought, she added, "and nice enough to mock me about it."

"I wasn't mocking you," August attempted lamely but she didn't even believe herself.

Taylor laughed softly and tossed a grape at her. August grabbed it from her lap and plopped it in her mouth, chewing slowly while regarding Taylor. When she had finally swallowed, she asked:

"So, not even any old boyfriends... or girlfriends?"

Taylor shook her head. "No. I mean... I would have brought Joe over here or Karlie... but, that didn't exactly end well."

"Karlie?" August raised an eyebrow.

"Kloss. The um, model. We kinda went out for a while a few years ago," Taylor explained.

"Oh, right..." From Taylor's voice, she could tell it was pretty serious. But then, if it was so serious, how come the media had never known? No one even knew that Taylor was into girls, besides the few fans who liked to speculate over nothing. Taylor seemed to catch on the August's train of thoughts and she smiled amusedly.

"They called us best friends in the tabloids. 'When your best friend's your soulmate,' Or something," She chuckled, brushing her fingers back through her hair. "We'd literally be cuddling in public and no one would think twice about it."

"See, we have nothing to worry about that!" August said and Taylor let out a laugh.

"You're right," she said softly.

"Taylor, last night..."

"I'm really sorry," Taylor interrupted. "I know it was a pretty vulnerable moment for you, and you were opening up to me and I just—"

"God, no, don't apologise! It was perfect. I'm just... what did it mean to you?"

August looked at Taylor expectantly. She pushed her hair behind her ears and licked her lips softly. Her soft, red lips... August could still recall the feeling of them sliding against her own.

"It wasn't just... meaningless making-out, I can assure you of that," Taylor responded quietly. "Uhm, I think, August, that I like you. A lot."

August certainly wasn't expecting to hear those words. Even when Niko spent hours trying to make her understand that it was pretty obvious to him that Taylor liked her. But hearing those straight out of Taylor's mouth... She felt the butterflies in her stomach fly around at a crazy speed.

"I think, Taylor, that I might like you too. A lot," she answered and the genuine joy and surprise in Taylor's eyes was pretty hard to ignore.

"You do?" Taylor asked and August couldn't help but laugh, feeling like a teenager in high school telling their crush that they really liked them.

"Of course, I do," August chuckled, reaching over to squeeze Taylor's hand. She leaned in even closer until their faces were mere inches apart only to remember that they were in fact very much in public. It wouldn't have mattered to her normally. But it probably mattered a lot to Taylor. Her blue eyes softened and she looked down, her smile faltering just a little.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, and August smiled wider, brushing her thumb over the back of Taylor's hand in a gentle caress.

"You have nothing to apologise for. We can make-out like horny high schoolers back home," she answered and Taylor let out a loud giggle, her head falling back with joyous laughter.

"Alright, I'll hold you to that promise," Taylor said, finally sitting back comfortably with her back leaning against the trunk of a tree.

They spent the next hour or so eating the food that Taylor had brought and watching the families that were spending their morning at the park for some calmness and fresh air and August felt elated. Even with a few eyes watching their every move, she felt lighter. They talked about nothing and everything, discussing some of their past and getting to know each other better. August even admitted to that one job she had at a Fro-yo shop when she was still in high school to save up for a Green Day concert and showed her pictures. Thankfully, Taylor wasn't too brutal about them.

And when a young fan walked shyly up to Taylor, August had absolutely no problem in taking a picture for the small girl, making sure that it came out perfect.

"That was cute," August said, settling back down on her back with her arms behind her head, watching the clouds.

"Yeah," Taylor murmured softly, resting her head in August's lap. August smiled and let one of her hands fall into her blonde locks. "The tiny fans are always the best. They're too pure."

"She'll be excited to know there's a new album coming out soon," August mentioned and Taylor hummed in response, her eyes already closed.

"So, do you have a release date yet?" August asked and Taylor opened one eye only, looking up at August suspiciously.

"Why do you wanna know?"

"I need to tell this one reporter who promised he'd pay me thousands of dollars," she responded sarcastically and Taylor's chest shook with laughter as she picked up her book again and opened it up to the page she was at.

"Well, that's a shame. Here I thought we were best friends!"

With her fingers running through Taylor's hair, August smirked widely. "The best of friends, in fact."

"And you dare betray me," Taylor huffed playfully. "Shame."

"Sorry, it's strictly business, babe," August sighed dramatically, clicking her tongue.