Goodbye, July

<SFTC: goodbye, July by Starting Tuesday (The War)>

Chapter 25

When Tanner said fancy, I'm pretty sure he meant classic little burger joint beach-shack that had tables flowing down into the sand. Which wasn't bad, it was actually the best place we could've gone at the moment. Everything was just great. The sun seemed to be setting straight across the water in front of us, giving the whole scene a more romantic feel.

Tanner gives my hand a tight squeeze from across the table, smiling widely at me. I return it, almost giddy by just looking at him. How a guy could be so physically and mentally attractive was beyond me. Every feature, laugh, smile, flash across his eyes, everything, was noted. I knew him, as much as a person could know a person with the time given. I also knew how these kinds of things end. Been through it with Jake even though I've sworn to myself to not relate it, to not think of it because then I'd only grow paranoid.

But I was becoming active trying to pinpoint what could go wrong but it all ended up saying that Tanner wouldn't leave me. I had engrained it into my brain as the way I had with Jake. That scar was still healing, but Tanner made it just a little bit better.

"Do you like it?" He asks, sounding worried. I flick my eyes back to him a smile again, realizing I had been staring out at the ocean distantly. My reveries happened often these days, but not nearly as much as they use to.

"Yeah, yeah! Its amazing- very romantic," I tighten my grip on his hands.

"That's what I was going for," He blushes, using his other hand to run through his hair. "What's bothering you?"

I'm a little flustered to be pointed out on what I was thinking about. Nobody usually cared enough to ask.

"Just that if you weren't here..." I swallow before continuing. "If you weren't here, I'd be so lost. With Austin and everything I was going through..."

He sighs, "I know we always talk about what you'd be like but have you thought of my life? I was a bum hauling clothes for my aunt on my free time and the rest of the time I was working at a small record shop down the pier."

"And now you're an internet sensation, girls' man crush Mondays across the globe," I tease, smiling across at him, trying to hide how much what he said meant to me.

"Can't blame them," he jokes, glancing up at the sky dramatically for effect.

"Arrogant." I tease.

"You like it."

"Think again."

"You won't be when we're making out later," he shrugs. I smirk and bite down on my lip, looking around at the lurking paparazzi and one other couple.

"Tanner," I whine, suddenly concious of onlookers who might've heard.

He snickers, "So? Let them hear."

He stands suddenly and faces the paps, making me almost choke on my water to get him to sit down.

"Hey! Guess who's-" I pull him by his sleeve back to his seat, resulting to laughing instead of scolding. He does too and soon we're both in a form of obnoxiously loud laughter.

"You're such a big idiot," I laugh, leaning back in my chair. He muffles his laugh behind his hand, still just as hard as when he started. His eyes now water for an unknown reason as he does, his gasping laugh also making me giggle. "Why are you still laughing!"

"The-the paparazzi flipped me off after I stopped," He stutters in between laughs, which causes both of us to continue. It was ridiculous actually, how hard we were laughing and how much it hurt at my sides and sides of my face. I go to put my hand to my cheeks, trying to push the corners of my lips down but end up giggling again and give up. People around us stare, quietly talking about how odd we must be. Which is true, we are possibly the weirdest people here, but I honestly don't care and I doubt Tanner does either.

•

We walk side by side, hands matched in eachothers perfectly, both of us laughing hysterically at a joke that honestly wasn't near as funny. Tanner had been set on a purpose on going somewhere but he wouldn't tell me.

For once, I let myself feel safe. Even loved, protected, cared for. Its dark now and the end of the pier grows closer by the second. He stops in front of a large building that makes the dock shake in quake from the bass. A line of people wait against the building, some more annoyed than others, but all dressed up. I feel out of place with my sundress and Tanner in his board shorts and wave tanktop. He could probably pass just for his looks if he wanted to.

"And how are we suppose to get in there?" I sigh, looking from the line to him.

"Alison, do you doubt me?" He says, looking teasingly down at me for a brief second before tugging me forward to the large guard. He looks like a bulldozer and barely gives a second glance as we approach.

"Name." The man barks

"Tanner Parks and Taylor Swift," Tanner says with a calm expression, confident. The mans' eyes bolt up at the last name and he breaks out in a crude smile. It seems everyone in line had overheard and leaned over to catch a glance.

"Go ahead, Ms. Swift. He's with you, yes?" He confirms, eyeing Tanner suspiciously. I nod several times as the guard pulls the door open to let out the ear-rupturing music. Tanner smiles widely at the guard and slides in, pulling me with him by my hand.

"And who's party is this?" I ask, stretching to look around and get my bearings. Tanner was already halfway to the dancefloor, navigating around effortlessly. I see a few girls eyeing him from a near chairless table, downing drinks. The gesture wasn't unusual, everyone usually eyed Tanner but I've never gotten use to it. If I was any more defensive, I think it'd be a lot worse.

"Who knows! There's almost always one here though, it's essentially a club without the name!" He shouts over the music, finally dragging me onto the rough dancefloor. It wasn't the best atmosphere to be in. People bounced and gyrated and danced every place around us, several people bumping into me at once. He stopped in a small spot of clearing, immediately bumped into his arms. He starts laughing and I follow suit, not exactly sure way else to do in the situation.

"This is crazy!" I shout, sweeping over the calmer areas which were nothing but calm. People were making out over there and the excess were talking flirtily. I meet the eyes of a guy surrounded by girls inches away from his face, craning to hear a word he says. One Harry Styles, who, for some reason, ended up in LA on a free day. Tanner follows my gaze before training it back to me.

"You aren't going over there to say hi?" His tone was sarcastic though I was actually considering it. He was my friend though we'd both indirectly avoided eachother so we'd stay out of the press.

"I might later, can you go get us a drink?" I ask, pulling my attention back to Tanner momentarily before looking back to a laughing Harry. Memories flashed back to mind and I look back at Tanner to see him walking toward the bar area. Instead of being bumped and bruised by the aimless drunken dancers, I turned and squeezed my way over to Harry. He was talking to Nick Grimshaw, an interviewer and also one of Harry's friends. Nick seems to notice me first and Harry follows his gaze.

"Taylor!" He says, standing, practically making the girls on the arms of his chair fall in. I stifle a laugh behind my hand.

"Hi Harry," I greet, trying to decide if I'm going to hug him or not but he pulls me in anyway. He's sweaty, I can tell as his curls lightly brush across my face into the hug. Definitely drunk too, he got impossibly more giddy when drunk and he seems in a daze. Blissful, even. I've seen him drunk before, multiple times, actually, but he's still the same way.

"You look great. I heard you have a boyfriend now?" He says. I'm pretty sure he looks around for a second while I'm not totally concentrated at him, more on the girls behind him.

"Yeah, Tanner. He's getting us a drink right now. I heard how great your band is doing and working on the next album? Y'all are catching up to me!" He laughs, nodding as he sips at a beer bottle. Tanner seems to emerge from the dancefloor at the same time and if he's holding in any discomfort, he's great at covering it up.

"Harry Styles. Huge fan, man. Nice to meet you," Tanner says, pushing his hand out to shake. Harry immediately shakes it and smiles.

"You must be Tanner, then. Nice to meet you too, then."

The silence half drags on and I take Tanner's arm and start backing toward the dancefloor. "If you'll excuse us, Harry, I think we'll be dancing!" And then we're away from him.

"Are you flexing?" I murmur to Tanner who's bicep is suddenly incredibly tense. He starts laughing, which is inaudible in the pound of the music.

"Have to look tough in front of your ex." He says for explanation, grinning.

"You're still flexing.."

"You sure about that?" Now it's my turn to blush. He leans down to kiss me on the lips, short but lingering so much that I self-consciously look around as if expecting everyone to be looking. Thankfully, nobody is.. except, oddly enough, Harry. I don't look long enough for him to think I saw him, or that on purpose, just look back at Tanner.

"What? Can't kiss my girlfriend without her making sure nobody saw?" He teases before kissing me again, a little longer this time.

"Cute," I laugh before wrapping both arms around his neck and beginning to dance aimlessly to the first slow song that's played in awhile. "Where's the drinks, by the way?"

"Well, I saw you with Harry and I kinda forgot about the drinks.." He trails off, as if embarrassed.

I let my mouth fall open, "Tanner Parks, you wouldn't happen to be, dare I say, jealous? Would you?"

"I call it protective," He smirks, sweeping in and pressing his lips to mine again.

I push back on his chest gently for a moment, "Okay, now you're just rubbing it in."

He laughs, barely enough time before another quick kiss. His eyes wander to the side where Harry must sit but I don't bother looking, just keep looking up at Tanner, admiring and half-laughing.

"Easy," I use my arms around his neck to pull him back down to my level to whisper across his ear. "You already won. I love you."

He smiles, so wide that it seems like one of the lights shooting across the room. "I love you too."