Kiss & Tell | Nicolandria FF

Part 28 - Olandria

a/n: chile this embarrassing bc why tf am I still on the rate challenge and they holding fawking babies like GIMME A SECOND

Taylor walked her to the couches on the balcony top, where they used to sit all the time, and they took a seat.

"Hey, Olly," he said, and he looked so ridiculous in his football costume that she couldn't help but laugh.

"Hi, Taylor."

The familiarity hit her fast. Side by side, like always. And no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't scrub out the affection she had for him. This exact couch—they'd sat here before, and he'd tell her stories about the farm, his rodeo shows, his friends back home. And she, slowly, shared bits about her family. Eldest daughter. Single mother. Responsibility that never waited for her to grow up.

But she never said how it made her feel. Not fully, anyway. Something about what they were made her think she had to be the strong one. That if she cracked, even a little, he'd think she was weak. And let go.

So she didn't.

And he still did.

Taylor was already talking again. She realized he wasn't listening—just saying "mhmm" while his mouth moved. She tuned back in.

"...and it's obviously, like... I don't want to discredit what we had. I just didn't want to kiss you during the challenge for Clarke, you know? But like, I wanted to kiss you."

Oh? "Mhmm." She nodded.

"And we got to know each other, and I really did—I do like you. So I don't... I don't want you to feel like those three weeks were for nothing. Because they weren't."

She nodded again, slower this time.

"So I just want to, like... say that. Even though I'm coupled up with Clarke, I still want to explore you. I think maybe being in different, uhm, connections? It'll give us, like... a new perspective."

Despite the confusion curling inside her, Olandria didn't let it show. "Wasn't Casa supposed to be the time for that?"

Taylor shrunk a little. She noticed that about him—when she got tense, he didn't ease it. He just flinched. Still, he cleared his throat. "Yeah, I can't lie. But—"

"We need more time," she finished for him.

He nodded, almost grateful.

She wanted to ask him—what more did he need to explore? She gave him three weeks. She chose him for three weeks. She cracked herself open, slowly, carefully. And even when he wasn't being exciting, or romantic, or trying, she held the weight. The way she always did.

But instead, she smiled. "Ok. I'm down with that, fasure."

Taylor smiled a strange smile and pulled her into a hug. She hugged him back, but not all the way. He pulled away just slightly, puckering his lips, and she placed a careful kiss on them.

It was the same.
Calm.

Underwhelming.

When they returned to the group, the girls were on one side of the villa, the boys on the other. While the girls looked like they were gossiping, or at least deep in convo, the boys were kicking the soccer ball in slutty costumes.

"If Ace bends over one more time and show us that cake, I'm gonna go over and grab it," Olandria heard come out of Chelley's mouth and sputtered. She glanced up and laughed loudly at the shock on Olandria's face.

"Should I ask him to dwerk?" Coco grinned at Chelley while making space for Olandria on the seat. Clarke laughed at that, brushing a hair out of her face. Chelley had her legs sprawled on Cierra's lap, who was in deep conversation with Iris, Gracyn, and Jaden.