Taylor Swift and my Leah Novel crossover in this installment of #flashfictionmagic

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September, Junior Year

Leah closed the front door behind her, the smile on her face growing.

“Well, how was it?” her mom asked from her favorite chair in the living room.

“Oh my gosh,” Leah said, going to sit next to her. “It was great. Eric had dinner planned by the pond on his property and then we played a couple of card games. It was sweet.”

Aww Leah!” Mom kissed her on the cheek. “I’m glad you’re home safe. I’m going to bed now. Tell me more at breakfast tomorrow?”

“Duh!” she exclaimed joyfully. “Goodnight.”

As Leah headed, she saw a new message from Stacy: Well! How’d it go????

The grin returned as she typed: It was great! He’s soooo sweet.

April, Senior Year

Leah leaned against her car door with a sigh. “I can’t do this anymore.”

Eric stared at her dumfounded. “Can’t do what anymore?”

Leah opened her mouth and then closed it again. She had imagined this conversation so many times, but now that it was staring her in the face… “I can’t pretend anymore,” she said slowly. “I’m distancing myself from the group…from you…I miss doing things I used to—like reading—and I don’t really the rodeo—”

“You don’t?”

Leah shook her head. “I kept going because of you guys. Because I don’t know who I am without you—”

“I know who you are,” Eric insisted.

Leah wrapped her arms around herself. “But I don’t anymore. I’ve got to figure that out.”

1 Month Later, Senior Year

Leah walked through the front door. “Hi, I’m home!” she called over the sound of 90’s Country.

“Pen and I are in the kitchen!” her mom called back.

“Aun-tee!” Leah’s two-year-old niece Penelope greeted her.

“Pen!” Leah grinned at her, dropping her backpack at the breakfast bar chairs.

Mini canvases were set up on the table on art easels and Pen was standing on one of the chairs.

“Ooh a painting day,” Leah said, peppering he niece’s face with kisses.

“How was school?” Mom asked.

Leah shrugged. It had been four weeks since they had broken up. Time was moving too fast and too slow at the same time. Graduation was just around the corner. “I survived another day.”

“An-tee paint,” Penelope said.

 “Yeah Pen, I think I will.” She set up another art easel and placed a canvas on it.

“There’s no rules, Lee. Just follow the music or your mood and go with it.”

Leah dipped her brush in the dark blue and swiped it onto the canvas.

…

While the paintings dried, Leah sat at the kitchen bar with Penelope on her lap, her mom next to them, a plate of carrots and strawberries and an open container of blueberries on the bar.

“An-tee paint like this booberry,” Penelope said.

“Very good, Pen! They’re both blue. What color is the strawberry?”

“Red!” she exclaimed.

Leah took a deep breath against Penelope’s head and exhaled. She hadn’t felt this at peace in a long time.

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I’m late to the game on this one, but I’m sharing it anyways!

Last month there was a Taylor Swift inspired takeover for the #flashfictionmagic community. Flash fiction and TSwift?! Yes, I’m in!

In a personal, added challenge to myself, I wanted to write within the world of my Leah Novel because it’s fun to explore moments with the characters even though I don’t know if it’ll make it into the final draft.

It kept getting pushed down the writing to-do list until now! Last week, I pitched my novel to my fellow hedgies (our nickname for the writers apart of @quillandcup) and Leah and her story have been living in my brain even more so ever since!

And then Monday, as I was making the drive to see my family, I was listening to the Fearless album and story sparks started coming! When I was safely in my parents’ driveway, I recorded a voice memo to not forget them. And so, even though it’s weeeeks late, I’m sharing it here regardless. I’m gonna ride this story momentum 🤩

✨Thanks to @writehereallalong and @katiefitzstories for the prompts.
✨Thanks to the hedgies on the pitch prickle last week for the incredible feedback.

I hope you enjoyed this tiny snippet of my heart!