I'm Not a Playa - Chapter 32
Redialing Skye's number once again Taylor whimpered into the phone. These past few days were
crazy. Why was everything terrible happening to him? Who was making him go through such
torture and most important, why? The ringing of the phone was making Taylor's head hurt. He
couldn't think straight. Twelve rings, no one picked up. Taylor clicked the off button on the
phone closing his eyes and leaning his head back against the wall behind him. Maybe this was all
a nightmare. Maybe Brianna wasn't dead, Chris wasn't HIV positive, and Skye wasn't in the
hospital. Maybe everything just wasn't happening. Tears managed to fall through Taylor's shut
eyes and he sat absolutely still. Music blasted and laughter could be heard from every corner. It
was all frustrating him.
"Are you okay?" Samantha stood in front of Taylor.
"No! Go away!" Taylor snapped at the sound of her voice.
"Oh my god... did Skye... die?" Samantha knew whatever happened had to be big.
"It's none of your business!" Taylor shuddered at the thought of Skye being dead.
Samantha looked down at the floor. Skye really did die.. She could feel Taylor's reaction
penetrate the whole basement. "Listen..." She put her hand on his.
"NO! Just shutup and go home!" Taylor threw her hand back at her giving off a pair of terribly
evil eyes. They were burning red and filled with tears but deep inside there was a hatred she had
never seen.
Samantha backed away feeling embarrassed and hurt. "I... I was just trying to help." She
stuttered. She had nowhere to go. How could she go home?
"No one can help." He shrugged her away.
Samantha was probably the only person who was noticing Taylor so worked up. Everyone was
into the party. It was weird how she could feel his fury from across a room.
"Listen... my life is like hell right now. Can you imagine coming back home and having some
gay guy kiss you, your friend being chased with a knife, finding out you've taken two people's
lives, and that the girl you love more then anything in the world is in the hospital and probably
DEAD! This isn't even like 'Oh man, my girlfriend dumped me and I fell off my bike!' This is
way beyond that! This is like the whole world going against me!" Taylor rambled letting his
feelings out.
Samantha couldn't even remember all of this happening. Taylor was right. There were far too
many occurrences to just make up a bad day. It was confusing and she didn't know what to tell
him. She couldn't help him after all.
"I hate my life." Taylor cried into his hands shaking his head.
"I'm sorry.. Maybe things will get better..."
Taylor ignored her. "It's just too much, hitting me too fast. How am I supposed to handle this? It's
not like taking each thing slowly. It's like having it all to deal with... and... I'm not strong enough
to do that."
Samantha nodded. "I'm sure you'll figure it out." She comforted. "I'll help you."
"It's so noisy here." Taylor looked around the basement. He hardly recognized anyone. The
people were mostly all of Zac's thirteen year old friends. "I want to get out of here." He said
quietly.
"Do you want to go to your room?"
Taylor nodded. "Yeah." He knew it wouldn't make him feel better about anything but at least it
would be peaceful.
*****************************************
Somebody, Zac wasn't sure who, had changed the CD that was roaring. Suddenly, one of his
favorite CD's, Sublime, invaded everyone's ears. Some of his friends cheered at the choice of
music. Zac mingled and talked to everyone as the music played. He noticed guys and girls
dancing to the heavy beat. He bobbed his head to the rhythm watching as Rory walked back over
to him.
"I love Sublime," She smiled just as someone raised the volume.
"What?!" Zac yelled. "Can't hear you!" He pointed to his ears.
Rory rolled her eyes. "I SAID, I love SUBLIME!"
Zac nodded. "Oh, me too. My brother got me this CD for my twelfth birthday last year, but I
don't really listen to it much. I like their older stuff."
"Yeah, but there's a really good song on this one," Rory told him taking a sip of her Sprite.
"I bet I know exactly what song you mean," He said. "The next one, right? 'Caress Me Down'?"
Her eyes lit up. "Yep! That song rocks, man."
Within three seconds of the end of their conversation, the heavy reggae/rock notes of 'Caress Me
Down' began to vibrate through the giant speakers.
"GRIND SESSION!!" a male voice rang out. Everyone laughed. A flood of horny teenagers
corrupted the "dance floor", which was actually the center of the basement. Zac looked at Rory.
"Do you wanna dance?" he asked loudly.
Rory grinned. "Of course. Did you even have to ask?"
Zac smirked. He took her hand and led her to the middle of the commotion. He wasted no time in
placing his arms around her small waist. She placed her leg in between his, so that his was also in
between hers. Immediately they began to sway to the perfect dancing beat.
Rory closed her eyes and let the music pound into her head. She heard the yells of the people that
had begun to surround them. When she opened them and looked over Zac's broad shoulder, she
saw a sea of smiling faces cheering them on.
She began to rub up against him, moving her hips so that her pelvic area moved in sync with his.
As they got hotter, Zac pulled her closer to his body and she could feel his erection on her thigh.
Their upper torsos pressed together. Rory looked at Zac's face. His cheeks were flushed a
reddish-pink color, and sweat poured down the sides of his face from his matted hairline. He
caught her gaze and raised an eyebrow.
Rory took this as a sign that he was just a bit horny. She released his neck and turned around so
that her back was pressed up against his chest. Zac's arms once again looped around her waist
and she began to move in a circular motion, letting her ass rub against his boner. He grabbed her
hips and yanked her even closer to his sweaty body. Rory leaned her head on his shoulder and put
her hand on his cheek as they grinded. Now her mind took over. She wanted him so bad. She
once more turned around and then started to go down on Zac. She held onto his wrists as she bent
her knees and oscillated lower and lower to the floor. Letting go of his wrists, Rory trailed her
hands up and down his chest. Zac moved steadily, keeping the rhythm of the song.
Rory stood back up, letting Zac take control. He placed his hands on her butt and shifted his
movements so that he was practically fucking her on the dance floor. Their bodies crushed
together despite all the space they had since practically everyone in the basement was staring at
them. Their motions got dirtier and hornier with every passing bass chord of the song.
Feeling quite audacious, Rory lifted her left leg up and let Zac take hold of her thigh. She danced
doggy style, making sure she put him over the edge. It felt like his erection was getting bigger
and bigger every few seconds....
Once "Caress Me Down" was over, Zac and Rory parted awkwardly. They had been so caught up
in their dancing that they had barely noticed everyone that was gazing stupidly at them. The
crowd exploded into applause at the two's near-live sex show. Zac, being himself, turned to the
crowd and bowed.
Laughter erupted. He grinned and turned back to Rory. "That was fun," he stated, wiping at a
drop of sweat on his forehead.
"Yeah, it was." Rory smiled. Her dream was partly fulfilled -- she grinded with Zac Hanson. Now
for the other part...
*****************************************
"Isaac honey! Ella's here!" Diana called Isaac from the stairs leading to the basement.
"Shit." Isaac muttered grabbing his cup of soda and walking up the stairs. "What?" He asked with
the aggravation of seeing her.
"I just want to get something straight with you." Ella said coldly.
"Yeah what..." Isaac humored her.
"Okay, I don't care what you think of me and I want you to know that I don't think anything of
you. Your the kind of guy who wants everyone to be just like you. Well, news flash, not everyone
believes in what you do. And now I realize that your a selfish, arrogant person who I don't want
to know. Not only that but you completely stereotyped me. It's not like I don't own all of your
albums and the rest of the boy-bands. Also, I wear black because I like the way it looks on my
figure. I'm sorry if you can't see past everything I do..."
"Ella it's not about that! I don't care if you came from Mars! I don't care if you were purple and
green! It's the fact that while I was trying to have an open relationship, you kept things hidden
from me. I love you and I want to know every little thing about you... that's all."
Ella looked away from him. "There's more to this. Your whole family expects you to love some
Christian virginal bright happy cheerleader person. I see it because your whole family is like
that."
"God Ella, now you're stereotyping my family. What you just said is so untrue. They don't care
who I'm with as long as I'm happy. And I'm happy with you... really." Isaac advanced towards
her. "I've loved you forever Ella." He put his arms around her hips.
"I know but.." Ella didn't look into his eyes.
Isaac's mouth curled into one of his famous mischievous smiles. "And face it, you love me just as
much." He kissed her half on the lips, half on the cheek.
"Isaac... Stop doing that." Ella tried to keep from smiling.
"Doing what?" Isaac blamefully asked.
"Looking at me like that..." Ella paused. "You know what your doing." She assured.
"I'm giving you mushy feelings huh?" Isaac pulled her close to him.
"Yeah.." Ella blushed.
"You love me."
"Haha!"
"You love me very very much."
Ella laughed at Isaac's tone of voice.
"You love me so much that you think of me as your only sunshine."
"Isaac! That is so corny!" Ella giggled uncontrollably.
"Aw shutup." Isaac laughed hugging Ella. "I'm sorry."
"Yeah, me too." Ella whispered holding him close.
*****************************************
"Hey Taylor?" Zac timidly stepped into their room.
"What?" Taylor mumbled. He was sitting on Isaac's bed with his face in his hands. Samantha had
a hand on his back desperately trying to be there for him.
"Why haven't you been at the party? Are you okay?"
"How can I have any fun knowing that Skye is in the hospital?!" Taylor looked up at Zac with an
expression of stupidity for his brother.
"In the hospital?"
"Ugh.. Go away Zac." Taylor roughly ran his fingers through the scalp of his hair.
"I talked to her this morning! She seemed perfectly fine!" Zac shook his head.
"This morning?" Zac's words caught Taylor's attention. "What time?" His eyes were wide with
curiosity.
"Around ten, I guess. I was talking to Tiffany and Skye called on the other end."
"Why didn't you give me the damn phone?!" Taylor emerged with anger.
"Because I was talking to Tiffany... Duh." Zac gave Taylor a fed up look.
"What did you tell her?!"
"I kinda... well... I told her... uh..."
"What the fuck did you tell her?!" Taylor jumped up almost hitting his head on the top bunk.
"Zac! Speak or I'll hurt you!"
"Uhhhh...." Zac nervously looked down at the floor.
Taylor immediately took action to Zac's jumpy assertion. Grabbing the collar of his brothers
camouflage blue shirt, Taylor brought him up to his face and repeated himself.
"What-the-fuck-did-you-tell-her!?"
"Get off me you dick!" Zac tried to wiggle away from Taylor's clutches.
"Tell me you fucking twelve year old piece of shit!" Taylor was fuming.
"I'm thirteen!" Zac corrected.
"Okay guys, enough!" Samantha managed to break the sibling rivalry between them. "Let's just
talk this out."
"I don't want to talk to Taylor's gay ass." He crossed his arms and turned his back to both of
them.
"Zac," Samantha put a hand on his shoulder.
"Get the fuck off of me! I don't even know you skank!" Zac bellowed.
"No Zac... just tell us what you said."
"Maybe if you get off of me I will!" Zac rolled his eyes.
Samantha drew herself away from him. "Okay..."
"I told her..." Zac began to blur his words. "I told her that Taylor was fucking some girl upstairs
and didn't like her anymore."
"WHAT?!" Taylor took charge, about to tackle Zac. Samantha coarsely put her hands on his
chest to stop him.
"But I didn't know you two were still together!" Zac hastily added.
"Well stop jumping to conclusions and get a fucking brain you asshole! She's probably dead
because of you!" Taylor shouted.
"No girl would kill herself over YOU! You're so full of it Taylor! YOU'RE the one jumping to
conclusions YOU asshole!"
"That's it! I'm going to kill him!" Taylor yelled, still being held back by Samantha.
"Go near me and I'll break your 85 pounds of bones!"
"85 pounds?! Well at least I don't weigh 769 pounds!"
"Dis be all reeeal up in here son!" Zac pulled his shirt off trying to relive an episode he saw on
Jerry Springer.
Samantha muttered 'Wow' under her breath admiring his body.
Taylor had obviously seen Samantha's reaction. "Oh, so now you're on his side?!"
Samantha snapped out of her little Zac trance. "NO!" She half-answered.
"Zac, they're getting ready to sing Happy Birthday." A friend Hollie knocked. "Your mom told
me to get you." She couldn't help but stare at his bare chest.
"Excuse me Taylor. I have a party with SANE people to get to." Zac threw his shirt back over his
head walking out of the room.
*****************************************
Later in the night the Hanson house began to empty. About seven people were left for the sleep
over, not including the family. Lauren, Rory, Anthony, Shana, Adam, Scott, and Courtney were
the only guests left for the sleep over.
"Let's play truth or dare!" Anthony exclaimed gathering the friends up in a circle.
"Yeah! I go first!" Rory grinned. "Zac! Truth or dare?!"
"Ummmm.... TRUTH!"
"Let's see.." Rory thought of a question she wanted answered. "Are you a virgin?"
"Um no..." Zac laughed at her question. Some ooo's could be heard. "Taylor!"
"I'm not playing." Taylor grunted redialing Skye's phone number.
"Kay, truth. Tell everyone who your calling."
"Fuck you Zac."
"Haha.... Your turn to ask Taylor."
"Go to hell."
"Okaay then. Adam, truth or dare?" Zac reached in a pretzel bag pulling out a handful of the
munchies.
"Dare." Adam's eyes lit up.
Knowing that Adam was gay, Zac automatically knew the question he had planned to ask. "I dare
you to walk over to Taylor and kiss him on the lips." He lowered his voice when he talked so that
Taylor couldn't hear.
Adam simply smiled and strolled over to Taylor. "Hey Tay?"
"What!?" Taylor turned to him, frustration drowning his voice.
Adam quickly bent over and shoved his tongue in Taylor's mouth.
Taylor didn't react too nicely. "Get off me you faggot!" He gave Adam a forceful push. "God Zac,
you are SO immature! Thirteen my ass!" He stood up and left the room. Samantha, who was
sitting on the other side of the room, was right when she said he should just give it up and go to
bed.
Everyone laughed as they watched Taylor walk away. "Haha! Taylor knows hes gay! He just
won't admit it! I am so sure he liked that kiss!" Zac chuckled.
Adam grinned proudly. "Okay... Shana! Truth or dare?"
"Truth." Shana pushed her long hair behind her shoulders.
"Who do you have a crush on in this house, right now?"
"No one." She simply answered.
"Oh come on.... if you had to pick someone." Adam pressed.
"You mean, who am I attracted to?"
"Yeah!"
"Taylor, I guess."
"AW! Whatda bout meee?!" Zac smiled putting his head on Shana's shoulder.
"Aw I love you Zac." Shana pulled him close into a half-hug since they were sitting next to each
other.
"Woo-hoo!" Zac wrapped his arms around her.
Shana giggled. "Laaaauren, truth or dare?"
"Dare!"
"I dare you to kiss me!" Scott blurted. He had a crush on Lauren ever since they were kids.
Lauren knew.
"Heyyy, I make the dares!" Shana laughed removing Zac's arms from around her.
"Okayy fine." Scott grinned even though he was hoping she would go along with his dare.
"Hey guys." Isaac entered walking down the stairs into the basement.
Greetings could be heard from the eight thirteen year olds.
"Whatcha playing?" While Isaac was talking Shana leaned over and dared Lauren to act like she
was going to perform oral sex on him. Lauren laughed and went along with it. Standing up, she
walked over to Isaac, unzipped his pants, pulled them down and got on her knees.
"Um, what are you doing?" Isaac looked down at her flushing and taken by surprise.
Lauren laughed. "I'm going to give you a blow job."
"I don't think that's a very good idea." Isaac swallowed nervously.
"You don't want one?" She pouted.
"Well.. not by one of Zac's friends.." Isaac could feel is legs shaking.
"Oh, I understand." Lauren stood up. "He doesn't want one." She pretended to be upset but then
sat back down in the circle and hollered "My turn!"
Everyone laughed at Isaac who was still stuck in the same position.
"Rory..."
"Truth." Rory cut Lauren off.
"Kay, do you... like, like Zac?" Lauren was relating her question to the way they were dancing
earlier.
"Well," Rory's cheeks went red. "I don't know..."
Zac smiled. He secretly was starting to have a thing for Rory. "C'mon, just answer it." All of his
friends were trying to convince her to tell the truth. After all, they were playing truth or dare.
"Guys..." Rory shifted uncomfortably. "Oh... fine, I do..."
'Yessss!' Zac thought. "Cool." was all he said.
Rory gave him a discomforting smile.
"Your turn." Anthony reminded her.
"Okay," Rory looked over at Courtney. She was probably the quietest of the group. She was also
closer to Diana then Zac. "Courtney,"
"Huh?" Courtney looked at Rory. "What?"
"Truth or dare?"
"Oh... truth."
"Aw come on... someone has to pick a dare." Scott complained.
"This is getting boring." Anthony said. Everyone agreed.
"Boring?" Zac questioned, raising an eyebrow. "My party is boring? Well then, we're just gonna
have to change that, aren't we…"
*****************************************
"Tay…" Samantha called as she walked down the hallway towards his room. "Taylor…you up
here?" She reached his door and lightly knocked on it.
"Yeah, I'm here…Come in." Taylor grumbled.
Samantha opened the door and stepped in. Taylor was lying on Isaac's bed, staring at the ceiling.
"Hey, I just wanted to come check on you. You didn't seem too stable before."
"Well, what do you expect?" He turned his gaze towards her. "I killed my girlfriend." His voice
sounded sarcastic but Samantha was sure it wasn't.
"Does this have anything to do with Zac?" Samantha inched her way over to his bed and lowered
herself onto the edge of it.
"No…it has nothing to do with that little piece of shit." Taylor lifted himself up and sat Indian
style on the mattress. "Look, I'm not in the mood to talk right now, okay?"
Samantha could tell that If Taylor kept everything bundled up inside, things would only get
worse. "Please…Tay…I'm here now, talk to me."
Taylor sighed and moved over, as a sign to allow her to sit next to him. "You really want me to
talk about my shitty life and what's bothering me? Then fine, I will." He compromised.
Samantha sat motionless and listened as Taylor poured out his heart and soul. He told her
everything that had happened to him in the pass. Everything from Rachel, to when he met Skye,
to Angel, to the history of his tattoo. Finally, when he was sure she understood he remained
quiet.
"God, you've been through so much yet you hide it so well." Samantha commented after taking
everything in.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, you sit out there, doing these interviews, talking about how music is your life and how
it's your number one priority but…you have all this built up inside."
Taylor laughed shortly, "Yeah, if only the fans knew."
"If only the fans knew…" Samantha repeated under her breath.
They sat in an uncomfortable silence until Taylor looked over to Samantha, "You're so easy to
talk to." He blurted.
"Well, thank you." She smiled.
"Almost like Skye…"
Samantha looked up at Taylor. All of a sudden the room's atmosphere took on an unfamiliar
change. What was the strange look in Taylor's eyes trying to say? Why was he leaning so close to
her? Why was his hand on her thigh? Why were his eyes suddenly shutting? And then it all
registered.. "Taylor! No! Stop it!" She held her hand out to stop him.
"Please Sammy, just one kiss." He pleaded opening his eyes and letting them graze her lips.
"Taylor! What the hell are you doing!? Two minutes ago you were telling me how you swore up
and down that you would never cheat on Skye again. Now look at you!" Samantha noticed his
eyes fill with tears. "Oh, Tay, I'm sorry…"
"No, it's okay." Taylor backed away. "My fault. I'm just so god damn vulnerable right now. Adam
could come walking in here and I'll probably fucking kiss him too."
Samantha started laughing and watched as Taylor joined in. "Come here, Tay." She held her arms
open to him.
Taylor leaned over and received her hug. "Thank you, Sam. You're a really good friend." He
squeezed her tighter.
*****************************************
Zac's face took on a devilish grin. He was surely up to something. "How about we play Seven
Minutes in Heaven?" He suggested hoping everyone would go along with it.
The group thought it sounded like fun but no one really knew how to play. Rory was familiar
with the game so she explained. "Well, you pick out a couple... They go in the closet together ...
alone ... for seven minutes. Then they decide what to do from there..." Rory could feel Zac's eyes
glued on her but tried not to pay much attention.
"How are we gonna pick out the two people?" Lauren asked.
"Um, I guess we could put everyone's name in a hat or something. Does that sound good?" Rory
questioned making sure everyone was cool with her plan.
No one seemed to have a problem with it. Everyone wrote their names down on little sheets of
paper. They all felt pretty awkward considering none of them had really played the game.
Shoving all the pieces of paper into Anthony's baseball cap, he took the honor of mixing them.
After this was done Zac grabbed two random names out of the hat. He suddenly had a weird
expression on his face.
"Who is it Zac? Who is it? What the hell is wrong? Gimme those!" Shana grabbed the two pieces
of paper out of his hand and started laughing.
"What happened?!" Rory asked. She was just as confused as everyone else.
"It's... ADAM AND SCOTT!! Hahaha!"
A dreadful look spread across Scott's face when he realized that Adam was grinning.
"Well, what are you waiting for?!" Lauren laughed. Adam roughly took Scott's hand and dragged
him into the closet. Scott had no idea what to expect.
The remaining seven teens sat outside the closet door trying not to laugh. Zac slid closer to Rory.
"Hey, why are you so quiet all of a sudden?"
"Oh... I'm just thinking."
"About what?"
"Well... I feel kinda embarrassed about admitting that I like you." She was being completely
honest with Zac. "I mean, dancing with you was cool because you didn't know I was serious
about ... us... but now you know so it's kinda ... weird."
"What if I told you that I liked you back?" Zac didn't let his eyes leave her face. He was
concentrating on how beautiful she looked confessing her feelings for him.
"Do you?" Rory's eyes widened, not dramatically but enough to make sure Zac knew how
interested in the topic she was.
"Yeah." Zac's voice was low and raspy as if he wasn't sure he wanted her to know. "I do." He
gently kissed her on the cheek.
Rory and Zac exchanged smiles as he took her hand into his.
Soon the seven minutes had rolled by. Adam led the way out of the closet radiantly smiling. Scott
followed showing off a huge gape of terror.
"What the hell did you guys do in there?!" Anthony asked noticing how red in the face Scott was.
"NOTHING ANTHONY. Just shut the fuck up. Pick someone else's names and let's forget that
ever happened." Everyone exchanged a few glances and giggles, then proceeded to pick out the
next two names.
Anthony reached his hand into the hat and pulled out two names. "Hmm... Rory and Zac ..." he
read with a playful smile.
Rory and Zac looked at each other before he pulled her into the closet, ignoring the woo-hoo's
from their friends. He shut the door behind them, and for a minute things were quiet. "This can't
be too uncomfortable. I mean, we know we like each other and we've already been kinda naughty
so..." Zac was trying to comfort Rory. She looked somewhat tense.
"Yeah... so let's just... go at it." She urged a smile onto her face.
Zac's didn't say another word. Rory's were enough of an invite. Pressing his lips against hers, he
placed his hands on her shoulders and gently pushed her against the wall behind her.
Rory opened her mouth, inviting his tongue in. For about a minute they French kissed, tongues
rolling in every direction of each others mouth's. But soon Zac realized that he only had seven
minutes with her and sped things up. Bringing his mouth to her neck, he started to suck on one
part of it, determined to make a hickey. Rory lightly nibbled on his cream colored ear lobe as he
brought his hands up her shirt. Satisfied with the mark Zac had left, he brushed his lips back onto
hers and pulled her shirt off tossing it to the floor. "Zac..." She lightly moaned as he sensitively
caressed her breasts.
"Get me off." Zac took her hand and placed it on his growing erection.
Rory coyly unbuttoned his baggy black jeans and slipped her hand inside.
"Ohhh..." Zac groaned as she ran her hand up and down his shaft. "Have you ever had sex?" He
asked already out of breath.
"Well, no, but I don't think we'll have time." She pumped his boner harder.
"I wish we did.." Zac murmured in her ear.
"... Me too." Rory ran her other hand through his soft blonde hair where he gently kissed her
wrist.
Zac's fingers crept down to Rory's women hood in which he searched for her most sensitive body
part under the navy skirt she was sporting. "Rub me and I'll rub you." He stated, his voice taking
on a seductive tone.
"Oh Zac..." Rory stroked his penis faster.
Zac pushed Rory's panties to the side and continued to run his fingers up and down her clitoris.
"YOU GUYS! Seven minutes are up! I think you two should get out of there!" Anthony yelled.
Rory quickly moved her hand out of Zac's pants.
"No.. don't listen." Zac moaned placing Rory's hand back on his dick. "I won't stop if you don't."
He proceeded helping her reach an orgasm.
"Rorrrry, Zaaaac..." Shana giggled. "You guys should probably stop now and let some of your
other horny friends use the closet." She joked.
"Aww." Rory broke apart from Zac grabbing her shirt. "We have to stop."
"No!" Zac yelled in a whisper. "I can't go out there with my cock standing a million feet high!
Rory..." He begged for her to finish what she started.
"We'll end this later when they're sleeping." Rory threw her shirt over her head.
"Onhhhh." Zac groaned a half horny, half miserable groan.
"Come on." Rory took his hand as she led him out of the closet where they were greeted with a
bunch of cheers. Zac was praying that his shirt covered the obvious boner Rory had given him.
Zac shyly sat back down in the circle bringing Rory with him.
"We're not even going to ask what went on in there." Shana laughed as Anthony picked the next
two names.
"Lauren and Courtney." He read. "Hahaha."
"Oh god no..." Courtney muttered.
"Do over!" Lauren laughed snatching the papers from Anthony.
"I'm not playing." Courtney stood up and left the room. Everyone shrugged and picked another
couples name. Needless to say, Zac's party was going great. He was having fun, as were his
friends. It seemed like the whole house was enjoying the day... well... maybe not Taylor.
*****************************************
"I got it. Go to sleep." Samantha took the phone from Taylor. "You look exhausted."
"No... I have to keep calling..." Taylor gave a lazy attempt to grab the phone back. It was already
two in the morning and he was recklessly tired.
"If someone picks up, I'll tell you." Samantha softly massaged the back of his neck.
Taylor yawned. "Are you sure?" He asked sleepily.
"Yes." Samantha assured. Taylor gave a weiry thank you and rolled over.
As soon as Taylor was asleep Samantha began to dial the number. For the first half hour no one
picked up. Finally she heard a voice greet her. "Um.. hello. I'm sorry to call so late --"
"Yeah, we just walked in." A motherly voice commented.
"Oh well... I'm Skye's friend from... um... school and I heard she was in the hospital so I was
really worried." Samantha was nervous. She didn't want to be a bother to Skye's mom.
"Yes, something really stressed her out and she fainted. It happens to her sometimes only this
time she hit her head on her desk. It's really nothing. Just a minor concussion. She'll be all right."
"Oh, are you sure? How long will she be in the hospital?"
"A couple of weeks or maybe less. It all depends."
"Do you know if she was stressed out by Taylor by any chance?"
"I am in no place to answer that honey."
"Oh, because I was talking to him and he's pretty upset over this. He thinks its all his fault. I
really want to be able to give him a firm background on this whole thing." Samantha was trying
to coax Skye's mother into telling her everything about the situation.
"Danny said she was crying after she got off the phone and that she was saying something about
Taylor. I'm not really sure. I'll have to talk to her when she wakes up."
"Oh okay. Thanks. Tell Skye that her friends hope she feels better."
"Sure. Also what's your name? I'll tell her you called."
"Just say Taylor's friend called and also that Zac was making up what he said to her earlier.
That's all. She'll understand."
"Sure hon. Now I think you should go to sleep because it's really late. I also have to go back to
the hospital soon."
"Oh, okay. Sorry to bother you. Thanks so much."
"No problem. Bye."
"Bye." Samantha put down the phone and looked at Taylor. He looked so free of problems when
he slept. To think that tomorrow he would wake up and salute the familiar hell he hated. How
would she tell him about Skye? Her mother made it seem like her concussion was nothing.
Samantha knew Taylor would exaggerate it until it killed him. "Oh Tay.." Samantha gently
fingered his scattered hair. "I'm sorry." She whispered airily. After hearing every word of his
feelings for Skye, she wouldn't trade anything in the world to be in the position he was in at that
moment. The pain, the anger, the grief Taylor bottled up should never be wished upon anyone.
However Samantha knew it all too well. She too, lived the same pain and anger that no one
deserved. No one.