CHAPTER 11

Sprawled out on Taylor’s bed, laying beside him, watching Saturday Night Live and feeling his arm wrapped comfortably around her waist, Simone secretly sighed to herself and could not imagine herself being anywhere but with him.

What if she would’ve stayed at home? Would she still be with Jonathan? For some reason, she was thinking about him lately. It wasn’t necessarily that she missed him, but at the same time, she did miss him. He was a great friend and she missed hearing his voice. She rolled away from Taylor’s touch and leaning on her elbow, she propped herself up and looked seductively at Taylor.

“Uh oh.” He said. “I know that look.” He smiled while he looked at her.

“Tay, do you miss not being normal?” she asked him, sort of taking him by surprise. The look on his face said it all...he was confused.

“What do you mean?” he asked her.

“I mean, do you miss being normal?” she repeated her question. She knew that he knew what she meant. He sat up, leaned against the backboard of his bed and looked to be in deep thought.

“Not really. Why?”

“Well,” Simone crawled up closer to him as she started to answer him. “If you weren’t famous,” she took a break to kiss his neck, “then you never would’ve met me.”

“That’s not true.” Taylor stated. “We’re meant to be together. We would’ve met somehow.”

Straddling him now, Simone began to unbutton Taylor’s shirt and they continued to look passionately and alluringly into each other’s eyes. As she reached the last button of his shirt, he lifted her shirt over her head and their lips hungrily met. Needing each other more than anyone needed another person, they continued in their heated rendezvous. Taylor carelessly tossed her shirt to the floor while embracing her in his arms and turning her over so that her back was lying on the bed.

“Ya know? I keep forgetting that you have a permanent bed companion now.” Zac said, coming completely out of nowhere, causing both Taylor and Simone to jump in fright and confusion.

“Dammit Zac-ass! Ever hear of knocking?!” Taylor exploded. Zac only snickered, then invited himself into the room, closing the door behind him. He didn’t seem to notice that Simone was wearing only her bra, and if he did notice, then he didn’t acknowledge it.

“I never used to knock.” Zac said.

“That’s because I never used to have my fiancée in bed with me before...” Taylor explained. Simone had to smile. This was amusing to her. Randy and her always, or almost always, knocked on each other’s door before entering. It seemed weird not to. “So anyway, what do you want?”

“I, uh, kinda needed to ask you, um, something.” Zac said, looking at his feet and then slowly back to Taylor.

“Shoot?” Taylor offered. Zac looked warily at Simone. “Zac, don’t worry about Sim. She’s part of the family now. And she’s really good at keeping secrets, so come on, what’s your question?”

“Well, it’s kind of embarrassing.” Zac said, his cheeks reddening. “It’s about Ang.”

“What about her?” Simone asked.

“I think she’s scared, um, of me?”

“Scared? How do you mean?” Taylor asked.

“Well, anytime we’re together, like ‘together’, she gets all tensed up and pushes me away and the look in her eyes is fear. I don’t know if I’m pushing this too quickly, but we’ve been together for like, ever, and I’m almost 16 and all of my friends are teasing me about, ya know, still being a V, and I don’t know how much longer I’m gonna be able to hold out.” Zac explained everything. Simone sensed that it was going to be something like this. “And I know that you were only 15, so I was thinking that my time should be coming soon?”

“Zac, don’t you ever push anything with Angela. If she says no, then by God, you better not go any further.” Taylor threatened. Zac looked scared. Tay laughed. “And most of all, come to me if you need anything. I’ll get you the necessary supplies. Plus, you don’t have a ‘certain time’. I mean, look at Ike. He’s never gotten any yet and he’s still alive. You’re not gonna die over this.”

“Okay.” Zac said, looking a little relieved. “Thanks. Oh hey, could you hook me up with some jimmies right now? I’m going over you Ang’s and I just uh, want to be prepared. I’m gonna teach her some new stuff on the drums and well...”

“You’re going over there now? But isn’t it a little late to go over there now?” Simone asked. It was already midnight and Zac wouldn’t end up getting home until – wait, he’s going to Angie’s house...he’ll probably end up spending the night.

“Yeah, I’m going over now. Mom won’t care and neither will her parents. I mean, we’ll be in her garage the whole time. She just called about 5 minutes ago and asked me to come over. Didn’t you hear the phone ring?” Zac asked. Now it was Simone’s turn to be embarrassed.

“No.” she replied, pulling the sheets up to her chin, slowly slipping under so that she couldn’t be seen. She felt really uncomfortable suddenly wearing only her bra with Zac in the room.

Tay smiled, got up, ruffled Zac’s shortened hair, which is something he insisted on getting cut after the band broke up, and went over to his dresser. Simone had to admit, Zac looked great with a shorter hair cut, but she was sad that he hacked off all of his hair. It was always so beautiful. Zac reached up and caught the flying square packet that Taylor threw to him, stuffed it in his back pocket and smiled.

“I owe you.”

“More than you know.” Taylor replied, glancing at Simone. “See ya later.” And with that, Zac exited the room, shutting the door and he left, leaving Simone and Taylor alone so they could continue their rendezvous that never got finished earlier.