chapter twenty-two ~"what everyone wants?"~

"Ike, How do I tell her now?"

Taylor and Ike were in the car on their way to pick up a pizza.

"What? That you do like her?"

"Yes, and that I have all along, but just didn’t know how to tell her."

"Tay, you had so many chances, she was here for three weeks."

"I know, I know, but then I was so confused, now I know what I want."

"Ever thought about what she wants?"

"She does, I’m sure she does, she has too."

"How about this Justin guy?"

Taylor whacked his hand on his face, it was driving him crazy.

"What, the guy that always seems to save the day? I wish he would just butt out."

"He’s her friend."

"Yeah, but I’m her best friend."

"Yes, Tay, her friend."

"AHHHHHHHHH!!! This is so annoying."

"Maybe you should forget about it for awhile."

"Are you kidding, this is Keryn, Keryn who I knew I would marry when I was 5"

"I never knew that."

"Nobody did."

Taylor fiddled with the glove box as Ike concentrated on the road. They both thought hard.

"It’s easy for you, the second Kayla arrived you had it all sorted."

"Not quite."

"Yeah but it wasn’t to hard to see that you both were into each other."

"I guess so, but you and Keryn have a longer history than Kayla and I. Going out for you two has lots of complications."

"I know, I wish we just met now."

"No you don’t."

"But still, it would be easier."

"Maybe."

They both were silent again.

"I miss her Ike, more than ever before."

"I know you do, and I am almost certain that she is sitting at home back in LA missing you."

"I hope so."



Keryn sat alone in her apartment, listening to the silence. Jan’s empty room lay bare and Keryn wish that it was filled with Kayla’s junk. She was sad, she missed everyone and hoped that she had made the right decision. She flicked through her University courses brochures. They all seemed great but, not what she wanted. She sipped her coke as she thought about what she really wanted. She wanted to go back to Sydney for University. There was nothing she could do to deny it, as much as she loved the US she wanted to go home for her Uni years. She took another gulp. Leaving meant, leaving most of her friends behind. She knew that Kayla would return to Australia for University, but that was in another 2 years and even then she would probably go to Melbourne. Keryn rubbed her temples, she was confused and tired. She checked her watch, almost time to get ready for Justin, they were going out for dinner.



"Where are my brothers" Zac demanded as he walked into Kayla’s room.

"They went to get pizza."

"Why didn’t they just ring? Why did they go all way over there?"

"Zac you know how hard it is to order a pizza over the phone as you guys pick each topping one by one."

"Whatever."

Zac threw himself down on a chair and watched as Kayla turned back to her book. She was curled up on her bed.

"Are you sure Taylor wouldn’t do that to me?"

Kayla closed her book.

"Zac we’ve been through this so many times, he would never do that to you, he’s your brother."

"I know but still."

"It was ‘Spin the bottle’"

" I know."

" I think you should cut him some slack, he isn’t going through the easiest time at the moment."

"I know, this Keryn stuff hey?"

"Yeah."

"They belong together but just not now."

Kayla thought about that for a while.

"Why do you say that?"

"They are too caught up in their past, they need a break from each other."

"So you think Keryn going back to LA is going to make it easier when they see each other next?"

"Oh, yeah! They wont be able to keep their hands off each other!!"

Kayla laughed

"That’s pretty profound for you!" She said through giggles

"I know"

They laughed together at the on going saga that was causing Taylor such heartache.


As Ike watched his brother order the pizza he observed the pain he seemed to be going through. He couldn’t understand it. It was Keryn. It seemed so unreal for them to have these complex feelings about each other. They were best friends. This is what Dawson’s Creek does to you thought Ike. It was so hard for them to just come out and admit it Ike decided. They had to put so much on the line. Taylor was choosing the crust, he was so picky about his food. Almost as picky as he was with his friends. But he had to be, he was one of the most wanted guys in the world. Ike felt sorry for his brother. As he thought about it longer, Keryn and Taylor were so comfortable together they could be together but the idea of it was just so weird. He just hoped that he would find happiness. Fame didn’t bring it, just made it harder.

"Pizza!!"

Zac tumbled down the stairs followed closely by Kayla.

"Jeez, would you lay of it for just a second" Taylor told his brother, as Zac tried to molest the poor thing.

Ike walked slowly in and dropped the keys on the counter. The others turned to look at the somewhat subdued Ike.

"Hey." Kayla asked gingerly.

Taylor stared at the pizza. Zac stopped bouncing for a while and watched the tension rise.

"Something wrong?" Kayla again asked.

"No, I just need to talk,,,,outside?"

Kayla nodded and followed Ike out. Zac and Taylor looked at each other.

"What happened?" Asked Zac.

"Oh, it’s about Keryn, Kayla has to do me a favour."

"Oh..well at least we get more pizza."

"I’m not hungry."

Taylor pushed the pizza away and walked upstairs. Zac, all alone, stared at the pizza, It took him all of the three seconds to shrug, and take a piece for himself, a big piece.

Outside there was a hiss of cars and the wind was warm and soothing. Kayla and Ike made there way down to the swings and sat on them.

"Whats going on?"

Ike sighed.

"Taylor needs you to do some snooping for him."

"About Keryn?"

"About Keryn."

"he’s worried about Justin."

"He should be."

"Why?"

"Keryn’s always had a thing for him and…."

"And what?"

"I don’t think she see’s herself with Tay anymore."

There. She had said it. Kayla felt Ike recoil and ponder. She felt so bad, she didn’t want to be the one breaking the news. But she was.

"Oh, I see."

"Ike, it’s not like she doesn’t care for him but she saw this visit as a try that failed. I think she sees that he will always stay as her friend, and friend only…but I could be wrong."

"I doubt it, you would know."

They swung on the swings for a bit.

"How am I going to tell him Kayla? He will be heartbroken."

"I know..don’t tell him."

" How can I do that?"

"Just say that I don’t know anything, if something does happen with her and Justin then she can tell him, if nothing happens then he wouldn’t have the pain of thinking worrying about it."

"I guess."

The swung some more.

"Thank God we don’t have history hey?" said Ike.

"Yeah, that would suck."

"Yeah suck is the word."

They smiled at each other before slowly walking back to the house arm in arm.



Taylor threw his book at the wall. Nothing could distract him. He couldn’t stop thinking about her. He heard Kayla and Ike come in laughing, he didn’t have the heart to go downstairs and ask Ike, well not yet. Lying on his back he stared at the ceiling, it didnt give him any answers. He decided to go and ring her. Creeping out into the hall he picked up the phone and carried it to his room. Sitting down on his bed he stared at the phone. It lay in his hands, looking cold. He turned it on a quickly dialed her number. It rang, it rang….her answering machine picked it up. He hung up. She wasn’t thinking of him.



Keryn sat in Justin’s car as they cruised down the highway. They had the radio on full blast and were singing along to "Pretty Fly" and laughing. Keryn felt so high. She didn’t think that she would but she was. She was happy, even without Taylor. She laughed as they sang again, ‘and all the girls say I’m pretty fly for a white guy’, Justin patted her leg and everything felt so comfortable. She snuggled back into her seat, she felt so happy…. ‘uh-huh uh-huh’ they collapsed in giggles again. Taylor’s image began to fade as the night went on.



Kayla crept up the stairs, she had been appointed to take pizza to Taylor. As she entered the room he was clutching the phone and staring into thin air.

"Taylor?"

"She doesn’t care."

Kayla took a second to get on his wave length.

"Of course she cares, you’re her best friend." "best friend….that’s right."

"Oh Taylor…"

"Kayla I feel so awful, my world has collapsed round my feet, I always thought that I would be with her when I was growing up, and now she lives in LA. I always thought that I would end up with her and now she doesn’t need me."

"Taylor she needs you…she always will."

"But not how I need her."

Kayla took a deep breath, "No, maybe not how you need her but she will still need you."

"It’s so bloody un-fair. Why is this so difficult, doesnt she understand, didn’t what happened at the airport mean anything to her?"

"I’m sure it meant something to her but maybe it was her last kiss, not the first."

Taylor flopped back onto the bed.

"How about Justin?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"He’s a friend."

"What a friend like me?"

"I dont know, he is fun, a nice guy…..different to you."

"Oh I see."

"Not in a bad way, just different."

"Does she like him."

This was the questions Kayla had been avoiding.

"I honestly dont know."

"You would tell me right?"

"Yes Taylor, I promise, but I am sure she would tell you first."

"She’s out, probably with him."

Kayla’s insides crumbed, she too thought that Keryn had gone out with Justin. What could she say to Taylor? Nothing she said would change what had happened. She sat next to him and gave him a hug and he let loose. The tears of fear and emotions flowed, he was lost.



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