-Emotion-



"He's what?" Keryn demanded, taking her sunglasses off and jumping up in the chair.

"I said. . . he's coming over here!"

"No!" Keryn shrieked. "He must be going over there!"

Keryn and Kayla were sitting up in their beachchairs staring at the figure that were coming towards them. Mystery Dude. "He so can't be coming over here." Kayla said. "No, no. Hang on, look he's turning. He's going over there."

Keryn sighed in relief and looked over at Taylor and Ike, they looked like they were just about to fall asleep in their chairs. "Thank gosh."

"Oh no. He turned back, he spoke to those people for a minute and now he is coming over here."

"Ahhh! Look natural, lay back down." Keryn panicked, putting her sunglasses back on.

"Okay okay okay. He'll be here in one. Two. Three. He's here." Kayla murmered.

They both lay there, as if nothing was happening, as if they had seen nothing as the hot guy stood over them.

"Uhhh, hello?" Mysterious dude said.

Kayla pretended to snap out of a nap and stretched. "Yes?" Kayla sat up in the chair and slid her sunglasses down her nose. He looked even better up close.

Keryn turned around again in her chair and looked at the guys. They were looking the other way. She decided to take her sunglasses off and join in on the, soon to be, conversation. "Hi," Keryn smiled.

Mysterious guy kind of froze.

"Ahhh, what's the matter?" Kayla questioned.

"I knocked you over the other night. I am so sorry!" He said looking at Keryn.

Kayla huffed down into her chair. Why is he talking to her and not me?

Kayla sprung back up again, before Keryn could answer. "Can we help you with anything?"

Mysterious guy looked at Kayla. "Well, sort of," he smiled. "You're Australian?" Kayla beamed at the attention and watched Keryn roll her eyes.

"Yes. You are too!" Kayla cringed as she felt the words come out of her mouth. Uh duh!

"Yeah, I'm from Sydney. Have you heard of Cronulla? I'm from around there. What about you?"

"I'm from Melbourne. I am going to school in California at the moment though. I miss Australia at the though."

"Yeah, over here is an experience" Mysterious dude said, smiling.

Keryn needed attention. "I'm from Sydney," she casually stated.

Mysterious dude kind of looked at her and smirked. "What about your accent?"

How humiliating, Keryn thought to herself. "Well, I moved to Oklahoma when I was about five. . . but I visit Australia sometimes." She still did have a lot of Australian in her voice.

Mysterious dude removed his smirk. "Well, that's understandable. You have lived here all your life. Those Aussie's that come over here and change their accents annoy the hell out of me."

"Yeah," Keryn agreed, that did annoy her. "That is so fake. Especially that chick of Ally McBeal, Portia something."

"Totally." He grinned again, his face lit up. "Well, the reason I came over here. . ."

"Oh yes, we got a bit side tracked there!" Kayla flirtaciously giggled. Keryn rolled her eyes and stood up next to Mysterious dude, checking that Ike and Taylor were still in their daze. So far, so good.

"Well, I was just wondering, do you have a spare towel?"

Kayla thought this was rather weird. Who borrows other peoples towels? "Sure!" She beamed, despite her thoughts, she walked over to where Ike was basking in the sun and took his towel, that was next to him. "I'm sure he won't mind," Kayla laughed.

Keryn looked at Kayla. What the heck is she doing?

"Well, thanks for that," Mysterious dude started. "I'll give it to you after i've finished. I'll wash it, of course."

"That's fine," Kayla smiled. "I'm Kayla by the way, and this," pointing to Keryn. "Is Keryn."

"Well, it's nice to meet you," He smiled again, turning to walk away. "I'm Daniel, call me Dan."



"Oh no!"

"Don't panic!"

"Oh no. Oh no. Oh no!"

"Coincedence. Nothing more." Keryn tried to calm her friend.

"It's a sign!" Cried Kayla. "It has to be."

"How can it possibly be a sign? He died Kayla."

They were still sitting by the pool. Taylor was awake and lying next to them, listening to their conversation. "She's right," he said, pointing to Keryn. "It's nothing. What does it matter anyway?"

Kayla looked at Taylor, she didn't have to say anything to tell him that she had been drawn to this guy from first site. Taylor just shrugged.

Keryn slumped back in her chair. "At least he spoke to you. He just mildly dissed me." Taylor opened one eye.

"Boyfriend. Like. . . here!" Taylor said, pointing at himself.

Keryn felt shocked for a second. He had never said that before. It felt. . . different. Keryn giggled and patted Taylor on the head.

"Well, at least you are acknowleging me." When these words came out of his he seemed rather annoyed. He was. Taylor couldn't believe that the two of them were sitting there, completely stressing out about what some guy they didn't even know felt about them. Him and Keryn had been seeing each other for roughly eighteen hours now and neither of them had displayed any signs of real affection towards each other. With him and Margo, they had kissed almost straight away. Why am I thinking of Margo? Taylor snapped out of his thought process and looked up at Keryn. "Can we go for a walk?"

Keryn looked down at him, then looked at Kayla. "Go." she said, I need time to think.

Taylor rolled his eyes. "Think about what Kayla? Look at Ike. You are really starting to annoy me, you know? It's like you don't even care about him anymore!" Taylor said walking away, leaving Kayla on the verge of tears, Taylor had never spoken to her like this before.

"Don't worry, I'll talk to him." Keryn said to Kayla as she got up from her chair and threw on her shorts and converse sandals, shuffling along after Taylor.

Kayla pouted and looked over at Isaac. He looked so calm, and cold.

"The towel," she whispered to herself. "I so shouldn't have done that."

Kayla felt a tear rush down the side of her face. Her old Dan was doing something. She couldn't deny it. This all started weeks ago, but no one noticed.



Keryn slid her hands through her long, dark brown hair and looked at Taylor. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying exactly what I just said." He had his hands resting on his head.

"But it finally got together!" Keryn cried.

"I know. That is what I wanted more than anything. But look what happened?"

Keryn started to run back to their room. She didn't care who saw her in her current state, she didn't care. Everything was wrong. It was all going wrong. Her and Taylor had just got it all together, and now he was telling her that he wanted to break it off. After not even twenty four hours.

Keryn rushed down the last corridor and fumbled around in her pocket until her keys emerged. She let herself into the room and collapsed onto the bed. She lay their flat and not moving for two minutes until she heard a knock at the door. "Let me in."

"I can't." Keryn sniffled.

"Let me explain."

"No."

"Yes."

"Leave me alone."

Taylor was standing outside the door. He couldn't believe what he had just done. He really didn't know what had came over him. But the words just came out. Perhaps it was his anger speaking. Who knew, he didn't. Now he had seriously upset his. . . best friend. . . girlfriend. . . he didn't know. All he knew is that she was upset, crying. And in a way it told him how she really felt. She didn't seem to want another guy. "I'm coming in."

Taylor took a spare key out of his pocket, for emergencys, and let himself into the room.



"Where's my towel?" Ike woke up.

Kayla was broken out of her trance. "Here, use mine."

"Thanks Kayl." Ike yawned and looked around. Out at the sea and then into the pool. It was a really nice afternoon. "Where are the others?"

"They went for a walk. But that was a little while ago, so I don't know where they are now." Kayla seemed to be talking in monotone. She wasn't really thinking at the moment. She was completely confused.

"Oh."

"Do you wanna go back?" Kayla asked.

"Not really. I feel a bit blah cause I think I fell asleep for a second. Want to go for a swim?" Kayla eyed the water and then she eyed Isaac. She couldn't really say no.

"Sure," she stammered and got up from her chair. The pool wasn't as full as it were about an hour ago. It was about lunch time, so all the kids had moved off with their parents to explore some more of the ships activities.

Kayla looked at the glow blue water. It looked inviting. She decided to snap out of. . . whatever. . . it was that was making her feel this way. She had to make the most of this time. It was why she was here.

"I bet I can beat you down to the other end of the pool" she beamed.

Ike looked as if he had brightened up. "Sure!" he laughed. "Whatever!"

They both dived into the pool and started swimming for their lives.



Keryn crawled to the back of her bottom bunk, up near the pillows as Taylor entered the room. She wiped the tears away from her face. "I said, leave me alone." All she could see what his legs, and he couldn't really see her.

"Come out, Keryn."

"No." Keryn realised that she was acting childish. "Yes. Fine." Keryn wiped the tears away again and crawled to the front of the bed. She didn't need to see him at the moment. It would just make her want him more. He had black board shorts on, still prepared from the pool, he was shirtless, his hair was damp and tied back. Everything was perfect, from the shoes on his feet, to the little shine of the earring at the top of his ear. Perfect.

"I'm sorry," he quietly whispered.

Keryn kept her eyes pressed to the floor. "No, you're not."

"Yes."

"No Tay. You said it. How can you be sorry? That is what you want."

"I don't know what I want."

"Well, why did you let me think that you were serious last night when we sort of got together?"

"There you have it, sort of got together."

"Am I some discusting kind of person that you don't want to be seen with?" Keryn demanded.

"Oh, no. Don't even begin to think that," Taylor said softly, kneeling down in front of Keryn.

"Well, what then?"

"Tell me the truth now."

"What?" Keryn asked, a confused look appearing on her tear stained face.

"What was one of the main reasons that you came on this trip?"

"I don't know."

"To meet guys? Thats what Ike said."

"But that was before. Then I saw you again."

Taylor smiled. "Thinking of the airport hey?"

Keryn smiled and gently pushed Taylor. "No. . . I don't know what I was thinking."

"I'm confused at the moment too. I feel as if I'm in love. But, I'm sixteen years old. How do I know?"

Keryn sighed. "I so know how you feel at the moment, Taylor Hanson."

Taylor grinned. "That kind of explains my little mood swing back there."

Keryn grinned. "So, have you changed your mind?" Taylor stared deeply into her eyes for a moment. Then his face fell. "Oh. . ."

"Don't 'oh' me, Kezz."

She looked up at him again. "Mmm.."

"I don't know what I am thinking at the moment."

Keryn had to admit, these things were true. She didn't know whether or not to stick with their ten day arrangement.

Taylor brought his hand up to her face and brushed her hair from her cheek. "It's weird doing things like this with your friend." His hand moved down to her cheek as he wiped the tears. His sparkling eyes lost no contact with hers. They looked like two lost teenagers, not knowing whether to move ahead or behind. He traced over her lips with his fingers and took his hand away.

"Friend?" She whispered.

Taylor moved his face closer to hers and took her hands. "What do you think?"

"I don't know."

"Neither do I."

"What do we do?" Keryn whispered. "I mean, we can or we can't. We are a really confusing pair. Will they. . . won't they."

"Will they. . . won't they?"

Taylor brushed another fallen peice of hair to behind her ear. Keryn brought up her hand and moved Taylor's hair to behind his ear. He brought up his arms and hugged her. "I don't know." Keryn whispered.

"Why is it all so hard?"

They pulled away.

"I don't know."

Their moment was broken by the high pitched ring of the phone.

"Darn..." Taylor reached out and picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Hello! Ike said that you were on this number, what the heck are you doing?"

"Margo? Why are you calling?"

Keryn took a deep breath and made her decision. "I'll leave you here."

Taylor looked up at Keryn. "Why?"

"You know why, don't worry about it. . . I mean, us. It won't work. We don't need anything so difficult at this time of our lives." She put her hand out and touched his head. "Friends." Taylor watched her leave the room. He knew their friendship would never be the same. This twenty four hour fling has wrecked everything.

"Marg. Why are you ringing?"

"Cause I love you Taylor!" Taylor thought for a moment. Love. Such a strong word. Margo was too young to be using it. Taylor knew what he had to do. He slammed down the phone and raced out of the room.



Keryn was walking down the corridor again. She promised herself that she wouldn't cry. But she couldn't help it. She was on the verge of a flood of tears.

"How could I be so damn stupid?" She demanded at herself. "Getting myself caught up in all of this."

She was in the small corridor as she heard footsteps, running toward her. Great, now I am going to get murdered.

Keryn sighed and kept walking. Nothing could stop her at the moment. As she was swept away in her thoughts she felt a hard grip on her shoulder. The thoughts of herself being murdered traced through her mind.

She felt the hand pull her around. She recognised the face. A sudden surge of relief rushed through her. Had she changed her mind? Had he?

The next actions answered her questions as he pulled her towards him, hardly pressing his lips toward hers. They were together as one. He swept his hands through her hair as they stood in the hallway of the ship, tangled, like the seaweed that drifted under them, each afraid to stop kissing one another in case one of them would get swept away.

Their kiss turned into a tight embrace. "Never leave me again," Taylor whispered into her ear. "Never. . ."

Keryn opened her eyes for the first time, in what seemed like an eternity. She pulled away and looked deep into his. "Never."

Everything was right. Everything. Keryn felt this was real, unlike their one week trial agreement. This seemed forever.

She realised Taylor was still looking into her eyes. "What?" Keryn giggled and blushed slightly.

His face remained motionless.

Keryn began to think something was wrong. "Tay?" What had she done?

He lifted his finger up to her lips to make her stop talking. "Shhh.."

Keryn relaxed again.

"You know," he started. "This is so meant to be."

Keryn smiled. "More than meant to be. I have never felt this way about anyone before."

"Me either. I have wanted you since I was ten years old. Younger even."

Keryn smiled as she remembered the days. "Remember the time when you told me you liked Ike?"

Keryn nodded as they walked down the hall, hand in hand.

"Well, I was so jealous that day. It's no wonder I lost my conciousness."

Keryn giggled. "It's been the same for me Taylor. I just can't believe no one realised."

"I guess we knew deep down."

Keryn smiled and drew him toward her. She needed him more than anything.

She closed her eyes and kissed him again. It felt like pure bliss. Nothing could compare.



chapter thirty~three HOME chapter thirty~five
Want to talk to the authors? Join "the backspace key"
Or e-mail us at poodle_face@hotmail.com