-Storm-



He faced the remote towards the television. On. Off. On. Off. Up. Down. Up. . . Down.

"Far out," he murmured.

Over the past few days he had been so far beyond bored that it wasn't even classified as bored. He tried to write some music. But that wasn't even working.

"Zac?" He looked up. It was Jessica.

"Hmmm?" He looked back at the television.

"The girl next door is on the phone."

"Gillian?" He looked over at his sister.

"No Zac. Britney Spears!" she threw her arms into the air. "Of course Gillian!"

"It was a simple question. Don't get at me like that." Zac snapped, snatching the phone off her.

Jessica left the room as Zac flopped back down onto the lounge again.

"Yeah?"

"Hey Zac. . ." She sounded like she had been crying for three, four hours at the most.

"Somethin' really bad happened."

Zac's head shot up. This couldn't be good. "What? What's the matter?"

"Dad got a new job!"

Zac's heart stopped racing. "Well, that's good, isn't it?"

"NO!" she shrieked. "Don't you understand?!"

"Obviously not." Zac hated to think what would be said next.

"We're moving to Missouri." Yep. She hit the mark hard. Everything, full on, completely, well and truly down the drain. His life at the moment. Stuffed.

Anything else willing to go wrong this week? Hit me with it now. Zac wished that it was Britney Spears on the phone. Maybe he was dreaming.

"You're what?!"

"We-are-moving-to. . ."

"Yeah, I got it. But, you don't have to go do you? I mean, you and your mom could stay here and you would see your dad."

"Zac. . . don't. This is already hard enough." She started to cry again. Zac could hear her whimpers over the phone.

"I can't believe this is happening. I've known you a little over a month. Why is this happening?"

"Look. . . Zac, I have to go."

"But. . . No. . . I mean, wait," he stuttered.

"What Zac?"

"When are you leaving?"

There was a long silent pause as Zac set himself up for another fall. "Two days." She then hung up the phone and left Zac sitting in his dark room with his remote and television. Dang you, Britney Spears.



Ike walked down the corridor. He pondered on whether or not to go and see Taylor or go and see Kayla. Not forgetting about Keryn, who would probably be with Taylor anyway. All he had to choose from was three people. He needed more friends on the ship. He laughed to himself as he opened the door of the cabin he shared with his brother.

"Ike get out."

Simple, fast, demanding. That was what he heard as soon as he stepped into the room. He looked at Taylor.

"Can't anyone have any privacy?" Taylor whined.

Taylor was sitting on the couch, alone, watching Days of our lives. Ike didn't want to bother with this one. He turned around and left the room.

He walked down a few metres and knocked twice on the girls room, then letting himself in.

"Too bad if I was getting dressed." Keryn said from her place on the bed, watching Bold and the Beautiful.

"Oh, God help us all. I wouldn't be able to see for three weeks." Ike laughed to himself as Keryn threw a pillow in his face. "Why don't you watch these meaningless soaps together?" Ike said as he flopped down onto the bed next to Keryn.

"Who? Together?" Keryn's eyes were glued to the television.

"He's in there watching Days"

Keryn laughed. "Aww, how cute. But, this is completely different, Ikey's."

"Cute, you think it's cute?" Ike looked over at her. "Haha, you're funny." He answered his own question. "Yes, I will just sit here, being well and truly, completely ignored. La la laaa."

Keryn broke out of the trance and switched the television off. "I try not to watch it anyway."

Ike laughed. "So, how are you?"

Keryn looked up at Ike and smiled. "Goooood." They both laughed. "How are you Ike? We haven't really spoken for a while you know."

"Hmmmm. . . That's true. I am okay. Things are getting back on track with Kayla." Kayla. Kayla? Kayla was on a date with Ike at the moment. So, why is he here? Keryn thought to herself.

"Were they ever off track?" Keryn smiled uneasily.

"Well, that's hard. I don't really know what was going on for a while there. Did she say anything to you?"

"No, not at all. I don't really know."

"Hmmm. . . " Ike sighed and looked at the empty television screen. "Put that back on again. I need to see their weird excuse for a fantasy land. Let's have a laugh." Keryn grinned and switched the program on again.



Days was finished and Taylor felt satisfied. The world around him started to sink back in. The sun shone evenly through the window and it sent a nice little pattern across the room.

"Ike." Taylor said to himself. He kind of brushed him off before, he thought he might go look for him and apologise. Terrorise him whilst he is in the middle of his date. Funny Taylor thought, if it weren't for Kayla getting ready before, I wouldn't have even known that they were going out.

Taylor opened the door and started walking up the hall. The ship was quietly swaying. As he made his way up to the top deck, he noticed that the sky had started to darken a little too early in the afternoon. He didn't think anything of it.

Taylor stopped in the middle of the deck chairs and folded his arms. Where do you go on a date?



"Why, thank you" Kayla laughed. "I promise I'll give it back."

Dan #2 laughed and looked at the napkin in her hand. "I don't want it back."

Kayla smiled. He was being a total darling. No guilt feeling had even really dared jump into her. She felt completely comfortable with him. She looked up at the sign at the entrance of the restaurant. Storms Pretty name for a restaurant. Appropriate, for a ship, Kayla supposed.

"So, tell me more about yourself."

"What's there to tell? I want to hear about you." Dan smiled and his eyes lit up his face, this sent a shiver down her spine.

"Well. . . you've heard most of it, but . . ." She started on yet another story.



"Storms. Bay. Waterside." Taylor murmured. "Original." Taylor rolled his eyes as he went over the restaurant list.

Bay . . . that sounds like an Ikesturant.

Taylor walked towards the restaurant. He didn't really want to go in, just in case there was some kind of eating policy. He decided to hover around the door and see if he could view them from his position. He could see just about every single table. None of them were Ike's though. Taylor decided to go up to the Waterside on the deck above them. Still no Ike.



Ike was taking in the attention. Keryn was laughing at all of his jokes and they were having a serious conversation at the same time. Something that seemed impossible with Kayla at this stage.

"It's weird." Ike said out of nowhere.

Keryn snapped out of her daydream. There had been silence in the air for a few seconds. "What's weird?"

"I don't know," he sighed. "Everything."

"Give me an example."

"Has Kayla really not said anything?"

"I'm serious Ike. She didn't. I will admit that she has been acting very weird. But, that could be anything."

This time Keryn sighed. Where could Kayla be?



Taylor walked into Storms and stood up against the wall. They had to be in here. There was nowhere else. He started from one end of the room and scanned his eyes over to the other. A lot of the time his view was blocked by trees and random plants. Where could they be? Taylor was just about to leave when he spotted something ducking behind one of the random pot plants.



Kayla laughed again. "Geez. Don't laugh. . . I was practically crying at the time!" "Yeah, well, I can imagine you falling out of a boat!" Dan beamed.

"Oh, thank you. And I suppose you have never fallen out of a boat before mister-perfect?"

"Well, as a matter of factly . . ." He stopped and turned followed Kayla's gaze behind him.

"Slowly move behind that over there" Kayla whispered, pointing at the plant. She had just seen something that she so didn't need to see. She couldn't believe it. Who's idea was this anyway? Kayla thought. He would never do this to me in a million years. Kayla didn't know whether to stand up and show herself to Taylor. Or to run straight past him, out the door and take a flying leap into the ocean. Option two was looking very inviting from her position.

Kayla could see Taylor standing at the other end of the room. He had a very cold look on his face. He saw her. She didn't know how long he had been standing there. But he saw her. And, due to the fact, that Dan was standing up, practically waving his arms in the air, she knew that Taylor knew Ike was not in the picture.

Kayla didn't know what to do. The whole day had been a mistake. So she just stood there. She couldn't hear anything around her. She just seen Taylor's face. Staring at hers. Nothing else could prove how much someone will be hurt due to this moment.

Kayla sighed and sat back down at the table. Maybe if I ignore the situation, it will go away. Kayla was wrong. Taylor was coming towards the table. She looked down at her formal clothing in comparison to Taylor's shorts and T-shirt. Please don't make a scene.



Keryn was beginning to get nervous. The fear in her mind as to where Kayla was at the moment was building. Keryn had no idea. She didn't really want to know.

Keryn looked at Ike on the bed next to her. "Ike, I'll be back in a sec."

Keryn got up and burst out of the room, rushing down to Taylor's door.

He saw her getting ready, didn't he? It couldn't have been my imagination.

Taylor wasn't home either. Another missing one. Keryn shuffled back to the room with Isaac in there.

"Had to get a little Taylor fix, hey?" Ike laughed.

"Oh yeah." Keryn chanted, sarcastically. Her tone turned a little more curious. "Where is he?"

"Taylor?"

"Uh huh" Keryn nodded.

"He was there before."

Keryn sighed and flopped down onto the bed. "He isn't anymore."



Taylor glared at the pot plant. There was an image. Kayla with big green leaves growing out of her head. How could she?

He started to walk towards the table as he saw her sit down.

There were many things rushing through his head at the moment. She wasn't with Ike, and from what it looked like, she was with that mysterious Dan. How could she?

Taylor found himself standing over their table. Kayla glanced up. She looked like a little girl that had just been caught spray painting one of the worlds greatest monuments.

"Hi, Taylor," Kayla choked.

"Yes, hello" Taylor still had that cold look on his face. He still didn't understand why she would do it. "And, who's this?" Taylor questioned, pointing at Dan.

Kayla cringed. He knew very well who it was. But what else could he do? She deserved it at the moment. "This is Daniel."

"Hi Daniel." Taylor shook his head and turned the other way, storming out of the restaurant.



Kayla rushed towards the railing and looked over to the deck below. Where did he go? She walked up to the side of the bar again, and then back to the pool. He was nowhere to be seen. This was pointless. Ike probably knew everything by now. Kayla threw herself down onto a pool chair and closed her eyes.

"Satisfied?" Came a familiar voice from nowhere.

Kayla kept her eyes closed. "No. . . I don't know. . . Go away."

"Why did you do it?" Taylor said softly.

Kayla opened her eyes. "Everything's too heavy at the moment. Life sucks. I. Don't. Know."

"Don't say that."

"Why not? What would you know? Mister-pop-star-everything's-too-easy. Don't even say that," she spat.

"You think my life is easy?" Taylor paused. She didn't answer. "Live a day in my shoes. On one of the days where we don't have much work to do. That's hard work." He paused again. "Far out, Kayla, you think we're so superior therefore we don't have any problems in the world? Think again."

"Yeah, that's what you say."

Taylor just shook his head. "Don't turn this onto me. I didn't do anything."

Kayla huffed.

"C'mon Kayla. Tell me what's wrong."

"Why didn't you make a scene in the restaurant? Why didn't you blurt out how much of a cheater I was?"

"I know you. You're not a cheater. I just want to know what forced you to do it."

"Nothing forced me Taylor." Kayla looked out at the ocean. "Well, I guess I forced myself. I wanted to break away."

Taylor sat down next to her and rested his head in his hands. "Break away?"

"You don't understand. Okay, I can't talk about this."

"He's my brother Kayla. What am I supposed to do now?"

"Do whatever you want. . ." she thought for a moment. "Don't tell him. I will sort it out. . . eventually."

"Don't hurt him Kayla." Taylor got up and started walking back into the direction of the cabins.

"He's hurting me" Kayla whispered as she felt tears coming from her eyes.



"Ahhhhhhhhhhh!" Keryn screamed. "I want to go home. . . NOW!"

Ike had a slightly delirious look on his face, he was kind of swaying from side to side, whilst keeping, well, trying to keep, Keryn calm.

Taylor came rushing into the room were Ike and Keryn were previously watching television.

"Did you hear what they just said?" Taylor panicked.

"Take me home!" Keryn whined at Taylor.

Ike was still standing there with a look of shock on his face.

"I can't Keryn. You'll be okay," Taylor said softly, putting his arm around her shoulder. "Ike. Now, I don't know if he'll be okay." Taylor laughed.

Keryn calmed a little. He was making her feel comfortable.

All decks had been evacuated. Everyone was made to go straight to their cabins and stay there. The ship was about to sail right into a storm, they were in for a long night. Ike snapped. "Where's Kayla?!"

Taylor became alert. "I saw her five minutes ago on the deck."

"Well, where is she now?!" Ike demanded.

"Relax. She'll be here."

Ike didnt look so reassured but he sat down on the bed. Keryn started shaking again and a cool Taylor held her tightly. It was only Taylor who saw Kayla stand in the doorway for a split second. Nobody saw the look exchanged. The icy stare was cool and sharp. Kayla was gone before the others even blinked.



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