-Ordering Chinese for dinner-



"Oh....do you think we should do something? I mean Justin looks really really angry. He could do anything."

Ike tore his eyes away from his mag to look at Kayla peering through the gap in the door.

"Do you really think you should be doing that Kayla?"

"What? Watching them? Well I just want to make sure nothing happens."

"So you're going to make sure nothing happens by watching them? How productive."

"Hey..I cant say much for you who is just sitting there reading his mag, which by the way is my mag..while his brother is threatened by a lunatic."

"He is a big boy he can handle it, last thing he wants is me coming in there and making it look like he's useless...Seventeen has some intersting articles. I mean now I know that I should use a detangler comb."

Kayla rolled her eyes.

"So your telling me that if you went out there Justin would go running for cover? I dont use a detangler..dont believe everything you read."

"Wouldnt go that far. Oh..what a dissapointment, I thought I learnt something from reading this profound mag. But obviously I was mistaken."

He threw the mag to the floor as Kayla turned and resumed her observing.

"Ike!! He just left...no no..hes coming back..No Tay..dont hit him back.. Jesus why does that boy never listen...Keryn get out of there!!..Justin is such a brute...Oh My God..God he's bleeding.."

Ike flung open the door, sending Kayla flying into the hall. Justin was storming out. Ike was hot on his heels.

"Oh God Tay...are you okay?"

Keryn crawled over to Tay as he lay on his back, stunned more than anything else.

"Yeah I'll be fine..just ow..god he had a fantastic right hook."

Kayla, recovering from all the excitment went and sat next to Tay.

"Justin really doesnt know when enoughs enough. I mean Ike would agree with me on that one..wouldnt you Ike.. Ike? Oh God."

Kayla jumped to her feet and ran out the door. Tay lay on the floor alone, he heard the front door slam and he shuddered.



"Justin..JUSTIN!" screamed Ike as he chased him down the street.

"What? What the hell do you want."

They both stood facing each other breathing hard. The tension between them was taught and the world of communication seemed to fail them. They just stared.

"I can't help it..I love her."

"Maybe..but he is my brother. Dont come back here. Please you only cause trouble. For everyone. You'll get over her."

Justin's eyes narrowed.

"If only Dan were here..he'd understand."

Justin turned, and walked away. Ike watched him go, hoping he wouldnt come back. But knowing, deep down, nothing could stop him.

"IKE!!"

Kayla flung herself at him and he caught her.

"God, I thought you were going to end up all bloody on the pavement too. Where is he?"

"Gone. He's gone, for now."

A smile appeared on Kayla's face.

"I'm impressed. What did ya do? Huh? Did you punch him one and send him off crying.??"

"Kayllaaaaa."

"No honestly, did you tell him ge wasnt wanted and then did you throw the punch of the century? Or was it the kick of the century?"

"Really, somtimes your imagination gets the best of you..can you really see me having a punch up in the street?"

Kayla leant her head on the side and smiled.

"Nope..I know you just talked to him but hey you could have pretended to be and action hero.."

"Oh..okay then..well what REALLY happened was I tripped him first and then----"



Keryn leant and put on the ice on Taylors cheek. He grimaced.

"You asked for it you know..as much as I love you, you could have just told him to nick off."

"Oh right Keryn..that would have sounded really manly, 'You Nick off you.' Please..anyways it was the heat of the moment. It's a guy thing."

"A stupid thing. What is your obsession about being manly anyways?"

"No obsession..its just who I am"

"I cant believe you can be cocky about how tough you are while lying on the floor after being wiped out."

"Correction..I was not 'wiped out' I fell."

"Whatever..you're still crazy..but I still love ya."

"You do?"

"Taylor..you know I do."

The front door swung open and a laughing couple came in.

"How ya doing brother Taylor?"

"Ike you make me sound like a monk..fine..I'm fine."

The boys watched as the girls, without a word gathered in the kitchen for a chat.

"hey..Ike..did you see that?"

"yeah...how they migrate the the kitchen to gossip without a word?"

"Yep."

"Why do they do that?"

"They're female."

"True."



Keryn rolled out another tea towel and began to pack more ice in it. Kayla leant against the fridge.

"Going to tell me what brought on the actually punch fest?"

"Testosterone."

"Wow what a simple answered..testosterone."

Keryn stopped with the ice long enough to give Kayla a glare.

"Sorry Kezza..but honestly what did he say?"

"Who say?"

"Tay say that made him hit him?"

"Well Justin was almost out the door when Tay told him that all he was was a bully..a jock."

"What and then he hit him?"

"MmmHmm...and called him a faggot of a muso."

"That must have dented the ego."

"Oh yeah. I am sure Taylor will start asking me in a few minutes if I 'value' his music."

"He needn't worry."

"I know."

"Jesus Keryn whats wrong with Justin? I mean honestly..he is such a nice guy. He has morphed into this character that scares me. He does he scares me. He used to be our best friend. Gone are those days."

"I know..I miss him."

"Me too."





She stumbled down the road. Clutching her bags and trying to read the number on the piece of worn paper. Her bags were heavy she was tired, she needed a cuppa and she simply couldnt read the number. She looked at the street it was, well, wasnt what she expected. It was actally quite respectable. She dropped a bag again and leant down to pick it up. God her back hurt. She was getting too old for this. Way too old. People walked by giving her careless glanced not sure how to take her. She did look rather over dressed. She flashed them stunning smiles and moved down the street. The dim nearing night light meant that some houses had their lights on. She stopped outside a place where music was blaring. It sounded fairly teenagery and 'in'. She walked up the front walkway with trepidation.



Ike had just turned the radio on and was in the process of helping Taylor onto the living room couch. Kayla was on the phone to the chinese take away as Keryn described what she wanted. There were shouts from Kayla to turn the music down for a second. Screams from Taylor as he wallowed in his pain and random questions from Keryn about what sorta rice did they want. The boys didnt know there was more than one rice but according to the brochure there were 3 kinds. It was this moment that there was a knock on the front door. It was Ike who found the time to answer,

"Umm...just come in...someone will be there in a sec."

The elderly lady, well not elderly but weathered lady stepped in. She cautiously let her eyes dart around as she stood in the hall. She could hear somebody on the phone and laughter.

"Keryn..someones at the door!"yelled Ike.

Keryn handed Kayla the brochure and padded out to the hall. She stared blankly at the lady in front of her.

"Umm excuse me can I help you?"

"Oh, well..you see."

Ike appeared and stood next to Keryn..

"Mam, are you looking for someone?"

Kayla hung up the phone and started to walk into the hall.

"Guys, Mr Wong from 'Chinese Chow' said that it should arrive with in the....Mum?"

Keryn and Ike turned to look at Kayla. Even Taylor turned down the radio so he could listen, nobody noticed.

"What are you doing here?"

Melanie smiled and fluffed her hair as she let her bags drop to the the floor.

"Well you see, I thought that seeing I havent heard from you for a while...I should pop down and see you. See how things are holding up. See if you're studying? Obviously not. At least that horrific boy isnt here."

"Daniel's dead Mum."

"Oh, wel, can't really say its a shame now can I dear?"

Her hollow laughter echoed in the small hall. Melanie suddenly became cramped.

"Darling, it's a bit stuffy in here..can we..go somewhere, perhaps somewhere more airy?"

Kayla silently pushed open the door to the living room giving Taylor an awful shock. The others followed her in. Kayla watched as her mother clutched her throat and cast her eye at everything.

"Well darling, are you not going to introduce me to your friends."

"Mum, thats Keryn you have met her before."

Keryn smiled fakely.

"Oh, yes, maybe, I yes Keryn darling I do remember you."

"Isaac answered the door and this hear is Taylor." She said waving her arm in Taylor's general direction.

"Hey" The boys said in stoney unisen.

"Hello.... I really do like what you have done with this place.." Melanie lied though her teeth.

"Thank you, we spent a lot of time on it"Replied Keryn with a scowl.

"I must say darling, I dont feel very welcome here." She said to Kayla.

"Maybe Mum it's because they know I havent seen you in 3 years..or is it 4..The boys come from a family of 7 children and they see their parents every month, at least. I dont think my friends appreicate how I have tagged around my older friends for the last few years."

Melanie was a ghast.

"7 children, their mother must be mad."

Taylors eyes narrowed and Ikes clutch on the back of the chair strengthened.

"Mum! Dont you dare come in here and insult my friends. Diana is an amazing person, you dont even compare to her. Look I dont even know what you're doing here and so far I wish you hadnt came. I wish you would just leave me alone. I dont want to hear any of your 'you have so much potential' crap I'm sick of it. I am sick of your fake birthday cards and your christmas gifts of money. I dont want your money. I want you out of my life. This has been a hell of a day. I just hope you had a hotel booked because you are leaving now."

"Well, darling I was hoping I could sleep here."

"What? Mum we have two bedrooms here, two, as the boys are here for the moment Keryn and Taylor share one bedroom and Ike and I another. There is no room for you. How do expect to come waltzing into my life, insult my friends, and demand a room? Thats not how it works Mum..so please can you take your stuff and leave."

Everyone was rooted to their spot as the anger and hurt of Kayla's pent up emotions exploded.

"Oh, well if you feel that way then. I'll be off."

Melanie cast a glance at Ike, to sum him up before she dipped her hand into her handbag and handed a envelope to Kayla. Kayla raised her eyes as she took it.

"You're father died. He wanted you to have that."

The all stood in shock as Melanie walked out of their lives. As soon as the front door slammed Kayla began to cry.




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