Taylor drove back to his apartment with the radio playing softly. He thought about Abby. He could hardly believe it was her. Ever since the last time he saw her he never forgot about her. They had lost contact so easily. ‘How could I have let that happen?’ He thought. Tay couldn’t quit hitting himself in the head for it. He liked Abby so much back then. And
just the past hour or so talking to her he felt it again. He lived everyday after that wishing she would magically appear back into his life. Well it’s been over three years and his wish had come true. Taylor wasn’t about to let her walk out again and not tell her how he felt. When Hanson were on their first big tour, he couldn’t wait to see her at every appearance. He counted down the days when they would be a close enough distance from Ohio that she and Katie would be able to travel to see them perform.
Then when he never saw her again he felt like he had just let the best thing slip away. When they were together, hanging out, wether it be at a hotel or backstage, all he wanted was to spend more and more time with her. To leave the other fans standing there awaiting him to sign autographs. Instead he used that time to talk to Abby and Katie, joking around. Abby was unique to him. She wan’t like all the other fans. She was different. In the best ways anyone could be different. Tay slammed on his breaks hearing a horn blow, returning to reality. He had almost run a stop sign just a block away from his apartment. The woman in the car gave him the finger and angrily sped away.
“Oops” Taylor said, bringing his mind back to concentrate on not killing himself. He pulled into the
parking garage space set aside for his room number, shut off the
ignition, and hoped out.
Abby was sitting in her apartment for the past hour talking to Katie on the phone. She wanted so badly to tell her about Taylor going to her college but remembering what he had said, ‘We are going to surprise her!
It will be great!’ ran through her mind. She smiled thinking about that huge grin plastered across his face.
“So how was your first day?” Katie asked. Trying to change the subject
about her awful day. First these gorgeous guys started talking to her and she thought it was kewl, flirting back with them and all. Then when this other so called ‘chic’ as they put it, walked into the cafeteria they just up and left her sitting there looking like a moron.
“Ohgod!.. IT WAS GREAT!” Abby said trying to hold in her excitement.
“Oh really? What was so great?” Katie asked. Abby had her full attention now. The last time she sounded this happy about something, she had planned out a whole vacation to the Caribbean for both of them the summer of their senior year.
“I can’t say anything right now. It will have to wait till Friday when you get here!” Abby beamed. She couldn’t wait to see the look on Kate’s face when she sees Tay.
“Oh come on Ab..don’t do this to me! you know I hate being kept in
suspense!!” Katie tried to act upset.
“Well you’ll be so happy when you find out what it is that you’ll forget all about the wait.
“All right..now you got me freaking out! TELL ME DAMNIT! Seriously! Ab!”
Katie fussed.
“Okay but ONLY a hint!” I started. “He’s a friend.” I said.
“A friend huh? That could be anybody!” Katie wined
“It’s more then just some guy...” I trailed off. “Well that’s all I can say.
You’ll have to figure the rest out on your own...which I seriously doubt you will...or just wait a whole four days.” I laughed.
“Whatever. Your ticking me off! why can’t you just tell me!’ Kate
screamed.
“Because keeping you in suspense is so entertaining.”
“I hate you. You know I don’t like that Ab...”
“I know. And you know I love to do it.”
“Okay well I have to go. Mr. Vavarachi gave us a couple chapters to study
tonight. I hate the guy already!” She wined.
“Yeah I have to go to. I have some plans to attend to tonight.” I said.
“Plans?” Katie asked.
“Oh, uh, yeah..I’m meeting with a friend I met today for dinner and
maybe do some studying.” I saved myself.
“Oh okay well I’ll call you tomorrow! Bye Abbers.” She said using that stupid nickname to get back at me, usually in public.
“Later.” I said, then after hearing the click I set the cordless phone on it’s base to charge. Looking down at my watch I noticed I had about an hour and a half before Taylor would be here. “Might as well start getting ready now. I still have to shave!” I said to myself walking into the bedroom and over to the closet. I laid out a khaki skort with a cute spaghetti string navy blue top. I grabbed a towel out of one of the unpacked boxes I had never gotten around to the night before. I quickly stripped off my clothes.
Stepping into the cool shower felt good.
About an hour later I was dressed and putting my hair up into a French
twist. I used to love how my sister Cece would do it to her hair and now
that my hair was more than long enough I decided to try it out. I applied
some strawberry lip gloss and some eye liner along with a glittery blue
shadow. I decided against foundation. I had gotten some sun today
believe it or not. In my class I had sat next to the window and the sun
beat right in on me for 2 long boring hours. I looked down at my watch.
Taylor would be here in a half hour. I had 30 minutes to spare. I sat down
in front of my television and flipped through the stations. The cable guy
was supposed to come in on Thursday to give me a lot more channels but
until then I was stuck with good ole’ westerns. Funfun The thirty minutes
went by slowly but soon enough I heard a knock at my door. I walked into
the kitchen and through the small hallway to the door and open it.
There stood Taylor. He looked good!
“Hey there.” He said holding out a single red long stem rose. He leaned in
to give me a peck on the cheek.
“Oh! Thank you sir.” I said smiling. “Let me go put this into a vase and we
can head out.”
“Okay great.” He said looking around the apartment. “Ya know. I think
your apartment is like 2 times bigger than mine!” he called out to me
from the hallway.
“Really?” I said coming back up from under the sink with a small vase.
“Heck yeah. I mean look! You have a deck.” He said pointing to the sliding
doors leading into a small back yard.
“Those always freak me out ya know. You never know if someone’s out
there wandering around, some psycho looking in at you.” I said with all
seriousness.
“You got a point.” Taylor said looking deep in thought. “You about
ready?” He asked taking my hand as I walked up to his side.
“Yep, lets go.” I said smiling. We headed out the door. I turned to lock it and retrieved Taylor’s hand once again. Taylor open the passenger side door for me and I got in. He walked around and open his own. He looked at me with a sloppy grin on his face while he started up the jeep.

Taylor and I arrived at a quaint little Italian restaurant. Much like the Olive Garden to me, with green house plants and wine jars up on mantles surrounding the walls and ledges. It was cute. The atmosphere was one that lets you just sit, eat, talk, and relax. And god that’s what I needed.
The waitress lead us right to our table with menus in hand. Taylor walked around and pulled out my chair. I sat and he did the same. Once we placed our drink order Taylor looked at me with a huge goofy smile.
“What?” I asked.
“Nothing. I’m just glad to see you again. This is unbelievable. I mean
seriously what were the chances of us seeing each other again? And
under these circumstances?” Tay asked, leaning back in his chair. His fingers aimlessly played with the ends of the green table clothe.
“I know. It’s just as surprising to me as it is to you.” The waitress approached our table with the tray of drinks. I sat and sipped my strawberry lemonade while Taylor went on with conversation.
“So..” he said. “Tell me what you’ve been up to the past couple years!”
“Well where do I begin?”
“The summer I didn’t see you again.” Taylor simply replied.
“Well that summer Katie and I both got ourselves full time jobs at this garden center. We met some pretty amazing people.” I said remembering a couple of my good friends I hadn’t spoken to in almost 2 months. With everything going on at home I never found the energy to call them up and ‘just talk’. Then I remembered Lee. Lee was my boyfriend. Him and his father managed the garden center. We became so close the 4 months
I had worked there. We started dating and, well, it went from there. He was so sweet. Very special to me. I told him everything. Katie loved him
too. In fact... she’s to thank for setting us up. Then he was gone. I
remembered sitting in my room that September night. Receiving the
phone call from his dad was the second most emotional thing that has ever happen to me in my life. Lee had gotten into an accident. Hit by a drunk driver head-on. The 2 hours in the waiting room went by so slowly.
When the doctor finally came out, He gave us the bad news. I broke down there. Who would have guessed? I haven’t dated anyone since. I was doing a lot better now. Considering I locked myself in my bedroom for what seemed like ever. I sat there looking out my bay window for days.
My parents and siblings couldn’t snap me out of it. I wouldn’t eat, I wouldn’t sleep. Katie was right there by my side night and day. If it wasn’t for her, god knows what I would have done to myself. Lee was the best thing that ever happen to me. And now he was gone.

“Really? A garden center? How was it?” He asked, curious at what I had to say. I snapped out of thought.
“It was great. I met a lot of kewl people. and I met Lee.” I said then
realizing what I was saying mumbled the last word. Why did I have to remind myself? It’s so painful.
“Lee?” Tay asked confused.
“Yeah. My boyfriend..ex boyfriend.” I corrected my self. “ We dated for 4 months. But..but then he was gone.” I said putting my head down. I was well over it. But deep down I still got choked up every time it was brought
up.
“Gone? What do you mean?” Tay asked now leaning forward in his chair.
“Well I got a call from his dad saying he was hit by a drunk driver. And 3 hours later he was gone. Dead.” I fingered the small silver band I wore on my left hand. Lee had given it to me on our three month anniversary. On
the inside the words ‘Always and Forever’ were engraved. Lee promised me we would always be together.. No matter what. Always and Forever, he would say.
“Oh God! Ab, I’m sorry.” Tay said laying his hand on top of mine lightly squeezing it.
“It’s alright.” I returned his squeeze giving him a smile that said everything was okay. The waitress came back moments later to take our order. The rest of the evening went great. Tay told me about his family.
How everyone was doing. When I asked about Isaac and Zac, Tay just
started laughing. I found out that Ike was studying to become a
pediatrician. And Zac, well, Zac was in his senior year of high school at Tulsa High. Diana had sent him off to public school his senior year and he happen to like it a lot. He had a job working at a music store selling drum
sets, keyboards, and everything else people need to fulfill their musical desires. I laughed along with him when I heard about Ike.
“Ike working in a hospital just down right scares me!” I said in between giggles.
“Haha, doesn’t it!” Tay commented.
“But...” I started, but trailed off. Thinking.
“But what?” Tay said taking a bite of his pasta.
“Well, If Florida State is known for it’s excellent education in doctor degrees then why isn’t Isaac going here?” I asked confused.
“You know. I never thought about that. I should ask him. Before I left home this semester he was complaining about how he didn’t like the guys in his dorm.”
“What college is he going to again?” I asked forgetting what Tay had said earlier when we were talking about Isaac’s college.
“South West Texas U.” Tay answered.
“Oh that’s right.”
Soon Taylor and I were finished with our meals. I was having so much fun. I liked being with Tay. I had forgotten how good it felt to be out with a friend, weather it be going to the movies or dinner. I had become such a loner the past month and a half. I ticked myself off sometimes.
“Tay, thank you.” I said looking up at him from my side of the table.
“For what?” He asked.
“For taking me out tonight.” I said.
“Your welcome.” Tay said smiling. He leaned over and kissed my cheek.
“You ready to go?” He asked as he grabbed my hand and stood up.
“Yeah, lets go.” Tay and I walked out to his jeep. Once we were in he
looked at me.
‘Where too? Your place or mine?” He asked.
“I haven’t seen you place yet!” I said smiling.
“Well it’s nothing big.” He said laughing. “But okay...” Taylor started up the jeep and we drove off.

Ten minutes later we pulled into his apartment complex. Tay parked the jeep and ran around to my door and open it. He helped me out. We
walked down the sidewalk. Tay lead me by the small of my back. We
entered the building and climbed the stairs to the second floor. The
building was beautiful inside. The stairs were marble with white railing.
He pulled out his keys and turned the lock on his door. He reached inside and flipped on the lights.
A beautiful room open up in front of us.
“Not much huh?” I said sarcastically, slapping his arm. “Tay this is
beautiful!” I took a couple steps forward. There was a small living room with white carpet. Small lamps lit the room. A glass coffee table set in the middle of the room. Then off to the left was a kitchen with a small island counter in the middle. To the right was a slightly ajar door. I walked over, pushing the door open a little more found out it was Taylor’s room. There was a queen size bed and another door that lead into a full bathroom.
Then a deck. UGH!
“God Tay!..I hate you!” I laughed. “How come you get the gorgeous apartment??” I turned to see Tay heading towards the kitchen.
“You want some coffee?” He asked ignoring my comment.
“Yeah, that would be great.” I accepted. I turned and stepped down into the living room.
“I thought we could watch a movie or something. Is that kewl?” He asked.
“Yeah that would be great.”
“Look through the ones below the TV. Tell me if you see any ya might
like.” I did as he said. I flipped through the videos.
“Big Star Trek fan?” I asked. Noticing about ten videos that read ‘Star Trek’.
“How’d ya guess? Said a muffled voice from the kitchen.
“Haha, Lucky guess I suppose.”
“How does Man in the Iron Mask sound?” I asked holding up the cassette.
“I haven’t even seen it yet. Everybody’s telling me how good it is.”
“You haven’t seen it yet???” Tay asked emerging from the kitchen.
“No...Is it good?”
“Heck yeah it’s good! Man in the Iron Mask it is! Pop it in I’ll be right out.”
He said returning to the kitchen.
“Okay.” I slipped the tape in the VCR, turned the television on, and settled onto the white leather couch. The previews started and Tay came and sat down minutes later. He handed me my mug and sat next to me. I sipped to coffee.
“Mmm. What did you put in it?” I asked. It was some sort of flavor.
“Oh I put some hazelnut in it..Is that okay?”
“Yeah it’s really good.”
The movie started, but Tay jumped up and went into his room. ‘What’s he doing?’ I thought. He returned a minute later with a white blanket. He sat down again and spread it out over us. I leaned my head onto his shoulder. Taylor shifted his weight a little to make me more comfy. I looked up at him and smiled. That’s when our eyes locked. We stared at each other for a second. Then Tay leaned in and brushed his lips over
mine. He paused to look at me... as if to get my approval. I brought my hand up to his cheek and stroked it. I slid my hand behind his head and brought him in for another kiss, only this time deepening it.