Simone woke up with a smile on her face. Last night had been incredible. Even though nothing happened, it was great just to physically see Taylor. She rose from her bed and quietly crept down the stairs to see him. He was still asleep on the sofa bed. He looked so beautiful when he sleeped, almost in a feminine sort of way. She watched his chest rise and fall with every breath he took. She smiled and sat down next to him on the pullout bed. He didn't wake up. She didn't want to wake him, but she had to touch him. He was just lying there, so close, she had to do it. She reached over and stroked his hair.

His eyes opened slowly, and then looked up into Simone's eyes. "This is a great way to wake up." he said smiling, causing a smile to spread across Simone's face, too. She leaned down and let their lips touch together firmly, but at the same time, briefly.

"I'm really glad that you could come visit me." she said. Taylor reached up, put his hand on the back of her neck and pulled her down for another kiss.

"Me too." Taylor said. "But I am going to be even more happy when you can come home with me to finish off the rest of the tour with us." Simone smiled and layed down next to him. He wrapped one of his arms over her waist and then he was behind her. They stayed there like that for awhile. Then he pressed his lips to the curve of Simone's neck and she rolled over and looked into his eyes. She reached over and tucked a strand of Taylor's golden hair behind his ear. He smiled, and then kissed her. She kissed him back.

"I'm beginning to think that maybe this isn't such a good idea." Simone's mother said from the doorway to the living room. She was wearing a pink fuzzy bathrobe, with her hair pulled up into a messy ponytail and her arms crossed over her chest. Simone rolled over to see her. She indeed, looked pissed. "I'm hoping that you two didn't, um, stay together when you got in last night."

"No, mom, we didn't." Simone said standing up. She gave Simone one of those looks that seemed to say 'we have to talk, right now'. She followed her into the kitchen.

"Sim, I don't think that you should be going back to Tulsa with Taylor."

"Why not, mom?"

"Well, that was a prime example as to why I want you to stay here." her mom said, looking disgusted and revolted at the thought of what she had just witnessed.

"It wasn't that big of a deal. We were only kissing."

"I don't care, Simone! After this morning, and from what I have seen, I have changed my mind." her mother said. Simone knew what was coming. She didnt want to listen to her. She wanted to cover her ears with her hands and run away from her mother. She was making a big deal of nothing! When Simone had her last boyfriend, her mom didn't really care what went on between them. It was even her own mother that suggested to Simone that she go on the birth control pill. Not that she ever neeed it, or was in a situation where she needed it, but she was still taking it. Simone's bottom lip quivered and tears flowed down her cheeks. "You're not going back to Tulsa with Taylor. And that's that."

"I can't believe you! You told me that I could go! You gave me permission to go! You can't taking this away from me! You can't!" Simone said, raising her voice. She could not believe that her mother was even considering doing this to her.

"I can, and I am." Her mom said. Simone's tears came even harder.

"I can't beleive that you are doing this to me! I hate you!" Simone screamed at her mother, meaning every word of it, at the moment. She ran past her, and back up the stairs to her room, then slammed the door shut. She flung herself of her bed and cried. Why was her mother being so mean? Its not like she walked in on them doing anything major. They were only kissing! Kissing! It wasn't that big of a deal! She could not believe it. Ugh, she couldn't handle it.

And she felt so bad. She had left Taylor down there, all alone, neglected him downstairs with the wicked witch. She opened the door and snuck back down the stairs. She didn't want to make more than neccessary encounters with her mother. She went to the living room and saw Taylor struggling with the sofa bed, trying to put it back into the couch. She had to smile, because he looked really funny trying to do it all by himself.

"Need some help?" she offered. He looked over at her and smiled, then nodded. She helped him put the bed away and sat down next to him on the couch. Thoughts popped into her head. She hadn't thought about this before. She didn't know if it was going to be such a good idea, but she had to do it, had to mention it to Taylor, to see what he thought about it.

"Um, Tay?" she asked, her voice small. Then she decided. This is what she had to do. He recognized the look on her face.

"What are you plotting?" he asked, smiling mischieviously.

"You, um, wouldn't mind if we sorta cut your visit here a little short, would you?"

"Why would we cut it short?" he asked, not catching on.

"You did heat the arguement that me and my mother had, didn't you?" Simone asked him. He nodded. "Well, she doesn't want me to go with you because she saw us kissing. But she can't keep us apart. She already gave me permission to go and she can't take back what she said to mea bout being able to go. Would it be too much to ask if we could leave today?"

"Sim, I'm sure we could, but -- "

"Great, I'll call the airport to see when their next flight to Tulsa is leaving." Simone said, standing. "Re-pack your bags. We're hittin' the sky."

Simone has butterflies in her stomach as she dialed the phone number to the airport.

"Yes, I would like two tickets to Tulsa, Oklahoma on your next flight out." she said.

"Would that be round trip or one way ma'am?" the receptionist asked her. Omigosh, Simone thought, she hadn't thought of that. She wanted to get round trip because she would be coming home after the tour was over, but she only wanted to get one way because Taylor wasn't going to be coming home with her, and plus she was so mad at her mother right now, she was confused and didnt know what to do. "Ma'am?"

"Um...one way." she finally said.

"The next flight departs in three hours. You can pick you tickets up at terminal 736."

"Thank you." Simone said, hanging up the phone, then started packing her suitcase and carry on. She dressed and then returned downstairs. Her mom was busy in the kitchen. Good, she thought, she'll be leaving for work before they would have to leave to go to the airport. She hurried over to Taylor's side to tell him about the flight arrangements.

He sighed. "Are you sure that you want to do this? Leave without saying goodbye or anything like that?"

"I am sure that I want to do this, to leave today. But you are right. I'll write her a note or something." Simone said, checking the clock nervously, hoping that he mom would soon leave for work. "But we can't act like there is anything going on, Tay."

They sat down on the couch together, and turned on the television. They flipped through the channels and finally decided to watch Sally. Just after 10:00, her mom left the house, not even saying goodbye. Simone thought that it was kinda rude, but then thought to her own plan and to what that she was doing. She had already called for a cab to come and pick them up, and it would be there any second.

"Dear Mom,

You know that I have always been a good and loyal daughter. And I deserve this trip to Tulsa with Taylor. I know that you said that you didn't want me to go, but you can't stop me from going. Sure, you can try to come and find me, but I am not even going to be at his house. Basically, as soon as we get there, we are going to be leaving for the rest of the tour. Please do me a fovor though. Please tell Ashna that I will call her as soon as I get the chance, ok? I didn't do this to make you hate me or for you to get mad at me. You know that I love you. I'll keep in touch and will come home sometime before next school year. I can't promie you when because the tour may delay, or may be extended. I only bought a one way ticket to Tulsa, and I'll come home when the tour is completely over. I love you.

Love Forever,
Simone"