~"friends?"~

It wasn't until the next morning that Kayla and Ike were known as "an item." The others, all fell asleep in the movie. There's Jim Carrey for you. They all woke up in stiff positions amazed that they had slept through the night and..well, slightly embarrassed having drooled over each other during the night. Taylor and Keryn were quick to spring apart, still unsure of how things stood.

"Sorry"

"No Tay, honestly why are we sorry? We have falled asleep on each other before, this isn't new..or does it mean anything."

"Whatever….what time is it anyways?"

"9ish…"

At exactly the same moment, Taylor and Keryn realised they hadn't heard Ike and Kayla come in and they didnt know what had happened. There was a race to the hallway. Keryn dashed into Kayla's room and Taylor flew into the boys'. Keryn demanded to know what was going on straight away.

"What's going on?"

She jumped on the bed and watched as Kayla lazily rubbed her face and squinted back at her.

"What? Keryn? What the hell are you doing..I am practicing the art form of sleeping. I got home late."

"Late? Ohhhh how late?"

Kayla smiled and flushed at the same time. It took her about two seconds more to snap out of sleeping mode and into 'telling-the-story-of-the-night-of-my-life" mode.

"Late enough to find you asleep practically on top of Taylor? What's going on now?"

Keryn rolled her eyes..

"Nothingggggg…you know that…" She shook the bed as she said it.

"Okay okay….so you want to here about last night I take it? Wellllll…."



Taylor stood expectantly at the door while Ike tried to see who was the numbskull who woke him up.

"So?"

"So what? You wake my up so ask.. 'So?'"

"Ike..you know what I mean….what happened."

Ike smiled and flushed much alike the way Kayla was doing in her room.

"It was good..we had fun."

"Fun? You had fun? That’s it."

"Taylor..you have such a one track mind. Unbelievable."

"Yeah I know..but come on tell me."

Ike lay in bed just staring at him brother, enjoying the fact that his brother was practically begging him for information.

"Ikeeeeeee.."

"Chill out Tay!!"

Ike was now scrambling out of bed. Taylor looked at him in utter annoyance.

"I am trying to have a conversation with you!"

Ike continued to get out of bed and walk into the hall. Taylor almost ripped his hair out in frustration…

"Telllll meeeeee."

Ike turned and quickly quipped…

"Taylor, I don’t need to tell you..I am going to show you."

"Show me."

Ike marched out of the bedroom with a sense of purpose with a brooding Taylor at his heels. Ike lead them into 'Kayla's room' and walked past Keryn, interrupted Kayla and gave her a good morning kiss. The other two looked baffled them smiled.

"Good morning Kayl."

"Morning Ike..I see that your brother, much alike my friend here decided to wake you up just for all the gory details!"

"Yep..basically!"

"So what you tell him?"

"Nothing."

Kayla smiled…Keryn and Taylor stood together watching the events and looking slightly uncomfortable. Keryn then rushed forward to hug her friend, who was still in bed looking dazed.

"Ahh..I am so happy for you….I am I am I am!!"

The others broke into laughter and Taylor gave Ike a punch as well as telling him he knew it would have to happen sometime. Kayla and Ike just laughed.

"They make it seem as we are getting married don’t they?" Ike asked.

"Yep..they sure do."

"Well how much do you want me to bet you do?" Asked Taylor.

"Jeez Tay, don’t jinx us!! I want this to last as long as possible." Kayla quickly resorted.

"I wouldn't worry Kayla." Taylor answered

"I'm not!! So how was your night?"

Taylor and Keryn rolled their eyes at each other.

"You don’t even want to know." Keryn sighed. "We had to watch the 'Truman Show' Kayla!!"

"No!"

"Yes!! It was hell..I fell asleep…"

"On Taylor.."

"Yes on Taylor..it was because the movie was so boring."

"Okay then" Kayla said smiling.

Instead of answering back Keryn brooded in the corner while Taylor attempted to leave the room and Ike and Kayla started to have a conversation together. It was too much for Keryn, she was happy but she knew she had to do this. Even if it was breaking a perfect moment.

"Taylor don’t leave, there's something I have to tell you, all of you."

Taylor stopped and turned and made his way to the nearest chair while Kayla and Ike looked up in interest. Keryn took a deep breath and decided that it was now or never.

"I have to leave…."

"Keryn, we talked.."

"Kayla, no..I have to leave. This isn’t about anyone except me you have to understand that. It is even better me leaving now then it was when Tay and I were fighting, at least now we part of good terms. I have to go and see about my future, what I'm going to be. It's alright for you guys cause you have the band and music to live off, Kayla still has two more years to decided but I only have now. I need to be by myself and think about what I want from life and what I would be happy to do. I know you all understand cause I know you all care about how happy I am." She paused as the others seemed to be waiting on her next words. " I also need to be in LA and make some connections."

She was finished. She had said it. Nothing was said, there was silence. Taylor got up and came and hugged her.

"Know we know you're doing it for the right reasons." He smiled, "and we also know that whatever you choose to do you will kick butt doing it!! And hey if worse comes to worse you can be our makeup artist, you can powder me all day."

"Oh Please!"

Taylor laughed.

"You know I'm here for you..best friend?"

"Best friend."

Kayla smiled from the bed and then scrambled out to give Keryn and hug.

"lets get packing girl!"

Kayla flew out of the room leaving Keryn with the boys. Ike came across to her.

"Okay, you know I am really happy about you going and all this, but we are going to miss ya…." He also hugged her, the girl that had been his sister growing up and then added, "but still I will never forgive you for making my girlfriend pack on our first day together!"

Keryn laughed and replied…

"Hey don’t be such a hog..I dunno how long it will be till I see her again and besides you'll get married one day so you'll have all that time together!"

"Yeah…" agreed Tay

"Please, can I fight against you two? I'm finding Kayla."

As he left Taylor and Keryn stood staring at each other.

"You promise this has nothing to do with..with…."

"Yeah it has nothing to do with that."

"Good…I'll miss you."

"I know..but I'll be back. And maybe next time our timing will be better."

"Yeah, I hope so."

The two left the room to find the others happy that maybe, somewhere in the distant future there was a 'perfect time' for them.



"Keryn. You have no ticket!" Taylor exclaimed when he was rumbling through the contents of Keryn’s half packed suit case. He had taken over the job of helping her when Ike and Kayla seemed unable to keep their hands off each other for half the morning.

"Argh, something else I should tell you." She played innocent.

"What now?"

"You know how I almost slipped away yesterday morning? Well, I had a ticket and I kind of rang the airline last night and confirmed for today." Keryn looked down and kicked the bed leg. "Sorry, just guess I forgot to tell you" she smiled in a soft voice.

"Shows how much you care" he laughed.

"Oh, ha ha."

Keryn packed for the next two minutes whilst Taylor inspected the stuff that was already in there, taking it out, and having to re-fold it in his own, messy little fashion.

"What the hell is this?"

Keryn looked up, startled from his little outburst. "It looks like one of your hideous shirts Taylor."

She watched the confused look move across his face.

"What would my clothing be doing in your cupboard? Hmmmm?"

"Don’t ask me. Have you recently full monty’d for me?"

"No, I don’t think so. Oh, hang on... Oh no, that wasn’t for you" he said.

"Ooh, something going on that I should know about Tay?" she laughed.

He grinned and put the shirt back into her suitcase. "I am sure you can keep it as a nice little memory of me."

"Tay!?"

"What?"

"You make it sound like we are never going to see each other again!"

"You’re the one that is taking my shirts." Taylor got up and walked over to the mirror, "I will probably see you soon anyways. We are going to start to get a bit more busy after Mom and Dad get home."

"Yeah, that’s true. This visit has been pretty crummy though, you have to admit, last time we had a ball."

"Yeah, but that’s cause we were in L.A. My parents were around twenty four hours a day and we were forced to follow the others around. Which, I must admit, was very cool."

"So, you’re saying that we only did what we did cause you’re Mom and Dad weren’t here?" Keryn looked over at Taylor who was looking through some draws and trinket boxes that were spread across the table.

"Perhaps. So, what time was your flight?" Taylor avoided the question.

Keryn sighed and looked at her watch.

"We will have to leave in about ten minutes. Help me close this Taylor."

"I still can’t believe you are going, you know?"

"Neither can I," she looked up at him "this is totally not a Keryn thing to do."

"Tell me about it. You don’t even like to catch the bus to town by yourself!"

"Oh well, I got here by myself, I live by myself, and I have changed a fair bit since I lived in Tulsa."

"I know."

"Yep." She looked at Taylor. "Come on. Let’s go."

"Does Zac know you are going?"

"Yeah, I seen him this morning. He seems to know more about me and you than Ike does, you know?"

"You’re joking?"

"Ike knows nothing. Zac is an observant little one. He managed to sit down and tell me every single problem that I have had over the past few weeks. He has really grown up over the past few years."

"You have a thing for him now?" Taylor laughed.

"Oh, Tay, you humor me. What would I do without you. Zac is my almost little brother."

Keryn said as she helped Taylor drag the suitcase into the hall.

"So, I am also your almost little brother?" Taylor stopped in the hall and looked Keryn in the eyes, there was a moment of silence.

"Keryn! You are going to miss your flight!" Ike scurried down the hallway and lifted the suitcase. "Where have you been? Kayla is in the car."

Keryn raced after Ike and Taylor power walked behind her.

"Come on. I need to get that flight."

"Almost little brother." Taylor simply said. And found his way into the back seat of the car.

"Ike, she is not going to be late" Kayla called as they raced into the doors of the airport.

"Do you really want to get me out of here?" Keryn asked as she and her suitcase struggled along the shiny floor.

The airport looked like an ant farm. There were thousands of little bodies racing from corner to corner. Ike seemed to blend in well as Kayla, Keryn and Taylor moved slowly through the crowd.

The three walked to where Keryn was to be left by herself.

"Now, I am sure I will see you soon Keryn. And, I will ring you tonight to see if you got in okay." Kayla said smiling.

"If you have any time to ring me" Keryn looked at Kayla then Ike. The two just smiled.

"Oh, ha ha, were not that bad. Now, promise to be careful. Don’t talk to the person that sits next to you."

"Kayla! You would! You would probably talk that much that they would get up and move!" Keryn laughed.

"That’s true." Kayla thought for a moment. "I’ll see you when I come back to school."

"Sure will. Bye Kayla." Keryn said hugging her friend. "Thanks for everything." Keryn moved on to Ike, "Thanks for everything Isaac, you’ve been great"

"Look after yourself."

"Thanks Ike." She smiled.

Keryn looked at Taylor, the moment she had wanted to avoid over the past twenty four hours was right in front of her. Looking her in the eyes.

"Ike," Kayla whined. "Can you buy me a drink?"

"You just had two cans of Coke!" Kayla rolled her eyes and pulled Ike over to the vending machine. Kayla had just made it completely obvious. Keryn didn’t really think that she wanted to be near Taylor right now. She felt the butterflies start.

"So, this is it, hey?" Taylor broke their silence.

"This is it."

"Yep." He shuffled his feet. Keryn looked up at him. He was wearing a long sleeved, red shirt and dark blue jeans and his hair was tied back.

"Bye then Taylor. Thanks for everything." She smiled. "You have been great." She felt like those were the only practiced words that had come out of her mouth for the last five minutes.

"Bye Keryn."

"Bye Taylor."

Taylor looked up. "Bye Keryn."

Keryn nodded. "Bye Taylor."

"Bye Keryn"

"Taylor, I don’t wanna cry."

"You’re not gonna cry."

"Okay."

"Can I give you a hug?"

"Okay."

Taylor took his arms and wrapped them around Keryn.

"Bye Keryn"

"Bye Taylor"

"Are Ike and Kayla looking?" Keryn looked over at the other two, they were standing next to the drink machine, facing the other way.

"No." she murmured.

"You know what I want to do?"

"Yes."

"Do you?"

The two of them stood in the airport, Keryn could feel a gentle sway.

"Mmm.. hmm.. Don’t know."

"Are Isaac and Kayla looking?"

"No."

"Good." Taylor took Keryn and enveloped her into another hug, their lips brushed against each other and they began a long, passionate kiss in the middle of the airport. The bodies and noise around them had disappeared as the butterflies evaporated into sparks and rushed through the two teenagers. Neither wanted to pull away. Never.

"Taylor. Friends."

"Friends." The two stole one last kiss and pulled away.

"Woah. Friendly." Keryn laughed. "I kind of have to go."

"Ike and Kayla? Are they watching?" Keryn looked over Taylor’s shoulder again, they were looking into the vending machine, hard concentration.

"We haven’t been spotted."

"Bye then Keryn."

"Bye Taylor. Friend." She waved at Ike and Kayla and ran passed the gate.

Just after Kayla left Keryn and Taylor for some ‘time’ Ike asked for an explanation.

"Ike. They are just wanting to say good-bye to each other without us standing around." "What’s the difference?" Kayla realised that Ike still knew nothing, and decided to leave it that way. If Taylor needed to tell him, he would.

"Ike, can you get me some water?"

"Sure" he smiled. Kayla loved that smile. Ike put the money into the machine. Kayla took the time to look over at Keryn and Taylor, they were just kind of standing there, staring at each other. Weirdo’s Kayla thought to herself. She took her thoughts back to Ike. The morning had been bliss, her and Ike had eaten breakfast together in the backyard. She can’t believe she hadn’t gotten with him sooner. And, she also couldn’t believe that she had almost turned him dow.....

"Oh my God!" Ike coughed out the Coke he had just retrieved from the machine.

Kayla looked in Ike’s eye direction. Keryn and Taylor. They were doing it again.

"Oh, she is such an idiot, it will take her months to get over this one!" Kayla waived her arms in the air.

"Oh my God! What on earth? Oh my God!"

"Not to mention Taylor, he was pissed off for a week after last time!"

"What the hell? Last time? Oh my God!" Ike could not keep his eyes off what he saw before him.

"You seriously want to tell me you knew nothing about this, Ike?"

"Nothing at all. I still can’t get over it. Look at him. Look at her. Oh my..."

"Don’t say it again."

"They are friends. They are friends." Ike could still not get over it.

"Ike," Kayla suddenly looked startled. "Ike. Ike. Quick, look at the vending machine. They stopped."

"Nope," Ike was still looking, "they’re at it again. Oh, no, hang on. Kayla, want some chips?" Ike turned around to the machine and started shoving massive amounts of money into the small hole.

"They didn’t see us looking. Did they?"

"No. No. It’s okay, hang on. Wave to Keryn. Bye Keryn. She’s gone."

"Here comes Taylor. Act normal. Look at Taylor. Hi Taylor."

"Hi guys. Wanna go?" Taylor walked up to the two. "Ike you have six bags of chips in your hands."

"I got hungry, you know how it is."

"Uhh. Yeah." Taylor seemed a bit confused.

"Okay then guys. Looks like it’s just us and Zac. Let’s go."

"Yep. Let’s go."

Chapter Seventeen HOME Chapter Nineteen
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