Will sat back on his legs, everything that just happened running through his head. Just before he could begin to second guess what he had done Love broke his thoughts with her voice.

"My turn," Love snapped pushing Will on his back.

Will gasped as her cool lips enveloped him. Her tongue was surprisingly incredible. He couldn't believe how good she was at this. Her fingertips stroking the base. He screamed as he felt himself getting closer and closer.

"Love, I'm going to," he began to warn.

"Too late," he thought as he released into her pretty mouth.

He was about to apologize when to his shock. She swallowed, a huge grin on her face.

"Wow," Will whispered causing Love to do one of her signature giggles.

"I'll never think of her giggles in the same way again," Will mused.

*          *          *          *          *

Shiye planted quick, sweet kisses all over Ike's sweaty body. She smiled as she noticed the look of release in his eyes.

"Feeling better," she asked as she began to massage him all over.

"You're amazing," Ike whispered hungrily looking her up and down as he felt himself hardening once again.

"Oh," Shiye exclaimed with a giggle as she realized just how much better he was feeling.

"See how much I love you," Ike asked her.

"You must love me, a lot," Shiye teased, briefly and gently squeezing him.

"Oh, I really love you now," Isaac kidded.

"Have you ever heard of the 'Lusty Leapfrog' position," Shiye asked backing off of him for a second.

"The busty what," Ike replied having a tough time focusing on her exact words.

"The 'Lusty Leapfrog' it's a sexual position that I think we should try ... seeing how you're my Kermie and everything."

"Do what you want with me, Shiye. I'm your slave," Isaac groaned, his eyes begging her to stop talking and just take him.

Shiye grinned as she whispered for Ike to remain lying flat on his back. She straddled him slowly lowering herself onto his pelvis; he began to slide inside her slowly. Isaac gasped. Shiye moved into a squatting position instead of simply sitting on him. She placed her hands on his upper chest for support. She then began to slide herself up and down him by lifting her lower body.

"How does that feel, baby?" Shiye asked as she switched from deep, slower thrusts to fast, teasingly shallow thrusts.

"Oh, yes, YES, SHIYE - OH DEAR - yes, yes, FUCK ME," Ike yelled.

Shiye couldn't hide her smile.

"That's right, Kermie. Go wild. Be my bad boy," she demanded as she moved her hands onto his thighs and knees. Shiye's back arched as she rocked her body against Isaac's, her long tousled hair cascading around her shoulders. Isaac's groans were the sexiest sound she had ever heard. She screamed as Ike began running his hands all over her. He unclipped her bra and Shiye gasped as the soft fabric fell away from her chest, only to be replaced with something even softer, his hands. Shiye leaned back as Ike began to pinch, caress, and fondle her.

Isaac groaned as he explored Shiye's stomach and chest. 'How did I ever land a woman this hot,' he asked himself. He must have done something right. Shiye grabbed one of his hands and began to suck on his fingers.

"Oh dear Lord," Ike exclaimed as a surge of pleasure filled him.

"KERMIE! KERMIE," Shiye screamed repeatedly as they orgasmed.

Isaac's whole entire body shook. Making love to Shiye hadn't been this good in a while. Thank heaven for the 'busy frog' position or whatever it was called. Ike smiled a warm smile as he pushed Shiye's damp hair off her face; that's when he noticed the tears.

"Shiye, what is it, my love? Did I hurt you?"

"No, oh, Isaac, I am so happy right now. I really thought you didn't find me attractive anymore, that you had stopped loving me."

"Don't be crazy. I love you, Shiye," Isaac exclaimed as Shiye collapsed into his embrace. He kissed her forehead. "I never truly loved until I met you, Shiye," he added as she fell asleep in his arms.

*          *          *          *          *

Will's head bobbed up and down in my lap. I groaned pushing up against his mouth.

"Will, my God! You have the most incredible mouth."

His mouth slid off and he licked his lips.

"Will, no. Don't stop," I begged.

"Taylor, you have the most incredible dick," he whispered as he climbed up my body and kissed my lips passionately.

My hard on grazed his thigh. I sat up and pushed him backwards. He laid on his back his eyes begging me to take him. I lifted his knees back towards his head. I leaned down and licked the tip.

"Are you ready for me to fuck you," I asked.

"Oh, God, Tay. Don't tease," Will pleaded.

"Don't tease? You're the one who had to turn me on. You're the one who had to stop sucking before I could ... well, it's no matter what you did. Know what I'm going to do? I'm going to do you."

"Then get to it, Tay-bear?" he growled.

I thrusted into him. He gasped as I slowly began to quicken my pace.

"Do you like that?" I panted.

"Harder, Tay. Harder," he moaned.

I grinded my crotch harder against his ass sinking deeper into him. He tilted his head back his mouth gaping open, sweat glistening on his upper lip. We began to orgasm my hips shuddering as I released inside him. He exploded as well. I smiled. I would have fun cleaning up.

*          *          *          *          *

Taylor's eyes snapped open; he rolled over in bed. His hand struck the empty space beside him. He opened his eyes a tad, and noticed a light coming from the bathroom along with whispering. Taylor couldn't quite make out what was being said though.

"Thea," he called out.

"Shit," Anthea thought as she heard Taylor waking up.

"Sweetie, I think I woke up you know who ... "

"I understand," the voice replied.

"I'll talk to you later," Anthea whispered.

"I love you," he replied before hanging up.

"Who was that?" Tay asked her as she came out of the bathroom.

"Oh that was Brittany ... I didn't want to wake you up, so I just went into the bathroom."

"Oh, okay," Taylor mumbled feeling a bit uneasy, aware of his slight hard on.

"You need to get some rest," she whispered tucking him back into bed.

"Yeah," Tay replied as he turned over on his side and drifted off.

When Anthea was positive he was asleep, she let out a sigh of relief. She crossed herself thanking God that she hadn't just been caught. It would have really put a damper on her plans. Not that Taylor or anyone for that matter could really stop her now, but she really wanted her whole scheme to be a surprise until the end. The reaction would be so much better. The corners of her mouth turned up into a devilish smile, which quickly turned into a disgusted expression as she heard Ike and Shiye in the other room.

"Ew, how could anyone do that monkey freak," she thought to herself thanking the stars that she had been able to land Taylor who was definitely easy on the eyes.

*          *          *          *          *

Will and Love laid together in the sand kissing and holding each other.

"I am so happy," Love whispered looking into Will's gorgeous green eyes.

"The feeling is mutual," Will replied, rubbing his nose against hers.

She smiled.

"Wow. Our relationship is going to make the press agent for the movie happier," Love mused.

"Yeah, definitely. Some are probably going to think it's a publicity stunt or that I just really get around," Will started, sighing.

"Will, I don't care about who you were with in the past. I know that I'm with you now and ... I'm happy. Everything's perfect, and I could care less what others say about you because I know what a good man you are."

"Aw, you're not so bad yourself," Will teased lightening up the mood as his mind began to attempt a ponderance on sadder subjects.

Love giggled as she threw his shirt over his face.

"Yeah, yeah. Get dressed, buddy. We don't want anyone to see us all naked on the beach! We don't want that kind of press for the movie!"

Will laughed as he kissed her deeply.

*          *          *          *          *

Daphne crept up the stairs to her room. The entire house was dark. She pushed open the door and sighed. Daph strolled over to her open closet and reached up pulling down one of the many boxes. She sat on her bed opening the box. Beside her on one of her pillows she saw the shimmer of metal.

"My necklace," Daph whispered to herself ignoring the box for a second as she clasped her good luck charm back around her neck.

"Maybe I should have worn you tonight after all," Daphne thought to herself as she began to go through box one of everything material that reminded her of Zac.

"Why did I say no?" Daph asked aloud as she dove through tons of pictures of Zac alone, with her, making goofy faces, smirking, smiling, laughing, annoyed, happy, kissing her, holding her, talking to her, listening to her, sleeping, tapping his ears on stage ...

Daphne broke down in tears as she looked at the pictures. Zac's face going from clear to misty until finally becoming a blur, like her future.

*          *          *          *          *

Will and Love finally made it back to his place. They slipped into his darkened condo and up the stairs to his room.

"What am I doing by bringing her here?" Will thought.

"Moving on," another thought answered.

"But Taylor ... it's too soon," he mentally argued with himself.

"Face it. You'll never get over Taylor getting over you, but you can still move on and try to be happy. Find different connections with different people ... "

"Will, you okay?" Love asked.

"Yeah, sorry," Will replied as they turned the corner.

"Nice place," Love commented.

"Yeah, it's sad. I won't be living here much longer. I'm going to be moving into a larger place."

"Because you're making more money," she pried.

"Partly, mostly because this place evokes some memories in me I'd rather not ... I'd just like to get away from it. I'm still going to lease the place. I just don't know when I'll return, if ever."

"Well maybe I can help you make some new memories," Love said as she kissed him outside his bedroom.

*          *          *          *          *

Zac entered his hotel room. His, only his, he didn't have to share with anybody anymore. He used to think that when the day came where he would have his own room that he would be celebrating. Instead he was miserable. Zac was going to have his own room from this day on. He groaned as his eyes focused across the room. There sitting in the two chairs by the window were his parents. The two of them looking very mad.

"What could I have possibly done now," Zac cried out fighting back tears.

"We received a call from Ash," Walker began, "you went to go see Daphne."

"What are you having people stalk me now," Zac snarled.

"Zachary, we thought we made it clear to you that you were not to see her anymore. She's not good for you," Diana proclaimed.

"We also heard that you have purchased a ring recently, an engagement ring. Zac, you're a little young to be thinking about marriage."

"A little young? You were only 19 when you married mom, Dad," Zac snapped.

"That's different," Diana began.

"Right! It's always different! Ike and Shiye are different. Tay and that slut are different. But when I meet the only girl who makes me feel truly happy and complete, you two have to go against it. Isaac was always your golden child, so in return he gets to be with the woman he loves. Taylor was seemingly perfect, so he gets to live the seemingly perfect life. I was myself. I give you hell a lot, and I'm sorry for it. I don't always mean to, but I just want to grow up and be taken seriously around here. So in return for giving you hell occasionally, please don't try to punish me by making my life a living one."

"Zac, we aren't trying to. We're simply trying to protect you," Walker tried to explain.

"From what Dad? From Daphne saying, 'no'? Because in that case you're a little late."

"Daphne said 'no,'" Diana squealed.

"Mom, at least try to hide your excitement," Zac snapped, wiping the tears from his eyes.

"Honey, I didn't mean to sound ... "

Walker placed a hand on Diana's shoulder, silencing her.

"I think it's better if we just leave him alone for a while." As they reached the door Walker turned to inform Zac, "Don't worry about having to drive the van back to Tulsa. Ash is going to drive it back. You're traveling with the family."

Zac bit his lip, flinching as the door slammed closed. He dropped his shoulder bag on the floor by the bed. He sat down and opened it looking for his CDs, instead he found his favorite picture of Daphne. Her hair was up for once. He remembered that day so well.

'Freezer Burn' was opening for them and one of the hotels they all stayed at had an amazing view. Zac had snuck in Freezer Burn's room to say 'hi,' and ask Daph if she wanted to go with him to see if there was anything interesting he could take a picture of for the site. When he found her she was out on the balcony, her hair pulled up showing off her soft and beautiful neck. Her wavy hair was curled that day in long dark tendrils. She was engrossed in writing a song and didn't even notice him step out onto the balcony. He called out her name. Daph, realizing he was there looking up at him and smiled. That's when he snapped the picture, his favorite picture because she was smiling his smile. Zac covered his mouth, holding back a sob, as the realization hit him that someday that would be someone else's smile. He prayed that he would never be there when she did use that smile for anyone, but him.

Zac reached into his pocket pulling out the dark blue velvet box.

"She didn't even get to see the ring," Zac thought to himself.

He had gone out of his way to get a custom-designed engagement ring. He decided to call around the jewelry market in New York for some good deals only to find that just about every jewelry merchant knew Daphne. It turned out Daphne's father was a well-known and respected New York jeweler. When he explained his situation, they were more than happy to go out of their way to help him.

He opened the box and stared down at the ring. It was the most beautiful ring he'd ever seen. Perfect Grade D, flawless diamonds worked together to create a Princess Crown. The band was mostly 18 carat white gold, however, etched into the gold were other colorful shades of gold used to create images. Pink gold for the two rose buds, green for the stem and leaves, at the end of the stems connecting them was a golden star with an aquamarine key inside of it. The inscription on the inside of the band read,

"More beautiful than any rose or star in the sky, you hold the key to my heart. Love, your Prince."

Zac fought back his anger.

"Doesn't she even care for me? Doesn't she understand how hard it was for me to ask her to marry me? This isn't over,' his mind screamed, 'Tomorrow when I get the chance I am getting on the train and going to see her."

"'Cause I can't lose you, Daphy. You're the only thing left in my world that's right," Zac sobbed out loud.

*          *          *          *          *

"That's alright," Love confided, "I've never really been taken seriously either, and I probably never will. It took forever for people to even consider me in any roles outside of teen flicks. Not to mention the fact that a lot of people don't like me ... "

"I can't imagine why or how rather anyone could hate you," Will comforted her, "You are such a beautiful person inside and out."

"Well people do dislike me," Love whispered followed by a sad laugh.

"It's their loss," Will told her as he wrapped his arms around her.

The two of them lay in his bed in darkness having shut off the television a while ago because nothing good had been on. They hadn't even bothered to turn the lights back on. Instead the two of them just started to talk about the not so happy things in their lives. It was just the kind of therapy Will needed.

"You don't know how much this means to me, I mean having someone to talk to ... someone I care about," Will said searching for words to describe exactly how he was feeling.

"Shhhh," Love replied, "you don't have to say anything more. I know exactly how you feel 'cause I feel the same way."

Will placed a kiss on Love's forehead before the two of them cuddled closer and fell asleep.

*          *          *          *          *

"Yeah, it's not a problem with me, Daph. Go and have some fun. It's good that at least one of us is able to get out," Tay whispered.

"Taylor, do you have to whisper? I can hardly hear you."

"Sorry," Tay said raising his voice a tad, "but I have to. She'd be pissed if she found out I was talking to a girl - business-related or not."

"You should have never married -"

"Daph, please," Tay said his voice cracking.

"I'm sorry, babe. I just don't want - I hate seeing you mistreated. Will would be torn apart if he only knew -"

"I'm trying to find a way out right now," Tay interrupted her suddenly.

"You know she won't let you go without a fight, besides how the heck are you gonna get out of this now, I mean really?" Daphne asked.

"I'm not sure, I have to get out though, but at the same time I have to prove to people I was never happy with her," Taylor muttered quietly.

"And just how is that possible, with the label printing all those pathetic press releases, and the quotes the magazines are running with plus all the photos? For heavens sake Taylor, the free world is under the impression you and Anthea were a match made by Christ Himself."

"You know I didn't say any of that shit," Taylor growled.

"Yeah well your management sure would like to have the world believe otherwise."

"That's why I think I've found the perfect way out of the marriage," Tay whispered.

Daphne grew quiet. Hearing Taylor's voice, hearing the words he spoke, she almost felt for a fleeting moment, the old Taylor she remembered was back.

"How?" she asked almost as quietly.

"An affair."

Daphne blinked.

"An affair? How is cheating on her going to get you a divorce?"

"A highly publicized one. Daphne do you have any idea how it will totally shatter the illusion that Thea and myself are happy?"

"Yeah, but it will also smear your reputation at the same time," Daphne warned.

"Only to people who don't know me, that have high moral values," Taylor exclaimed cringing as the words escaped his lips.

"Taylor, my God," Daphne almost yelped.

"Don't you see? All the friends of ours who feel left out, pushed away and ignored who've been fed the bullshit by the press are sitting there knowing I'm unhappy deep down. They know me better than this, and they can't say anything without being blasted. Daph, come on you know me better than this, and you know good and well if you said anything contrary to me and Thea being happily in love you'd get called a bitch," Taylor exclaimed.

"Just like I was when I let the comment slip that you married her only because she was pregnant," Daphne almost whispered.

"Yeah, back when we weren't going to say anything until the baby was born."

"Listen, I understand, if you shatter the illusion of being happy with her it will practically reconstruct all the bridges you burned with your friends," Daph started.

"Not only that but it will prove that I really don't love her, if people see me going out of my way and actually being seen in public with another person, it will prove that I'm risking it all because I'm not happy," Taylor explained.

"So who's the lucky guy," Daph smiled with visions of Will dancing through her head.

"It's not going to be a guy," Taylor said quietly, almost with a tone of sadness.

Daphne coughed.

"You're going to have an affair with a girl?!"

"You know what happened to me with Alex," Taylor muttered quietly.

"Barely, are you kidding, it was like pulling teeth to get you to tell me even a third of the story! Besides what about Will?!"

"With Alex, he's a celebrity, just like me, at the time Will wasn't, he is now it's changed. Right now I think it'd probably be best," Taylor started.

"Be best to be seen with a girl, how in hell is that going to make any of it any better?" Daphne growled.

"Because," Tay started growing quiet again.

"Why not kill two birds with one stone? Taylor you've never fully come out and said 'hey guys guess what, I'm gay!'"

"Daphne, MTV," he started.

"Taylor, my God," she yelled into the phone causing him to be quiet.

"Taylor, for shit sake, the MAST wiped all that out," she snapped.

Taylor shook his head and blinked a few times.

"Yeah," he muttered.

"Right now you've just been 'seen' around places, you've not come out," Daphne tried to explain in a calm tone.

"I don't think the fans could handle me having an affair and my coming out all at once," he whispered.

"Actually, if you want people to really hate Anthea that'd be the perfect way to go, because then they'd all scream 'oh my God she turned him gay!'"

Taylor chuckled quietly at the idea.

"Who's to say I wasn't to begin with?"

"Taylor, lest you forget, you did have sex with her," Daph commented.

"That's still debatable!"

"Yeah, ok so then she was zapped by the finger of God?"

"Don't insult God like that, just take the angle Shiye took," he paused.

"Which is?"

"The mailman did it," Taylor tried to say without laughing.

Daphne cracked up.

"God I love her," she smirked.

"Besides I don't want to say I'm gay, you know I hate the label, the stereotype," Taylor started.

"Taylor, baby, I know but society has its labels," Daph sighed.

"But I don't fit into them," he replied quickly.

"Taylor, seriously," Daph almost laughed.

"What?"

"You don't fit into them? Taylor, correct me if I'm wrong," she paused.

He didn't reply.

"You like it up, in the back door?" she asked.

"Yes," he sheepishly whispered.

"You're down with the, oral fixation?" she asked.

"Huh," Tay asked in pure confusion.

"You like to, suck," she hesitated.

"Yeah," Tay whispered.

"But I also like to be on top too," he exclaimed.

"Taylor when was the last time you honestly felt something for a girl, to the point where you actually wanted to insert a part of your body into hers?" she asked softly.

He sat there silently thinking. The event had almost happened once or twice in the distant past. He knew of a few times when he was out of it that he had done other things with girls, but he couldn't truly think of a moment a time, a place and most importantly a girl who he actually did that with, and felt something strong afterwards.

"I don't think ever," he whispered.

"Baby, if you have a label, it's gay," Daphne whispered quietly.

Taylor didn't reply.

"Tay, I know you look for love, for a connection and all that, believe me, we all do. You find girls attractive, you admire beauty. But really, it's obvious to me, and how you and Will treated one another, that if the most gorgeous woman on Earth walked past you, you wouldn't have batted an eye," she sighed.

"Just because the gay label fits me, doesn't mean I have to wear it," he almost snapped.

"Whether or not you place it on your shirt yourself, society will some day do it for you, whether you're alive or not," Daphne commented quietly.

"So because everyone expects it, I should fess up,? he asked no longer whispering.

"No, I'm not saying that. I'm saying don't get defensive when the obvious is stated," she cringed when she said it, worrying how he'd react.

"It's obvious?" he asked.

"At times," she sighed.

"Oh," he muttered quietly.

"That's beside the point, who's the girl?" she asked.

"Another singer, in the music industry," he replied quietly again.

"Oh no wonder, ok you're taking the whole celebrity, scandalous affair angle, yeah that actually might work."

"Yeah, besides she has a new album soon, and she's actually an old acquaintance," Taylor continued as Daphne interrupted him.

"Who?"

"Do I have to actually say it?" he asked.

"Taylor, I'm gonna slap you next time I see you if you don't. Hell you tell me everything else, at least almost everything," she replied in shock.

"Mandy," he whispered so faintly she almost wasn't sure if she heard him right.

"Mandy," she paused.

"Mandy Moore," she blurted at the top of her lungs.

"Shhh," Taylor hushed her.

"No one else is here, Taylor oh my God that is sick!"

"She'll go along with it, she jumped at the chance actually, its publicity. Besides all my fans will love her for stealing me away from Thea," he chuckled.

Daphne sat there quietly thinking.

"Yeah actually I think you may have a point there."

"Really," Tay smiled feeling proud that Daph was actually complimenting an idea he had come up with all on his own.

"Really, I mean yeah that should really wreck the illusion everyone is under," she sighed.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Nothing, it won't make matters any better if I say it," she exclaimed as she tried to end the conversation.

"No, Daph tell me what is it you want to say?"

"Taylor, no it doesn't matter," she tried to counter.

"If it didn't you'd say it," he snapped.

"Alright fine, I'll go along with all of this, I won't say anything, I'll let it hit the tabloids and radios without any warning. But my God Taylor how far are you going to go with her?!"

Taylor started laughing instantly.

"Oh my God, Daph! I'm not going to actually have sex with her," he giggled.

Daphne blinked in confusion.

"Daph, seriously, I'm gonna fake it," he grinned.

"You've never been good at acting," she sighed.

"Huh?"

"Fake having sex?" she asked.

"Oh hell no! No, no, no! Mandy and I are going in on it together. I'm not going to actually have the affair. I'm just going to be seen with her. At events in public," he started.

"How are you going to explain the sudden closeness you two will be showing?"

"We're going to record a song together," he winced as he said it.

"Ok, my appetite is officially gone," Daph grunted.

"I know, but it will be a good cover, the video, then us in public, kissing, it will be everywhere. No one will have to know that we haven't had sex and that it's just to get me free of Thea," Tay started.

"You know what this will do to Will?" she exclaimed catching him off guard.

Taylor grew quiet.

"Seeing you with Anthea, the entire mess you're in now nearly tore him into pieces. I had to sit there and help stitch him back together," she started.

"It was rough on me too," Taylor began as Daphne cut him off.

"Shut the hell up. Did you get so depressed you needed your best friend to fly a thousand miles to where you were so they could talk to you all night so you wouldn't start snorting cocaine again, and send yourself into an overdose?" she growled.

"Will, he, no," Taylor gasped covering his mouth.

"Yeah, he had, quite a bit just afterwards, I found out from Ashton," she hissed.

"Oh my God," Taylor swallowed as a tear ran down his cheek.

"Because he saw everything happening in front of him, and he ran back home to Miami. He wouldn't let on around me, but I found out and he called me."

Taylor sat in silence.

"Did you have a cell phone bill of nearly four thousand dollars because you spent all that time talking to your best friend because he was so depressed you were afraid if you hung up it'd be the last time you heard from him?" she asked.

Taylor remained silent.

"You noticed for a month the ads for Calvin Klein didn't change, they didn't update, it was the same ones, that's because Will couldn't be photographed, he looked like a train wreck. They tried every angle all kinds of make up and light, he looked like shit," she snapped.

"So don't you sit there telling me shit, like it being rough on you too. You could have said no, and fought, but you didn't. Now you're going to go and do this, this bullshit fake affair with Mandy Moore. I mean Mandy Moore Taylor?! Do you honestly think it's not going to slam into Will like a freight train at maximum force? If he doesn't hate you now, after this, he will."

"I'll be able to tell him afterwards, when it's all over that it wasn't real," Taylor started.

"How do you know there will be an afterwards? Taylor how do you know you'll even be able to get near him? You know he has security and body guards and all kinds of shit. All he has to do is tell them not to let you near him."

He remained quiet.

"You're gonna fake it, and you're gonna lead everyone to believe it's real. The one person on earth you should be telling is him," she hissed.

"I can't. I shouldn't have even told you. Fuck this, you act like I'm actually gonna be with her, like it's not going to be fake," Taylor snapped.

"Taylor, judging by what has happened lately, how do you honestly expect me, to sit here and not wonder if you are going to forget it's not real?"

Taylor's mouth dropped open.

"You may not love him anymore, but I do and I'm not gonna sit by and watch him fall apart again, seeing you having an affair with that twirp ... Mark my words Taylor, this will end it once and for all. After Mandy there won't be any going back. I refuse to let that happen, Will has to know," she tried to continue.

"He can't know! Daphne, don't tell him what's going on. Please, I trusted you -" Tay paused.

"Tay?" Daphne questioned.

"Shh, shhh," he instructed her.

Daphne sat there listening to Taylor breathe.

"Crap, it's her. I gotta go," Tay exclaimed.

"Ok, bye."

"Bye," he whispered before hanging up his cell phone. He shoved it into his pocket and pulled some nail polish out of his silver makeup case. He heard her laughing and talking to somebody.

"Probably showing off her ring again," Taylor thought to himself rolling his eyes as he began to apply black nail polish to his right hand. His thoughts drifted off. Will had always teased him about the polish.

*          *          *          *          *

"God what in hell is that smell?" Will's voice rang out as he walked into the hotel room.

Taylor bit his lip and tried to think of a fast way to put away the bottle of pink nail polish. Just as he noticed the open drawer, it was too late. Will walked into the room.

"Oh gag me, Taylor hot pink, for heaven's sake!?"

"What?" Tay asked with a sheepish grin.

"Hot pink?" Will asked again.

"I got tired of black and silver," he shrugged.

"And how many other colors in the rainbow are there?" Will asked.

Taylor grew quiet. It was obvious that he was trying to count them.

"Tay! What I mean is, any other color but pink or red? I mean yeah, you're out, but you don't have to flame," Will smirked kissing him on the top of the head.

"But I like pink," Tay defended with a puppy dog face.

"Yeah, I like plum purple, but you don't see my toenails glossed over in it," he smiled sitting down beside him.

"Hey they aren't pink," Tay started as he wiggled his toes which had been painted silver for over a month.

"Nutball," Will laughed.

"I'll change the color," Tay sighed.

"Shush you," Will exclaimed stopping him with a kiss.

"You wear what makes you happy, just please, try another shade. Pink doesn't match with everything like black does ... "

"Or silver," Tay smiled.

"Yeah, or silver," Will chuckled shaking his head.

*          *          *          *          *

"And just what do you think you're doing," Anthea snarled, making him jump in his seat.

Taylor put down the brush and turned around.

"I am putting on some nail polish. Do you have a problem," he asked coldly.

"Yes, I distinctly asked you not to wear nail polish anymore. It's gay for a guy to wear it, and people already think you're gay as it is. I did not marry you, so that the world would think of me as some damn fag hag. Now take it off, and while you're at it change out of that damn outfit as well and start dressing the way me, your wife, likes."

"Anthea, I am going to dress the way I like. I am going to wear nail polish if I want. You know, you're the only one who has such a serious problem with the way I dress and the polish. Everyone else at least appreciates that I have the courage enough to dress how I like without worrying what other people will think and how other people will perceive me."

"Everyone else doesn't have to look at you all the time," Anthea snapped, "now take it off. I'll be waiting in the lobby."

Taylor flinched at the slamming of the door.

*          *          *          *          *

Daphne came down the stairs carrying luggage.

"Where the hell are you going?" Amber exclaimed causing everyone who was awake to come and look.

"I am going away for a few days," Daph stated as she went over her check list carefully one last time.

"Daphne, did you even ask?" her mother began.

Daphne snapped, "Mother, I am over eighteen years old, last I checked. That means I don't have to ask. If you have a problem you can get out of this house because, afterall, it is more of my house then it is yours."

"Daphne Grace Catinelli, don't you ever talk like that to me again. I don't care if you're over eight, eighteen, or eighty! I AM YOUR MOTHER!"

"Yeah, Daph. Not to mention our album is going to be released next Tuesday, and we have a lot of press stuff coming up." Amber began to lecture.

"I know! We have the autograph signings, the radio interviews, and appearances and performances on TRL, Conan, Letterman, Leno, et cetera ... "

"Daph, when will you be back? Tay, as our manager, isn't going to be happy," Cristin lectured calmly crossing her arms.

"I don't know. Not very long ... I mean didn't I just say I'd only be gone a few days? Oh, and I already asked Taylor if I could have a few days off. He said that figuring as how I was the only one who actually worked my butt off for the album, that I was allowed a few days vacation time."

"WHAT?! I DID SO MUCH; I EVEN PICKED OUT THE PICTURE FOR THE ALBUM COVER," Amber screeched.

"We all worked hard for that album, Daph ... Wait, does this have to do with last night? Is this because of Zac," Cris asked.

"My God, we told you not to go and see that waste of space," Amber exclaimed.

Daphne screamed, "NO!!! Why must everything in my life be about that stupid boy according to you people?!"

"Well you used to say you were going to marry him," her mother began, "obviously that won't be happening. The boy wants nothing to do with you, and I'm starting to see why with your attitude."

Daphne flinched. If only they knew ...

"Mom, I was twelve or thirteen when I said that Zac and I would marry one day. I've grown up a lot since then," Daphne snapped as she stormed out of the house.

*          *          *          *          *

Isaac stepped out of the room with a huge smile on his face. Shiye had woken him up an hour early, for yet another encore performance of the 'Lusty Leapfrog' and various other positions.

"Isaac," his mother called out to him as she stepped out of Zac's room.

"Yeah, mom," Ike answered.

"Have you seen or heard from your brother this morning?" she asked.

"Uh, no. Why?" Ike replied.

"Because he's not in his room," Diana stated her eyes narrowing before she returned to her own.

"What was that about," Shiye asked wrapping her arms around his waist.

Before Ike had a chance to respond, Taylor opened the door to his room peaking his head out.

"Taylor," Shiye remarked.

Taylor jumped bumping his head on the door frame. His eyes locked on Ike and Shiye. He smiled a relieved smile, grasping his forehead.

"Oh, I thought you were Thea. So sorry," Tay whispered.

"I am too. God, do I sound evil today or something?" Shiye asked Isaac before marching off.

"Uh, did I just - I didn't mean to," Tay began mumbling.

"No, it's alright. Shiye just isn't very happy with the situation," Ike explained.

"Oh, I'll apologize to her later. Buy her that other book. Daph said she would enjoy," Tay rambled.

He grinned, asking, "By the way, how was last night?"

"THAT WAS YOUR DOING," Ike exclaimed.

"No, no," Tay snickered, informing him, "Daphne gave me a book of Kama Sutra-like positions to pass along to Shiye."

Ike frowned, asking, "What is Miss Pure-Minded Virgin doing with a book of sexual positions?"

"Hey, just because she's a virgin, doesn't mean she has a pure mind," Tay laughed smacking Ike on the back.

Isaac nodded and then asked, "Speaking of Daph, have you heard from or seen Zac this morning? Mom's going crazy looking for him."

"Um, he stopped by really early this morning asking if he could borrow my cell phone," Tay informed him.

"Your cell phone? Why? He does have his own," Ike said, stating the obvious.

"Yeah, but he said that his battery was dead, and he couldn't find the charger, and that it was cheaper to use a cell than to call out of the hotel. That was the last I've seen of him ... Oh man ... "

"What?" Ike asked.

"He took my cell phone probably so he could call her and know that she'd answer thinking it was me," Tay guessed, shaking his head, before adding, "I really hope he didn't go to see Daph because she's not around. She called this morning to tell me she was off to go see ... to go to Miami," Tay informed Isaac, avoiding the name, but still feeling the pang in his empty heart.

Isaac didn't say a word as he placed a comforting hand on Tay's shoulder.


On to Chapter Three

Back to Chapter One

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Journey into Obilivion is Copyright © 2000 by Taylor W. Quest.
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All applicable copyright laws apply. All individuals depicted are fictional with any resemblance to real persons being purely coincidental.

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