The house was completely silent. All that could be heard was the crinkling of the newspaper pages when they were turned and the whispering breeze that was floating through the window and blowing the curtains against the wall ever so slightly.

Out of habit, Keryn scanned what was playing at the local movie theatre and then shut the paper, staring intently at the flashing light on the video recorder.

“Am I really that boring?” Taylor asked, crossing his legs over and resting his chin on his palm.

“No, it’s just...” Keryn trailed off, staring at the flashing light. “Why doesn’t anyone ever set the time on that thing? I mean, it’s just flashing in my face.” Keryn stood and started fiddling with the buttons on the VCR. “What’s the time?” She mumbled.

“11.52 am,” Taylor let his watch-hand drop towards the floor as he relaxed back into the chair.

“Okay,” Keryn felt satisfied, throwing herself back down on the couch and closing her eyes.

“Don’t even,” Taylor got up and went over to the couch she was sitting on. “You just got up then, there is no need for you to go back to sleep.”

“There’s nothing else to do, Taylor.” Keryn yawned and rested her head on the arm piece.

“You’re not even touching me,” Taylor pouted, looking the other way.

Keryn’s eyes remained closed. “Why is it so necessary to touch you?”

“Because Zac’s with Margo and Ike’s wandered off somewhere,” Taylor said, sitting cross legged on the couch.

“You want me to touch you because Zac’s with Margo and Ike’s wandered off somewhere? Are you feeling lonely, Taylor? I’m sure they’ll touch you when they come back,” Keryn smirked. Taylor just rolled his eyes and developed an troubled look on his face.

“Come on, you know what I mean. I’m gone for the longest time, away from my family, my friends and everyone. Before when we were just friends, I used to miss you to death when you weren’t around, and now we’re closer than that and...” Taylor paused. “I miss you so much. Even when you leave the room I want to follow you. I just want to be around you all the time. It hurts me.” Taylor looked down and started fumbling with his fingers, staring at his fingernails.

Keryn’s face crumpled and she turned herself around to face him. “That’s the nicest thing that you’ve ever said to me, Taylor.”

The side of Taylor’s mouth curled into a smile and embarrassed, he turned to look the other way. “Well, it’s true, and I don’t think you hear that enough. So, I wanted to tell you.”

Keryn, now embarrassed that she was about to burst into tears or something along the lines of that, looked away. “Thank you.”

“Thank you.” Taylor grinned. “We sound like we’ve just started out. All quiet and embarrassed.”

“Yeah,” Keryn face had developed a dazed expression from his thoughtfulness.

“Well, if you really do think about it, we haven’t spent amazing amounts of time together, you know?” Taylor squinted his eyes in thought.

“You’re right, you know,” Keryn said, calculating in her head. “There was the album break, I didn’t see you much then. Then there was all that promo.” Keryn sighed. “I can’t believe I’ve never really seen you.”

“Long distance sucks,” Taylor said, playing with a loose strand of her hair that was dangling down around her shoulder.

“Well, at least it’s workable in some situations. If we hadn’t have known each other before, this wouldn’t have worked, you know?” Keryn said as Taylor leaned against her and she started playing with his hair. “God, your hair sucks.”

“Why?” Taylor asked, waiting for a creative answer.

“Because it’s so much better than mine is. Mine just sits there and yours is all nice and flowing.”

Taylor snickered, stretching his legs out in front of him and putting his head in her lap.

“Don’t do that,” Keryn said, trying to move him.

“Why?”

“Because you’re probably seeing me from a horrid angle,” Keryn laughed and covered his eyes, feeling his eyelashes fluttering underneath her hand. “Aww, that’s so cute.”

Taylor laughed and moved her arm, pulling himself up towards her face. “So, what do you want to do now?” He asked, so close to her face that he could see the intricate detail of her eyelashes.

“Whatever,” she stared at the fine hair that Taylor had growing above his lip. She reached out to touch the smoothly shaven skin.

Taylor took this as a cue to move in and trace a line of kisses down her cheek.

“I’ve missed you so much,” Taylor heard her whisper as she closed her eyes and rested back onto the lounge, taking in the fact that he was so close to her now. “I wish you could always stay, with your face so close.”

Taylor smiled, dropping his hands around her waist and finding her lips. “I missed you, too.” The murmurs of the breeze floated through the window, calming the room.

Morning light was painful. It hit Kayla in the eyes and allowed her exactly 2 seconds before the memory of the previous day flooded back. She rubbed her aching temples, Charlie was singing in the shower. Off key. It was too much, Kayla swung herself onto the floor and wandered into the kitchen. Typical, there was nothing in the fridge, she made some coffee and sat on the couch. Charlie came in with a towel around his waist and Kayla looked up and smiled.

"What is this?"

"Ohh, sorry for exciting you."

"Really, it's not that exciting."

"I choose to ignore that., do we have any weetbix?"

Kayla scrunched up her face, "Weetbix, God I hope not that stuff is feral."

Charlie ignored her comment and settled for an apple, "So my friend, feeling a little better?"

"No."

"Come on, it must be a little better."

"No Charlie, trust me it still hurts like hell. And to top it off I don't have any e-mail."

Charlie suddenly got serious.

"Kayla, of course you wont have e-mail yet, they all need some time to think. They may not have even checked it yet."

Kayla pushed her mug across the table and got up to head back to her room.

"Speak to me Kayla."

"I don't want to speak to anyone, I sorta need some time by myself, sorry Charlie."

Charlie watched her walk out. He hung his head. So much for the knight in shining armor.

Zac rapped on Margo’s door for the second time as he stood, shuffling his feet from side to side and just generally taking in the atmosphere of the early afternoon. The summery smell of freshly cut grass and chlorined skin oozed through the air, sending slight tingles to Zac’s nose.

“Where is she?” Zac murmured to himself, as he began to fidget, rubbing his shoe souls on the concrete.

“Yooou-hooooo,” the overpiercing tone came hurtling around the side of the house, from the backyard. Why must Margo pretend she’s a fifty year old woman with the language she chooses to greet me?

Zac followed the sounds, around towards the end of the backyard, where Margo was decked out on a pool chair, sunbathing.

She brought her sunglasses down to the brim of her nose. “Hey sweetie. Whatcha doin’?”

“Taylor practically begged me to get out of the house this morning.” Zac yawned and took a seat next to Margo, draping his hands down to graze the sharp grass that had almost cemented hard in the sunlight.

“Would you have visited me if Taylor had not have kicked you out of the house?” Margo’s lips almost pouted as she sat and looked at Zac over the top of her sunglasses.

Zac played for a moment, developing a look of deep thought on his face, then stretching his arms for a greater effect. “Mmm.”

“Zac?” Margo propped herself up on her elbow and looked down at him.

The corners of Zac’s lips crept into a smile as his eyes glistened over the deep brown, looking up at her. “Marg, of course I would have. Don’t you know how crazy you make me?”

Margo smiled and laid back. “Thank you, Zac.”

Zac didn’t understand. He’d tried to analyse everything over the past few days. He knew she’d been through an ordeal, but as much as their relationship was deepening, the more that Margo almost directly refused to offer any type of relevant emotion.

“Margo?” Zac asked, propping himself up on his elbow, looking down at her. He brushed a few strands of hair away that had settled in the wind and studied her features. “Marg? What’s going on with us?”

Zac gently traced his fingertips down her cheek and across her lips, causing her to shiver from the chills his cold hands were offering. “I don’t know, Zac.”

“Marg, you hardly tell me how you feel. You just act like I’m your friend or something, but Margo, don’t you know I want more? I want so much more than that.” Zac removed his hands and moved back down into the chair.

“What?” Margo sat up, bringing her glasses back down the tip of her nose and staring back at him.

“I sai-”

“I know what you said,” Margo interrupted him. “It’s ju-just that. I-I.” Margo groaned and pushed her sunglasses into her hair, bringing her head down and cradling it in her palms. “I thought that was how you felt about me. Friends and stuff.”

“Are you serious?” Zac asked, swinging around so his shoes dug into the grass. He held out his hands and lifted her head, leveling it with his.

“I’m serious,” Margo muttered, feeling Zac’s hands supporting her chin.

“I don’t believe us.” Zac grinned, his eyes lit up as they met hers.

“Neither do I.” Like there was some telepathic sign, the both of them lent in and embraced, gently tracing kisses over one another’s faces until they settled back into one of the chairs.

In her room her aching headache seemed to grow. Kayla pulled at her curtains and leant out the opened window. It wasn't too hot outside. She grabbed her sunnies and paced down the hall. A confused voice reverberated from the other bedroom.

"Kayla? Where you going?"

As she tossed her keys into her pocket Kayla retorted, "Nowhere, I'm just going to get some air. I need to think Charlie."

She listened for his reply before slamming the door shut. Outside the heat hit her in a blast. It was hotter than it seemed. She rolled up her sleeves as she stood in line for a Popsicle. Even though the heat was pounding her head seemed clearer outside of her cramped room. And Charlie, she wasn't sure if it was him acting strange or she was being over sensitive with the events of the last week or so. Well, more like her whole life. The opposite sex didn't do very well in her books. She licked some of the melted ice of her hand as she wandered through the half empty streets. It seemed that guys were too much trouble, took up too much time. Charlie was coming in with all these macho heroic tactics when all she needed right now was some girl talk. Keryn and some mint choc chip ice cream would do fine right about now. No such luck. Leaning against a brick wall she watched as some kids played with their sprinkler. If only life was that simple. If only running through a sprinkler was the highlight of a day. Kayla threw her popsicle stick into the bin and continued walking.

Actually the more she thought about it, the more Charlie did seem to be acting weird. He was sort of ‘mothering’ her, but in a weird way. Almost enjoying it too much. The whole Ike and him complex was tiring and his whole reaction to Ike's actions seemed a little too sympathetic. Kayla rolled her eyes. How could she be thinking this? Charlie was doing what anyone would do. Giving a hand where needed. Nothing more, Nothing less. Why was she examining and re-examining everything?

Press 'Next Event' for part two of this chapter!

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