| "Damn! That can't be who I think it is..." Taylor thought to himself from behind his keyboard. His eyes searched the crowd as he tried to look anywhere but at HER. He really didn't have to ask himself that question, he knew full well exactly who she was. He braced himself for the inevitable meeting of their eyes, as he caught her out of the corner of his, slipping snakelike through the crowd, moving closer to where he was standing. She had come as close to the stage near him as she could get and leaned back against the pillar, folding her arms across her chest and smiling up at him, knowingly. His eyes met hers and he caught his breath, then swore under it as he almost missed his cue to sing. Her grin broadened as she readjusted her stance to be able to see his face through the crowd of screaming girls. "Taylor, you moron..you can't let her see what she does to you..." he thought to himself and ripped his gaze from hers, but it was already too late. She had seen. "She'll tear your heart out...just leave it.." he urged himself and tried to keep away from that end of the crowd for a while. He could feel her eyes following his every move as he ran across the stage and shook the never-ending number of hands that reached out to him, as he talked to the crowd, as he sat at the keyboard and sang. He KNEW she was there, and she knew he knew, and was completely enjoying his discomfort. Finally the show was over. He grabbed his towel, wiped his face and they thanked the crowd saying goodnight. He followed his brothers off stage and down the hall and ran smack into her, without realizing it. "Sorry..'scuse me.." he muttered as he wiped his face with the towel again and looked to see who he had almost plowed over. He stood frozen for a moment, then his expression turned to anger. "Who the fuck let YOU back here?" he barked and went to step around her. "Well..it's good to see you again, too.." she said sarcastically and stared after him, hands folded indignantly across her chest. Taylor looked back at her, and grinned maliciously at her. "Wish I could say the same...whoever DID let you back here is gonna be on the unemployment line tomorrow." he said. He threw his towel over his shoulder and strode away, not looking back. "Damn her anyway!" his thoughts raged as he could feel her eyes on his back, until he went into the dressing room and closed the door. Why? Why? Why would she come hanging around all of a sudden, after so long without a word, a note..SOMETHING..especially after the way she left the last time he had seen her. WHY? He pitched the towel at the wall and sunk down into the chair, raking his hand through his sweat soaked hair. He jumped from the chair and began to pace the room, going over the last time he had seen her in his head. "Fuck!" he muttered and slammed back out the door in search of his brothers. |
| Wake Up |
| Taylor stopped a moment, checking the hallway to be sure she was gone. When he was satisfied that she was, he strode down the corridor and turned the corner, finding his brothers. "Hey man, where were you?" Zac asked. "Cooling off..hey I'm not in the mood to just sit on my ass. Let's go get a beer or something.." Taylor said, looking expectantly at them. "Dude...we can't just take off and get a beer...have you LOOKED outside?" Isaac told him. Taylor groaned and paced the hallway. "Tay? Man you better chill..what the hell is up?" Zac asked. "Nothing.." Taylor answered and grabbed one of the assistants. He handed him some money and rejoined his brothers. "Well, let's get the rest of this over with," Ike sighed. "Sign a few pictures and then on the bus and to bed, thank God, I'm whipped." "Yeah.." Zac echoed Ike's sigh as they made their way to the door that would lead to the screaming crowd they had to push through to get to the tour bus. Zac looked back to find his brother standing there with a pained look on his face. "Tay..I don't care what is up your ass right now, you know we have to do this and I want to go to bed." he said and dragged him by the arm to the exit. "Yeah..okay...whatever.." Taylor muttered and followed Zac out. The security guard opened the door, letting in the deafening scream of the crowd waiting there. The guys made their way down the chained off walkway to the bus, stopping to sign a few autographs and wave to the crowd. Taylor felt a pair of eyes on his back, and despite fighting the urge to see who would stare so hard, he looked up from the picture he was signing. His eyes met her intense, malicious gaze and he smiled. "Good.." he thought to himself, "backatcha.." her eyes flashed angrily at him and he laughed out loud, taking an extra moment with the small girl who was too shy to speak, but held her photo out timidly. "There you go, sweetie....hope you had fun tonight." he told her. Her big blue eyes lit up and she smiled brightly at him, mellowing his mood somewhat. "It was fun! You guys were awesome.." she finally found her voice. "Thanks.." he shook her hand and his eyes drifted back to HER. Her expression was angry, with no hurt, disappointment or any thing mixed in. She was just flat out mad. Taylor took a little pleasure in knowing that here was at least ONE intense emotion in her, even if it as anger. he composed himself and climbed on to the bus ahead of his brothers. He strode to the back lounge and found the 12 pack he sent the assistant after. He flopped down on the seat, popped the top on one and drank half of it before his brothers could join him. |