Taylor laid in bed, his eyes staring up at the ceiling. He turned his head and found it was 4:00 in the morning. He had been trying to sleep all night long but he couldn’t. Every time he shut his eyes, the memories rushed at him, with a force so great it made him tremble inside.
He couldn’t understand why he felt this way. After Kelsey, he had had several girlfriends: models, athletes, you name it. And yet...they couldn’t do what she could. He never felt their pain. He never saw the tears they didn’t cry. But with Kelsey, it was all different. He could feel her pain, even now. He remembered her face and the tears he saw that were never there. So why...
Taylor didn’t know and at that moment didn’t care. All that mattered was her, whether he would be hurt or not. But in the back of his mind came ‘her boyfriend...’ Taylor nearly rammed his head into the bedstand, jerking up so fast.
He felt his heart begin to beat with fury. “That bastard nearly let her kill herself,” he said out loud to the darkness. Taylor didn’t care who this guy was - whether he was some sort of gang member or a prep from an ivy league school, he didn’t give a damn. All he knew is that he would never let go of Kelsey. “Never,” he whispered, a single tear caressing his face, “Never.”
Jennifer snuggled closer to Zac’s sleeping body. She, unlike Kelsey, had been released that day from the hospital, and Zac had insisted on her staying overnight with him. A part of her was glad. Then, another part of her was fighting the fact he would make her eat...
They had come home and the second they got there, Jennifer took a shower and then Zac provided her with some of his old sweats. Jennifer loved the way they felt around her...the seemed so...Zac-like, she guessed. She supposed she felt like it was a public statement declaring her his.
They had watched a movie together, avoiding the subject of Jennifer’s anoxeria. Zac was struggling with whether or not to talk to her about it, or simply enjoy the time they had alone together. They didn’t get a whole lot of it. He was glad she had agreed to stay with him. She knew he was going to watch her like a hawk, making sure she went to her recovery classes and ate.
After the movie the two had gone to sleep. Zac had insisted she share the bed with him. Jennifer hadn’t been hesitant, to say the least. If she hadn’t felt so drained, she would’ve jumped right in. She had slept for awhile, but she had awakened, the thought of Kelsey on her mind. And Jyson...
Kelsey laid awake, shivering. “Damn hospital, can’t even give a person suitable clothes,” she muttered into the cold air. She stared out the window, the moon full against the blackness of the sky. She stared at it, eyes unblinking, her mind a whirl of thoughts. As she felt the tears coming once again, she reached for ‘Soul Searching.’
She looked at Taylor’s writing. She let her fingers run softly over them, as she whispered them in her mind over and over. She could feel her tears becoming salty as her lips began to smile. “He never stopped,” she whispered, overwelmed, “He never stopped.”
She closed her eyes, letting her heart beat in her eyes. Never. Never. Suddenly, she found a peace within herself. It was as though she had been seaching for the missing piece of herself, and she had finally found it. It was so overwelming...she felt so calm and peaceful, and yet she felt a fire within her that made her never want to let go.
She opened her eyes slowly, and picked up the red pens Taylor’s hand had touched just hours before.
“Hey, Kelsey!” Zac greeted her with a smile. Kelsey smiled a tired smile back at him. She began to yawn, but stopped herself when she heard, “Hey.” She knew that voice anywhere. “Hey...Tay.” She said softly. It had been a long time since she called him Tay.
“Isaac wanted to come, but the studio was being a pain again, so he volunteered to stay, “Zac announced, pulling up a chair (then pulling Jennifer in his lap in the same movement). Kelsey smiled, “That’s great of him.” Taylor nodded in silent agreement, “You have no idea,” he thought to himself.
The four talked quietly for awhile, avoiding the reasons Kelsey and Jennifer were in the hospital (under the doctor’s strict instructions). Taylor was having to bite his tongue to avoid mentioning Kelsey’s boyfriend. He wanted to ask her so many things...but he couldn’t. He wouldn’t risk Kelsey’s health.
They spoke for about an hour about Zac and Taylor’s music appearances until a nurse came in and announced, “It’s time for class, Jennifer.” Jennifer slowly got off Zac’s lap, a look of horror on her face. Zac took her hand and helped her out. “I’ll help you through this,” he whispered in her ear softly, “You’re not alone. I’m always here.”
Kelsey watched Zac and Jennifer leave, not saying a word. When the door closed, she turned toward Taylor and opened her mouth, about to ask him something when he asked, “Did you read it?” She stared at him, blinking a few times. He moved closer - his hand was close enough to touch hers and her heart was very aware of it.
She looked at him, her brown eyes showing no emotion, “Dream,” she whispered. He nodded. Kelsey looked down, suddenly embarrassed to look at him. The hospital bed sheets had suddenly become increasingly interesting.
Taylor looked down at her, noticing her neck turning a soft pink. That only made things worse. He needed her to know so bad. That he wanted her. Needed her. Loved her. And had from the day they first met, whether he realized it then or not.
He leaned in closer. Kelsey’s breathing became as quick and rapid as her heartbeat as she felt his breath fall on her ear, “It’s true; I never stopped dreaming.” She turned slowly toward him, his blue eyes connecting with hers. Their eyes spoke the words they couldn’t find the words for. Having no conscious of their actions, only what their hearts told them to do, the began to lean towards each other...
“Kelsey!” a voice boomed from the doorway. She felt her heart sink. “Jyson,” she whispered meekly.
