~the taylor files~
Chapter 1
It was the hottest day of the summer so far. Kelsie Simmons, standing near third base, stared off across the field and wondered why she let her mother, Jo-Ann talk her into volunteering a summer away at a kiddie day camp, as camp counselor. She closed her eyes and pictured him.
Taylor's probably having a lot of fun right now. She thought bitterly, wishing she could be there.
She looked towards homeplate. It was the bottom of the ninth inning in a kickball game full of 6 to 9 year olds. The kid up to "kick" was actually having a problem kicking the ball. Not wanting anyone to feel like a "failure", they got more than three tries to kick the ball. Kelsie looked at her watch. It was almost time to go home. The kid at homeplate finally kicked the ball and Kelsie nudged the girl who was supposed to have been standing on third.
"Run, Veronica! Run to home base!" She yelled and pointed towards home. She cheered and clapped for Veronica who sailed past homeplate, scoring another point for her team.
At the game, Kelsie rounded up the twenty-something, sweaty kids, and helped them gather their crafts they'd made earlier that day, and find their parents who were eagerly waiting on their children. Of course, there was always the one or two parents she had to call and remind them it was time to pick up their children.
Lance, the director of the camp had called a counselor's meeting in the staff room. Kelsie, and another counselor, Chuck, were the firsts to arrive.
"Hey, Kels- what are you doing this weekend?" He asked while getting himself a glass of water. He sat down at the table.
"A lot. I'm really busy." She said. Chuck had been asking her out every weekend the whole summer.
"You still seeing that Taylor guy?" Chuck asked.
"Mmm-hmm." She replied, then hopped up on the table to sit. A few more counselor's entered the room and found a seat.
Lance walked in soon after all of the counselors arrived.
"Off the table, Simmons." He scolded Kelsie. She hopped down and sat next to Chuck.
He went over a list of events that would be taking place on the last week of camp. Kelsie was glad she was only involved with the day camp and actually didn't have to spend all of her time away from home and him.
The meeting was over in fifteen minutes. Kelsie grabbed her jacket and keys from her locker and walked out to her dark green Nissan Stanza. Immediately, when she started the engine, her CD, This Time Around began playing. She drummed along with the beat of the song against her steering wheel. She had to take the long way home because there'd been a wreck on one of the highways and the state patrol and wrecker service were still cleaning up.
**
Taylor knew something was terribly wrong when his mom and dad approached him during a soundcheck. Their faces were emotionless, like they were trying to hide the fact that something was wrong.
"What?" He looked up from the keyboard.
"Taylor," Diana said. "Your father and I need to tell you something. Go ahead, Walker."
Diana stepped back, and Walker gave her an annoyed look.
"Taylor, it's Evan." Walker said about his best friend back in Tulsa.
"What about him?" Taylor asked. He hit a few notes on the keyboard.
"He was in a terrible car accident." He said.
"Well is he okay?" Taylor asked.
"Honey, he didn't make it." Diana said softly.
Taylor felt dizzy. He just talked to Evan this morning. He could not be dead.
"We didn't want to tell you until after the concert, " Walker said, "but we felt that you should know."
Blindly, Taylor sat down on a stool. Evan was his best friend. Whenever things seemed to be getting out of control, he called Evan and he always brought him back to reality. No, this was not true. No, no, no!
He needed to talk to Evan now. Something about the look in his parents' faces made him realize that this was real.
"I have to leave." He said.
"We know that." Walker said. "We arranged a flight for you and Isaac straight into Tulsa after the concert."
"Why just me and Ike? You guys are staying here?" He asked.
"We're just trying to give you the space you need right now." Diana said. "We're going to stay here in London with Zac and the rest of the kids until you get back from the funeral."
Taylor nodded his head. "Thanks." He said."Does everyone else know?"
"Isaac does, of course. Zac knows that something is up, but we wanted to tell you first before we told anyone else." Walker said.
"I have to call Mrs.Johnson." Taylor said.
Walker handed him a cell phone. "She just called us about twenty minutes ago."
Taylor took the phone and walked off the stage, and found a place where he could be alone to talk to his dead best friend's mom.
**
Kelsie logged onto the internet in her bedroom.
She checked her e-mail.
------------------------------------------
(sorry if anyone owns these screen names, i just made them up)
From: TayHansonsBabe74132@aol.com
TO: KelsieAndTay4Eva@aol.com
Subject: Urgent about Evan
Kels- Hey. I can barely type because of the tears. Something horrible has happened and I don't want to send this via email so call me as soon as you get home. Please.
-Peace, Love, and Tay-
Candice
------------------------------------------
Kelsie picked up the phone from the other line and called her best friend.
Candice answered, she'd been crying, Kelsie could tell.
"What's wrong? Is he sick, what?" Kelsie asked.
"Evan ran a red-light downtown and got slammed in the side by a transfer truck." She said.
Kelsie covered her mouth with her hand.
"Oh, God." She said. "What condition is he in?"
"He died, Kelsie. Evan died."
There was only silence on the other end of the phone.
"Kels?" Candice said. "You still there?"
"Y-Yes." Her hands were shaking.
"I'm going to see Mrs.Johnson tomorrow." Candice said.
"We'll never get to meet Taylor now." Kelsie said, pouting.
This set Candice on fire.
"KELSIE ANN!! Our friend just DIED and all you can think about is meeting Taylor? You know what, screw Taylor. I like him just as much as you do, but right now, all I can think about is Evan and what his family must be going through right now!"
"Taylor is in London now, anyway. I wonder if he's heard about this." She said.
"Kelsie, say one more word about Taylor and I'm hanging this phone up right now." Candice threatened.
"I'm sorry, Candice. I guess this hasn't really set in yet." Kelsie apologized. Evan had been her only connection to Taylor. Evan became friends with Candice first, after they both took a job at the local movie theater. Then, Kelsie met him, and after that the three of them were best friends. Evan kept promising to set up a meeting with Taylor, but after 2 years of friendship, Kelsie began to doubt that he would.
"Look, Kels, I have to go. If you want to come with me to visit Mrs. Johnson, call me in the morning. I'll be leaving around noon."
They hung up the phone and Kelsie continued surfing on the web. It still hadn't sunk in that Evan was dead. He'd always been closer to Candice, but Kelsie had liked him all right. She thought back of the last time she saw Evan alive. It was the day before yesterday. Evan, Kelsie, and Candice went to the mall. Kelsie dug through a desk drawer and pulled out a photo that they'd taken at the photo booth. They each had one. Evan was sitting in the middle with his arm around each girl, all pimped out, as he'd put it. Kelsie and Candice were laughing because right before the camera snapped the picture, Evan had tickled each girl in the side. He would never tickle anyone else again. He was dead. It all sunk in. Kelsie couldn't believe she'd been so insensitive on the phone with Candice. She decided she wanted to go with her to Mrs. Johnson's the next morning.
**
The plane touched down at the Tulsa airport early the morning after their London concert. Their next few venues had been postponed until further notice. Isaac hadn't tried to pry too much out of Taylor during the flight, and for that he was grateful. Isaac had been writing in a worn-out, black 5 subject notebook; more ideas for new songs, no doubt. Taylor had focused on the in-flight movie. He didn't put on the headphones, instead he watched in silence, imagining his own script.
Taylor began to get anxious as the plane touched down. What would he say to Evan's mom? What could he say? Nothing he said would bring her one and only child back.
The pilot began his announcements. "Please return your trays to the upright and locked positions as we begin to land in Tulsa International Airport. Also remained seated until instructed to exit by our flight attendants. The local time of landing is 4:30 in the morning. The current weather conditions is clear with temperature of 15 degrees Celsius and 60 degrees Farenheight. I hope you enjoyed your flight with British Airways. Have a nice stay in Tulsa, or a safe journey to your final destination."
As the aircraft descended, the seatbelt light flashed. Taylor and Isaac both snapped theirs on. Finally, the plane landed and came to a complete stop. First class was released first, another thing Taylor was grateful for. He grabbed his carry-on and Isaac followed him through the airport.
"So, are we getting a cab or what?" Taylor said.
"Yeah, it'd be the best." Isaac replied.
They went outside the airport, and got in one of the taxi cabs waiting in front of the airport with his light on. Isaac gave the address and the boys rode in silence to their house.
Taylor set his alarm to wake him up in a few hours, so it'd be a decent time to call Mrs. Johnson.
He fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.
**
Kelsie logged off the internet and put her pajamas on. She pulled a thick manilla file folder out of the bottom drawer on her desk and flipped through pictures, articles, and newspaper clippings. She finally found the glossy 8X10 she was looking for. She put the picture on her pillow and replaced the file in the drawer. She laid next to the picture of Taylor, kissed his face and fell asleep.
**
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