A week later

"Whenever she’s feeling empty

Whenever she’s feeling insecure

Whenever her face is frozen

Unable to take it anymore.

Her shadow is always with her

Her shadow can always keep the score

So frightened that he won’t love her

She’s built up a wall

Oh, no, she’s no where to hide in the dark

Oh, no, she’s no where to hide in the dark

She’s a star," Isaac sang loudly, strumming at his guitar.

Taylor sauntered into their bedroom, "What’s that crap you’re singing?" he questioned, flinging himself on his bed tiredly, Isaac was settled in a chair in the corner, content with some lyrics to his new song, and his favourite guitar. They were back home now, and all seemed to be going well.

"It’s a new song I’m working on," Isaac admitted.

"Oh, what’s it about?" Taylor questioned.

"About a girl who’s been hurt too many times and doesn’t wanna love anyone anymore…and when the guy who cares about her tries to show her, she rejects him, trying to hide her emotions, but like, it shows so much its shining, making her a star…" Isaac tried to put it the way he felt it was.

Taylor looked at him, "Ike, you are letting this, Ashley thing get way beyond control, for the last month you have done nothing but mope over her."

"Geez, you were the one who was all for it last month," Isaac pointed out.

"I am ‘all for it’, I mean, I think you and Ash would be great together, but, you’re getting obsessed."

"Actually, you know…I’m not obsessed, I am just infatuated," Isaac admitted, "But then…she’s so…I mean…" Isaac leaned back, trying to think of a way to explain it.

"You feel connected…something you never felt with Lauren…"
"Like you do."

"Huh?" Taylor leaned up, looking at Isaac in surprise, "What do you mean?" he frowned in the confusion of this, surely Isaac was not trying to suggest that him and Lauren would be a good match together, there was no way that was going to happen.

"Tay, believe it or not, you and Lauren would connect really well," Isaac admitted, he strummed his guitar in vague chords, nothing in particular.

"I don’t even like her," Taylor rolled his eyes. "In any way what so ever."

"They say that fighting is a true sign of love," Isaac chuckled, he looked to the window. "Lauren isn’t like you think, Tay, she can be caring and gentle, she’s not a bitch or anything," he explained.

Tay sat up, folding his legs, "Look, its not that…I hate her, I just…I don’t need to get to know her, I mean why should I? Her presence was forced upon me by mom, remember?" he huffed.

Isaac looked Taylor straight in the eye, "If you didn’t wanna tutor her, you’d refuse point blank. Know what I think?"

"What?" Taylor demanded rolling his eyes.

"I think you’re tired of being alone all the time, and having me and Zac as like your only friends in the entire world," Isaac said.

Taylor’s eyes told him the truth, Taylor defended, Isaac knew he’d hit a nerve, Taylor stood up, "I am not some friendless dweeb, Ike, I have friends!" Taylor yelled.

"Where are they?" Isaac asked, he waited for an answer, got none. "Lets see, Tay. Barry is in juvy for stealing a car, Trent dumped you as a friend the moment he got a girlfriend, Lee found a new group of friends. Mark got sick of you being away all the time, and never seeing you so eventually he gave up in trying to hang out with you when you got too busy. Face it, Taylor, you have no one, that is the only reason you keep Lauren around."
"It is not!" Taylor’s voice grew louder.

Isaac stayed still, "Then what is the reason?"

Tay couldn’t answer, he didn’t know if there was a reason. Then again, he himself realised there must be some reason, an unconscious reason in the back of his mind. Ike is right, Tay, Taylor thought at himself, Why keep around someone you cannot stand? Taylor looked to the floor, "I don’t know what the reason is! Does there have to be one?"

"There’s always a reason, Tay," Isaac said firmly.

Taylor sat back down, and stayed silent, pondering. Since Lauren had come into his life, his world had been turned around. He knew it wasn’t because of her, but somehow, it had something to do with her maybe, he was beginning to wonder if he stopped all this madness his insomnia, and depression would cease to exist anymore.

"Life sucks," Taylor sighed and lay down on his bed, staring up at the bottom of Isaac’s bunk.

"Yeah, you got that right," Isaac sighed.