Taylor was still tired, but was enjoying his lazy Saturday – enjoying the hazy feeling of his exhaustion and the feel of the warm sun beaming down on his bare back. He was almost half asleep, when he blinked his eyes open hearing footsteps coming up the gravel path leading up to the lawn. Lauren, Ashley and Nicole were making their way up, Lauren was dressed in a flimsy white T-shirt, a pair of denim shorts, and flipflops, while Ashley and Nicole wore similar jeans and T-shirts.

"Hi," Isaac greeted the girls brightly, "Nice day, huh?" he asked.

Taylor pretended to be asleep as the girls stepped over him to get to Isaac and Zac on the other side of the lawn.

"Yeah, its surprisingly nice," Ashley admitted, "I thought the rain was never gonna let up."

"Sit down and enjoy the sun – while you can," Zac offered, he was scribbling at his cast with a felt tip pen, drawing the little logo he and his brothers had designed.

Taylor turned over a little so his head was facing their direction, and he looked at them, Lauren was tilting her head up to the sun, and running her hand through her blonde hair, she took a seat next to Isaac and turned to talk to him.

"Its really cool of you to help us out and stuff," Lauren said.

"Yeah, well, I like helping," Isaac admitted.

Yeah, if you’re getting something out of it, Taylor thought bitterly.

Taylor relaxed, too exhausted to care, the sun felt good on his back, he knew he’d probably burn rather than tan, he was more susceptible to sunburn than Isaac and Zac were, their skin tanned easily while Taylor seemed to go red like a lobster and end up hurting for weeks at a time. Isaac had mentioned this to Taylor this morning before he’d gone out to sunbathe, but Taylor wasn’t talking to Isaac, so he hadn’t listened either.

Taylor was almost asleep and peaceful, when he felt a harsh spray of freezing water hit him, he let out a yell of shock, and he shot up from the grass, blinking and then choking as water sprayed him in the face, the attack of water descended, leaving him soaked, his shorts absolutely wringing wet, he wiped water out of his eyes and looked up, Lauren was standing there laughing with Jessica’s Super-Soaker-2000.

Taylor frowned and got up, he didn’t bother saying anything, he just made his way up to the house, for a moment, to Lauren, it seemed he was going to head inside to pull on some dry clothes, but Isaac and Zac knew instantly what Taylor was going to do…Walker Hanson had left the hose out for washing the van, Taylor snuck to the side of the house. Taylor held the hose behind his back and walked over, Lauren, who’d been distracted talking to Ashley turned, and just as she did, she was confronted with water full blast from the hose, which was some force.

Lauren let out a scream, and counterattacked with the super-soaker-2000 but it soon ran out of water, while Taylor had an unlimited supply of it.

Once Lauren was soaked to the skin, drenched from head to foot, Taylor turned off the hose, and gave her a smug look. "Right back at you," he stated. He’d almost been very content with what he’d done until he realised her white T-shirt was clinging to her, showing her bra underneath, he gaped. Certainly didn’t want to see this, but he couldn’t help but stare just the same, he’d never seen through anyone’s shirt before.

Isaac also stared, he was more content with his staring, but not wanting to seem like a total pervert, he gained some sense, "Maybe we should find you some dry clothes," he suggested quickly.

Lauren peeled at the wet T-shirt gingerly. "Geez, thanks a lot, Tay," she muttered, and followed Isaac inside, Taylor headed inside too, he needed to get out of the wet shorts – and wet underwear since the water had soaked through.

Lauren was told to wait in the bathroom and Taylor and Isaac headed to their bedroom, Isaac began pulling things out of a closet, looking for something appropriate for the girl to wear, while Taylor searched out some dry shorts and underwear. He noticed what Isaac was going to take to Lauren, a VERY oversized T-shirt which would make her look like an overweight clown!

"You’re not gonna give her that…its full of holes and everything!" Taylor gaped.

"Well, its all I have that’s clean, I haven’t had time to do my laundry this week," Isaac explained in annoyance, surely Taylor wasn’t going to argue about this shirt for Lauren when he didn’t even like her.

"Well, you can’t give her that, god, I’ve already seen enough as it is," Taylor muttered.

"Fine," Isaac rolled his eyes, he headed in to the closet again and began tearing out clothes, "I’ll give her your shirt," he muttered, grabbed one of Taylor’s tighter fitting T-shirts and he grabbed a pair of Zac’s pants, deciding they were the nearest to Lauren’s size. "Oh, and another thing, you got her clothes wet, so you can get them dry," Isaac stated, "she’s in the bathroom, go there in a few minutes and get her wet clothes," he stated and he headed out of the room.

Taylor stood there shaking his head, he peeled off his wet shorts and frowned, "Damn girl," he muttered under his breath.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Lauren opened the bathroom door hearing Isaac’s knock, she looked at him, she realised she must have looked dreadful, soaking wet, her hair dripping over her shoulders.

"Here," Isaac said, he handed her some clothes, "you can wear these, Taylor will be by in a minute to get your wet clothes and he’ll dry them for ya – since he got them wet in the first place," he said.

Lauren nodded, accepted the dry clothes gratefully and closed the door, she locked it, and began changing quickly, suddenly feeling very chilled. She dried off and pulled on the boxers – which she surmised belonged to Isaac, they were a little big – with a ludicrous pattern of musical notes, she thought that was pretty hilarious. She pulled on the T-shirt she’d been given, which was red with a white V-neck collar, she felt insecure about not having her bra on under it, but she realised that would be dry soon enough. She heard a knock at the door and she opened it, Taylor was standing there, looking slightly sheepish, his hair soaking wet and hanging in damp wisps at his face, he was dressed in a pair of blue and black patterned shorts and a tanktop.

"Ike told me to dry your clothes and I hope you know, I’m only gonna do it ‘cos I have to put the shorts that you soaked in the dryer anyway," he stated.

Lauren grabbed her soaking wet bra from the floor and she threw it at him, it hit him in the face and hung from his hair. "You suck, you know that?! You can’t even take a joke," she growled.

"Why would I even want to take a joke from a girl who slapped me across the face?" he asked in a biting tone, he moved her aside and began picking her wet clothes up from the floor, "The only reason I put up with you is because I have to and that’s all," he muttered, and then he left with her wet clothes, she knew she probably wouldn’t hear from him again today.

* * * * * * * * * * * *

Taylor dropped his shorts into the dryer and one item at a time began putting Lauren’s clothes in, he lifted her bra gingerly and looked it, personally wondering how girls could wear such monstrosities with wires here and adjustable straps there, and clasps at the back? He shook his head in disgust, he was just about to check what size it was, out of curiosity, when Zac’s voice cut through his examination of the undergarment.

"Why are you standing in our basement fondling girls underwear?" Zac raised an eyebrow.

Taylor went bright red, "I wasn’t," he responded, "I’m gonna stick it in the dryer, Zac," he added and discarded the bra into the drier quickly.

Zac limped over, holding onto his crutch for support, "know what? I think you like her and won’t admit it."

"Huh? Who?"
"Lauren, who else?" Zac hauled himself up onto the washer and sat there, swinging his legs. "I mean, you fight all the time, but like you get jealous when Ike is hanging out with her…"

"I do not," Taylor admonished as if being accused of this was like being accused of some kind of crime like murder – well, in Taylor’s eyes, murder would be a lot easier than even talking to the girl and trying to get along with her.

"Ike told me he kissed her," Zac said after a few moments of contemplating if he should bring that up, but he did want to see how his big brother would respond to this.

"I know, damn it, I was there," Taylor rolled his eyes.

"Was it gross?" Zac asked, "was it like sloppy with tongues and loads of drool?" he asked, trying to press Taylor for info, and see how far he could take him before he got him mad.

"Zac, we’re talking about Ike here, the words sloppy, tongue and drool are his middle names…" Taylor shoved Lauren’s clothes into the dryer and he turned it on, setting it for an hour spin.

"Geez, you’re in a bad mood," Zac got up off the washer.

"I have a right to be, damn it," Taylor leaned against the dryer, shaking his head.

"How come?"
"Because I just do, alright?" Taylor left the basement, hoping his brother wouldn’t bug him anymore – or follow him to the living room. He flung himself down on the couch and piled up the cushions, he made himself comfortable with his head on them, trying to ignore the heat in this room which was oppressive despite the window was already wide open.

Maybe Zac’s right, maybe I am jealous, Taylor thought after a few moments, he watched the TV, Jessica was watching some Soap Opera she probably didn’t understand, but nonetheless loved more than any show in the world. Am I jealous? Flickered through Taylor’s mind.

Jealous of Isaac though? Taylor wondered. Taylor had never been jealous of Isaac in all the time they’d been brothers, they’d always gotten along, but at this point, seemed all they ever did was argue – and right now it was constantly about Lauren. Isaac got on Taylor’s nerves recently, usually when it involved Lauren. Taylor wasn’t sure why that was, he wasn’t even too keen on the idea of tutoring her, why should he hate Lauren and Isaac being friends? Or being more than friends?

It was strange, ever since that first day Lauren had arrived at his house, Taylor had felt like his world had been altered in some tragic way he couldn’t refix, he had less and less free time to do the things he liked because he was stuck tutoring miss dumb-ass Lauren. And it bugged him even more because he knew she could do the work he kept giving her to do, he knew she understand the notes, but she was so busy daydreaming and so busy concentrating on everything else she paid little attention to her schoolwork.

If Taylor wasn’t so set against making her life a misery, he’d actually force her into doing what she was supposed to instead of sitting not listening properly.

Sleep began to drift over him, feeling weary he closed his eyes and relaxed on his bed, and soon, the fatigue washed over him, and he was dreaming…